Tales of Symphonia [GC]

While many storied role-playing game franchises have roots on classic Nintendo consoles, the GameCube has so far been underprivileged, enduring long dry spells between RPG releases. The latest period has just ended with Namco's release of Tales of Symphonia. Continuing a short but respected series, the game does little to broaden the genre, but it does perform with style and solid mechanics.

The setting is Sylvant, a world suffering from a loss of mana, which powers magic and most life on the world. The people have placed their hopes around the Chosen One, who turns out to be a young girl named Colette. She must set out as representative for the goddess Martel on a mission to regenerate her world. Not exactly summer camp, but she's joined by the lead playable character Lloyd Irving, who will take up the sword (and whatever else is necessary) to help her succeed.

If the story sounds familiar, that's because it is. The game is pushed along through the expected dialogues with townspeople and delving of dungeons. But since console RPGs are more about battles than real role-playing, the game's heart lies in the returning active battle system. Using two dimensions masquerading as three, battles become fast and dynamic as characters move freely about the field, locking onto chosen targets. Players control a single party character, while solid AI routines handle the rest of the party.

Melee attacks and tech hits are the two big phrases in the combat syntax, and players have to smartly balance them while coordinating attacks with their AI party members for hard-hitting combos. A successful series of solid hits equips "unison attacks," which deal huge damage to foes.

The AI is well-scripted, making such feats of coordination possible. Extra controllers can put more party members into real player's hands, which really hastens the leveling process. The AI is more than capable for solo play, provided players keep a close eye on the settings, to switch parameters in different combat scenarios.

Continuing a recent trend in RPG design, encounters with enemies on the world map aren't random, so players can steer the party clear of threats if need be. There's still plenty of hunting to be done if combat experience is in demand, but the voluntary encounters make the game a lot more flexible.

Sadly, that step forward is counterbalanced by the dungeons, most of which are accessible at any point in the game. It's too easy to wander innocently into a dungeon that might quickly turn into a charnel house for underdeveloped parties. With little indication as to the difficulty level of each area, there's some painful trial and error to be done.

If there's a major drawback to Symphonia, it's that the structure and style are too dependent upon RPG conventions. The story goes more or less where we expect, and though there's a stab at individuality, the characters and situations are all too familiar. When you're talking about 80 hours of gameplay, more invention would be appreciated. And the general mix of in-town talk, dungeon exploration, and bosses is as familiar as the story, so the fast, inventive battles are what carry the game forward.

The one slightly unusual feature is a reliance on light puzzles as dungeons unfold. Some are simple block puzzles, while others require use of magic to affect the party. For example, at one point, the party is shrunk to insect size to pass through an otherwise blocked area. None of the challenges are difficult, but they're a decent way to break up the dungeon crawling.

A sharply rendered anime look also helps to keep the game interesting. Relying on cel shading, characters and backgrounds are impressively detailed and often very expressive. A slight blur creates noticeable depth of field, and though it's an uncommon effect for an RPG, the end result is worthwhile.

Town and dungeon areas show off an obvious design effort, and although too many elements come from the fantasy dictionary, Tales is still a good-looking game. The only exception is with the world map, which looks blocky and ugly, sharply contrasting with the rest of the game.

The sound is more balanced, neither outstanding nor a notable letdown. While the scripted dialogue is pretty run of the mill, the voice actors make an attempt to bring it to life, and there are more good moments than bad. The soundtrack rounds out a presentation that's always solid, but not as attention-grabbing as it might have been.

Total role-playing game newcomers will appreciate Tales of Symphonia's straightforward design and style, while hardcore players will look beyond the superficialities to fall in love with the battle system. But a developing audience of casual players, familiar with a few RPGs, may find that too much of Symphonia is bland and unoriginal. A smarter, more adventurous story to complement the fun battles would have helped. Namco's release is commendable, but this isn't the full-blown explosion of creativity the genre needs.