The 16 Best 'Tales' Games, Ranked

The Tales of the World spinoff series goes the fan fiction route with its use of famous characters from across the game's mainline entries. Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology, which is the only one of those games that arrived in the States, implements the trademark action RPG combat of the series while throwing in a decent job class system and some beloved Tales heroes to take into battle. While there is an abundance of missions to participate in, they tend to get a bit repetitive and grow monotonous over time. What's here is passable at best for the casual JRPG player and a decent timesink for avid Tales fans.

Tales of Symphonia is considered one of the best entries in the Tales mythology. To the shock of many, it got a sequel in the form of this release. Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World adds a cool wrinkle to the series' hyperactive combat mechanics by injecting some monster capturing, which stands out as one of the finest aspects of this game. In comparison to its predecessor, however, Dawn of the New World's characters and story don't quite measure up (Emil Castagnier isn't exactly a fan-favorite character, by the way...).

Tales of Legendia's troubled world (that's primarily covered in water) presents an interesting premise where the game's main characters find themselves living out their days on a massive ship. That unique plot point and overall theme of this Tales game is cool and all, plus the storyline being told throughout it has some high points that make it a bit memorable. The combat doesn't hold up as much as the other Tales games on this list, plus the slow pacing of this game makes the opening hours a bit of a slog.

This is the Tales game that started it all. And to this day, there are Tales fans making it quite clear to Bandai Namco that they'd love to get a full-on remake of this game. Tales Of Phantasia's active combat system is definitely what helped it stand apart from other JRPGs of the time. Plus its characters (especially Cress Albane and Chester Burklight, who are considered clear favorites among diehard Tales fans!) and overall charm still afford it a high likability factor among most Tales fans. The biggest con of retro JRPGs is bothersome here, though - random battles certainly make this game feel lengthier than it actually is.

Tales of Hearts R, which is the PS Vita remake release of a formerly Japanese 3DS exclusive, is a definite highlight of the Tales series. This series entry features one of the franchise's most remarkable main protagonists in Kor Meteor, who goes on an adventure centering on the commendable task of restoring the hear stand soul of a close companion. The inclusion of random battles is the biggest annoyance of this game, but at least the well-tuned active combat mechanics and two added party members make those battles a bit more manageable.

We have yet another case of one of the better Tales games getting a sequel. This time around, the main protagonist role is filled by a silent newcomer named Ludger Kresnik. With a mysterious little girl named Elle Mel Marta and the rest of the cast from the first game by his side, fans found themselves on a quest to destroy parallel worlds. Ludger's combat abilities, which lets him wield three separate weapons that can be switched to at will, added a lot to the Tales combat formula. Being forced to complete missions to lower one's debt in order to push the story forward is the only quibble we have against this game, however.

Tales of Zestiria gets most of its flack for having unmemorable characters and a predictable storyline that doesn't really offer much in the way of surprises. But it still gets its just due thanks to the seamlessness that comes when transitioning from on-field exploration to instant combat encounters. Plus the elemental "Armatus" transformation makes the usage of Sorey and Rose during those battles pretty damned exciting. On the gameplay front, this Tales game impresses and gives it a leg up on the previously mentioned series entries on this list.

We'll always be heartbroken by the fact that the PS2 remake of this game is still a Japanese exclusive. Even still, we have plenty of love in abundance to shower upon the PS1 original. Tales of Destiny is a noticeable setup from Tales of Phantasia thanks to the following factors - a great side-scrolling combat system, a full cast of lovable party members (following the character growth of Stahn Aileron and his magical talking weapon "Swordian Dymlos" is a fun time), and a decent OST are among those positive elements. As far as PS1 JRPGs go, Tales of Destiny is one of the more underrated ones.

This updated PS3 version of a former Nintendo Wii exclusive offers the usual assembly of signature Tales elements - a beautiful anime aesthetic, a fast-paced battle system, and a journey featuring a group of upbeat heroes. In the case of Tales of Graces f's battle structure, it offers the deepest and most variety in the entire series. The alchemy mechanic also offers a complex yet wholly enjoyable mechanic for players to fully grasp over the course of this game's adventure. If the game's plot and characterization of the protagonists were a bit more inspired, then Tales of Graces f would have earned itself a higher spot on this list.

What's known as Tales of Eternia in Japan is known to most Tales fans in the States as the second official entry in the series. And the version of this game that we enjoy the most is its PSP version (which you'll need to import if you're truly dedicated to playing every game in the Tales series). The real-time battles that take place on a 2D plane are still enjoyable here. Plus the game's plot, which centers on stopping a cataclysmic event that will result in the destruction of two neighboring planets, is one of the more memorable stories in the Tales franchise. Based on that alone, the comparisons between this game and Tales of Arise's stories are easy to see. This Tales game is the finest out of the earliest series entries that first launched on PS1.

We loved this game back on the PS2 and our feelings didn't change one bit once we checked it on the Nintendo 3DS. The coming-of-age story that centers on Luke fon Fabre is unforgettable and did an amazing job of transforming him from an unlikable jerk to a fan-favorite that's easy to root for. While the game's story can feel a bit slow in parts when it comes to proceeding to more impactful developments, it's still enjoyable nonetheless. This game's debut of the "Free Run" feature is a godsend since it finally allowed players to move in any direction on the battlefield. And ever since this game's release, that feature has become a series staple. Tales of the Abyss is pure class.

Tales of Xillia's decision to feature two protagonists that can be chosen at the very start affords this JRPG a ton of replayability. And while we have a soft spot for its male protagonist Jude Mathis, we chose to tackle this game first with the headstrong protector Milla Maxwell. She stands out as one of our favorite Tales characters in one of the games we consider a top-five selection in the entire series. A strong plotline with heavy themes and lighthearted moments strewn throughout are part of the main reasons we hold Tales of Xillia in such high regard. The sublime combat feel gives this game some extra kudos, too - Jude's martial arts mastery and Milla's "Spirit Shift" abilities are so damn satisfying to pull off.

Tales of Berseria gets a high placement here on our list of the best Tales game thanks to how dark and somber its storyline is. We're so used to prior games in the series producing plots with light tones even when a party of heroes sets out to deal with a encroaching threat. The events of the "Scarlet Night" greatly impact this game's main protagonist Velvet Crowe to the point where she becomes filled with hate and focused on nothing but getting pure revenge. Following her story and seeing how this game ties into Tales of Zestiria (Tales of Berseria is a prequel to that game, after all) intrigued us enough to give this JRPG a chance. And we're so glad we did! Shout out to this game's usage of the hype "Soul Gauge" and "Break Soul" battle mechanics, too. Tales of Berseria is certainly mentioned during spirited discussions about the best Tales games.

If you owned a GameCube back in the day and were on a heavy JRPG kick, we guaranteed you played the hell out of this game. Tales of Symphonia remains one of the more iconic entries in the series thanks to its distinctive cutesy chibi art style, momentous plot points, affable party members, and the presence of the familiar active combat mechanics that the Tales series lives by. Storyline-wise, Tales of Symphonia touches on some pretty serious topics (oppression and discrimination among them). This is definitely one of those Tales games that shouldn't be judged by its cover! The Unison Gauge" and the "Unison Attack" added some cool wrinkles to the familiar trappings of the Tales combat feel, which we'll always appreciate about this game.

There was a period of time when the Xbox 360 put forth a number of JRPGs in hopes of garnering more attention from the Japanese gaming populace. Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, The Last Remnant, and Resonance of Fate did a halfway decent job of aiding that goal. The one JRPG we salute the most during that initiative is this one. Tales of Vesperia has one of our favorite party lineups in the entire series - Yuri Lowell's penchant for rebelling against the unjust powers that be and Estelle's loyalty to the people of the kingdom she's sworn to protect are incredibly endearing. Add on a great plotline, the usually well-received combat system, and all the included content from the Japanese version included in the Definitive Edition all help Tales of Vesperia continually get recognized as a Tales series triumph.

Tales of Arise marks the highest point for the Tales franchise as it truly modernized the series for the better. The best parts of Tales of Graces f's combat mechanics are revisited for this game along with the focus on careful dodging and countering. Plus the theme of two planets with opposing ideals being the focus of this game's story works to its benefit thanks to surprising focus on themes of racism and slavery. The "Boost Strike" feature makes this game's battles super exciting as it produces some of the flashiest team-up attacks we've ever seen in a JRPG. Tales of Arise has done a phenomenal job of making the Tales series more recognizable among casual gamers and evolving the overall formula of the franchise as a whole. God bless Alphen and Shionne!