Tales of the Abyss: First Impressions

Released February 14th, Tales of the Abyss for Nintendo 3DS is actually a port of a PlayStation 2 game. It's an RPG in which the player takes the role of Luke, a young man of 17 whose spoiled, bratty demeanor might just mask a gentle heart. And that, my friends, is probably the best part about this game. I mean that in a good way! Luke is far from perfect, making him one of the most endearing characters I've ever been acquainted with. It only helps that the voice work for him is some of the best in the game, standing out amongst a few really poor jobs.

Luke is joined in an epic quest by a slew of other characters: Tear, straightforward and reasonable (and rather boring); Jade, a powerful fighter; Ion, whose well-being holds the fate of the world in the balance; Mieu, a banished, but-sorry-for-his-actions monster called a cheagle; Anise, powerful despite her young age; and Guy, best friend of Luke, knowledgeable and powerful even though he has a phobia of girls. The interaction amongst these characters and the various enemies who roam about is the best thing about this game.

As is probably common in RPGs such as this, gameplay takes a hit in Tales of the Abyss. Combat is painfully repetitive, yet the player must engage in battles quite often to level up sufficiently. Sound familiar? It should if you're an RPG fan. I just wish...!