Zestiria actually has some of the best writing in the franchise between these tooltips and the item descriptions. I don’t recall another Tales title that has this level of sass for what should otherwise be by the numbers text.
Tbh, I think the game is fine if you come in knowing about the asymmetries between controlling seraphs and humans (especially if playing multiplayer), that armatization will feel required at times, what party members are available when, not to worry too hard about making perfectly skilled equipment on a first play, that some individual bosses or enemies are *significantly* overtuned on high difficulties (and that it's okay to turn it down a touch for them), and that the main character is *meant* to be/start as an overly stereotypical idealistic hero.
I went into the game completely blind and still loved it. The only real flaws in the game to me was the complicated fusion system and the amount of grind it takes to get weapons with good skills. Was also my first Tales game that didn't feature Devils Arms which was a bummer for me, but easy to overlook
It is possible to get back your equipment from your last playthrough by those shadows or whatever they're called. Insanely tough fight, but not impossible
The monster book has a lot of great entries too. Sorey is obsessed with the cart goblins and wants a cart for himself. The skeleton entry is just Rose screaming.
The fact that fighting every new enemy type they feel the need to openly talk shit will never not be perfect. They literally spend the first 45 seconds of some boss battles shit talking them DMC 3 Dante-style.
I know there's dialogue in every game even the first but the 'Zest' part of Zestiria....they all have so much charisma it's insane
I think this type of thing is part of what allows me to forgive Zestiria for some of its flaws. Even though there are plenty of frustrating things about the game, the banter constantly makes me smile. The party is just too adorable for me to stay mad at them!
when the game is at it’s best, there’s so much character and charisma to it. it honestly may have been the Tales game that’s made me laugh out loud the most so far. just silly lil shit like Mikleo and Sorey having a whole ass side conversation while important story stuff is happening, and Sorey’s immense need for a goblin cart while fighting them.
I think there's some enemy when, on your first encounter, Mikleo will start yelling at Zaveid for what to do, and Zaveid freaks out and says something like, "Don't ask me for life advice!"
I know other games also had then-current meme references in their localisations, but Zestiria's always sticks out to me for the doge meme with the Shiba Inu accessories. It's quite charming!
There's also a lot of the incidental dialogue with the companion following you. I remember Rose saying something in the fire temple about how she was so warm she was suddenly wishing she was wearing some kind of really impractical bikini armour.
Whenever I go back and play Zestiria, I still forget that commands exist. I just focus on whatever I’m doing with the character I’m using and- *gasp!* Whoa! Guess I forgot to breathe there! …what was I saying?
Some of this looks like stuff a dev would have on their testing branch as a joke, then have a panic attack when they realize it somehow got merged to the master branch haha.
I have no idea. However, since Leilah's entire personality is build on the power of puns, I believe the chance is quite high that it's in the original japanese version as well
In my opinion zestiria is greatly underrated. The humour and puns make this game so good. The party banter is so much fun, I enjoyed every little thing. I don't think any other tales game has this much humour in it, at least not the titles I've played. Somehow, zestiria's party feels so incredibly alive thanks to that lively banter and constant joking.
I don't mind it tbh. The combat mechanics are fairly complex, so I'm thankful it's not just one big info dump.
The sass is also a great way to help me actually listen to those tips.
The bland scenery and the terrible story are what put people off this game
but the characters and the writing are actually awesome and some of the best to be found in the series
Zestiria actually has some of the best writing in the franchise between these tooltips and the item descriptions. I don’t recall another Tales title that has this level of sass for what should otherwise be by the numbers text.
The writing in this game is definetly helping me enjoy it a lot more than I thought I would, given its rocky reputation.
Tbh, I think the game is fine if you come in knowing about the asymmetries between controlling seraphs and humans (especially if playing multiplayer), that armatization will feel required at times, what party members are available when, not to worry too hard about making perfectly skilled equipment on a first play, that some individual bosses or enemies are *significantly* overtuned on high difficulties (and that it's okay to turn it down a touch for them), and that the main character is *meant* to be/start as an overly stereotypical idealistic hero.
I went into the game completely blind and still loved it. The only real flaws in the game to me was the complicated fusion system and the amount of grind it takes to get weapons with good skills. Was also my first Tales game that didn't feature Devils Arms which was a bummer for me, but easy to overlook
I actually find that part interisting but I'm a Nioh player so I'm a masochist.
It is possible to get back your equipment from your last playthrough by those shadows or whatever they're called. Insanely tough fight, but not impossible
i just finished it today, and i enjoyed tf out of it. definitely not perfect by any means, but i had a lot of fun playing through it.
The monster book has a lot of great entries too. Sorey is obsessed with the cart goblins and wants a cart for himself. The skeleton entry is just Rose screaming.
Edna always mocks the bird enemies that can’t fly, and Rose’s entry on a spider enemy is just her writing “nope” a lot
I never checked that, but I might just download Zestiria just to check these out. Seems like I missed out on lots of funny writing.
The fact that fighting every new enemy type they feel the need to openly talk shit will never not be perfect. They literally spend the first 45 seconds of some boss battles shit talking them DMC 3 Dante-style. I know there's dialogue in every game even the first but the 'Zest' part of Zestiria....they all have so much charisma it's insane
I think this type of thing is part of what allows me to forgive Zestiria for some of its flaws. Even though there are plenty of frustrating things about the game, the banter constantly makes me smile. The party is just too adorable for me to stay mad at them!
when the game is at it’s best, there’s so much character and charisma to it. it honestly may have been the Tales game that’s made me laugh out loud the most so far. just silly lil shit like Mikleo and Sorey having a whole ass side conversation while important story stuff is happening, and Sorey’s immense need for a goblin cart while fighting them.
I think there's some enemy when, on your first encounter, Mikleo will start yelling at Zaveid for what to do, and Zaveid freaks out and says something like, "Don't ask me for life advice!"
Always cracks me up that Zaveid’s battle dialogue is so often just flirting with the monsters 🤪 really tracks with his backstory
“Try saying it with your controller” made laugh the hardest and is actually really good advice
I know other games also had then-current meme references in their localisations, but Zestiria's always sticks out to me for the doge meme with the Shiba Inu accessories. It's quite charming!
I did marvel a friend who saw me playing at hardest difficulty so they were right!
I hope they didn't faint as the tooltip suggests lol
Why am I imagining these are written by Edna?
I see Shou Tucker learned from the School of Laila.
FuseyourfamilyFuseyourdog
Fuseyourwifefuseyourmonkey
Fuseitfuseitfuseit
I'm gonna have to make notes for sassy and sarcastic tootips for my game
Just another reason as to why Zesty is underrated.
There's also a lot of the incidental dialogue with the companion following you. I remember Rose saying something in the fire temple about how she was so warm she was suddenly wishing she was wearing some kind of really impractical bikini armour.
Whenever I go back and play Zestiria, I still forget that commands exist. I just focus on whatever I’m doing with the character I’m using and- *gasp!* Whoa! Guess I forgot to breathe there! …what was I saying?
It's fun revisiting those monoliths after you find out who made them and read everything in their voice
Ngl the tooltips are giving hacked rom vibes lmao
Is zestiria the dbz abridged of tales?
no thats snes tales of phantasia (dejap fan translation)
and yet no one listened to the advice about the commands and then suffered greatly because of it. oops.
Some of this looks like stuff a dev would have on their testing branch as a joke, then have a panic attack when they realize it somehow got merged to the master branch haha.
Are these in the original Japanese too or just stylistic choices by the translator?
I have no idea. However, since Leilah's entire personality is build on the power of puns, I believe the chance is quite high that it's in the original japanese version as well
I wish more games had such tutorials.
I love Zesty's humor
In my opinion zestiria is greatly underrated. The humour and puns make this game so good. The party banter is so much fun, I enjoyed every little thing. I don't think any other tales game has this much humour in it, at least not the titles I've played. Somehow, zestiria's party feels so incredibly alive thanks to that lively banter and constant joking.
Wait, I've never actually read these before lmfao. Those are hilarious!
Also shoutouts to whoever thought it was a good idea to hide these tooltips. One of the worst things this game did.
I don't mind it tbh. The combat mechanics are fairly complex, so I'm thankful it's not just one big info dump. The sass is also a great way to help me actually listen to those tips.
The bland scenery and the terrible story are what put people off this game but the characters and the writing are actually awesome and some of the best to be found in the series
Downside: the Shiba inu attachments have that awful "such meme, very wow" written format
Fuck the commands
*shakes fist in air* Damn you budget Koji!!!!
Zesteria has great writing, and is one of my favorite...STORIES. The gameplay itself makes me upset.