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A Tale of Two Tales

by JC Fletcher on Aug 22nd 2008 11:30AM

Responding to the widespread criticism that there just aren't enough Tales games, Namco Bandai has taken the unprecedented step of releasing two versions of Tales of Hearts that differ in only one way, which has no effect on gameplay: the cutscenes.

Tales of Hearts will sell as an "Animation Edition," with anime-style cutscenes, and a "CG Movie Edition," whose cinematics use the off-putting 3D models seen in the scan above. Realistic people with anime hair and clothes just look weird! And this December, some poor otaku is going to feel compelled to purchase both the regular and ugly editions of the game.

[Scan via Wii Everyday]

Source

Tags: cutscenes, namco-bandai, rpg, tales, tales-of-hearts

Reader Comments (26)

Who needs art direction?

It's just the 'ol Pokemon syndrome - lots of games have been released in multiple versions for no reason other than to sell twice as many copies.

....I bet they'd sell more copies if they released it in North America. Just an idea, Namco.....

I wish this game comes out here in the US

Dammit, now I'm terrified that they'll only release the ugly CG version in America.

I'd be more terrified that Namco won't release EITHER version in North America based on what they've said about Tales of Innocence and DS releases here.

Yes, that will be more terrify

So that's what that's all about. :P I'm assuming the regular character models are going to be anime style, so I guess that makes more sense. I wonder how long after the game's release it'll be before both sets of cutscenes are available online? :P

There is 99% of chance that I'll be buying the anime edition. But IF the game supports multiplayer (I saw from somewhere that it will support 3 players, but wikipedia says it is singleplayer only, and the official website says "Not decided yet"), I may buy the CG edition for my bro since it seems more reasonable than buying 2 identical games..

Er, what's wrong with the CG? It looks nice, almost Shadow Hearts-like in style. And what's wrong with realistic people with anime-ish hair? I think it's awesome.

There's naught wrong with the CG. I think it looks spiffy.

Though realistic characters with anime hair is generally terrifying. I remember thinking while playing "Crisis Core" that the characters had to spend at least 8 hours a day applying hair gel to keep their hair looking like that, even during a hard rain. And one day a game will include a hair-gel scene. You wait and see.

Actually, it only takes a good 10 minutes to style your hair anime-like if you are fast enough. All you need is the right product; NOT gel. You need something substantially stronger, like putty, combined with hairspray for that survives-the-wind hold. Rain will still screw it up, though.

I'm not sure either. I think the CG stuff looks fantastic. The anime style is really starting to wear out on me. To me, most of the characters look the same. Its just like just slapping different hairstyles on a generic anime face. Plus, a lot of the exagerated anime facial expressions just want to make me shoot myself anymore. I've grown quite tired of it. Plus, "anime" hardly qualifies as a unique artstyle these days, especially compared to CG stuff.

Chances we'll see either one on American shores, given the lack of Tales of Tempest and the GREAT Tales of Innocence games:

Slim to none.

I'm still waiting for those bastards at Namco Bandai to release Tales of Innocence.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR NOW YOU ASSHOLES, THE SERIES SELLS LIKE HOTCAKES OVER THERE SO USE SOME OF THAT PROFIT TO LOCALIZE THE GAME GOD DAMN IT.

Is it a bad thing that I actually like the CG models? Both are cool actually.

Why not actually put both on the cartridge and let us choose via options? "Technical Limitations" is not a valid excuse if the finished cart isn't 256MB

Yeah, I think that would be better too.

I'm glad tho they decided to do animu cutscenes too, a Tales of game with realistic CG is just weird..

Want Tales of Innocence? Import the Japasene copy. Pick up an R4 (or any other "homebrew" player) and check out the fan translation at:
http://kaioshin.romhacking.net/?p=51

Not done yet, but probably will be just as good or better than anything NamcoBandai has done in the last few years. At least this way it for sure won't have English voice acting.

Hey man, Eternia (Destiny II) has awesome voice work, and that was on the PlayStation. The only problem I have with English voices is that they never produce the epic power Japanese voices do when shouting the hi-ougi attacks.

I dunno, the voice overs for Tales of the Abyss were pretty awesome. Yuri Lowenthal did pretty good with Luke at the least... And I loved pulling off Radiant Howl or whatever the hell it was.

Mystic Cage was also pretty good too. But if you want some 'epic' shouting with your JRPG goodness, give Mana Khemia a go. Liam O' Brien does a GREAT job with his voicework for Vayne.

Realistic 3D is severely overrated. Cartoon version pls, even if it is just more lazy work from Production I.G.

Not that I even care that much, given that Bamco won't bring it to the US.

(Come on Bamco, make me eat my words.)

I thought it was more Namdai? Anyway...those 3D graphics remind me of Final Fantasy. EFFEMINATE MALE LEAD.

JC said: "Realistic people with anime hair and clothes just look weird!"

@JC, I take it then you have never seen Japanese fashion? Many younger people in their teens and early 20's wear stuff just like this. It's mainly the younger crowd though. Also what's wrong with realism with that style? Square used it in Advent Children with good success. You're statement seems very odd for a "news piece".

But that was a movie. And you can't say it was good success because of the graphics, it was good success because all those FF7 fanboys and girls got to see their "Sephy". I'm not even kidding.

What.. As if more than half of the game is made of anime/CG cutscenes. I bet not even 1/4!

Like above poster said, just have both styles in the game and the let the player choose what they want.

I would buy the Anime cutscene version just becuase I know they will have better quality than the CG ones. THough, if it doesn't get released in the US, I will import.

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A Tale of Two Tales

Reader Comments (26)

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