New dark instalment for popular JRPG

Tales of Berseria is the latest release in the popular JRPG series. This most recent title tells the dark story of Velvet, an all new female character who journeys the seas with a crew of pirates.

New direction

After some fan criticism over general staleness in the series, Tales of Berseria impresses with a sense of overall improvement. While the game still follows stock JRPG elements for the most part, slight changes to the combat system and tone have created a much more satisfying experience. The game opens with the story of a small town girl known as Velvet and details her descent into a dark and twisted character, ending as more of an anti-hero than a traditional anime-style protagonist. This switch allows Tales of Berseria to have a more diverse and interesting set of characters, providing one of the best stories in the Tales series. Despite these improvements, the game suffers from a high level of padding and backtracking alongside a lack of difficulty and is still only for those with a passion for Japanese animation and culture.

Vast improvement

Tales of Berseria is an important step forward for the Tales series. The clear indication of a willingness to take risks and innovate are bright signs for the future. One of the best JRPGs of recent years.