Tales of Xillia 2 boasts a constant feeling of progression through the entire game, and though the leveling has a new, and somewhat particular, skill-based development, the complete RPG package can be found within this wholehearted sequel.
Tales of Xillia 2 is without any doubt a very good JRPG that will delight fans of the series but, like many of the others before; it’s a shame than it cannot reach higher.
Rarely are there any games that play so closely with continuity the same way that Xillia 2 does, and because of that it can end up being another visit to the world Xillia set up or feel like rehash of the original game. Despite such a split difference when it comes to the world itself, Xillia 2 does manage to tell a wonderful story about perseverance, and experiencing what could have been.Strictly at a gameplay perceptive Xillia 2 has almost the exact same worlds, areas, and towns that Xillia 1 had. Absolutely something I think people should avoid when looking at Xillia 1 and 2 is to not play the game side by side; as a lot of game is heavily recycled. For the most part though, I wouldn't call Xillia 2 lazy. It does it's best with the new locations and constantly builds on what Xillia 1 did. Certain areas in Xillia 1 may have also been explored more compared to 2 or the environment may have changed as well. Again this is not usually the case, but such attention to detail with the world building and even character relationships make Xillia 2 what it is, a revisit to a familiar **** always, the characters are a real highlight about the Tales Of games, and Xillia 2 doesn't shy away from that either. The old gang is back in action, and taking on new duties and roles that make for some rather interesting character development. Certain characters don't go the path you expect, but they do stay true to who they were in the original game. The two new characters, Ludger and Elle are also a great addition to the cast, and help make Xillia 2 one of the biggest cast of characters to embrace the Tales series. Thankfully due to the past game and some chapters that exclusively focus on said characters, we learn more about the old cast while still experiencing the growing relationship between them, Elle, and Ludger. In fact, Ludger being such a new character and as the main led, a lot of the game plays out in a way that Ludger can feel like a self insert, even going as far as giving you choices every now and again. The majority of choices don't affect the game too much, but can help increase your affinity with the rest of the cast. Ludger is in fact his own character tho, and while there are some interesting reasons why we don't really get to explore his character much, there is enough interactions with people that help flesh out his character. Elle, meanwhile, is easily the best addition to the cast of characters, and is probably one of the best child characters in gaming. I don't say it lightly in the sense that Elle expresses herself like a child without ever really feeling too annoying or hurtful to the narrative. In fact, the majority of the driven story is actually caused by Elle, and to say that she has the biggest growth moments in this game is an understatement.Which speaking of character growth, this game's story is dark, really dark. While the majority of Tales games do dive down into the politics and morality of what drives someone to be who they are, Xillia 2 has a way of just sort of twisting the knife in the back for a lot of these characters. Xillia 2 is not without fun moments and laughter, but to say this is a happy game would be blatantly lying to your face. While I don't think the overall threat of this games antagonist is particularly great, the fact the characters have to personally take care of a lot of their demons is what really drives home the interest of Xillia 2, and honestly why you keep playing **** the most part, I don't think I could have asked for a better sequel the way we have Xillia 2. I don't think it's the best game in the series, but it manages to do a lot that make it far more memorable in my mind than any other Tales of game to date. While I would love to recommend this to anyone, honestly Xillia 2 is best played after a Xillia 1 playthrough, and even then with some time to process everything; if you can manage that, you'll be in for quite a treat.
To me, sequels of games are not as interesting as the first game.
However, Tales of Xillia 2 beat down my expectation of "Wow, it's just another rip or something".
I was expecting some cheesy follow-up story, but the story is far different from the first game.
I really didn't like it at first, the quiet protagonist, then this hole money issue. But as I progressed further into the game, I laughed, I got annoyed, I got sad, and many tears were shed.
I fell in love with the game on the second day I got it, and for the next three days I played it on all the free-time I had, and I can assure you, I cried at least 6 times throughout the game. Sometimes, I felt like I was the protagonist- speaking to the screen as if I was actually really there (Yeah sounds like a loser, and well I am trash so..). I had a lot of attachments to the characters throughout the game and I'll be happy to say that this game is probably my favorite game.
Tales of Xillia 2 could have represented a net improvement of its predecessor in every field, but some bad choices in game design make it a title only marginally better than that which preceded it.
It's a 20-hour game in a 50-hour package, bloated to hell and back by a design engineered to recycle content. If you're interested in playing an installment of the Tales series, you deserve much better than this.
After enjoying Tales of XIllia I was a bit worried about the sequel, since reaching the same level could prove difficult. Fortunately, Tales of Xillia 2 is a fantastic Tales game and a great sequel, expanding everything good about the first game, improving the combat system in lots of ways, offering a lot of extra activities and a surprisingly deep and emotional story that is very different than that found in the first game. This is definitely a game any Tales fan, especially those who enjoyed Xillia, must give a chance.
Esta secuela es prácticamente lo mismo que la anterior, solo se jugaría para de alguna forma darle un final a la historia.
Lo que si es lo peor de este juego es el maldito sistema de pago de tu deuda( si lo juegan entenderán) , ese punto es la contra mas grande del juego.
I took a risk with Namco on the sequel to Tales of Xilla, I was disappointed. The story and new character Lugar did not do it for me. Lugar is a very silent and a very flat protagonist who is only fleshed out though the other characters. I beat the game and I still don't feel like I know who Lugar is as a character. I understand and appreciate the fact that you can make choices for him and so "guide" the story, but in the end 90% of the choices don't impact the game, absent the last chapter.
The only characters who really shine, for me, are Alvin and Gaius. The game gives you a deeper appreciation for who they are and the circumstances of their lives.
The combat system starts slow, but surpasses Tales of Xilla in a lot of ways. It almost becomes too overwhelming with options you have at your disposal.
Alas, there are some mechanics which really impede the games flow, like the debt repayment system.
Good combat, but a poor story with a very weak protagonist.
First of all I must say the Collector's edition was a generous offer which, I'm sure, pleased and met the fan's expectations. This review is intended for the overall gaming experience (or...I should say, lack of it).
Tales of Xillia will always be one of my favorite games ever. I adored the story and the characters (specially the two protagonists). It was an interactive gaming experience where. I would be playing for long hours and have the feeling all those guys were with me because of the fantastic interactions with each other and their surroundings, the skits were phenomenal, the humor was quick and more mature, and I could feel the character's personalities. Oh... I should add that I loved the fact the all had A VOICE, thank you very much.
I was looking forwards to Xillia2, and I was convinced that because Xillia was such a perfect power house that was no way anyone could screw things up but they managed to do it in epic levels. A silent protagonist was a very poor choice (again, in my personal opinion), it feels/looks/sounds utterly ridiculous in the gameplay, the interactions were murdered, the skits were brought to an infant level, to the point I feel I'm playing a pre-teen girl game with no content.
If the company regretted the great choices, levels, set of of characters tones/personalities, and the awesomeness of the skits and interactions in the first Xillia, that is too bad, but I hope the changes weren't made to meet a younger, or less mentally appreciative audience. Those changes successfully brought Xillia2 to shameful and ridiculous levels.
The strong points were kept with its beautiful and unique to Xillia art style and worlds, great opening music, and being able to play with the characters from Xillia back in that Universe.
Yeah, I'm definitely late for this, 5 years in fact, but this is because I couldn't bother to review this game back when it was new and I was extremely hyped for it. Xillia was "officially" my first tales - even though I had Vesperia but I never managed to actually play it back then - and I loved that game so much: I loved the combat, I loved the Lilium system, I loved the characters (except Milla. **** Milla), I loved the setting, I loved the graphics, I loved the linked system...I just loved it and I'm just now replaying it for the first time in 6 years! My review of Xillia 1 might be a bit off but I truly enjoyed that game, so much that I'm even going to attempt the platinum I loved it so much.
But Xillia 2 is **** good.
Let's start from the very first thing you see when you start the game: what the **** happened to our characters? they look TERRIBLE, and I don't mean "Yeah they don't look as good" NO I mean they look terrible, their design is atrocious, HORRIBLE, UGLY! Jude's lab coat is so bland it feels like it's an extra costume! Alvin just looks blander now and Leia, just, how could they change her adorable design into a journalist? And Elize?! Argh! Why is she now a chirpy, slutty schoolgirl?! She doesn't act nor look like Elize, she's a completely different character!
On this regard, yes, time has passed since the first game, changes are normal to occur and I'm not saying they shouldn't change them, but I at least expected them to grow into better people! Jude has become boring, Leia is a loser journalist instead of a charismatic and happy nurse, Alvin is shady once again - even though I remember him stopping doing that? - Elize is just a bland school girl with the personality of **** frankly, that's it for now, because I have more for later.
But of course, how could I forget? Now we control Ludger, a new character **** doesn't speak at all. Yep, we got a silent protagonist now ****'s just okay, at best. It's really okay but I wish he spoke more rather than allow us to choose his answers. In addition, Elle, the other main protagonist, is a pain in the butt and she won't stop talking. What saves them from complete horror is definitely Rollo...I don't know why but whenever I saw him my complaints would end. It's hard to get mad when a damn big fat cat looks at you, and I'm a bird type of person!
Okay, characters are ****ed, what's left? Oh the combat, one of my favorite parts of the game and probably the best combat I ever had in a tales so far: the linked arts and the unique talents of the character made it fun to experiment and the Lilium orb, a system similar to FFX's Sphere grid, made it all enjoyable and customizable at the player's pace. Well, the combat is pretty much the **** the Lilium system is not, replaced for probably one of the worst progression systems of those years.
Remember whenever you leveled you'd receive GP to use it in the Lilium Orb? Forget that now: in order to obtain everything, from skills to artes, you're now having to get elemental ore. How do you get elemental ore? From enemies and from the overworld. Why is it worse? Because you can only grow certain elements at once depending on the Extractor, meaning that you can play 20 hours without obtaining any of the important artes like resurrection or pixie circle or anything. I played Xillia 2 for over 20 hours, 20 hours of boring grind - since combat is practically meaningless and you can grind the ores by just running out and in of the map - until I simply call it quits. I hardly quit games so soon because of boredom and it's usually a Square Enix game, but this time Tales of Xillia 2 beat them to it. I didn't even bother to get the last 3 characters like Milla but considering she was a **** in the first game I HIGHLY DOUBT she's any better in this game. At least I don't have to Boo her every 30 seconds.
Bottom line, I just don't like this game...I replayed it twice but the feeling I get is the same: it's boring and the plot is just needless. The questing system **** and it's now tied to a "debt system" where zones are unlocked the more you pay and then you get the Rollo minigame which forces you to wait for REAL-TIME for his return and it is required in order to get certain items for quests. I just couldn't get more than that time and the more I played, the more I wanted to return to Xillia 1. And I did, despite the flaws it has (mostly Milla. because **** Milla)
Apologies for the swearing, but this game pissed me off so much that I couldn't do a review years ago, and now I finally said my piece: **** this game, play Xillia 1.
SummaryTALES OF XILLIA 2 focuses on the events a year after the climactic end of TALES OF XILLIA. Players assume the role of Ludger Kresnik, a young man with a zest for cooking who lives with his older brother and cat, Rollo. On his way to his first day at work for a local cafeteria he runs into a young girl named Elle Marta and the two soon ...