This has so much potential to be at the upper echelon of JRPGs. The story, characters and skits are really great and worth your time. I usually am apathetic towards child characters in JRPGs, but Berseria did a great job with the main kid character in this game. I like his arc and seeing his growth throughout the story can inspire some confidence. I found myself caring for all characters in the main party and I was eager to learn how each of them were going to tackle their respective issues.
So what’s the big stinker? The dungeons. These dungeons are really bland. It is incredibly easy for any given dungeon to become a blur as it looks the same throughout its entire duration. Enemy encounters can become a blur as well as it really is a matter of spamming against the enemies’ weak points (especially if you decide to main Velvet, but applies to all characters). Sometimes, it was easy to settle to just spam one arte only, even if was sub-optimal – just to save some time. The souls system to limit the spam is interesting at first…until you find a way to constantly regenerate souls, hence enabling the mindless spam. The strategy is just as valid in higher difficulty levels – I played on Intense.
Also, for some reason, Namco just loves Sakuraba. His music is more bland than the dungeons themselves. How has he been allowed to just phone it in for decades? Can the dungeon music PLEASE introduce even a modicum of tension or urgency? The bland dungeons need some help and the audio isn’t helping!!!
Therefore, your mileage may vary.
If you value interactivity over anything else in games, then this is probably a pass.
If you have some tolerance level for mind-numbing gameplay, then it could be worth a shot.
If you’re already a Tales fan…well, we’ve already gotten used to how mindless these games can be, right? I’ve spammed Indignation in Phantasia and Tidal Wave in Vesperia, myself. However, what makes Berseria stand out a bit more is the sting of missed potential. The new artes system in Berseria promotes the idea of chaining any given arte into another. However, coming up with the optimal combo route didn’t feel particularly engaging. How do you make a system that’s so CONCEPTUALLY flexible but leads to spamming in practice?!
As I finished the game, I felt that this was an overall net positive experience. The emotional catharsis of the ending left me reflecting on all the characters and their respective struggles.
When I reflect on this game in the future, I’ll look back on it with fondness, especially if any conversations about the characters come up. However, because of the gameplay, I don’t think I’ll have a strong desire to replay it.
