Tales of the Abyss

Tales of the Abyss is a console role-playing game for the Sony Playstation 2, developed by Namco Tales Studio, published by Namco in Japan and by Namco Bandai in North America. It is the second latest game in the series, the latest being Tales of the Tempest.

Tales of the Abyss follows its predecessors gameplay format, while adding some new features.

Theme Song
The game's Japanese theme song is "karma", performed by BUMP OF CHICKEN and played during the game's opening sequence. It's lyrics were removed for the American release however and voices were replaced by electric guitars. The song was renamed "Meaning of Birth".

Battle System
Tales of the Abyss uses the FR-LIMBS(Flex-Range Linear Motion Battle System) battle system. This is unique to the Tales series, as it now allows the character to engage in 3D movement. When a character reaches level 5, they get the Free Run AD skill. Then, when they hold down L2 in battle, the character can run in 3D space.

Tales of the Abyss also uses Field of Fonons(FOF's). It takes 4 low level, 2 mid level, or 1 high level spell. When a full FOF appears, certain attacks can be powered up if done within the circle. Example) Fang Blade + Wind FOF = Lightning Tiger Blade

Capacity Cores are items that are equipped, and boost your skills when you level up. They range from boosting one point of a certain atribute, to 4 points of all attributes. When certain amounts of abilities are gained from Capacity Cores, you get an AD skill.

AD Skills are skills that are gained from Capacity Cores, and when equipped give special abilities.

Fonslot Chambers are chambers that are equipped to attacks. There are Carmine, Cobalt, Sunlight, and Grass chambers. They let you: do FOF attacks in unfilled FOF circles, add posion to your attacks, increase recovery time, increase damage, and increase knockback.

Story
From Tales of the Abyss Instruction Manual:

Fonons - essential components of all matter on planet Auldrant. Ages ago, a new type of fonon was discovered -- the Seventh Fonon. Its discovery threw humanity into chaos, for if one could use the Seventh Fonon, one could learn the future. Wars over the Sevneth Fonon raged across the lands, ending only when the miasma - a poison from within the planet - covered the entire word. This is when Yulia appeared.

A fonist skilled in prophecy, Yulia saw thousands of years into the future and foresaw a way to seal away the miasma. With the guidance of her prophecies, humanity sealed the miasma deep within the planet.

Over two thousand years passed.

The world is ruled by Yulia's prophecy, known as the Score. People believe in the coming "unprecedented prosperity" promised in the Score, never straying from te path set forth in the Score which will lead them to that prosperity. They look to the Score as revealed by the Order of Lorelei, the religion Yulia founded, and hold that the greatest virtue is to follow the Score faithfully.

Yulia's Score tells of a young man who is necessary in order to bring "unprecedented prospertiy." His name is Luke fon Fabre. An hier to the throne of the Kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, he was kidnapped as a child by the kingdom's enemy, the Malkuth Empire. Since his return he has been confined to his family's manor for his own safety. He has no idea of the evil that now draws close.