Tales of Destiny (PS2)

The PlayStation 2 release of Tales of Destiny (テイルズ オブ デスティニー) is a full remake of Tales of Destiny, the second game in the Tales series, originally released in 1997 for the PlayStation console. This remake version of Tales of Destiny was released on November 30, 2006, followed by an additional Director's Cut, which was released on January 31, 2008, also on the PlayStation 2. Neither version of this remake has been localized.

Identical to its original release, this remake features an introductory video created by the renowned animation studio Production I.G, accompanied with the song Yume de Aru You ni, performed by the J-pop band Deen. Mutsumi Inomata returns as a character designer, creating several newly revised designs and artwork for each character. Motoi Sakuraba and Shinji Tamura also return as the composers for this game, fully remixing all of the music from the original game while providing some new original compositions for various added events.

This remake of Tales of Destiny features a new characteristic genre, translated to "RPG Known as Fate" (運命という名のＲＰＧ). This change represents the alterations that have been made in all aspects of the game while preserving the basics that defined the original game.

Story

 * Because the PlayStation 2 releases of Tales of Destiny have varying details that conflict with the original game, the events of the Playstation 2 version is considered to represent the official canon, overriding the original version of the game.

Standard Gameplay
Unlike the original game, it is now possible to set a different character in the first player's position, allowing the primary player to control any character in the party during battle. It is also possible to select a different character to represent the party outside of battle, regardless of his or her position within the party roster, though this option is purely aesthetic with no changes to gameplay.

Eight of the ten playable characters join the party as part of the story by the end of the game, providing access to all of the non-Swordian Master characters from the original game within the party. The original game allowed only up to two of these characters to particapate within the party throughout the final areas. An additional secret character, Lilith Aileron, was added to this game as a optional ninth member of the party, as an homage to her unfinished and dummied status within the original game, and her appearances as a cameo exhibition battle in other games.

Every character has a unique support talent that is activated under various conditions while the character is added to a special "support" position within the party roster. This character slot becomes available after the party expands to five characters. These functions can be used to reduce enemy encounter rates or acquire various items such as herbs or fruits.

All towns and dungeons are represented by isometric three-dimensional maps viewed through dynamic camera movement while the character moves through the area, providing a more three-dimensional feel. Unlike the original game, most indoor locations no longer feature bathroom fixtures.

The world map is fully rendered in three-dimensional polygon graphics, including a simplified 3D model of the character avatar that represents the party. Camera view can be rotated freely to both sides, and the camera zooms in or out automatically to prevent terrain from obstructing the player's view of the character. Zoom functions cannot be controlled directly by the player. This method of world map display originated with Tales of Destiny 2, and the graphics style was taken directly from that game as an homage to the relationship between the stories of the two games. Transportation on the world map includes standard movement on the ground, ocean travel within a Sea Dragon vessel, and flight within the Draconis and the upgraded Lumina Draconis airships.

Battle encounters in dungeons and on the world map are random based a lens gauge at the top-left corner of the screen. As the character walks in enemy-infested areas, the purple color of the lens gets progressively darker while a glyph within the lens becomes more prominent. When the color of the lens becomes bright purple, a battle encounter is initiated. After the end of that battle, the gauge is reduced by a random amount, generally resulting in a more pale shade of blue until the gauge is built up again.

All music within the game has been remixed, and several new songs have been added to the soundtrack. One significant change involves the standard battle themes within the game. The original game's two main battle themes, Bare its fangs and Surprise attack!, have been reworked into the remake as the main battle themes for the first and second phases of the game, respectively. They are joined by a new third main battle theme during the third phase of the game, called Progress toward the end, which is in itself another remix of Bare its fangs. Another change involves the use of the theme Blue dragon as the battle theme for Tiberius Terazzi, due to the removal of the "Gourmet" sidequest that existed in the original game.

Emotional Card Chat
This game introduces the "Emotional Card Chat" (エモーショナルカアド・チャット 「以下チャット」) system, an evolution of the skit systems of previous games in the series. Like skits, these chat events can be activated at any time when the characters are not involved in a battle or event scene, by pressing the SELECT button. All available chat event titles are displayed at the bottom-left corner of the screen, and the player can scroll through each of them by pressing the left-trigger button (L2). Recently viewed chats remain on this list until new chats are available, allowing the player to view the chats at any time until they are pushed off the list.

When a chat is activated, each character appears within his or her own card-shaped box, showing fully animated portrait views of that character's face and body. As the characters speak, they move within these portraits to emphasize their emotions, with the background of each card changing to match each character's mood.

There are three different types of chat within this game: navigational chat (ナビチャット), free chat (フリーチャット), and rare chat (レアチャット). Each type of chat is indicated with an icon of different colors and a letter that corresponds with the chat type's name: navigational chats are shown as yellow icons with the letter "N", free chats are blue icons with the letter "F", and rare chats are red icons with the letter "R". Navigational chats tell players information that they might need to move on, often repeating things that have been said in previous event scenes. Free chats are the natural interactions between each of the characters, rarely having anything to do with the current story situation. Rare chats are available only after the game has been cleared at least once, adding dialogue that further enhances the personalities of the characters.

Batle Gameplay
The original battle system of Tales of Destiny, the "Enhanced Linear Motion Battle System" (E-LMBS) has been replaced by the new "Aerial Linear Motion Battle System" (AR-LMBS), a battle system that was designed for aerial comboing. The AR-LMBS replaces the familiar TP system of most previous games with the new Chain Capacity system for arte usage. This game also introduces a new system of comboing, in which all artes can be used freely in any order regardless of their rank or type, as long as the character has enough CC to execute the arte.

Each character has a minimum and maximum CC level, which can be increased by equipping better weapons or Swordian Device passives. At the start of a battle, the character has his or her CC gauge filled to its minimum level. When an attack, arte, or special action such as "Charge" or "Backstep" is used, the gauge depletes by a specific amount that the action requires. If the character does not have enough CC available, the action will not be performed. After performing any action, the character can continue to chain more actions until CC has been depleted.

CC recovers automatically after a short time whenever the character does not perform any action that would otherwise drain CC. Basic actions such as guarding, running, and standing still do not affect the CC gauge, allowing it to recover as needed while providing options for defensive or evasive movement. When CC is recovered, the current CC level is increased by one point above the previous level, until it hits its maximum limit. If CC is consumed while the gauge is at its maximum level, its level will return to one point above the amount of CC remaining at the end of the chain when CC is recovered, defaulting to the character's minimum CC level if the current level is smaller than that amount.

Other Additions
New scenes have been added, while some scenes from the original, such as the date with Ilene Rembrandt, were removed. The remake also includes a new battle between Stahn and Dymlos in an attempt to regain the full strength of the Swordians. One of the most notorious new features is the cameo appearance of one of the primary antagonists of Tales of Destiny 2, Barbatos Goetia. Barbatos appears as a secret random encounter if the player attempts to auto-level, achieved by running around in circles in the world map while setting all characters' controls to "auto". If he is encountered in this way, he cannot be defeated, resulting in an inevitable game over and reset to the player's previous save. Barbatos also appears as the final boss in the final level of the Arcana Ruins, the secret dungeon that is unlocked after clearing the game.

Another feature present in this remake is the Narikiri dolls, a reference to the costume-changing abilities of the main characters in Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon. When the player clears the game, he or she gains access to the Arcana Ruins, a 10-floor bonus dungeon. Cyglorg, the clown who lets the player into that dungeon, allows the player to exchange EX Points, which are earned from battles and certain treasure chests within the dungeon, for unique items such as the Narikiri dolls. These items allow the player to completely transform a character into another one from the party, changing the original character's battle appearance, voice, and movelist to fit the role of the new character.

All purchased Narikiri dolls are carried into each new playthrough automatically, enabling the player to use characters who might not normally be available at the time due to story reasons. It is also possible to equip all four battle party members with the same type of Narikiri doll, allowing the player to have four of the same character during battle. This function can be used in conjunction with the "Single Play" and "Selector Mode" options for a new playthrough to provide a single character with a total of 24 arte shortcuts.

Tales of Destiny: Director's Cut
A Director's Cut version of Tales of Destiny was announced on July 20, 2007, and it was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan for the PlayStation 2. Its characteristic genre name is "One More RPG Known as Fate" (もうひとつの運命という名のＲＰＧ), building on the first PlayStation 2 remake with additional features.

This version of the game includes a new game mode called "Leon's Side". This new story mode makes Leon Magnus the main character of the game instead of the normal main character, Stahn Aileron. The original story mode is still available to play, under the new name "Stahn's Side".

There is also a small sidequest within "Stahn's Side", known as "Lilith's Side", where Stahn's sister Lilith Aileron goes into the Tilso Forest to get herbs as a present for Stahn. "Lilith's Side" can be started by sleeping in the Snowfreer Inn at the end of a "Stahn's Side" playthrough. In addition to "Lilith's Side", several other sidequests have been added.

Save files from the first PlayStation 2 remake are still loadable through the "Load Original Data" option on the game's title screen.

Tales of Destiny: Director's Cut was released in two versions, the regular version, containing just the game, and a "Premium Box" version containing the game, a 128 page illustration booklet with new character artwork by Mutsumi Inomata, and an original soundtrack for the Director's Cut, featuring 21 songs. All of these materials are packaged within a special outer casing with new artwork also by Inomata.

Major Changes
The game includes the "Second" difficulty rank that was available in Tales of Destiny 2. This difficulty rank was not available in any of the previous releases of Tales of Destiny. In addition to this, maximum character statistics have been increased from 999 to 1999, and maximum HP has been increased to 9999. The maximum amount of lens that the party can carry has also been increased from 990 to 9990.

Two new features for second and later playthroughs have been added. "Succeed Skill" transfers all artes into the next playthrough, and "Succeed Food Strap" allows the party to retain its Food Strap maximum capacity and recipes.

Several characters have received new artes and altered variations of existing artes, especially Leon Magnus, who also receives a third Blast Caliber called Majinken Setsuga. New Swordian Device skills are also available to each of the Swordian Masters.

The Neuestadt arena has a new stage, "Rank 6", which acts as a sort of "boss rush" mode that allows the player to fight several major enemies from the entire game. A "Definite Mode" is also added to the arena, which allows the player to chose from previously encountered enemies to attempt to get their Definite Strikes. The enemies in this mode will not die until the player successfully performs the correct Definite Strike. All enemies that have been encountered are available within this mode.

Promotional DVD: Orange Gummy
All players who preordered Tales of Destiny also recieved a short DVD extra known as "Orange Gummy", featuring a Viva - Tales Of! chat show with the characters from the game, hosted by Zelos Wilder and Jade Curtiss.

Trivia

 * From Tales of Destiny 2, Kyle Dunamis appears as a doll in Mary Argent's house during a sidequest. A child at Cresta also shares an appearance similar to Loni Dunamis when he was a child. Several items that make references to other characters from Tales of Destiny 2, such as a wig resembling the hairstyle of Nanaly Fletch, and a mask that is worn by Judas.
 * Pictures in Heidelberg Castle feature characters from Tales of Rebirth, specifically Veigue Lungberg, Agarte Lindblum, and Annie Barrs. During one cutscene, Zapie can be seen sitting on top of a cabin roof. Finley, a character who resembles Veigue Lungberg, appears as a major boss within the Arcana Ruins. Finley has access to several of Veigue's attacks and shares his fighting style.
 * Kratos Aurion replaces Cress Albane and Arche Klein as the quiz master at Armeida Village.
 * Dolls of Mieu and Tokunaga can be found in various houses.
 * One of the shopkeepers of a bakery in Lienea resembles Mimi Baker, the Wonder Chef of Tales of Legendia.
 * Gentleman creatures wearing the hats of Claus F. Lester, Ras, Chloe Valens, and Hilda Rhambling can be fought individually in different areas of the world during a sidequest. All four of these Gentleman enemies can be fought at the same time during the same sidequest. Additionally, a Gentleman wearing the hat of KOS-MOS from the Xenosaga series can be fought within the Arcana Ruins. All five of these enemies attack in a way that parodies each of the characters that they represent, from summoning a miniature version of Efreet to activating signature attacks like X-BUSTER.