Hell Freezes Over: Tales of Graces f Coming to North America (and Europe too)

[Chris]

Over the past week, Namco Bandai's been teasing on their Twitter and Facebook with hints of a new release. A new page was discovered and each day, the lone banner would change with a blurred logo in the background. Over time, a date of 2.2.2011 was noticed in one of the banners. One thing had been consistent within each change of the banner...

Tales of Graces f's logo, albeit warped.

Now, the day before the date mentioned above, Tales of Vesperia's logo is appearing alongside Graces f's logo, warped as well.

After disappointing sales from western-developed games and a decision to shift less attention away from western-developed games, it looks like Namco Bandai may finally be giving in to demand and localizing both Tales of Vesperia and Tales of Graces f on the PlayStation 3.

You can see the page here: http://www.ataleoftworichards.com

 

[BlitzBlast]

THERE IS A GOD.

In other news, I find this topic's title kind of funny, because when it was thought that Europe was going to get ToG and America wasn't, the topic I made about it was also titled "Hell Freezes Over".

 

[Jb]

I ****ING TOLD yA"LL!!!!!!!!!! YA"LL CALLED ME CRAZY, BUT WHO"S RAPING THE CAT NOW?

Heck, yes.

Time to get my ps3 fixed.

 

[Skiks]

Namco acting competently is shocking. what is this i dont even

 

[Waldorf]

Good times! My purchase of a PS3 is finally kinda sorta justified.

 

[Rime Flower]

I'm not going to believe it until I'm holding my copy in my hands, lol.

 

[BlitzBlast]

^

Having calmed down from the initial excitement, I have to admit that I don't really think Bamco will go through with this either.

 

[Chris]

Except they have a press event occurring tomorrow and Jeff from PlayStation Blog has been invited to attend.

 

[BlitzBlast]

Can I ask what your source is?

 

[Cobalt_Latios]

Over the past week, Namco Bandai's been teasing on their Twitter and Facebook with hints of a new release. A new page was discovered and each day, the lone banner would change with a blurred logo in the background. Over time, a date of 2.2.2011 was noticed in one of the banners. One thing had been consistent within each change of the banner...

Tales of Graces f's logo, albeit warped.

Now, the day before the date mentioned above, Tales of Vesperia's logo is appearing alongside Graces f's logo, warped as well.

After disappointing sales from western-developed games and a decision to shift less attention away from western-developed games, it looks like Namco Bandai may finally be giving in to demand and localizing both Tales of Vesperia and Tales of Graces f on the PlayStation 3.

You can see the page here: http://www.ataleoftworichards.com

Tales of Graces AND Tales of Vesperia?!?!

WHAT!?

Okay, screw it. I don't care how it happens, or what will possess me to do so, but I am going to find a way to purchase a PS3 by this summer.

I have more than enough justification now.

Except they have a press event occurring tomorrow and Jeff from PlayStation Blog has been invited to attend.

I wonder if Kotaku will be there? I'm sure we'll get somekind of rundown of it from them.

This is the best news I've heard all night!

/CL

 

[-Raiga-]

Huh, I could of swore tales of vesperia was already on ps3. I must be thinking of star ocean 4 or something.

 

[ArmorAndonomon]

I ****ING TOLD yA"LL!!!!!!!!!! YA"LL CALLED ME CRAZY, BUT WHO"S RAPING THE CAT NOW?

...I'm keeping my cats away from you.
And everyone else in this section.

I've already got Vesperia for my 360, soyeah. :V Congrats to you all who never got them.
inb4 "But...aren't both of those...GAAAAEEEEEMMMMMSSSSS?

 

[Cobalt_Latios]

I've already got Vesperia for my 360, soyeah. :V Congrats to you all who never got them.
inb4 "But...aren't both of those...GAAAAEEEEEMMMMMSSSSS?

So do I, but apparently ToVPS3 has many things that the 360 version doesn't have. 2 of which are more obvious: playable characters Patty and Flynn, along with a few extra things of which escape my mind at this time.

So, I'm definitely getting this for certain.

/CL

 

[Zazie]

While its good that these titles are coming over, I still must complain about the Wii version of Tales of Graces not being localized.

Still any news of titles getting localized is good news.

 

[Chris]

I wonder if Kotaku will be there? I'm sure we'll get somekind of rundown of it from them.

This is the best news I've heard all night!

/CL

Kotaku hasn't even acknowledged any of this. They're too busy reporting non-game related news, rants that scream "HEY GUYS, I'M IN JAPAN, DID I TELL YOU THAT BEFORE?" and things we knew about months ago. Which is exactly why they're called Slowtaku.

Huh, I could of swore tales of vesperia was already on ps3. I must be thinking of star ocean 4 or something.

Japan got the PS3 version. We only got the incomplete 360 version.

Can I ask what your source is?

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/01/30/playstation-around-the-web-what-we-read-126/

Comment #20

"Jeff, I know theres is going to be some sort of Namco-Bandai event in A couple of days.Are you going to it? I know alot of people are looking forward to the Tales Of Graces f announcement. ttp://www.ataleoftworichards.com."

"We’re planning on attending, yes. I don’t know the full list of announcements though, so fingers crossed!"

 

[Cobalt_Latios]

Kotaku hasn't even acknowledged any of this. They're too busy reporting non-game related news, rants that scream "HEY GUYS, I'M IN JAPAN, DID I TELL YOU THAT BEFORE?" and things we knew about months ago.

Hmm... I have started to notice this.

Which is exactly why they're called Slowtaku.

At least they're better than IGNorant.

/CL

 

[Pinsirius]

A bit butthurt about the Wii version too, they have a largely fixed edition, but even in the grand scheme of Tales this could be massive. Even some sort of affirmation that Namco simply waits for an opportune moment to publish, even if it's years later, would be nice. Which this could be.

 

[Chris]

While its good that these titles are coming over, I still must complain about the Wii version of Tales of Graces not being localized.

Still any news of titles getting localized is good news.

A bit butthurt about the Wii version too, they have a largely fixed edition, but even in the grand scheme of Tales this could be massive. Even some sort of affirmation that Namco simply waits for an opportune moment to publish, even if it's years later, would be nice. Which this could be.

Right now, I can't say if this is JUST the PlayStation 3 version of Graces. There was a rumor stated back in December that we'd see a release of the Wii and PS3 versions, with the Wii version getting bug fixes and the "f" update that the PS3 version received...only not in HD. A little after that, Game Informer reported it to being on the 2011 Q1 releases, but quickly retracted it from their site.

The reason I can say this is definitely a PS3 release is mainly because the PlayStation Blog is being invited and Vesperia's logo was just added yesterday. There's currently no word on if the Wii will be seeing Graces f. Honestly, though, if it doesn't happen, it may be due to wanting to go the route of just localizing the PS3 version or due to the poor sales of Tales of Symphina's sequel, which was a Wii exclusive.

In regards to what the PS3 version of Vesperia had to offer:

The PlayStation 3 version of the game features full voice acting which is almost double the size of the script in the original 360 version. The game also features various new characters such as Flynn as a fully customizable, permanent playable character as well as Patty Fleur, a young girl with blond hair, who is an entirely new playable character. The game also features several unplayable characters from Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike which the game ties-in with. In addition, Repede, Flynn and Patty are selectable as on-screen avatars with new mini-games such as a racing mini-game for Repede, new subplots, skits and main game quests as well as side quests. The game also has new songs added to the game's soundtrack together with remodeled towns and new towns and dungeons. The game also includes new bosses such as the Sword Dancer from previous Tales games, Don Whitehorse and Clint/Tison/Nan, players are also able to replay boss fights at Nam Cobanda Isle which is a play on words with the companies name (NAMCOBANDAI.)

In addition there are also new gameplay elements such as higher Overlimit Levels up to 8, more Mystic Artes including a dual Mystic Arte with Yuri and Flynn, new Artes, skills and equipments for characters. A new key item has also been added called the "Artes Ball" which allows an additional 8 Artes Shorcuts to be assigned to the previous 8 slots combined with the L1 button, which allows for a maximum of 16 Artes. The game also features a wide variety of new character costumes which include cameo costumes based on characters from previous Tales games, as well as costumes based on characters from other series, such as Xenosaga and Sgt. Frog. Also included is a scene-skip feature, a Team Arena in the Coliseum which also has new battles and modes together with Pre-Order Bonuses which are Tales of the Abyss character costumes. The game also features connectivity with the Tales spin-off, Tales of VS. for the PlayStation Portable.

Due to Tales of VS. never being released here, I imagine that would be cut out.

 

[Slick]

I don't know about the Tales series, but isn't Tales of Vesperia localized on 360?

 

[~Spacial_Rendation~]

I don't know about the Tales series, but isn't Tales of Vesperia localized on 360?

Yes. But it's been established that the PS3 version of Vesperia has more content in the game.

Two great games coming to a system I really had no intrest in buying. Now, I wish I had a PS3.