#stick an annoying npc to me and i will make them regret it

[melorawrsss]

My continued torture of Triss has reminded me of the endless torment I put npcs that I don't like through. I remember the pain I put Mercer Frey through, in Skyrim. If npcs had souls, I'm sure this one thought it was in hell. I just kept making him walk through all the traps over and over again, resetting them everytime. I got everyone to aggro on me and then run up to him and disappear, as I had about 4 different ways to go invisible. I just kept popping in and out of visibility just to get more and more draugrs to pile onto him. And then I'd reload and do it again. This poor npc, all his crime was being programmed to be an asshole, but that was enough to commit to a horrible fate.

[ishgard]

Could I submit 3? If you only do 2 at a time though, ignore the last: G'raha and the Exarch (done together or separely), Kai-Shirr and Liavinne.

 Yes, thank you so much! I did the Exarch over here so I’ll do the other two. Sorry it took so long!!

First impression

I mean despite it all? Good boy. Good egg just doing his best even if that meant doing something pretty bad. Though I definitely was side-eying Alphy the whole time my genius boy-son why do you think this is a good idea this is NOT going to end well for this poor cat. 

Impression now

Well, first, glad it didn’t end as badly as it could have. I’ve been happy to see someone who kind of felt like… almost a throw-away side character rise to such… fairly decent prominence in the story all things considered. I think I was a little afraid he might have fallen into some cliche/unnecessary tropes early on that he gracefully side-stepped and instead he grew into a fine character in his own right. I haven’t done his delivery quests yet cuz I’m shit at crafting but I’m glad it seems like he finally found his friends again… even though I def thought they were asshats in the beginning. :/ 

Favorite moment

Idk if there’s one specific defining moment, as opposed to every time he’s had the choice to fall back and into a dark place but instead found silver-lining and got back up, grew into a better and better person. I think his role in 5.1 wraps it all up in a fairly nice bow for him, not content to simply be left behind while others are striving forward.

Idea for a story

Can’t say I have one, sadly! Maybe if I get around to those quests of his I’d find stumble across some ideas. 

Unpopular opinion

Don’t think I have one of these either. Uhh… His friends struck me as shitheads, maybe?

Favorite relationship

Since I haven’t done his delivery quests yet I’m not sure how his relationship with his friends are depicted, so I can’t really count those… but I enjoy his general relationship with most everyone he’s interacted with, really. Alphinaud and Chai-Nuzz are probably most prominent in my mind, and the ways they’ve inspired and motivated him to be better and do his best.

Favorite headcanon

Again, nothing that jumps to mind! Who knows where story will go, but maybe the idea of him and the Chai’s regularly getting together to reminisce about Alphinaud and the Warriors of Darkness after they’re gone?

First impression

Man, that was SO long ago. But I definitely remember talking to and really thinking about a lot of the NPCs back then, and outside Sastasha thinking ‘wow what an ass’ p much, but then that was me @ most of Avere’s group at the time. I actually! did not realize she was the same lady when she joined the Scions later for the longest time! Like her name didn’t register/click for whatever reason and then yanno, Tam Tara HM came along and I was like OH! OH SHIT! I’m actually really, really disappointed I hadn’t caught it back then cuz I can’t imagine the sort of headcanons or impact it all might have had.

Impression now

Overall an interesting little side-character plot, and her being regretful about the way things ended with Avere’s group and how she treated Edda, and wanting to be better and contribute as a Scion in retrospect was refreshing and gosh I would have had such high hopes for her I’m sure if I’d realized, only for them to be violently quashed. She didn’t really have time to grow and do better, making her all the more tragic, however small her role ultimately was or seemed.

Favorite moment

Again it’s all kind of hindsight 20/20 (multiple alt playthroughs) with this one, but her joining the Scions, I’d have to say, even if it wasn’t really a ‘moment’ and she was just… there one day. 

Idea for a story

Nothing specific or that I’d really thought about beforehand, but I’d like to put some thought into how her and Ahru might have interacted during her brief time with the Scions.

Unpopular opinion

Hm, I like her? I wish there’d been even a slightest bit more attention to side characters like her as there has been with side characters like Kai-Shirr actually, but that can probably be chalked up to one of ARR’s general failings - it just had a LOT it was trying to do while the dev team also figured they wouldn’t have so much success with it. But anyway, that’s off topic.

Favorite relationship

I got nothing here, tbh. She was nasty to Edda, thirsted after Avere, and we don’t really get many other implications to her and Paiyo Reiyo’s relationship apart from they were just kinda There together. Not a lot to go off of, even if it’d possibly be interesting to maybe see more.

Favorite headcanon

Hm. Maybe her and Ahru were drinking buddies… :|a

Actually, bonus, I think I will do G’raha since I definitely did focus more on the Exarch in the other.

First impression

Again, “Who the fuck is this little shit?” He annoyed me a bit in those early days, but only really insofar as he felt like he was supposed to? It was in a friendly sort of way though, like siblings. Overall I was endeared to him, and found him to be a very interesting and sadly underrated character - always wondering if or when we’d ever see him again. Also, it was exciting finally seeing a male miqo’te prominent in the story! U tribe guys don’t count.

Impression now

-BANGING POTS AND PANS OUTSIDE THE CRYSTAL TOWER ON THE SOURCE-

Favorite moment

Augh, the Crystal Tower was just really good and full of good G’raha moments! Him pouting cuz Rammbroes won’t let him do what he wants, being a sassy lil shit, and man definitely when he accepted his legacy and made the hard choices just… aughgghgghghgh. 

Idea for a story

I think this is pretty common actually, but I started maining and played bard through most of CT, I just love the idea of them (him and Ahru) playing songs together during their down time. 

Unpopular opinion

Hm… :|a None that come to mind!

Favorite relationship

His interactions with most of the Sons and Ironworks characters were fun and endearing, but it’s absolutely hands down his relationship with the WoL - albeit greatly skewed by the knowledge of what happens in Shadowbringers especially. Just knowing how much of an impact they’ve had on him… Good stuff. ; w ;

Favorite headcanon

I’m sticking with the story/bard idea and thinking about how Ahru was still a little rough around the musical edges back then, so the idea of him teasing but otherwise giving her a hand with this or that and helping her along is ; W ;b

[raeldelacroix]

My Four Special Boys

Hi FFXIV tumblrites! /wave

My name’s Amy, and I’ve been here a while. In the past I tried to use tumblr for its community aspect, only to find it awkward and difficult to break into, a la Kool Aid man. I’ve never been good in large groups (especially RPers) and usually keep to my comfy corner of the world. Buuuut over the years I’ve realized that’s not always the best way to go. Sure, it can protect against being hurt, but it also limits possible fun friendships and connections too.  So, I’m making more of an effort to come out of my shell, as it were!

One thing I’ve noticed about myself is my tendency to downplay my own characters. I’d always be happy to listen to others ramble forever about theirs (which I still am!), but when it came to mine I always kept things purposefully short, as not to annoy the other people around me. WELL, NO MORE. I love my boys. I love them and I want to show the world just how much, darnit. 

It’s taken me, like, 5 years to figure out that I just enjoy playing male characters more than female after countless attempts to create women characters that stick, only to fail every. single. time. Point is–I am super stoked to finally have an active, diverse roster I am proud to call my own. And through them I want to meet many more diverse characters! So here they are in their imperfection and glory!

If you’re interested in RPing with me on any of these boys, my Discord handle is Amy#6989 – feel free to add me! I am also on Tansui most of the time while in game. I can RP in FFXIV and on Discord as I am comfortable on both, but we’d probably have more luck in terms of scheduling on Discord. :)  I tend to enjoy darker/mature story lines with plenty of drama and conflict, but I am not opposed to romance/sexual stuff so long as it makes sense for the character at the time. I am very easygoing, so just ask! :D

► Tansui Sasanami

Race - Clan: Au Ra - Raen Character Status: Main/Active Age: 24 Element: Water Character Inspirations: Thor (Thor: Ragnarok), Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket) Occupation(s): Innkeeper, Mercenary, Bodyguard, Angler Favoured Weapon(s): Katana, spear/gig Key words and/or phrases: Gentle, cursed, bubble lizard, calm, forgiving, lenient, bleeding heart, kind, romantic, emotional, studious sword nerd, curious, internal darkness, honest, a good boy, high quality murderer (?) RP Hooks: Refugee through Ul’dah, Limsa Lominsa Markets, Fisherman’s Bottom, Mist, trusted Tamamizu resident, basically any fishing location or body of water, House of the Hidden Pearl Inn and Tavern (FC House)

* Side note on Tansui: Yes, I am aware he shares his name with one of the voiced Stormblood NPCs–this was unintentional. :( It was only when I went back and played through the MSQ on another character that I realized I stole the name by accident. But he had already so much RP under his belt at that point that changing the name would be awkward for me. So I am just rolling with it! Besides, it’s a nice name. ;P I don’t fully regret my choice.

► Avery Cross

Race - Clan: Half Seeker of the Sun Miqo’te - Half Midlander Hyur Character Status: Alt/Active Age: 27 Element: Air Character Inspirations: Faramir (LotR), The Operative (Serenity), Colonel Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds), Ignis (FFXV), Kurama (Yu Yu Hakusho), Zelgadis (The Slayers) Occupation(s): Maelstrom Inspector of Internal Affairs Favoured Weapon(s): Grimoire, star globe Key words and/or phrases: Stern, just, fair, a lonely boy, strict, intelligent, stick-in-the-mud, lies when he must, painfully honest the rest of the time, well-read, sexually repressed, holds on to a lot of fear, unwanted, despised, domestic RP Hooks: Any Maelstrom activity, Ala Mhigan War, Topmast Apartments, Limsa Lominsa, Sharlayan

► R’mhati Tia

Race - Clan: Half Seeker of the Sun Miqo’te - Half Keeper of the Moon Miqo’te Character Status: Alt/Active Age: 21 Element: Earth Character Inspirations: Flynn Rider (Tangled), Loki (Thor), DJ (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Xellos (The Slayers) Occupation(s): Bard, ??? Favoured Weapons(s): Bow, daggers Key words and/or phrases: Oddball, aloof, quiet schemer, scoundrel, good listener, hears and sees everything, secrets, probably a criminal, try to prove it, a naughty boy, siren voice, melancholy, hopeless, hates mostly everyone for unknown reasons~ RP Hooks: Literally any tavern/bar in the game - just name a place!

► Yvelont Josseloux

Race - Clan: Elezen - Wildwood Nickname: “Joss” Character Status: Alt/Active Age: 19 Element: Fire Character Inspirations: Tasuki (Fushigi Yuugi), Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho) Occupation(s): Adventurer Favoured Weapons(s): Rapier & focus, staff Key words and/or phrases: Freckles, dirty boy, farm lad on a big adventure, wasted talent, cocky, passionate, clueless, potty-mouth, immature, explosive, good natured, animals love him and he loves them more, punches magicks his way through obstacles, acts before he thinks, a true rowdy boy RP Hooks: Leve counters in the four city-states of Eorzea, cheap taverns/inns, out in the field, formerly a Twin Adder private

[luzrof-rulay]

Tales of Berseria - Post Game Thoughts

Topics:

Introduction

Gameplay (graphics, systems, all that technical jazz)

Plot

Sidequests

Characters

Character Relationships

Music

In Relation to Tales of Zestiria

In Conclusion

  Introduction

After playing Tales of Zestiria, I found myself yearning to know more about the world’s lore – especially since we only see one continent during the game. Having heard that Tales of Berseria is set in the same world, but 1,000 years prior to the events of ToZ, of course I wanted to play it.

And last night, I after about 40 hours of gameplay, I defeated the final boss.

This will be a post much like my Post-Game Thoughts for ToZ – a collection of my thoughts immediately after finishing the game. I also tweeted a few vagueish reactions whilst playing the game, so take a look at that thread if you want to!

I’ve tried to keep this post spoiler-free where I could, but there are a couple of sections which contain spoilers - I’ve marked them with asterisks like so: *** spoilers ***. The spoilers generally come at the end of a topic section, so if you’d rather avoid spoilers, just go on to the next topic section.

For a short general review: 4/5 stars. It took me a while to get into the story, and much longer to care much about the characters (aside from one or two from ToZ bias). I’d definitely recommend playing it if you’re a Tales Of fan.

As for whether to play it before or after ToZ if you’ve not played it: if you want the story in chronological order, go for ToB first; if you want a more heart-breaking experience, play ToZ first.

(I’ll elaborate later.)

Now, onto my thoughts.

Gameplay

Okay I know I said that ToZ was beautiful when I played it, but ToB is gorgeous too. Somehow it feels like they’ve managed to smoothen the camera and the motions of the characters to look even more natural. I also loved the 3D cutscenes which showed the characters in battle – they looked fluid and realistic.

The designs for the locations didn’t fail to look amazing, either. Even though there are a few locations we already know from ToZ, they managed to show new sides of those locations, giving more insight to how they have changed over the last 1,000 years. We also got a lot more locations, in that this time the player is able to visit locations all around the world rather than just on the main continent. It made the world feel more open in some ways, though personally I felt closed in when running on the field, since the areas were made much smaller instead of being the large, open fields of ToZ (which I know a lot of people felt looked too barren and empty, but I found myself loving).

The character designs were also great, though it took me a long time to get used to Velvet’s outfit (seriously, was that the only thing she could find in the prison?). Roukurou’s in particular is a design I love because of its traditional Japanese aesthetic.

(Eizen’s design, whilst perfect for him as a pirate, has far too many references to dragons for me to not feel sad looking at him.)

In this game, they’ve changed the system so a lot of the buttons are assigned to different actions than they are in previous Tales games (on the PS4, at least). It took me a long time to get used to the menu, and any time I went back to ToZ, the change was rather jarring. Still, I enjoy the look of the menu, as well as the new menu actions we are given (though I do miss the characters doing the cooking for me).

As for the battle system, I prefer the ToZ battle system to the ToB one. I felt restricted by having artes assigned to the four buttons instead of analog stick movements, but perhaps I still need to find a way which works for me in battle. I also didn’t enjoy having some of the action buttons moved, simply because it makes switching between games more jarring. The amount of times I’ve tried to guard on ToZ and ended up armatizing instead is one thing, but they really need to find a set input for mystic artes in these games, I’m not kidding.

(Speaking of mystic artes, a certain endgame boss uses the mystic arte Savage Wolf Fury. Way to copy Yuri Lowell, lol.)

One thing I did think they did well in terms of battle was the use of break souls – I found myself using them quite often, even though I didn’t use burst artes in ToV or blast artes in ToZ. For a while I didn’t understand how to fill the blast gauge, and I still think it’s a little tedious, but mostly I’ve been avoiding battles for my first playthrough, so I suppose if I do another I’ll find more effective battle strategies.

(Speaking of battle strategies, I missed the monoliths from ToZ. Not because of the information, just finding them was fun.)

The skills system is something I didn’t put much thought to in this playthrough, mostly because this was a story playthrough which I did on the easiest difficulty. Still, it might take me a while to wrap my head around enhancing/dismantling equipment, mostly because they’ve changed it from what I’m used to.

In all honesty, the game did feel more hack-and-slash than ToZ, mostly because there weren’t quite so many puzzles. In some ways, this was good because it allowed me to power through the game quickly. Still, I felt a lot of the dungeons were less interesting than they could have been, but it makes sense considering the cast of characters presented to us – most of them would rather break down a wall than solve a puzzle to open it.

(I did really like the design of that one earth temple, though, and the water one was really interesting too, especially since it actually had a puzzle. Nothing will beat the trial shrines, though.)

Plot

Tales of Berseria is a game set 1,000 years before ToZ, following a young girl named Velvet Crowe as she sets out for revenge against the Shepherd, Artorius. Throughout her journey, more people who have a bone to pick with Artorius’ Abbey join her.

I enjoyed the plot, I guess. It was certainly an interesting concept, especially since we ended up following a character whose morals weren’t exactly those of our usual ‘pure hero’ archetype. I feel like it became more interesting as time went on and more characters were introduced. The ending, I felt was definitely more than satisfying, and I loved getting more context on some of the things which are only glossed over during ToZ. For me, the pace of the game felt good, since something was happening all the time.

A lot of my problems are with the characters, since I am of the opinion that plot is pushed on by characters and the decisions they make.

Sidequests

I didn’t do many of the sidequests, mostly because my ToZ bias made me care more for Eizen and Zaveid than any of the other characters. I did feel that the two sidequests relating to these characters which I completed – the nor dolls sidequest and the white-horned dragon sidequest – fulfilled the majority of my hopes for more information about these characters in relation to later events. I’ll talk in more specifics later on, but I loved these sidequests a lot.

  Characters

Overall, the characters in this game were certainly interesting, though most of them differed from the type of characters I enjoy in fiction media. I’ll talk a little about the main cast and some of the NPCs.

*** This section contains a lot of spoilers for ToB. ***

Velvet

Our main girl, the revenge-lustful daemon Velvet. After Artorius sacrifices her brother Laphicet, she becomes a therion and swears to have her vengeance.

And I get it, I really do. But all she does is whine.

Okay, maybe that’s not quite true. But for a lot of the game, I felt that she was kind of annoying, since all she would do was talk about wanting to get revenge and telling the others that she doesn’t care about them, so long as she gets her revenge. And it makes sense, for her character, and I see why others might like her. But personally, that kind of character just rubs me the wrong way.

Now, after the plot twist/Phi telling her to “quit whining already” (bless you Phi), she actually became a much more interesting character to me. She showed a lot more of her caring side as well as focusing on her goal, and hence felt a lot less one-sided. I admire that she doesn’t regret the consequences of her actions which lead her to becoming the Lord of Calamity, and I also admire that what she wants isn’t calamity for the world – just vengeance. It gave a much more interesting aspect to the character of a Lord of Calamity – the idea that what they want isn’t necessarily calamity for the world, but vengeance for someone doing wrong against them.

(Honestly, it makes it interesting to look at Heldalf from ToZ with this perspective.)

Her ending is one which I didn’t expect, but it makes a lot of sense.

Phi (Laphicet)

My boy!!! Protect him at all costs!!!

It might be my ToZ bias coming in again, but I have loved Phi since before I played the game. He is a sweet and pure malak who isn’t afraid to learn more and understand about the world, and the balance of light and dark within it. Hell, he helps the Lord of Calamity and genuinely cares for her.

(This boy is such a Hufflepuff.)

He legitimately cares about people and wants to make the world a better place for everyone, and he understand that the world needs to have balance between light and darkness – not just pure light, free of sins, which is what Innominat represented. Innominat felt empty because a world without sin is a dead world, and he can’t feed on emotions of people who have none. Honestly, this aspect of the plot is my favourite, because it’s so interesting to see how these characters feel the world ought to be.

Phi is such a great character, and I love that as he gains his own free will and learns how to be alive, he is able to stand up for himself and not be the pushover that he seems to be from appearance alone.

(Thinking about his future makes my heart hurt, but that didn’t stop me from giving him the bookworm Sorey attachment. For reasons.)

Roukurou Rangestu

For a while, I didn’t care that much about Roukurou’s story, but by the end of it, I really loved it. As a character, he is super interesting – calm and chill and laid-back, but able to get fired up and angry and filled with the desire to kill his brother. He doesn’t care that he is a daemon – it’s just who he is, and I love that.

I love his traditional Japanese aesthetic, as I mentioned before. I love that it extends past his appearance into his fighting style and even the food and drink he enjoys.

Magilou

I didn’t expect to love Magilou as much as I do, and yet here I am. She’s a super interesting and fun character, even more so once you consider her backstory and future. If you played ToZ before ToB, like I did, then her real surname might make you understand her motives a little more, because I felt like it did for me.

Eleanor Hume

I actually enjoyed Eleanor’s character a lot more than I thought I might, and I think that’s because I understand her viewpoint more than most of the main cast’s. Rather than seeking vengeance, she wants purity and peace for the world, but soon figures out that the Shepherd Artorius who she once followed has ideals which she does not agree with after spending time alongside daemons and malakhim.

Her development makes her character feel a lot more fleshed out and interesting, and her backstory makes it clear why she wants what she does.

Eizen

I saved him for last of the main party because I know I’m going to ramble a bit here. Apologies in advance.

I love Eizen so much???? Like I knew I’d like him because I’ve played ToZ and I love Edna but oh my god I love Eizen.

To start with, his Reaper’s Curse is something I found super interesting. I already knew from ToZ that it’s possible for seraphim/malakhim to have a curse instead of a blessing, but for some reason I really didn’t expect it with Eizen. It makes a really nice contrast to Edna, who mentions in a skit in ToZ that she has strangely good luck. Seriously, siblings with contrasting blessings? I’m in love.

(You would think they would cancel each other out, but I suppose Edna’s good luck is that she survived all the shit that happened to her when Eizen was around lol.)

I also love Eizen’s personality so much. He’s similar to Edna in some ways – stubborn and wayward and never straightforward about his personal emotions. Still, he geeks out about things like a typical middle aged man would about a car (fujibayashi’s rod, anyone?). I love that he has so many interests and so much knowledge… knowledge which ends up being outdated or wrong half the time lol.

(I finally understand that one ToZ skit (‘Edna talks about her brother’) where Rose asks if Eizen was like Sorey and Edna says “Maybe.” They’re both as adventure-crazy and interested in ancient artefacts as each other.)

And then there’s his fate – the malevolence he takes in from Theodora which will eventually turn him into a dragon. Since I’ve already played ToZ, I knew this would happen, which makes it all the more heart-breaking knowing exactly how that’s going to play out.

Zaveid

I had to talk about Zaveid here okay he’s half the reason I played this game in the first place.

Zaveid.

Who hurt you?

(That’s what we find out through his ToB sidequest lol.)

I had already heard that his character is a little different in ToB because some stuff happens to him, but I never expected it to hurt this much. He was so happy? Finally free of being a slave? Happy to just go around fighting but never killing? Checking in on a little family he cares about? Probably hoping to start his own one day?

I feel so bad for Zaveid. So, so bad. I love him so much. He has been through so much but I understand now why he is the way he is in ToZ. They really did a good job of filling up the holes in his development, because I remember after finishing ToZ the first time that I wished I knew more about Zaveid. Now I do, and I understand him better for it.

Others

Artorius was a really interesting villain. It was nice to see a Shepherd who had fallen so much, who had lost hope in humanity to the degree that he felt that taking away the emotions which create humanity was the only way to save it. His final scene is actually heart-wrenching.

The other side characters are all also really interesting, for the most part, and I felt they got good amounts of development.

(What I didn’t enjoy was Kamoana. I liked her story, but her English VA put me off her so much for some reason. Her voice grates on me so much.)

  Character Relationships

I’m not going to talk too much about this, because there isn’t much to say. In this game, however, the relationships between the main cast feel so much less like the ‘found family’ we get in ToZ. It’s definitely a ‘selfish co-dependence’ or whatever they call it. They use each other for their own ends, and sure they care about each other to an extent, but they are mostly self-focused, in my opinion.

Perhaps, in a second playthrough, I’ll have more appreciation for the relationships between these main characters.

  Music

If you’ve seen my ToZ Thoughts post, then you know I’m a massive music nerd. One of the things I love most about video games is the soundtracks.

Tales of Berseria’s soundtrack isn’t really all that striking, in my opinion. Sure, the music is good – I’m listening to the soundtrack as I write this post – but none of it is particularly stand-out amazing. I can’t really pick out a theme which I love above all, because none of them struck me all that much. I’m actually a little disappointed in how lacking this game is in the music department.

That having been said, a few of the tracks from ToZ have been re-used for this game, so I’m not complaining. I loved that they kept ‘Zaveid the Exile’, and the fact that they used the slow, calm part for the battle against the dragon gave me chills which I haven’t experienced since ‘The Full Moon and the Morning Star’ in the battle on the Zaphias Sword Stair in ToV.

I did enjoy a couple of the battle and area themes, and the music which plays in the two elemental shrines we visit (the water one’s called Palamides but I forget the earth one’s name) was beautiful. There were also arrangements of other themes mixed in there, but once again, none of them struck me very much.

The opening theme – Burn by FLOW – is one which, I’ll admit, I love a lot. Both this game and TOZX have introduced me to FLOW’s music, and Burn and Kaze no Uta have become two of my favourite songs. The part in Burn where the strings fade out and we get a guitar riff is honestly my favourite thing. Whilst I prefer White Light from ToZ, I still loved Burn as an opening.

  In Relation to Tales of Zestiria

This section is basically an excuse for me to rave about the connections between Berseria and Zestiria, and why those connections made the game more enjoyable for me as a whole. This does in fact mean it requires the following warning:

*** Major spoilers for Tales of Berseria and Tales of Zestiria follow. ***

I’ve already said that I played ToB because of its connection to ToZ. This meant that, when playing ToB, all the connections really meant a lot to me as a fan.

The most obvious thing to start with, I suppose, would be the world and its locations. Seeing towns and fields which I recognised and could place geographically from where they are in the future gave me a lot of joy, and I love that I now understand how Glenwood becomes how it is in the future, geographically speaking. I actually edited the map of Glenwood on top of the map of ‘Wasteland’ (that’s apparently the ToB world’s name) and marked where the locations in ToZ are in relation to those in ToB, and it definitely helped a lot.

Below are two images of that map, so you can also see how things have changed. It’s interesting to see how little the main continent actually changed, save perhaps for the drying up of a couple of areas which were once seas/lakes. I’m convinced that some if the islands surrounding the continent definitely shift to make some of the features present in modern-day Glenwood’s map, such as a couple of islands in the north. I also think perhaps Eastgand moved towards Midgand, but I’m not entirely sure.

Credit for the maps: Glenwood | Wasteland

Another thing which becomes clear thanks to ToB is how the situation of the world in terms of malevolence and shepherds comes to be in ToZ. That is mostly thanks to the fact that we learn of Maotelus’ origins, and by linking that up with what we know of him from the iris gems, we can see that once he became the Fifth Empyrean, he spread his flames of purification across the world and became the prime lord for shepherds who would swear to purify the malevolence in the world whilst allowing people to live and have a second chance at life.

Maotelus obviously stays as the prime lord for all these shepherds until a calamity 200 years before ToZ, which is when we hear of the last known shepherd having lived. After that point, I assume the belief that people had in Maotelus fell, and he continued to give his blessing to the continent until 20 years before ToZ, when the Age of Chaos began, and the malevolent Maotelus is bound to Heldalf, the Lord of Calamity of the time. Lailah, not wanting there to be no chance of there being a new shepherd, takes the oath in order to gain the powers of purification, and is unable to speak about the events surrounding Maotelus due to this.

I feel like this explains why Zaveid, in ToZ, says he has a score to settle with Maotelus – because he knew Phi, however briefly, and obviously he had heard that Phi became Maotelus, the new Fifth Empyrean. When Maotelus suddenly disappeared, Zaveid must have thought that he gave up on purifying the world, or something similar. That’s why he has a score to settle with him – the Phi he met would not give up as easily as this.

Maotelus managed to hold out against malevolence for probably 200 years as people stopped sending prayers to him. He did not give up easily, but was forced to, once people desecrated his shrine.

This means, ultimately, that Lailah is most likely the only one aside from Mayvin and the survivors of Camlann who knows what actually happened back then. Zaveid learns the truth at the same time as everyone else – the only help he had was having known Maotelus back when he was Phi.

There is so much more about the connections between ToB and ToZ that I could rave on about, but these were the main two which relate directly to my understanding of the world which I haven’t already spoken about in non-spoilery detail.

(I’m thinking of saving discussion of Zaveid’s backstory and Eizen and Edna for some meta posts I’ve been planning. Feel free to yell with me about them in my ask box though!)

  In Conclusion

I liked Tales of Berseria, but had I not played Tales of Zestiria beforehand, I don’t think I would have been so invested in it as I ended up being, because I had already fallen in love with what I knew of the world in ToZ, and what I loved most about ToB were the connections to that world. Really, I can see now why I relate with Sorey and Mikleo so much – because it’s the history and the lore of the world, and the backstories of the characters I already knew from the future, which made this game as enjoyable to me as it was.

I enjoyed playing the game, and I’m glad that I did experience it for myself. However, Tales of Zestiria will always be the game which I prefer in this universe.

That isn’t to say that it might not be different for you, if you’ve not read it, though. Playing both games is really useful if you want to understand the world a lot better, even if you play ToB first – playing ToZ afterwards gives you an idea of how the world has changed for the better, as well as how one or two of the characters are doing. I definitely recommend playing or watching both games, if you can.

Now we’ve reached the end of this post, I’d like to thank you for reading it! If you want to discuss anything with me, please feel free, because I love this universe and would love to share thoughts and opinions on it!