Based on Tales of Graces f Remastered protagonist Asbel, the outfit will be available for Yumia. An in-game version has yet to be revealed, but illustrator Benitama has revealed some sleek artwork. Yumia’s weapon likely won’t change with the outfit, but the pose still works.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Envisioned Land launches on March 21st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. As part of a research expedition, players venture into a land where the Aladissian Empire once reigned supreme, courtesy of alchemy. That is, until things go wrong, leading to widespread disaster.

Check out the opening movie and theme here. You can also learn about gameplay systems like Energy, Manabound Areas, Synthesis, and more.

The Grade Shop gives players a large selection of mutators that alter the game in various ways, and until now was reserved for new game plus. Want to get battles done with faster? Just toggle the double damage Grade on and prepare for some whirlwind fights involving fast-reflexes. A decent chunk of Grades fall into the handicap category: things like half-price shops, double experience gain, double drop rates, you get the gist. Hardcore players may shake scowl at the fact that every Grade is freely available right from the start, but there’s nothing stopping anyone from ignoring it should they yearn for a purist run. Not to mention various Grade options can make the game significantly tougher, like trading all experience for money, for example.

"The Grade Shop gives the player a large selection of mutators that alter the game in various ways, and it’s available from the start for the first time."

Of course, there’s more new here than just a frontloaded and free Grade Shop. Enemy encounters can be toggled on or off, cutscenes and skits are finally skippable, there’s destination icons and event indicators, regular battles have a retry option, Japanese voices arrive for the west, and so much more. And it wouldn’t be a remaster without some amount of graphical touch-up. While small, the colors and textures have been enhanced for HDR and 4K monitors.

Pretty much every convenience feature listed here can be toggled on or off, making the experience personalized to the tiniest detail. Want a vanilla OG experience? Ignore the Grade Shop and toggle all the new features off to have yourself a challenging, yet satisfying playthrough. The secret difficulty setting is still locked behind a completed save file, so that reward has been preserved from the original at least.

But why invest yourself in a 15-year-old Tales game in the first place? Well, even A JRPG fan like myself questioned whether Graces held up over the years. I never got around to Graces and didn’t know what to expect. Tales of Symphonia was a longtime favorite of mine and while I enjoyed Tales of Arise, it didn’t quite have that witty writing and enjoyable plot structure that I loved in Symphonia. I’m also fond of Abyss, and to a lesser extent Vesperia, but wasn’t floored by either of them. That’s just some context of where I’m coming from; someone who likes the series but doesn’t quite love it … until now. Tales of Graces f has unraveled my JRPG world and I’m simply at a loss of how to express my current love affair with it. My expectations were sea-level, and I just got blasted sky-high with what I’ve been experiencing. Anyway, onward to the rest of the review.

"Colors and textures have been enhanced for HDR and 4K monitors. The left side of the image is from the PS3 version, while the right is Remastered."

After hearing such praise, you’re probably expecting the game’s opening to rival The Empire Strikes Back or something. Sorry to disappoint, but the first hour of Tales of Graces is a slow burn, not the harmful kind though. The prologue chronicles the cast of characters in their childhood. Children will be children, and this game does a fine job of portraying how kids would behave in this game’s society.  While I thoroughly respect the game’s childhood chapter, there’s no denying the first hour lingers a tad too long on some scenes. Not to mention the child voices grate compared to their adult counterparts. That said, the pacing picks up considerably and glides at a consistent pace after the initial establishment. I implore players to give the narrative a chance. The first hour may seem trope-filled and somewhat dull, but the set-up and follow-through is nothing short of extraordinary. I just can’t get over how well the cast is characterized and developed through the roller-coaster of a plot, but more on that later.

One way the game characterizes the cast is through fully-voiced Skit events. Skits are a series staple featuring animated character banter ranging from heavy confessions to discussions on the local cuisine of the area. They do a great job characterizing the party members and showing different relationship dynamics.

Thankfully, there’s a consistent number of Skit events scattered through every town and field area; you never go 30 minutes without seeing a new one. Graces features some strong voice talent too, with Laura Bailey and Cassandra Lee Morris playing a couple of your party members. My only gripe with Skits are the random auto-advance without warning, causing me to skip dialogue occasionally. To the game’s credit, there’s a way to view all 400 and something Skits, but it involves an obscure cat-feeding quest.

"Skits do a great job characterizing the party members and showing different relationship dynamics."

That’s another thing I adore about this game. There’s just so much to do at any given point, and it’s all so rewarding and fun. Like other Tales games, you can control any party member while exploring on the field and in battle. This game goes further and adds a bunch of unique commentary when examining environmental points of interest with different characters. When I’m not exploring each character’s reactions to Asbel’s messy desk or the regional anomaly, I’m trying to solve each town’s unique treasure puzzle. These locked chests usually require some knowledge about the area’s lore to open. Some are particularly clever, like having you look up an NPCs favorite monster and inputting its bestiary number in the chest lock.

There’s even a trading card game that you can challenge characters with. You’ll pick up cards of popular characters from the Tales series throughout your travels and play a game of ‘guess the quote’ with NPCs throughout your journey. It’s a neat little side game for hardcore series fans, but totally skippable for the rest of us. Speaking of NPCs, they typically give useful tips and tutorials early on, though they mainly supply regional lore and humorous anecdotes. Within each region and town you visit, there’s a plethora of Inn requests, local Discoveries, Skits, and time-sensitive events. The game is jam-packed with engaging content every single step of the way.

"Within each region and town you visit, there’s a plethora of Inn requests, local Discoveries, Skits, and time-sensitive events."

The real meat and potatoes of the game, though, lies in its amazingly deep combat. This is by far my favorite battle system in the series. Combat seems almost too simple at the start, but it has a depth that I’m still exploring 50 hours later. Most of that depth comes from the breathtaking Title system. Titles bestow passive buffs, new skills (or artes as this game terms it), and other unique affects to each character. You unlock Titles with every single action you take in the game. Think of The Elder Scrolls and its all-encompassing use-it-to-level-it-system and you have the right idea. Like to use Demon Fang a lot? You’ll no doubt get rewarded with a Title related to that arte.

In fact, each party member has, and I’m not exaggerating here, hundreds upon hundreds of individualized Titles. Some are specifically tied to a character’s story progression while others get unlocked by filling out the bestiary a certain amount or amassing a lot of money. Since this remaster includes the DLC content, we even get a bunch of costume-specific Titles for each character. That’s in addition to the various costume Titles you unlock through story progression. I wish more RPGs locked cosmetics within a skill or perk tree as this game does with its Titles. It just feels so rewarding and satisfying to unlock, especially because you’re earning it through the core gameplay.

"Titles bestow passive buffs, new skills (or artes as this game terms it), and other unique affects to each character."

I mostly prioritized learning new artes when assigning Titles but I quickly learned that levelling up existing arte attacks and stacking up passive buffs to things like critical chance can be much more helpful. This is because combat is legitimately challenging in Tales of Graces. Movement is restricted to a linear axis until you dodge, then you move to the left or right of your target momentarily shifting your position. Perfect Dodges are especially crucial considering how hard bosses can hit. I also like how emphasized weaknesses are in this game. If you’re using a strike instead of a slice attack on a slime-like monster, you’re going to do peanut damage. Likewise, each particular arte or attack is best suited for a unique enemy type. Battles begin by briefly flashing what monster category each enemy is, and you can assess opponents with the press of a button, making the whole process weakness system frictionless.

Party member strategies function the same as other Tales games. When you’re not controlling a party member, they behave based on orders you give them in the menus. I find the party AI to be adequate, and fine-tuning them based on a situation typically inches me closer to a victory. That said, the game supports 4-player local co-op for some particularly fun battles. There’s no online co-op support unfortunately, but considering the last couple Tales games didn’t have co-op at all, I’m not too surprised.

"Each particular arte or attack is best suited for a unique enemy type."

There’s even more gameplay depth and customization with this game’s version of crafting, which is called Dualizing. I’ve heard complaints that Dualizing is unnecessary complex, but it’s just yet another system to customize your experience with. Like the name suggests, Dualizing allows you to basically combine any consumable, food, equipment, accessory, crafting material, and more with one another. Dualizing equipment with a shard produces levelled-up versions of that equipment. Each shard bestows different buffs, so the combinations can get wild. Likewise, it’s possible to combine tempered equipments to produce powerful accessories.

This doesn’t even scratch the surface of Dualizing possibilities within Tales of Graces f. As you can imagine by now, the sheer amount of content stemming from the various systems guarantees hundreds of hours of playtime. I haven’t even mentioned the wonderful Eleth Mixer and its chance to produces items while on the field. Equipping the Eleth Mixer with Spellbooks confers yet more gameplay affects like converting duplicate enemy drops into Eleth energy.

I said I’d return to the story, and that’s what I’ll briefly attempt to do now. The blossoming relationship between Asbel and his friends is believably wholesome, making the twist of the knife hurt that much more when they grow apart and antagonize each other after the game’s time-skip. The camaraderie between the characters in the intro feels organic, forming a solid springboard for the rest of the story. I admit that I groaned a bit when Sophie was revealed to be an amnesiac who never ages, but the narrative follows through on traditional tropes with solid character development and engaging political machinations despite that. It’s the execution that really matters, and in this, Tales of Graces truly excels despite all the well-trod tropes it happily uses.

"The camaraderie between the characters in the intro feels organic, forming a solid springboard for the rest of the story."

Players who don’t like the game’s narrative might still appreciate the understated presentation thereof. Scenes have time to breath, with mood-appropriate silences during key moments and scene music carrying over into urgent battles. There’s a deal of care put into the scene direction, as exemplified by the custom animation rigging for every little character interaction (and there’s a lot). The lip synching isn’t great and character faces look wooden at times, but considering this game ran off of Wii hardware when it first released, it’s still impressive. Tales of Graces is surprisingly well-written, capably integrating its characters, themes, and plot together to form a holistic RPG experience that I won’t soon forget.

The pacing of all the game’s interlocking systems in tandem with the well-written plot is snappy throughout too. You rarely feel like things are moving at a stagnant pace. You never feel like you’re not improving your characters in some way or progressing the plot further. It’s a constant stream of improvement and rewards with every step, not dissimilar to the ever-moving gameplay systems in Star Ocean 2: Second Story R from a few years back.

Tales of Graces f Remastered is just fantastic all-round. It focuses on a character-rich story and a fun core combat loop without the need to do anything groundbreaking. A story like this has been seen before and the character archetypes are as old as time, but it’s what the game does with it all that makes it so amazing. Tales of Graces f is a genuine JRPG classic that exudes quality from every corner, and its remastered treatment makes it even easier to love.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

Just when it seemed like Nintendo wrapped up all its big releases ahead of its next console reveal, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD launches on January 16th for the Switch. Featuring the return of Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, the classic campaign supports revamped visuals, JoyCon support, and new levels from the 3DS port. There’s even New Mode, which provides an easier on-boarding difficulty for newcomers.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

“No more open world” is already a massive selling point for Dynasty Warriors: Origins. However, Omega Force is cooking up even more with the prequel ahead of its launch on January 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. A new protagonist, tactics, and combat improvements alongside multiple weapons and famous warriors as teammates (who you can control for limited periods) are just a few notable features. If the demo is any indication, Dynasty Warriors: Origins should restore the series ‘ glory.

Tales of Graces f Remastered

It’s still remaster season for Tales fans, with Tales of Graces f the latest title to get said treatment. Unlike Symphonia, the next remaster is handled by Tose instead of Bandai Namco, ensuring 60 FPS on all platforms (except Nintendo Switch, sadly). Tales of Graces f Remastered also features quality-of-life additions like auto-save, English and Japanese audio, a destination marker for quests on the world map, and more. It launches on January 17th for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Switch.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (PC)

The critically acclaimed sequel finally arrives on PC after remaining on PS5 for the better part of 2024. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth offers numerous improvements to Remake’s combat while heavily expanding on the mini-games, characters, exploration, and story. PC players can look forward to more extensive graphical settings, support for upscalers like DLSS, and improved lighting rendering. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth arrives for PC players on January 23rd.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PC)

If another 100-hour RPG isn’t what you’re after on PC, then Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may be the solution. Featuring not one but two Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Mile Morales, it offers new locations, combat abilities, and activities to go with the darker narrative and addition of the infamous Symbiote, Venom. It’s out on January 30th for PC.

Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles

Aspyr has been working overtime to bring various Star Wars classics to modern platforms, with Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles being the latest. It arrives on January 23rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. While the prospect of higher resolutions and better performance is tempting, fans can also look forward to playing unlocked characters from the beginning and using a new modern control scheme.

Hyper Light Breaker Early Access

Hyper Light Breaker is an open-world rogue-lite for PC that features intense boss battles, weapons and hoverboards. After facing several delays, Heart Machine is releasing Hyper Light Breaker in early access on January 14.  It will feature three player co-op along with a variety of skins and weapons.

Eternal Strands

Action adventure title Eternal Strands, which sees players relying on the elements and environments to battle massively imposing threats, launches on January 28th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Besides intriguing us with its visuals and overall combat, the premise and journey of Brynn, a Weaver on a mission of redemption, is intriguing. If that’s not enough, post-launch content developed alongside the Final Fantasy 16 development team is also in the works.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Franchises come and go, and yet somehow, Orcs Must Die! still showcases the appeal of constructing elaborate defenses and slaying hordes of Orcs. Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is the latest iteration of the series, out on January 28th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It offers co-op for up to four players, but you can still go it alone, choosing from six new War Mages and partaking in new rogue-lite runs. Offering more extensive customization, random modifiers in each run, and more, Deathtrap retains the series’ signature chaos and charm.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Odd Bug’s long-awaited sequel to its brutal 2D side-scrolling action RPG finally arrives on January 28th for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. On top of a new violent story, players will once again engage in settlement building, slaying enemies (this time with new elemental effects), and even embarking on hunts against massive beasts for greater rewards. And yes, Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt from The Witcher 3, returns to provide the same impeccable narration.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Long-range snipes into body parts with explosive results, carefully showcased with an X-Ray Killcam? You’ve come to the right place with Rebellion’s Sniper Elite: Resistance, a spin-off that runs parallel to Sniper Elite 5 and stars Harry Hawker of the SOE. Between sniping, sneaking, and assassinating Nazis across large maps, you’ll also take out Kill List targets and embody Resistance fighters in new Propaganda Missions. All this and more await on January 30th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

A new Sleeper, a new Belt in the Helios System, and many of the same problems (with a few new ones thrown in for good measure). Jump Over the Age’s mix of sci-fi narrative, tabletop dice mechanics, and role-playing gives you a ship and various jobs to complete amid an ongoing conflict between corporations. Making new friends, temporary and permanent, and bringing them along to complete jobs is key, as is managing stress and your slowly deteriorating body. If you even mildly enjoyed the original’s characters and stories, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector launches on January 31st for PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana

Trying to unravel the origins of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana can be a headache (especially since it’s a remaster of a remake). All you need to know is that it’s one of the better titles in the series, now presented with sharper visuals, a new voiceover for protagonist Adol, new character illustrations, and every iteration of the excellent soundtrack. It’s available on January 7th for PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Freedom Wars Remastered

The underrated dystopian action RPG first released in 2014 by Sony for the PlayStation Vita makes its long-awaited return on January 10th for PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. As a prisoner in the Panopticons, players must effectively work off their sentence, battling Abductors and competing against other cities for valuable resources. Offering 4K/60 FPS on PlayStation and PC, improved controls, visual improvements, and more to go with eight-player co-op, Freedom Wars Remastered is a long time coming.

Blade Chimera

From the team behind Touhou Luna Nights comes another immensely sleek platformer. As the amnesiac Shin, players work alongside Lux and fight against various monsters to unravel the mysteries of his life. Alongside shapeshifting and time manipulation, players will unlock new abilities and weapons in their quest. Launching on January 16th for PC and Nintendo Switch, Blade Chimera is shaping up into an excellent side-scroller.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

The follow-up to Ender Lilies, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist travels to the Land of Fumes and stars a new hero – Lilac, an Attuner who can control the Homunculi, each with different abilities. While there are no signs of the Rain of Death from decades prior, the world has fallen into ruin after mysterious Fumes infect the Homunculi. Survival is paramount, but Lilac must also recover her memories. While offering more excellent 2D art and animation and a new soundtrack by Mili, Ender Magnolia also provides new skills, difficulty levels, and combat changes. It exits early access on January 22nd for PC while also launching for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Combat is based around two Artes – Assault and Burst – with the Chain Capacity gauge dictating how long they can be chained together. You can change skills and attributes by equipping different Titles, with over 100 to choose from. Of course, those who want to focus on the story can turn off encounters.

There are also destination icons, instant retries for failed battles, and subtitles for post-fight dialogue. Auto-save and the ability to skip cutscenes are also available.

Tales of Graces f Remastered launches on January 17th, 2025. The Standard Edition retails for $39.99 while the Deluxe Edition costs $59.99 and includes the base game, Battle Background Music Pack, Super Growth Support Herb Set, a digital art book and digital soundtrack. Pre-orders can also unlock the Super Adventuring Assistance Set early, which provides various healing items.

Based on the 2012 PS3 release (a port of the 2009 Nintendo Wii RPG), Tales of Graces f Remastered features quality-of-life changes, DLC from the original, and content like the Lineage and Legacies After Story. The former includes icons for destinations, the option to switch enemy encounters off, auto-save, and even cutscene skipping.

Some scenes have also been localized into English for the first time, adding to the story. Stay tuned for more details and extensive gameplay of Tales of Graces f Remastered leading to its launch. Hopefully, it won’t be locked to 30 FPS like Tales of Symphonia Remastered.