Modern JRPGs fall into two categories: new releases and HD remasters/ports. While Bandai Namco continues to move forward with new entries in its long-running Tales of series, the company looks back to the past with remasters/ports of classic titles. The Tales of game on everyone’s mind right now is Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition —thanks to its latest gameplay video.
If you’ve been paying attention to the gaming scene, you know the Tokyo Game Show 2018, Japans’ answer to E3, is currently under way. Since the TGS is the go-to convention for the latest on Japanese video games, it goes without saying the convention would feature information on Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition, including a gameplay video. While the video shows plenty of classic Vesperia combat with HD graphics, in an odd turn of events, it uses English voice acting. This unexpected boon gives audiences a sneak peak into how the remaster will look, play, and sound (in English).
Normally, HD remasters reuse original game audio, but the TGS video is of note since it includes Patty Fleur, the little pirate girl who was added to the Japan-exclusive PlayStation 3 port of Tales of Vesperia. The TGS gameplay video marks the first time Fleur has spoken English.
Upon comparing the clips in the video to cutscenes from the original game, the voices sound almost identical, which might imply most of the audio has been reused. However, since Fleur has never appeared in an English version of Tales of Vesperia, the Definitive Edition doesn’t have any English audio to recycle for her interactions with the main characters. This means actors had to be hired for these new English lines. Judging by the TGS video, some of the actors may have returned to reprise their roles while others might have been replaced by perfect imitators. However, some of the actors fall short. Perhaps all the original actors returned and a few are a bit out of practice. Of course, this is just speculation.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition will release on January 11, 2019 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
[Update]
It turns out that Troy Baker didn’t reprise his role as Yuri for Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition. He was never even considered for the job. Such a shame.
