Connecting Thoughts RPG
Tales of Innocence (+R) Shrine...
There's probably a good chance you've heard of the Tales series. It's by Bamco and the most popular titles (in my opinion) are Symphonia and Abyss, maybe Vesperia as well. Do any of those ring a bell? I hope they do. If not, that's fine too! But forget about those, because I'm here to talk about Tales of Innocence.
It's a really underrated game, and especially within its own series... I don't come across too many fans of TOI (and even less for TOIR) so it's always special to me when I see people who have enjoyed the game. m(_ _)m
I truly think it's a game everyone should try, especially if you're looking for a game that just feels nostalgic and homey. The DS game is nice for those vibes, while the Vita version goes more in depth and is a nice after-experience. I really suggest playing both, there's sadly no definitive edition (yet...?) and you'll miss things if you only play one game!!
So what's the deal with Tales of Innocence? It's an older Tales game and there's two versions, one for the Nintendo DS (this is the original version) and a remake/retelling for the PS Vita! Tales of Innocence R, the remake, adds two characters to the party: QQ and Kongwai. Both have a history with each other but you're not supposed to know that... regardless, it's all about past lives and how the past can impact the present big time. There are people who stay stuck in the past and want things to be like the olden days, but then of course there's people who just want to move on with their lives. The game focuses a lot on that conflict. In fact, the conflict is so bad that there's basically a war going on, but to the general public, they don't know anything about what goes on behind the scenes.
The game is cute, but my standards are a bit strange. I'd definitely say it can get dark, as Tales games sometimes can do. It even was one of the first Tales games to recieve a CERO rating of B, which is where the series would tend to lean in later years.
Tales of Innocence has not been localized, but it does have translations. You can play them yourself or watch playthroughs on Youtube, because they do exist! But I'd really recommend playing it if you have the means. The gameplay is super fun. It can be complicated if you're a newcomer to the Tales series, especially with some of the mechanics, but it's nice to learn everything and super satisfying when you pull off combos. I promise it's fun!
The in-game world is also lovely. Tales of Innocence R has very nice skits (I love the DS skits too, but there's just some really funny ones in the Vita version) that are done in the classic Tales of style. If you've played a Tales game before, you'll feel right at home!
Above are two of the characters' past lives, they are Asura and Vritra.
The demonic looking guy with pretty white hair is Asura, while the more draconic looking one is Vritra!!! ^w^
The entire party is connected to each other via their past lives, and this example is very fluffy and soft because the two have a very close familial relationship that extends to their current lives too! Ruca (Asura) and Hermana (Vritra) don't meet each other until a ways into the story, but they are very quick to bond! Hermana retains Vrtira's silly attitude and willingness to prank... When your mom is hip, I guess...
Is it gay to love your sword? The answer is yes.
A no-brainer, but Asura has other relations aside from his dragon mom. One namely is his sentient sword, Durandal.
He cares very, very deeply for his sword and treats it with a ton of respect... which is a nice thing to do when your sword has a mind of its own. Asura absolutely could've treated Durandal like a tool, but he doesn't. Their bond is genuinely heartwarming and it seems wild to say that about a guy and his sword but you'll have to just trust me on this one.
Just like with Vritra, Ruca meets up with the reincarnation of Durandal, who is named Spada (YES, I KNOW... HIS NAME IS LITERALLY SWORD). They grew up in the same town but never really interacted... they have a rough start, but Spada is very touchy and hugs Ruca about an hour or so into the game. As time goes on, you find out they have family ties and Spada is basically Ruca's knight. And uh, yeah! They're just as gay as when they were a demon and a sword. Honestly their relationship is very tender and sweet and they are the boys of all time. Ruca eventually protects Spada (multiple times even) and they're totally on equal terms and it's really wonderful to see how much they care for one another. I love gay people.
My Favourite Characters!
Of course I have my favourites. There are two characters that are especially dear to me: Ruca and Kongwai. For... very different reasons, actually. Allow me to explain! :D
Ruca!!!
I heavily relate to Ruca... his story really, really resonates with me and a lot of his mannerisms are things I can understand. He might be shy, but he's fierce too! And then he has an entire past life where he was a demonic entity that ruled the skies and commanded an entire army. I think that is so raw and honestly I love how he grows throughout the story, remaining kind but also realising that it's alright to stand up for yourself and be powerful.
And not to get funky on the internet, but as someone who doesn't view himself as 100% human and kind of leans towards demonic entities with good intentions... I think you understand what I'm getting at. Asura is really, really genderful. I love when there are pretty demon boys who are powerful but goodhearted too. It's just a part of the Calico code me thinks.
Anyway, Ruca is a nerd and he's a bookworm but despite it all he's really strong and wields a Giant Broadsword in battle and that's epic okay... It's hardcore. His elemental powers are fire based too! Bamco went for the whole entire hellfire/demon vibes, and I'm very thankful for that. Thanks Bamco... for once... Rolls my eyes.
If you didn't know - which is fine - the guy plastered all over this page with the silver hair and big teal eyes is Ruca! He's the main character of TOI and a bit of an unconventional protagonist but you have to love him for that. :,3
And if you're familiar with Tales of the Abyss, I have got to mention this fun fact - Ruca gets possessed by Jade. Kind of. He puts on Jade's glasses in a sidequest and starts acting like the one and only Jade Curtiss. It rocks. He attacks the party and yep! You have to fight him. I missed playing as Ruca for that one fight, sobs, but it's nothing I couldn't handle as Spada or Kongwai. But speaking of... it's time for...
Kongwai!!!
Kongwai is such a character WHERE do I begin with explaining him... I love him, he's like my spunky, cool dad that loves cats and is super mysterious and totally a bastard and maybe even plotting to overthrow the world! Abnormal guy, and I love him for it!
Kongwai Tao doesn't come from the world Tales of Innocence takes place in, instead he's actually from Tales of the Tempest's world (or at least, very much implied to be? Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, and Tales of the Tempest form the Triverse, and it was all going to be expanded upon but unfortunately plans fell through. We'll never know now! Oh well...). Anyway, he's trans coded and I'm so serious about that, Kongwai does indeed say trans rights, and he will attack anyone who misgenders him with his magic. Speaking of which, his choice of weapon is a Tome - he's a Blue mage, but he has his own unique spells too and he really can kick anyone's butt if they piss him off. So be careful!
Kongwai basically adopts Ruca. He's mysterious and coy about it but it's plain to see that he cares for Ruca. He gives him tips on how to just be himself and is a very good mentor figure (but again, I am stressing that he's Ruca's second dad...)! Their moments together are very important to me and I sincerely treasure them. Another thing about Kongwai is that he knows all about Ruca's adventures, because in his world it's all a myth. I like to think that the myth Kongwai knows is from the DS version of the game, and he seeks to change some of the outcomes from it. It just makes sense to me. =w=
And I might as well mention that he's not only trans, but gay too! Love wins. He and Ricardo kiss each other on the mouth and that's awesome I think. Okay, they don't actually kiss but you know what I mean. They have great chemistry. I like them both (I like Kongwai more though hehe)...
Kongwai is majorly comforting to me and he's an amazing character and I think everyone should experience him. Play Tales of Innocence R (the version he is in) and stream Kongwaicam, made by me of course.
I really have to shoutout the entire party, because their dynamic is really fun and there's a lot of lovely ways to connect with them. It was definitely awkward for a lot of them to reconnect with their past lives, but in the end they discover so much about the past, present, and future... and I think that's a beautiful message. The world is a mystical place, and connections are everywhere if you look for them. Tales of Innocence really stresses that, and it makes it magical and enticing at the same time. Best Tales game in my heart and I truly hope one day it gets localised... OTL It deserves it a ton.
Anyway, that's all I have to say! I felt like Tales of Innocence deserved some attention and I hope you give it a chance one day, dear reader!!! Feel free to read over this page again or head back home. It's your choice~