The Tales series has been a staple of JRPGs (Japanese Role-Playing Games) for a long time, and each installment has been its own story with some familiar series markings. Tales of Berseria feels true to this sentiment, though the idea of trying something different is wholly embraced by its developers. It may get bogged down at times in genre tropes and long-time design traditions, but it makes up for it with an entirely fresh and daring plot with characters that are truly unique and complex. If you have the patience to see it through and the ability to enjoy the ride for what it is, you'll be treated to one of the most captivating narratives in a JRPG in years.
The story follows Velvet Crowe and her quest for revenge against the man who killed her brother. Along the way she meets various other shady characters who join her for their own reasons, most of which are similarly tinged with malice. The characters in Berseria are not heroes, or even anti-heroes, but villains each with their own flaws, single minded desires, and histories. That isn't to say that they are devoid of all good qualities and simply want to see the world burn, just that their goals are against societal norms. It's an interesting dynamic, and thankfully, doesn't overplay its malevolent hand by shirking scenes of levity or emotional progression. These characters may be villains, but learning their motivations and seeing them become more comfortable with each other along the journey is compelling and creates a welcome balance, allowing one to connect to the major players of the plot despite their irredeemable natures.
The gameplay takes the form of adventuring through maps and encountering enemies in real-time battle. The battle system is multi-faceted and generally consists of choosing attacks (or Artes) for each character as they unlock them in flashy and effective ways to combat foes. You can take direct control of your favorite character and set up AI parameters for the rest of your party such as fighting aggressively or being more defensive. As you play, you level up, collect gear, and engage in other JRPG staples, though a layer is added into the mix in the form of Master Skills tied to each piece of equipment. As you use a piece of equipment in battle and gain experience (or Grade) points for the gear, you earn a permanent upgrade associated with that gear which applies to your character even when the gear is not equipped. It adds an extra depth to the normal stat-raising gameplay that is typical of most JRPGs, though unfortunately, it doesn't entirely save the experience from being repetitive at times. It's a trope that Berseria falls into when progression is very closely tied to raising stats to become stronger, and oftentimes, this can take the form of grinding out battles on the map in order to be ready for the next big encounter.
You can forgive Berseria for this though, and you should. The overall experience is well-worth seeing through to the end even if that means having to trudge through some repeated encounters for that extra level or Master Skill. Perhaps this experience would've been better suited as an Anime, because the story is stellar and hits many engaging beats along the way. It may not have escaped the grating grind and restricting conventions of its contemporaries, but it propels itself high above the rest because its journey is just so different and well-executed. Tales of Berseria is definitely a rough gem, but when viewed from the right angle, it can shine brilliantly.