Berseria fully explores the darkest parts of the human heart.
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Battles have a more cohesive flow.
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I had a hellishly good time dishing out punishment to lizardmen and wolves.
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There were a few things that managed to keep my sense of exploration alive. One was the unlockable treasure chests containing collectible costumes scattered throughout the world. These cat-eared, bubble-gum pink "Katz Boxes" made me squeal with delight whenever I saw them, and I became obsessed with gathering magical orbs called Katz Spirits to try to open as many as I could. Minigames and battle arenas that helped sharpen my combat skills were also a welcome reprieve from the tedium of ping-ponging between the same areas, and I enjoyed sending a pirate ship around the world to collect new recipes and valuable treasure for me.
Berseria gives you the choice of hearing Japanese or English, and it’s a good thing I went with English. Not because the Japanese cast failed to perform well, but rather because the subtitles are incredibly strange. Lines like “That’s gruesome by any standards” became a chuckle-worthy “that’s goose by any standards,” and “even death can be a kind of release” became “even depth can be a kind of release,” turning the adage into a riddle. Was this the devious doings of autocorrect? A clumsy translation? Who knows, but it was a needless distraction. Luckily, the English voice cast hits it out of the park, and their strong deliveries were able to evoke a wide spectrum of emotions in me, including tears and belly laughter. It’s proof that a good voice cast can make all the difference in how much I enjoy the story.
Verdict
Tales of Berseria is a surprisingly strong showing for this long-running series. Its tragic story of broken people fighting on the wrong side of history makes it utterly compelling, and its well-tuned combat more than makes up for its lack of interesting environments. Simply put, this is a tale too heartbreaking to miss, or to forget.