rideaux
2018-10-19T20:08:13.000Z
[Berseria] [General Tales of] I have been thinking about a certain Berseria character who really rubbed me wrong, and now I am going to chat at myself about it! This is about Eizen, so be warned if you don't want to read something critical of eizzzzzn
latest #112
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:08:55.000Z
I mean I don't expect anyone to feel compelled to read this anyway, I'm not really awake enough for this, hahaha
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:08:59.000Z
BUT LET'S GO
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:09:05.000Z
Eizen.
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rideaux
2018-10-19T20:10:09.000Z
The thing that really sets me off regarding Eizen is the dismissive way that Edna is treated by his storyline.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:11:00.000Z
I do appreciate that he loves his sister. I wouldn't deny that for a second, even if I hate how they decided to show that.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:12:36.000Z
But so much of Eizen's storyline in Berseria mopes around the idea of his Curse, how dangerous he is to be around, how he's forced to stay away from Edna because he doesn't want her to be endangered, andddd for me it just undermined everything they did with him.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:12:45.000Z
Because it just leads to one of two things.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:14:05.000Z
Either A, Eizen doesn't really care about ANYONE he comes into contact with in the game, because he's willing to endanger them, or B, Eizen coddles Edna against her will and to her detriment to the point that apparently everyone else in the world is more capable of dealing with his Curse than she is.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:15:15.000Z
If Eizen loves the Van Eltia crew, the party members, Van Aifread, Zaveid—then how come he's so willing to be around them?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:16:47.000Z
If Eizen loves his sister so much, then how come he disregards her own choices? I appreciate that he isn't forcing her to sit on a mountain alone, but he is leaving her behind ~for her own good~ and it's so hard to swallow coming off the back of Zestiria.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:16:58.000Z
SO THIS IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO LEAD TO WHAT I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT TODAY
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:18:38.000Z
Although Berseria is obviously a prequel, it was released after Zestiria. It was marketed that way, and it uses our fondness for the world and characters established in Zestiria to bring us into its story. Which Is Fine! Nothing wrong with that!
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:19:11.000Z
But it means we came into Berseria familiar with Edna, ready to learn more about her and her brother, and man does Berseria really not end up doing her any favours imo.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:19:54.000Z
There was SUCH a fervour when Eizen was announced. I was part of it! So excited to see the character behind Edna's dragon, the brother within the tragedy. We were so here for that!
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:21:47.000Z
So when I started thinking about what could have been done to make me like Eizen more, I looked back at Zestiria and realised that a big part of the problem for me is that I don't feel like Berseria answered anything that game set up about Eizen.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:23:41.000Z
What does Edna love about him so much? Well..... he's her big brother? He raised her from a baby (which is a whole OTHER issue I have that we won't get into right now). He sends her gifts? Well, we already knew that... he... I mean, seriously though, I'm struggling here.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:25:12.000Z
Does he bake for her, or does she bake for him? Whatever, baking happens.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:25:45.000Z
It's all really shallow, I guess? It's really surface deep, I don't feel like we really learn much of anything about how they actually ARE with each other.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:25:51.000Z
How could we have improved this?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:25:59.000Z
ACTUALLY INCLUDE EDNA IN THE GAME
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:26:33.000Z
That would definitely be the easy answer! But you know what, make it a flashback if you're really devoted to the idea that Eizen can't be around her. I don't even care.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:27:12.000Z
There's a canon location that literally assaults characters with unwanted flashbacks, how hard would it have been to let us see some shared sibling history there?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:27:21.000Z
SIBLINGS ARE EVEN A MAJOR GAME THEME, WORK WITH ME HERE
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:28:57.000Z
So what's the other major thing I feel like Berseria didn't really cover? How did Eizen succumb to malevolence and become a dragon.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:30:24.000Z
We learn that this is. a consequence of his Curse I guess?? I feel like the game is simultaneously explicit and vague about this, but yeah. Curse = dragon. More susceptible to malevolence? Attracts more malevolence which means more exposure and ergo more danger of transformation? idk w/e
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:32:24.000Z
The other thing we learn is that he absorbed a shitton of malevolence at the end of the Zaveid subquest. This seems like it's supposed to be the Major Factor that brings Eizen toward that unavoidable end—by doing that, he's catapulting toward a terrible fate.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:32:33.000Z
So this sucks for a few reasons.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:33:04.000Z
One, literally fuck the fact that they felt the need to give Z A V E I D a fucking fridged girlfriend. fuck that. fuck it so much.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:33:15.000Z
I can not stress enough how much shit that needs to eat.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:34:38.000Z
Two, it's just.... washy? So little actually happens. Oh no, instead of turning into a dragon Eizen is going to... turn into a dragon Faster? And that's it. That's as close as we get to an answer of what happened to him.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:35:29.000Z
Eizen and Zaveid make their Promise, which is great and all except I can't think of a worse way to make them finally bond than having them make pretty vows over ZAVEID'S FRIDGED GIRLFRIEND, I'M SO. MAD. FOREVER.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:36:25.000Z
What might I have done differently, then?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:36:39.000Z
You better believe Eizen becomes a dragon on screen.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:37:11.000Z
In a lot of ways I think the only reason that didn't happen is because Namco weren't willing to have him permanently leave the party.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:39:01.000Z
I guess it could have happened during the finale, which would have bypassed that issue.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:39:13.000Z
That wouldn't be my preference, but it's definitely an option.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:40:55.000Z
I think, though, that the real way to get Eizen's fate to have impact is to really make us have it. Make us experience it, make us play it.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:41:40.000Z
That would have done so much more to play on the knowledge and emotional investment we already had from playing Zestiria previously.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:42:21.000Z
And it could have been another burning motivating factor for the rest of the party. Something that brings characters like Phi and Eleanor a little closer to understanding that perspective of Revenge.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:43:10.000Z
Would the game still work minus one party member?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:44:08.000Z
Well, the obvious first choice is to bring Zaveid in again, but I don't know if playing that card twice would be the best call. Still, it's a solid option. I think it could be written to work.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:44:42.000Z
Alternatively go for something FULL CRAZY I GUESS, like. Have Teresa actually join the party, that would be fucking bonkers and I would have loved it.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:45:32.000Z
Make fucking Benwick join the party. MAKE DYLE JOIN. KAMOANA. BRING BACK L A I L A H
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:46:31.000Z
man i don't even care hahaha, I'm tired and should have written this is Wordpad or something instead of blathering it messily here, hahaha
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:48:22.000Z
BUT HEY. SO. Has Tales ever committed to permanently removing a party member before? Is benching Eizen early implausible by Namco standards?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:49:06.000Z
I haven't played them all, so I can't say for certain! But let's see......
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:50:46.000Z
Destiny seems like the big contender actually. Leon is a fan fav, and I think his story has a lot to do with that! If he'd been there to the very end I don't think he'd have the punch that makes people remember him so well.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:51:08.000Z
But even then he manages to be in the sequel, lmao.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:51:23.000Z
Symphonia I'm saving for in a minute!
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:52:31.000Z
Abyss loses Ion. His loss is definitely felt, but he isn't playable so he doesn't really apply in that sense.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:54:03.000Z
Graces is. interesting! Because it does lose a party member, although he ends up returning for the DLC-sequel. Still, no one else plays like Richard so I think he's actually the closest thing we have to this idea being played completely straight?
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:55:39.000Z
Richard has his own abilities, his own titles, he doesn't cross over with any other PC, so there's no one else that can really fill his niche in battle.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:57:06.000Z
WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO SYMPHONIA.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:58:26.000Z
Symphonia can have a party member depart, but... not quite permanently. Those characters return for fragments of gameplay, or else are replaced by an exact gameplay doppelganger.
rideaux
2018-10-19T20:59:13.000Z
Sure as shit Kratos and Zelos have nothing in common as people (OR DO THEY???), but in terms of gameplay they are essentially interchangeable.
the feℓsider.
2018-10-19T20:59:30.000Z
and that's why dezel doesn't count, isn't it
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:00:26.000Z
vandesdelca I'D FORGOTTEN THAT, ugh, yeah, I bet that MA absence does smack you in the face. Ion. Ionnnn T_T
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:01:40.000Z
ivywell Yeah, I was originally going to mention Sym and Zest together for this reason, but then Graces seemed an appropriate segue!
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:02:54.000Z
Because yeah, Zestiria also has a character permanently leave, but Zaveid and Dezel are even more interchangable gameplay-wise than Kratos and Zelos are.
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:05:27.000Z
Xillia doesn't have any of this. Milla isn't in the main party for a few hours, but that really isn't the same thing, hahaha. And Xillia 2 has even less of this! So yeah. hrm.
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:05:36.000Z
I'm so far off topic lmao
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:07:08.000Z
BLAH, so Destiny and Graces are closest to this, although they both found ways to create additional content featuring those two characters.
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:07:41.000Z
........ but seriously who cares kill eizen. I'LL STOP TALKING NOW.
rideaux
2018-10-19T21:09:19.000Z
I'm sorry I periodically show up on Plurk and then do THIS
Kip
2018-10-20T22:19:25.000Z
I'm pretty sure Eternia actually does something like that? (I haven't played it that far, though. Nor have I played berseria, so I'm not sure why I read this, haha.)
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:44:17.000Z
UGH, THESE REPLIES DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP, I was so embarrassed for talking so long and cluttering up the timeline but y'all were here for my ramblings, damn you plurk;;;
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:45:13.000Z
Mintww THANK YOU FOR READING ANYWAY, I should make it clear that my opinion is not the generally accepted one, hahaha. Eizen is pretty popular! But regardless, wahhh, I wish I had access to other older Tales games. I want it so muchhh.
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:47:35.000Z
And vandesdelca yeah, pretty much! Like you say, we already know how his story ends—I wish they'd been more willing to embrace that instead of shying away.
Kip
2018-10-23T20:47:39.000Z
Oh, I know it's not! But I do have some friends who dislike berseria as a whole but have never explained it in addition to a bunch of friends who really love it, so? (It was an interesting read though)
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:48:21.000Z
I guess maybe they wanted to try and fill in some blanks regarding him? But ehh, it was all just a misfire for me personally. Justice For Edna.
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:49:14.000Z
I mean, we have Legendia sitting there, waiting for us
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:51:21.000Z
I KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT A LOT TODAY, I WANNA START IT!!!!!!
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:51:37.000Z
maybe we can do that for christmas break
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:51:54.000Z
I mean I also wanna replay Vesperia.
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:52:04.000Z
BUT YES, LET'S DO IT
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:52:23.000Z
we haven't preordered vesperia rerelease yet
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:52:36.000Z
I sure don't need leonel in my party but I look forward to playing it again and actually saving before all the duke/raven
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:52:46.000Z
you know, those scenes that all really exist
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:52:48.000Z
y e s
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:52:51.000Z
Y E S
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:52:57.000Z
YYY EEE SSS
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:53:21.000Z
I can't believe you've actually gone in with me on one of these ships for once (except this one was a joke and it's clearly not a joke)
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:53:25.000Z
(NOT A JOKE)
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:53:26.000Z
i want the rita and estelle raise a baby scene too though;;;;;
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:53:35.000Z
HEY NO FUCK YOU WE FOUND THAT SHIP TOGETHER
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:53:43.000Z
i said it first
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:53:51.000Z
:T
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:53:53.000Z
look
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:04.000Z
I don't have much going for me
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:11.000Z
I'm pretty predictable in this way
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:54:20.000Z
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:26.000Z
it's exciting for an 'LOL LOOK SHIP IT' ship to actually turn out ok
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:28.000Z
that never happens to me
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:38.000Z
(FOR OBVIOUS REASONS IT'S USUALLY STUPID)
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:54:38.000Z
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:47.000Z
are we divorced now
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:54:54.000Z
i've ruined your actual thoughtful plurk
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:54:54.000Z
NO
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:55:03.000Z
well actually maybe a bit idk
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:55:36.000Z
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:55:37.000Z
you will have to make it up to me with a cuddle
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:55:45.000Z
the feℓsider.
2018-10-23T20:55:50.000Z
LET'S GO
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:56:39.000Z
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:56:42.000Z
rideaux
2018-10-23T20:56:58.000Z
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