After a game and a half, Tales of Xillia Remastered proved that this elderly RPG was worth an upgrade

The Stories The series has enjoyed a good reputation for almost 30 years. From the humble Tales of Fantasy to recent Stories of the Uprisingthe Japanese RPG series shows no signs of slowing down.

To celebrate this anniversary, Bandai Namco released several remasters, one of which is Tales of Xillia remastered. The 2013 original has now been reborn for the next generation of consoles and gamers, and I can confidently say that it deserves it and more.

On the way (again)

History Xillia’s Tales follows a ragtag band of heroes after they discover a secret government weapon.

There’s a lot of depth and nuance to the narrative, even though it can seem simplistic at times. Touching on topics such as life, neglect and family rings true throughout. It’s not very noticeable either, it weaves it all together like a pretty tapestry that you can unravel as the story unfolds. Apart from that, the action and drama are quite well executed, providing some great scenes and moments to think about.

If this is your first time with Xilliathere is something to be content about. To start with, the cast of colorful characters is some of the best on the show. Each of them is memorable and forms the basis for future titles. From the mercurial Alvin to the beginner Leia, you become instantly attached to them and by the end of the game you don’t want to leave them behind. Also, more games should have nippy older players like Rowen. Teenagers shouldn’t always be the center of attention!

Tales of Xillia remastered can be played from two perspectives: the benevolent doctor Jude Mathis or the divine deity Milla Maxwell. Each of them tells the same story, only told from a different point of view. Some plot points are learned earlier in one story, later in another, and even holes in one story are filled in the next. Even if most of the gameplay is the same in each case, it greatly increases replayability.

The elderly dog learned some modern tricks

In terms of updates, a lot of work has gone into the remaster. Firstly, it seems extremely accessible compared to other entries.

For example, guide markers on maps support point players in the right direction, which is extremely helpful on some maps. An autosave feature has also been added to support when you can’t get to a save point or quicksave. All accessories are convenient and helpful to make Remastered best version to play Xillia’s Tales.

Perhaps the biggest improvement is the graphics. Seeing as Xillia’s Tales is from 2013, in the remaster it underwent a noticeable facelift. The characters and settings look much nicer, and the improved frame rate ensures smoother gameplay. However, at times the graphics can seem a bit feeble and some of the animations are a bit stiff.

Still, for a remaster, the translation is quite good and plays great on PlayStation 5. Although some of the sounds are a bit glitchy and character voices are drowned out by mixing issues.

If you played Stories of the Uprisingyou may notice that the combat system is completely different, but it’s worth sticking with. Although the LMBS system takes some getting used to, it feels sleek and enjoyable.

I was a little scared considering I’m used to it Ariseis an open-air fight, but it quickly draws you in. Despite being able to move around freely, I could barely apply it as I started to find the dent in the system.

Moreover, the link system that connects you with another member on the battlefield is very pleasant to apply. Creating combos on the fly and performing satisfying moves on the enemy never gets elderly.

Nostalgic and yet modern

One of the best parts Tales of Xillia remasteredat least for me it’s the sheer amount of customization you have at your disposal. Although featured in the original, the Lillium Sphere is a fantastic system for players. It allows you to personalize your moves, stats and skills to your liking. The same goes for your companions, as you can equip them however you want. Do you want your Milla to focus on magic and Alvin to deal critical damage? It’s all there and I hope future Tales titles return to it.

For many of them, it will probably be the first performance in their careers Xillia’s Tales, and for others it is a return journey. Newcomers will benefit most from the remaster as it gives them a whole modern playground to explore. Older fans will be able to see the world they know brought back to life on the modern consoles. Fortunately, there’s a lot to love from both perspectives, whether it’s the intuitive modern features or the improved graphics.

Generally, Tales of Xillia remastered you decided to do one thing and you did it well. The classic has been reborn for a modern era, and even more fans meet and run away with Jude, Milla and the gang. The improved graphics, although a bit cheesy at times, bring life back to the world and make it the best version of the title on the market. With tons of replayability, customization, and charm, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Is Tales of Xillia Remastered worth playing?

Play if…

Don’t play if…

Accessibility features

When it comes to accessibility, there are a few different customization options. The biggest one is the difficulty, it ranges from basic to unknown, hardest. There are map changes such as newly added markers, as well as enabling/disabling open world encounters. You can also switch between English and Japanese audio at any time. Button mapping is also customizable and basic to apply.

There isn’t much on the display, however, and could have benefited from the addition of color-blind modes. Still, what has been added definitely helps with the creation Tales of Xillia remastered a more accessible title for both newcomers and fans.

How I reviewed Tales of Xillia Remastered

I played Tales of Xillia remastered for approximately 30 hours, concluding the main story with some side content. My first game was Jude, who played for a while on New Game+ as Milla Maxwell.

There is a multiplayer mode, but I didn’t try it for the purposes of the review. I played the game on a base PS5 with a DualSense wireless controller and a Razer BlackShark V2 wired gaming headset, all on a 4K Roku TV. If you have played other Tales titles such as Symphony AND Eveningsyou will find many similarities here.

First reviewed November 2025