Tales of Berseria

Tales of Berseria is a single-player Japanese role-playing game (JRPG). The story is set in a world plagued by creatures known as daemons. Players follow Velvet Crowe, a young woman who loses her family during a ritual and becomes infected with a mysterious power that grants her a demonic arm. Consumed by grief and vengeance, Velvet escapes imprisonment and embarks on a journey across the land and sea to uncover the truth behind the ritual, oppose the ruling Exorcists, and confront those responsible for her suffering. Along the way, she gathers companions, each with their own motives and troubled pasts, who join her in resisting the authoritarian order.

Gameplay unfolds through exploration of towns, dungeons, and an overworld map. The player navigates Velvet and her party through these environments while completing story quests and optional side activities. Enemies roam visible in the field, and contact with them triggers battles. Combat is handled through the Linear Motion Battle System, where characters move freely within an arena, chaining physical attacks and special Artes into combos. Velvet’s unique power, her daemon arm, allows her to consume enemies and extend combos, though overuse places her at risk.

Progression involves managing a party of up to four active combatants, with others available as reserves. Characters learn new Artes and skills by equipping weapons and gear, which can be upgraded, dismantled, or enhanced to provide permanent bonuses. Experience points and currency earned in battle fund character growth, while equipment choice influences both stats and abilities. Combat encourages chaining attacks, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and timing defensive moves such as guarding and evasion.

Characters possess Soul Gauges that determine how many actions they can string together, and consuming enemies with Break Souls restores resources while providing situational advantages. The player can adjust party strategies mid-battle, switching characters or altering tactics to counter different foes. Exploration offers collectibles, hidden treasures, and sub-quests. A cooking system allows preparation of meals that grant temporary benefits, while ship expeditions provide further rewards.