Initially released in 2009 for the Wii and in 2012 as Tales of Graces f for the PS3 with some improvements and content, Tales of Graces became an installment in the series that became a favorite of many due to its stellar combat mechanics.

After Tales of Arise became such a hit for the developers, many were optimistic about replaying older games in the storied series. Now, with Tales of Graces f Remastered announced, we’re finally on the cusp of seeing the return of a definite fan favorite.

Ahead of its January 2025 launch, we got the chance to try out an hour’s worth of gameplay, taking Asbel, Sophie, and the rest of the party on a grand quest to check out how this remaster is shaping up.

Tales of Graces f Remastered Hands-on Preview

Tales of Graces f Remastered tells the somewhat predictable story of Asbel Lhant, who suffers a childhood of unfortunate events and circumstances. He meets companions along the way as they are caught in political agendas, warring kingdoms, and a tale of friendship conquering all. The colorful cast of characters is all back, and you can expect mostly the same game from before, as this is just a remaster after all.

In our time with the game, we pick up right as the party heads over to Sable Izolle to investigate reports of the Rockagong. Curious, the party heads over to the Strahta Desert to find out what awaits them.

One of the main draws of Tales of Graces f Remastered is its visual upgrade, and while I would normally say that it is immediately noticeable, I think the better way to communicate it is that you’ll see it if you look closely enough. The environments and character models look similar to before, but they have been smoothened out and retouched, as with all of the other UI elements and menus. The game does look cleaner, as a result, and while it’s not a massive upgrade, it’s certainly welcome.

One thing that players familiar with the series will appreciate is the return of its combat system, heavily praised to be one of the best in the series. Tales of Graces f Remastered is an action RPG, throwing out turn-based mechanics in favor of a flashy and more combo-based system. That much is apparent, as the system has been faithfully restored in this remaster to the delight of many.

Players will be able to take control of Asbel and the rest of the party during combat, switching between them on-demand, stacking combos and abilities to maximum effect. As it has been a while since we last played the game, we spent a good 5-10 minutes figuring out what button does what. Because we took control after all of the tutorials and explanations, getting up to speed was challenging.

Newcomers to Tales of Graces f Remastered may find the combat system a bit intimidating, especially since it has layers upon layers of features like the Eleth Gauge, Chain Capacity, Assault and Burst Artes, and more. It’s certainly a lot to take in, but players who choose to engage with it will feel a high level of satisfaction.

Playing on a PS5, Tales of Graces f Remastered felt good, maintaining a steady 60 FPS as far as we could see. This may be overlooked, but it does wonders with its fast-paced combat system. The game looks and plays as smoothly as you would expect, but as far as we know, the Nintendo Switch version will stick to 30 FPS, so we would recommend playing it on other platforms if this will be an issue.

In terms of quality of life improvements, Tales of Graces f Remastered brings a lot to this department. Because we were pressed for time, an option to turn off encounters was certainly a godsend so that we could see more of the game. Another one is the appearance of a “destination display” marker, basically a waypoint that lets players know where to go next.

One update Tales of Graces f Remastered brings is unlocking the Grade Shop at the start of the game, as opposed to opening it up after a playthrough. The Grade Shop is basically a list of bonuses that players can toggle on or off to modify certain characteristics of the game, such as giving players x2 experience per battle, double SP earned, more item drops, and much more.

While series veterans may scream blasphemy at these updates, the developers acknowledge that and have made everything optional, so players have a choice to use them or not during their playthrough. It’s a simple yet great way to appeal to players of all kinds. Other updates include skippable cutscenes and skits, auto-save, subtitles for battle scenes, and the inclusion of previous DLC, except for licensed content, so say goodbye to those costumes like Hatsune Miku!

Tales of Graces f Remastered also has a feature that allows you to use the battle BGM from other titles in the series, adding a dash of flavor to the costumes you can access. It’s a nice touch, and whether or not you choose to use it, including it further adds value to this remaster.

Some of the BGMs and titles you can access are:

• Tales of the Abyss – Never Surrender, The Arrow Was Shot
• Tales of Vesperia – Furnace of War, A Formidable Foe Stands in the Way
• Tales of Xillia – Clenching the Fists, Daring Sword
• Tales of Arise – Flame of Hope, Don’t Look Back

Overall, Tales of Graces f Remastered looks like a promising remaster, considering that the Tales of Symphonia Remaster didn’t receive as much love as this one, for whatever reason. The developers seem to have taken notes, and at least based on what we’ve played, it is looking like a great return for this classic.

Tales of Graces f Remastered is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Switch on January 16. The PC version, via Steam, is coming on January 17, 2025.