As has become somewhat normal when reviewing various RPGs in particular coming to the Switch, where most people reviewing them have deeper familiarity (and inevitably some bias, I’d argue) with the series, or even a previous incarnation of a given title, I’m generally coming to them fresh. Especially when evaluating remasters or reboots, I have no question that people wondering whether to double dip and experience the game again is a valid concern. But I’ll instead speak to the neglected folks out there like myself who’ll be checking the game out for the first time, and with only a more casual everyday gamer’s background.

With that in mind, the first thing I’ll say about Tales of Berseria Remastered, is that in a genre full of titles that feel like they’re victims of narrative in-breeding, sticking to archetypes or familiar tropes, this is a very different animal. The core storyline is freaking dark, the focus of the game’s protagonist is anger-fueled revenge, and while it takes about an hour to finally get things rolling, the effort to set the board properly so you’ll understand Velvet’s turn into an almost unstoppable demonically-powered force pays off. What’s great is that it isn’t all angst and brooding looks though, as the supporting characters you’ll be paired up with provide some great comic relief. The result is an adventure that for the most part feels like none other that I’ve played in a long time, which is all very much appreciated.

Moving on to other critical areas, the combat is both a positive and potentially a negative depending on your tastes. It plays out in a pretty active manner, with an almost brawler or slasher-type style, with you executing combinations of your moves to wipe out enemies while a push and pull sort of system involving stars forces you to use some strategy and show some care. If you really get on a rip you can really plow through enemies in a satisfying way, but when things get tougher you’ll need to be smart and use some strategy to be sure you’ll make it through. A pretty complete set of toggles can be played with to help increase or decrease the degree of difficulty, which is a welcome enhancement that comes along with the game’s Remaster status. While in general this doesn’t feel like a title built for exploring the world and playing your own way, that pairs reasonably well with your character’s very driven personality and her single-minded quest for revenge. If you’ve been looking for a well-made RPG that goes off the board a bit to do its own thing, this absolutely fits the bill.