Which Tales game should I start with?

The good news first: you barely need this page. With three exceptions, every mothership title is a standalone story in its own world, so there is no required reading order. The exceptions are Destiny 2 and Xillia 2, direct sequels, and Berseria, which works alone but lands harder after Zestiria. Everything else is a fresh start wearing a shared battle system.

For the classic series at its best, take Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (2019). It is the fullest version of the most loved classic, it is on every modern platform, and its cast, skits and cel-shaded look are the template the fandom measures the rest against. For the modern series, Tales of Arise (2021) is the fastest-selling game in the franchise for a reason: painterly, dramatic and built for players who have never touched Tales.

If you want to understand why the fandom exists, play Tales of Symphonia, the 2003 GameCube game that broke the series through in the West, ideally in its Chronicles form on PlayStation 3 or PC rather than the thinner 2023 remaster. If story matters more than systems, Tales of Berseria's revenge tale is the strongest writing in the line. If combat is your hook, Tales of Graces f Remastered has the most joyful battle system of the classic era.

One collector's warning: the Japanese shelf holds games no Western release covers, including the Destiny remake and Rebirth. Start with the five above; if they take hold, the Japan-only pages in this section are your next shelf.