The entire Tales series is filled to the brim with fantastic characters and tragic stories. Fortunately for Tales Of Symphonia, the game is held in such high regard by fans that it also has some of the most iconic characters in the entire series. Some characters may seem simple on the surface, but they just get more complex the more time you spend with them.
It’s not uncommon to come across characters in the Tales series with a relatively tragic backstory, just like all those other games you like to play. In Tales Of Symphonia Remastered, you’ll struggle to find even a single character that hasn’t suffered some dark fate that served to shape them into the fantastic character they are.
10 Noishe
The strange creature that Lloyd simply calls a dog is the pseudo-party member of the group. Noishe doesn’t contribute much to the story outside of a few key moments that you may not understand initially, but the trusty companion is always there.
For a creature that doesn’t actually talk, Noishe is able to get a lot of character across. The beast cares for those who care for it, and the fact that it can help you traverse the world map early on is always a good thing, too.
9 Presea Combatir
You won’t know it at first, but Presea has endured a tragic existence by the time you meet her once you’ve traveled to Tethe’alla. The poor girl was experimented on and manipulated to the point that she was more or less an emotionless robot.
Once you put in the work to help Presea, more of her subdued nature comes through with less emotionless connotations. It’s her backstory that makes her more interesting than anything, as she’s usually considered to be one of the weaker characters to choose for combat.
8 Regal Bryant
Regal Bryant is an interesting character that you never really get to see the full potential of. Due to his tragic past with Presea’s sister Alicia, Regal was forced to kill the love of his life with his bare hands, resulting in a promise to never use them for violence again.
All of that, paired with the fact that Regal is the president of a thriving company makes him quite a compelling character. Unfortunately, he’s another character who can suffer a bit in a battle for not being as useful as some of the others in the game. Sure, he's a bit brutal, but who wouldn't want to open a business with the guy?
7 Raine Sage
Every party needs a white mage and that’s Raine Sage’s role. The older sister of Genis acts as the motherly figure of the group unless she’s anywhere near any kind of ancient ruins. Her love for archaeology keeps her fun while she holds a more reserved and serious role generally.
The half-elf is actually the teacher of Iselia when the game begins, something that allows her to show off her more stern nature. She’s no slouch in combat either, especially considering she gains access to some seriously powerful healing magic that will keep the group healthy in the toughest battles.
6 Genis Sage
The nerdy half-elf is the game’s first true companion, and he stays in your party for the rest of the game. He’s a child genius, but that, along with his race, seems to make it difficult for him to connect to others.
He’s fiercely loyal to his friends Lloyd and Colette, and even more so to his big sister Raine. The powerful mage is sure to be a staple in most people’s parties for a majority of the game, if not the entire time since he can put out an astonishing amount of damage.
5 Sheena Fujibayashi
The summoner assassin from Tethe’alla is one of the most interesting characters in a Tales game. She’s originally sent to kill Colette, making you face off against her on a few different occasions. Eventually, she joins your group even though she knows what it would mean for her own world.
Despite hailing from a village filled with ninjas, Sheena isn’t going to be dropping wicked combos on enemies. Instead, she’ll be the go-to summoner to introduce the many spirits you met on your journey to the battlefield. With a single summon, she can't turn the entire tide of a battle.
4 Kratos Aurion
The mysterious mercenary joins the group early in the game and immediately cements himself as a powerful force. Of course, Kratos is far more than meets the eye and is eventually revealed to be a traitorous angel.
Making things more complex, he’s also Lloyd’s father. Kratos serves as the edge-lord character of the game, and a good one at that. He’s a major force on the battlefield and that’s whether he’s in your party or actively trying to take them down. His importance to the story helps make him a fantastic character.
3 Colette Brunel
The first Chosen that you meet while playing through the game is Colette Brunel. The spacey blonde is a kind and determined young girl. While she’s a bit of a clutz she’s also profoundly strong on an emotional level considering she’s aware her journey will result in her losing her life.
Being a childhood friend of Lloyd’s, many consider them to be the true romantic option for the story, and that just makes their connection throughout all the more powerful. Whether as a human or angel, Colette has access to some unique abilities in combat that make her fun to use in a lot of situations.
2 Zelos Wilder
The second Chosen you meet in your playthrough is the always pompous Zelos Wilder. He serves as the replacement for Kratos after the game’s big twist, though he’s nothing like the stoic mercenary. To be honest, that’s probably a good thing.
Zelos is pretty much always hitting on the nearest female, regardless of how appropriate his doing so is. Despite his sleazy nature, Zelos becomes one of the best and most interesting characters in the game and can be a powerful ally or an unfortunate foe.
1 Lloyd Irving
The character you’ll be spending the entire game with is none other than Lloyd Irving. He’s a paragon of good throughout the game, but he’s never afraid to unleash his anger on his opponents. Considering most people won’t realize you can switch characters for quite a while, most people will end up using Lloyd for a majority of their playthroughs.
Complete with excellent combat maneuvers and being key to the story, Lloyd is a joy to spend time with. Even when the focus is on the other characters in the party, you’ll continuously find yourself wanting to know what Lloyd thinks about what is being discovered.