This contains spoilers.
I just got finished with my play through and feel like there are some good and bad things about the game. My total playtime was 51:51 on the Childhood, Adulthood, and Legacies and Lineages without veering off to do any side quests (there might have been few extra things done inadvertently).
Character development is the centerpiece of all Tales games. This title is unique in that it begins when the main cast are children. The general consensus I get from reviews is that it is terrible. I have a more optimistic view of this segment of the game. It is fast, I only recall spending about 4 hours on it. It accomplishes a lot in that short period of time. You get the whole backstory for Asbel, Cheria, Hubbert, and Richard. The story in the early part of the game is largely driven by what is going on with the characters, which is something that can not always be said for the main arc, unfortunately. The downside to this segment is the combat, which is greatly hindered by the fact that you can only use basic melee attacks. It does serve as a satisfactory introduction to the changes in the battle system.
My biggest gripe with the main arc is that the story sometimes becomes disjointed and almost nonexistent. Forget about the cliche themes, because they are an inherent part of the genre and fit well with the overall theme. Whereas in most of the mothership titles the story is driven by the goals of the characters or the situations they find themselves in and most of the locations you visit will alter the situation in some way, Graces has a lot of story development based on what feels like fetch quests at times. You might wander aimlessly to defeat a certain amount of monsters, need to acquire an item, or in one part of the story exiled into finding out what purpose Asbel can find for himself. This is made up for by some outstanding characters, such as Captain Malik, who really draws circles around most of the other party members in terms of his humanity. Ironically enough, some of the most human moments of the adventure include Sophie, who makes a few interesting transformations as the story goes on.
In terms of the villain, for the first 20-25 hours it is not quite clear what the motivation behind Richard's actions are. It's quite obvious something has possessed him, but it is irritating that they never tell you what it is or why they are doing it. This game is like the opposite of Vesperia, which was full of intrigue during the beginning and middle of the game and slowly fell apart with its abrupt conclusion. The beginning and middle of Graces feels dull and it really picks up once you learn the developments surrounding the plot in the final 10-15 hours of the main arc. Once it is discovered that Lambda is not the root of all evil and had been mistreated in his upbringing, it is natural to relate it to someone with failed potential. It also made me more enthusiastic about finding out more about the past and its implications on the story.
The ending to the main arc is predictable, but following the credits you are treated to cutscene with an intriguing interaction in what appears to be the future. Luckily, this is all explained in the Legacies and Lineages portion of the game. This builds off all of the story arcs that were present at the end of the main arc and presents the world with a new threat, one that ties in very well with everything that has happened. Some of the best character interactions take place in this section, as well as some of the best parts of the battle system. The battle system in general is fantastic. I can't say I wish they would continue to use this for all future titles because I grew incredibly fond of the original system, but it really is an improvement in some ways. If not for questionable AI and some strange difficulty jumps throughout the game, it would be the best battle system of the series. It makes the duller parts of the adventure worth playing through.
Overall, I would give it an 8.1 out of 10. It is one of the weaker titles in the series, but definitely worth playing. There are some hidden gems in this adventure, providing some memorable characters and interactions that rank high in the series. The art style is pretty, but I wish they did more than upscale the graphics from the Wii version. Some parts of the game just look so much better than others. The music is generic for the genre, but it suits the mood of the game well. There are some themes that stand out, but not many that rank among the best of the series.
For anyone who has played this game, were your experiences similar or different to mine? And in what way? I know I left some stuff out, but I think the emphasis of the series is on the characters and the battle system.