Which Tales of games would you recommend picking up for someone interested in beginning the series? I can't play the PS3/PS4/XB360 ones, but feel free to include them in your rec list.
Oh dear, if you can’t play PS3, PS4 or XBOX360, that’s a lot of ‘em :’D You’re out of luck for Vesperia, Graces, and both Tales of Xillia games.
If you have any Nintendo consoles, you do have the option of Tales of Symphonia for GameCube and Tales of the Abyss for 3DS. Both of those are really good games plot-wise, but they can be a bit clunky and they’re showing some age. I’d recommend Symphonia more generally, because Abyss’s plot is VERY heavy and can take some time to get into (almost everyone hates the main character at first, and then does a 180 on him as the game goes on). But if you want to chance the trauma, and if you’re into a deeply philosophical plot, Abyss is an experience like no other.
If you have Steam, you could also download Tales of Berseria there! It’s a fantastic game that I highly recommend so far even though I haven’t finished. Tales of Zestiria is also available on Steam, but I don’t recommend that one because the reception has been hugely meh. It seems to be mediocrity incarnate.
In a perfect world I’d recommend Graces, too, even though it’s only available for PS3 in English, because if you remember that you absolutely should not take it seriously it’s a fucking TRIP. The plot is terrible, the voice acting is terrible, and the characters are fully aware of it and are like knowing parodies of themselves, and the entire game is so colourful it’s like a living fireworks display. There’s nothing in this world like Graces :’D
EDIT: I knew I was forgetting something! Tales of Symphonia is also on Steam :) that would be my #1 recommended starting point.
