Tales of the Abyss (PlayStation 2)

Tales of the Abyss
Developer: Namco Publishers: Namco (JP), Bandai Namco (US) Platform: PlayStation 2 Released in JP: December 15, 2005 Released in US: October 10, 2006 This game has unused areas. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused cinematics. This game has unused abilities. This game has unused sounds. This game has regional differences.

This page or section has one or more broken YouTube links. Please find an archived version of the video(s) or a suitable replacement. Specifically: Channel hosting one of the Unused Artes videos was terminated.

Tales of the Abyss is considered by many to be the best PlayStation 2 3D entry in the Tales series. This game celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Tales series, and introduced features such as Free Run. To this day, it remains one of the most popular games in the series in Japan.

A 3DS version was released in 2011 and also was the first European release for this game.

Unused Techniques and Voice Clips

On the game's disc, some voice clips for attacks that were never implemented are viewable via hacking. Only one unused arte remains in the game.

Luke and Asch have 'Falling Dragon' and 'Ravaging Hell'. Their Japanese names are Tsuiga Soushouzan (Falling Dragon) and Tenma Senretsushou (Ravaging Hell). Their kanji suggests that they're combination arcane artes. For Falling Dragon, the sounds seem like a combination of Senkou Tsuijinga (Light Spear Canon),and Sougazan (Fang Blade). For Ravaging Hell, it sounds like some sort of combination of Senkou Tsuijinga and Senshouha (Rending Thrust), and the 'Tenma' part may relate to Devil's Inferno.

Tear had a line she was supposed to say after using Innocent Shine: "And purify all!" But the animation is so fast, it skips past this. Also, her Grand Fonic Hymn can be hacked in - it is similar to the one she will use in the final battle against Van, but nothing happens at all once it is done casting.

Anise's unused techniques, of which only voice data remain, are 'Dragon Rampage' and 'Fang Shot'. These were likely incomplete or weaker versions of her existing artes (ie, Dragon Shot). Also, she has 'Fatal strike! Valkyrie Sabre!', most definitely a skill only usable if she equips the Valkyrie accessory for Tokunaga.

Guy's are 'Dragon Swarm', and he has an unused line for Brilliant Overlord: "Behold it's splendour!"

Natalia has a tech called Chronos Raid, which actually remains in the game, but it appears to be a slower version of Piercing Line. Yet, it is an Arcane Arte, so it can be used to trigger Astral Rain. She also has voice data for 'Sting Maker', and 'Behold this Lanvaldearean Arte! Imperial Raid!'. The latter may have been another tech she could learn from Nick, a travelling archery master who teaches her Gallant Barrage and Healing Force. Alternatively, it may have been a FoF change, judging by the line before the arte name.

Dist has voice clips for a Mystic Arte of some kind, and there are two cut-ins that were for this purpose. "Behold this arte of the Rose! You will rue this day! D-Buster!" There are animations for this Arte, but nothing happens if hacked in-game.

Likewise, Asch had a second Mystic Arte, with the following quotes: "I'm done playing! Binding Doom! Now die! The weak should stay back!" He has an unused facial cut in, unlike Legretta and Largo (the only other characters that don't have facial cut-ins at all)

Largo has voice data for Thunder Beast, a FoF change of Beast. Legretta has several unused attacks/spells, namely 'Bright Fear', 'Grieving Rune', and 'Divine Field'. The latter may have created a Light Field of Fonon, similar to Tear's 'Invoke' spells. Alternatively, it may have been similar to Fatal Circle. Grieving Rune is actually a variant of Ray Satellite (one of Colette Brunel's techs from Tales of Symphonia), due to the Japanese equivalent audio clip saying "Rune Steer" (the Japanese name for Ray Satellite).

Van also has clips for an unused Mystic Arte: "This world ends now! As do you! Majestic Apocalypse!"

Reid was to have an arte called 'Final Dragon Fang', apparently an alternate name for Wyrm Wrath, a FoF change of Tiger Blade. Also, he has voice data for a Mystic Arte he used in his original game, Tales of Eternia: "Sacred Skill! This is it! Aurora Slash!" Philia has data for 'Inspect Eye', an ability she had in Tales of Destiny, and 'Revitalize'. She has no real use for the former, and the second was likely removed due to Mint already being the healer for the cameo battle.

Unused Graphics

To do: Better quality rips.

Cut-in Graphics

Some cut-in graphics never made the cut in the final game. They include:

• Mint: Time Stop
• Nanaly: Wild Geese
• Philia: Big Bang
• Nebilim
• Nebilim: Fortunes Arc
• Asch: Binding Doom
• Dist: has two, including D-Buster

• 

  Asch

• 

  Nanaly

• 

  Natalia

• 

  Philia

• 

  Dist

Unused Cinematics

Certain unused videos can be found in the Japanese version of the game. They are located in to7MOV.cvm.

AS_010.sfd

While most of the cinematics in to7MOV.cvm are Anime or CG cutscenes, AS_010.sfd contains in-game footage. A duplicate version of this video exists named SS0000.sfd.

OP.sfd

A version of the opening that is more like a rough storyboard. It uses the same theme song as the final, but the vocals are notably a bit different. The timing and transitioning of the logo fading in is also different than the final.

S101.sfd

A version of the scene that plays when Akzeriuth falls. It lacks sound effects and plays the opening theme to Tales of Phantasia.

S104.sfd

The scene where the Tartarus is lifted to the surface by a Sephiroth tree. It also lacks sound effects and plays the main world theme from the 1989 arcade game Valkyrie no Densetsu.

S105.sfd

A different version of the scene that has the Tartarus diving into the core. Again, it has no sound effects and plays the main theme from the arcade version of The Return of Ishtar: Ishtar no Fukkatsu.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Debug Map

A debug map exists only in the North American release of the game. The following codes will take you to the debug map. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do on this map as it needs proper Japanese text. Talking to Luke or Tear will likely crash the game. Activate one of the following codes while in town or a dungeon to be placed in the debug map.

GameShark / CodeBreaker codes:

Enable Code (for console only)
90106210 0C04182C

Press L1+R1 In Game For Debug Map 1
D0720AEA 0000F3FF
206D2C24 00000000
D0720AEA 0000F3FF
206D2C2C C14C4D00
D0720AEA 0000F3FF
206D2C30 4267D4BE
D0720AEA 0000F3FF
206D2C34 4415F49D
D0720AEA 0000F3FF
206D2C38 00000000

Or:

Press L1+L2 In Game For Debug Map 2
D0720AEA 0000FAFF
206D2C24 00000300
D0720AEA 0000FAFF
206D2C2C C14C4D00
D0720AEA 0000FAFF
206D2C30 4267D4BE
D0720AEA 0000FAFF
206D2C34 4415F49D
D0720AEA 0000FAFF
206D2C38 00000000

Debug Map 1:

• Two old man NPCs. One will chase after you and spawn random enemies in battle.
• The other old man will show a corrupted skit.
• Upon entering, you will have a corrupted skit at the bottom of the screen. You can view this without crashing the game, however nothing happens.
• Luke and Tear both show corrupted text.
• Natalia shows the end credits.
• The guy pushing an invisible block takes you to a minigame.
• In the middle of the pushing block guy, you can push an invisible block.
• Down by the staircase, there is red lighting.
• Somewhere around Natalia, the character around that spot will glow.
• Somewhere around Luke, corrupted text will appear on-screen for a split second.

Debug Map 2:

• Same as above but does not have a skit when entering nor does it have the old man NPC that follows you.

Regional Differences

The Japanese version was infamously unfinished, so in localizing the game for North America, the developers took the opportunity to finish the game, adding many things that were originally in the Japanese version as unused content, like unused Hi-Ougi (called Mystic Artes in English), cut-ins, items, etc.

It is worth mentioning that all versions of the 3DS version, including the Japanese version, are based on the North American PS2 version.

The North American version adds the following:

• Added Mystic Artes for playable characters:
  • Luke has an extension to his Mystic Arte if Ion is in the party.
  • Guy and Natalia have two Mystic Artes.
  • Fortunes Arc has an extension.
• Added Mystic Artes for bosses:
  • The final boss has a second Mystic Arte.
  • Nebilim had around 7 Mystic Artes added; some being used by playable characters.
  • The cameo bosses now all have their cut-ins; Phila and Reid even have two.
• Many bug fixes were implemented, such as Tear and Jade freezing while casting in overlimit, among countless other bugs that riddled the Japanese version.
• Like Tales of Symphonia, the fully-voiced skits in the Japanese version were not dubbed into English.