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| Tales of Berseria Remastered is priced at $39.99 on Steam, which many gamers say is a high price for a remaster of this scale. |
Bandai Namco officially expanded its "Tales Remastered Project" on February 27, 2026, with the PC launch of Tales of Berseria Remastered . This version updates the 2016 dark fantasy title, which serves as a standalone prequel to Tales of Zestiria. While the release successfully brought the game to modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 (curr. $444 on Amazon) and Xbox Series X|S, the Steam debut has faced immediate (and intense) scrutiny from a group of gamers who already have access to the fully functional 2017 original .
The launch comes after multiple recent remasters from the publisher, including Tales of Graces f and Tales of Xillia—the company is clearly trying to consolidate the franchise on current-gen hardware . However, unlike those titles which filled huge platform gaps, Berseria was already widely available on PC, so the reception for this particular port has been somewhat complicated.
Key Specs and Data
The remaster is a technical port to the Unity engine for improved long-term stability and compatibility, rather than a graphic-heavy rework .
- Performance: The title is targeting a stable 60 FPS on PC and is fully optimized for the Steam Deck .
- Movement: Includes a permanent 1.2x increase to field movement speed to address complaints regarding backtracking .
- Grade Shop: Allows players to spend 11,200 points on gameplay modifiers—such as XP boosts—at the start of a first playthrough .
- Content: Bundles over 70 pieces of legacy DLC, from character costumes to support items and battle BGM .
- Technical State: Requires 15 GB of storage and an SSD for balanced performance .
- Critical Reception: Critics have scored the game around 79 on Metacritic, praising the story and quality-of-life improvements .
The "Mixed" 65% rating on Steam comes largely from a debate over value and necessity . Tales of Berseria is widely considered to have one of the strongest and most mature narratives in the franchise. Its story—following Velvet Crowe on a revenge-driven quest through the islands of Midgand—is still as compelling as it was in 2016, but because the original version is also available on Steam and holds up well, the $39.99 price for what many call "quality of life" patches has understandably made some people angry .
Furthermore, some users have reported that while the Unity transition does improve loading times, it has also introduced minor visual inconsistencies which weren't present in the original proprietary engine . It's not hard to see that the remaster is more of a console-parity project than a key $39.99-worth upgrade for PC users.
Player Interest Falls Short of Previous Entries
The lukewarm reception is reflected in player engagement, with the remaster peaking at just 632 concurrent users on Steam—a sharp contrast to the original's 8,085-player peak . Even Tales of Xillia Remastered managed over 1,300 players at launch . This has led some outlets to describe the release as a "remaster no one asked for," particularly given that the original already runs via backward compatibility on modern consoles .
However, the faster movement and early Grade Shop access does fix the original's sluggish pacing, which should make the 50-hour journey much smoother for those who want to focus on the story . By entirely bypassing the "New Game Plus" requirement for the Grade Shop, Bandai Namco seems to be targeting a modern audience that may not have time for multiple playthroughs .
For players coming fresh to the title, the additions are genuinely welcome. "The many quality-of-life improvements this remaster brings help it shine much brighter," notes a recent TechRadar review. "Graphically speaking, the updated framerate and fidelity really make some of Berseria's landscapes and cutscenes shine" . The game's darker themes and excellent English voice cast—particularly Christina Vee as Velvet—remain standout features .
You can read more about Tales of Berseria Remastered on its Steam store page here.
Console Players Benefit Most
For Nintendo Switch and Xbox users, this release is far more significant—it marks the first time Berseria has been available on those platforms . The Spanish-language outlet HobbyConsolas notes that "the game finally arrives on Microsoft and Nintendo consoles," making this remaster essential for players who missed out the first time . On PS5, players face a choice: the $40 remaster or the $20 PS4 original, which runs via backward compatibility .
The Verdict: Who Should Buy?
That said, if you already own the original on PC, this remaster gets you little value besides convenience tweaks and bundled DLC. For newcomers, however, the pacing fixes and included extras make this the definitive version, provided the $39.99 entry fee doesn't bother you . The game's complete experience—including over 70 DLC items and the ability to disable enemy encounters—offers a smoother entry point than the 2017 release .
Those interested in technical performance data can check the SteamDB charts here. For official details, Bandai Namco's game page provides the full scope of features, and the press release offers additional background. If you're considering hardware, the PS5 is currently $444 on Amazon.
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