New action-RPG remaster from Bandai Namco launches on Steam to "Mixed" reviews

Bandai Namco officially expanded its "Tales Remastered Project" on February 27, 2026, with the PC launch of Tales of Berseria Remastered. This version is the update 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 that already has 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 take care of 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.

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 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 even 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.

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 going for more a modern audience that may or may not have time for multiple playthroughs.

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. You can read more about Tales of Berseria Remastered on its Steam store page here.