I came into this manga as someone reading it alongside the game. Anytime I got far enough in the story of the game, I would switch to the manga to see how things turned out. I did so, wanting to see how such a manga adaptation such as this one would adapt Velvet's character arc throughout the course of her journey.
Velvet Crowe is a character brimming with tons of internal turmoil. She does things you wouldn't expect of a main character, and often even selfishly puts down the main cast for her own desired outcome throughout the story. She is, in essence, a large aspect of what makes ToB such a treat, and as the setting for the series reveals itself to be not what the player desired, things get thrown over their head, and Velvet's actions suddenly don't seem so bad anymore.
One thing is clear. Berseria requires time. It needs all of it's chances to establish its setting and maximise character interactions to its maximum potential. The game does this perfectly. Each character is elaborated on, showcased, and even portrayed excellently. What goes on for hours in the game, unfortnately sometimes does not get addressed the same way in the manga.
Character interactions are cut, the story is rushed through, and fights that SHOULD have impact are a mere one or two pages long, often consisting of just one quick blow to settle the score. Hours of gameplay being condensed into a mere 21 chapters of 30-40 pages is not enough for the excellent story of Tales of Berseria, and it struggles as a result. Plot twists are revealed far too quickly, and emotions are shown just as fast.
To its credit, the art is gorgeous. For as much as I dislike how the story is largely portrayed, I really liked just how detailed the character expressions and poses were drawn in the manga. For as complicated as Velvet, Magilou, and Eizen are, they were crafted excellently here and I really feel it wasn't the mangaka's fault that the story was so rushed with the limitations they were likely given. The first chapter, at least for an acting prologue, is also done well. It shows Velvet's early struggles before going rogue, and is honestly what I wished the manga was like for its running majority.
My conclusion: Play the game. PLEASE play the game. This manga, at its best, is serviceable, but it won't bring out the same feelings of poignant emotions that the game can bring fourth from you. If anything, the ToB manga is a lacklustre adaptation that, while missing out on its most important aspect of story-telling and impact, can at least make up for it in its artwork and overall presentation.
