Tales of Symphonia Wii Tidbits, Treat for GameCube Fans

The Tales Team recently divulged some exciting tidbits on the forthcoming Wii entry.

It may be a Dawn of the New World for players grabbing hold of the latest Tales entry this month, but for fans of the fantastic GameCube entry, there's plenty of treats from the old to look forward to. From most of the original cast and a few new faces to past areas revisited in a new light, there's a lot of referencing to the original Symphonia outing.

Those with GameCube data present will also receive a small gift for playing the first outing.

What happened to the world after the events in Tales of Symphonia?
The world regeneration resulted in the two worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla to come together. However, the disparity in the technology level between the two cultures resulted in a deep divide among the people. The people of Sylvarant resented being cast off as a second-rate citizen and this resentment helped create a resistance group known as the Vanguard.
As if to coincide with the general unrest, weather patterns around the world started to change as well. Snow started to fall in areas that were once deserts, and areas that were once covered in ice, started to melt. These strange weather patterns only brought more fear and anxiety to the citizens of the world.

Tell us what the new lead characters Emil and Marta's are like. Is Emil as easygoing and idealistic as Lloyd?
Emil is very different from Lloyd. He is very unsure of himself and an introvert. Unlike Lloyd, he does not have any friends in the town that he currently resides. He is unable to voice his opinions and is always apologizing. Marta on the other hand is very out going and cheerful.

Are we going to see the same areas and dungeons from Tales of Symphonia?
Players will be revisiting familiar locations from Tales of Symphonia on the GameCube, but they will also notice that these areas look very different. For example, the desert city of Triet is now covered in snow.

For more be sure to check out the Tales Team interview with Siliconera.