Your problem with tales stems from your much much larger issues with JRPGS in general. 

Tales has superior combat and characterisation to Final Fantasy.

Dragon Quest is boring repetetive and stupid, people only like it because it's mildly self aware and not final fantasy.

Phantasy Star isnt even worth mentioning but all those games suck.

Whats another JRPG? Skies of Arcadia? pfft.

All Ace Combat games are good, they are too similar for any of them to stand out as bad, ditto for Ridge.

They made 3 red alerts which is 3 too many, stupid RTS for morons who like cable tv crap.  

Calling Star Ocean mediocre is rich coming from someone who considers Syndicate Wars to be a superb game.

Soul calibur is a better fighting game than def jam.