Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid Hershel: Story Role, Combat, and Character Guide

Reid Hershel is the first character you meet in Bandai Namco's remaster, and he is still the anchor of the journey between Inferia and Celestia. If you searched for Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid details before starting, here is the short version: Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid Hershel is a young hunter from the remote Inferian village of Rasheans who gets pulled into a two-world crisis when a mysterious girl named Meredy crashes into his quiet routine.

That matters because nearly every story beat, party interaction, and battle option flows through him. He is your avatar on the field, your combo starter in combat, and the character whose choices push the plot forward. This guide covers who he is, what he does in the story, and how he actually plays.

Who Is Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid Hershel?

Reid Hershel is the protagonist of Tales of Eternia Remastered, described on the Steam store page for Tales of Eternia Remastered and the official Bandai Namco site as a resident of Rasheans, a village in Inferia. He shares that home with his childhood friend Farah Oersted.

The official story summary keeps his setup simple: Reid and Farah meet a mysterious girl named Meredy, and while trying to uncover her origins, the group learns that a collision called the "Great Fall" threatens both Inferia and Celestia. The elemental spirits known as Greater Craymels become central to their plan to save both realms.

Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid at a glance:

• Name: Reid Hershel
• Role: Main protagonist and the character the story follows
• Home: Rasheans, a village in Inferia
• Closest ally: Farah Oersted, his childhood friend
• Weapon: A sword, based on early party banter
• Goal: Protect Meredy, uncover her origins, and stop the Great Fall

Dialogue shown in a PS5 Pro gameplay video offers a clearer picture of his personality than any store blurb. Asked whether he caught a lot of game that day, Reid answers that he takes only what he needs. A companion teases him that swinging a sword is about the only thing he is good at. He is a practical villager first and a hero second — which is exactly why the story works.

Story Role: Meredy, Rasheans, and the Great Fall

The opening chapter moves fast, and Reid is at the center of every step. Here is how the early story unfolds based on the official summary and gameplay footage:

• Reid and Farah notice an eerie color in the sky above their village
• Something falls from Celestia — a world that lost contact with Inferia long ago
• A pod crashes nearby and explodes in a flash of rainbow light
• Inside is Meredy, a girl speaking a language nobody in Rasheans understands
• The village elder orders her cast out to protect the town from danger
• Reid refuses to abandon her and says he is going with her
• Farah ends up joining, and the three set off together

That last decision defines him. When the elder warns that the girl brings disaster with her, Reid does not argue politics or destiny — he simply states that he will leave with her. It is a quiet, stubborn kind of heroism, and it turns a village hunter into a traveler.

His first plan is also refreshingly practical: find someone who can translate Meredy's language. The name that surfaces is Keele Zeibel, a childhood acquaintance who has grown into a scholar. That lead sends the party toward the heart of academia, and from there into the wider conflict over the Great Fall.

Reid's arc, then, is a long escalation. He starts with a translation problem and ends up harnessing Greater Craymels with his companions to prevent a catastrophe that would consume two worlds.

How Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid Plays in Combat

Combat runs on the Aggressive Linear Motion Battle System (A-LMBS), which the official pages describe as enabling diverse Arte usage, continued combos, and coordination with each unique party member. In practice, that means fast, dynamic 2D battle action where you outmaneuver enemies and defeat them one after another.

Because Reid is the character you steer directly, Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid functions as the backbone of your offense. His value comes from three things:

• Combos: Chaining basic attacks into Artes keeps pressure on enemies
• Positioning: Movement matters, so lining up strikes before committing is key
• Party coordination: Farah, Meredy, and the rest of the group cover roles Reid cannot fill alone

Settings shown in gameplay footage confirm a few options that shape the experience. Difficulty can be set to Normal, Hard, or Extreme, voice language can be switched between Japanese and English, and graphics and sound effects can be toggled between the original presentation and the enhanced remastered look.

If you are used to menu-driven turn-based RPGs, adjust your expectations. A-LMBS rewards active movement and timing rather than planning several turns ahead.

Quality-of-Life Features That Change Reid's Journey

The remaster adds several conveniences that the original release did not have, all confirmed on the official product pages:

• Destination markers so you always know where the story wants you to go next
• The ability to disable enemy encounters, useful when you want to explore or grind through dialogue
• High-speed mode during auto-battle, which speeds up repetitive fights
• Graphics and SFX toggles, letting you flip between the nostalgic original atmosphere and the upgraded visuals

Since you control Reid directly, these options change how Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid feels from moment to moment. Turning off random encounters, for example, turns long stretches of his journey into pure exploration and story.

Player experience is worth noting here. In a PS5 Pro gameplay video recorded with Bandai Namco-provided code, the game ran at 4K resolution and 60fps, and the host noted that the remastered pixel art stays clean and sharp when scaled up. That is a creator's hands-on observation rather than an official spec sheet, so treat the exact resolution and frame rate as community-reported.

The main menu also deserves a mention from that same footage: the environment builds itself as you watch, with water forming in lakes. It is a small touch, but it sets the tone before you even press start.

Dated Launch Details, Editions, and Platforms

Everything below is a dated snapshot rather than a live figure. Check the official pages for current values.

Two details are worth flagging. First, the dates do not line up perfectly across sources: Steam lists a release date of Oct 15, 2026, while the official Tales of Series account described the launch as October 16. Verify availability on your own storefront rather than relying on a single listing.

Second, the official site published a news item dated 16 October 2026 regarding Day 1 patch data, which is a good reason to install updates before you start a long session.

A few practical notes on the packages: the Deluxe Edition bundles the base game with a Super Growth Support Item Set, a Battle BGM Pack, and a Digital Artbook and soundtrack. Steam also lists a Deluxe Upgrade Pack and several level-up DLC items. On the language side, English and Japanese both have full audio, and subtitles cover ten languages including English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

One more thing for parents: the official site rates the game PEGI 12+, and Steam's mature content description mentions fantasy violence, mild blood, suggestive themes, mild language, and one referenced instance of suicide.

FAQ

Who is Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid Hershel?

He is the protagonist. Reid is a hunter from Rasheans in Inferia who, with his childhood friend Farah Oersted, meets a mysterious girl named Meredy. Their attempt to uncover her origins leads the group to the Great Fall, the collision threatening both Inferia and Celestia.

How does Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid fight?

Through the Aggressive Linear Motion Battle System. He uses Artes, chains combos, and coordinates with party members in fast-paced 2D action combat. You control him directly, so movement and timing matter as much as which Artes you equip.

Can I change Tales of Eternia Remastered Reid's difficulty and voice language?

Yes. Gameplay footage shows difficulty options of Normal, Hard, and Extreme, a choice between Japanese and English voice tracks, and a graphics toggle between the original and remastered presentation. These are the same quality-of-life additions Bandai Namco highlights on the official product pages.

What does the game cost, and how is it reviewing?

As of 2026-10-16, the Steam store page listed the Standard Edition at $29.99 and the Deluxe Edition at $49.99, with a user review summary of Positive from 87% of 41 reviews. Those numbers are a snapshot from that date and scope, so check the store page for live pricing and current review totals.