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To understand the "Undub," you must understand the betrayal. The original Tales of Symphonia (2003) is a landmark in English localization. While it cut the Japanese voice track due to storage limits on the GameCube disc, its English cast (Scott Menville as Lloyd, Cam Clarke as Kratos) was so earnest and talented that it became iconic. For many, that was the voice of Sylvarant.
Enter Dawn of the New World. The English dub, produced by Namco Bandai, was not terrible, but it suffered from three fatal flaws in the eyes of purists:
The "Undub" is a surgical strike against these flaws. It takes the USA retail release (preserving the English text and menus for accessibility) and replaces the English voice audio with the original Japanese track. It is the chimera of JRPGs: the readability of localization with the raw, intended performance of the source material.
This specific release is tailored for fans who found the English dubbing to be lacking or out of sync with the game's dramatic tone.
In fan-translation and ROM-hacking circles, an "Undub" is a patched version of a localized game that restores the original Japanese voice audio while keeping all the translated English text, menus, and subtitles. It is not a full fan-translation; the goal is purely auditory authenticity for purists who prefer seiyuu (Japanese voice actors) performances.
For Dawn of the New World, the Undub addresses the specific grievance that Western players were forced to choose between understanding the story (English text) or hearing the original vocal performances (impossible without importing a Japanese Wii and the NTSC-J disc).
In the sprawling universe of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), few titles command the reverence of Tales of Symphonia. Originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2003 (and later ported to the PS2 and PC), it is remembered as a pinnacle of the “Tales” series—a game that married a deceptively deep real-time combat system with a poignant narrative about systemic racism, sacrifice, and the shattering of false worlds. So when Bandai Namco announced a direct sequel for the Wii in 2008, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, the anticipation was palpable. Yet, the final product was met with a reception as fractured as the world of Sylvarant itself. However, buried within the controversy lies a fascinating artifact of fan culture: the “USA Undub” version. This unofficial patch, which replaces the English voice track with the original Japanese audio while retaining English text, transforms the experience from a frustratingly compromised sequel into a deeply intriguing, if still flawed, deconstruction of heroism and monstrosity.
To understand the Undub’s importance, one must first confront the original Western release’s most glaring weakness: its voice acting. While the original Tales of Symphonia boasted a beloved English dub (featuring veterans like Scott Menville and Tara Strong), Dawn of the New World suffered from a rushed, poorly directed, and sparsely cast dub. Returning characters like Lloyd Irving were recast with jarringly different voices, and the new protagonist, Emil Castagnier, was delivered with a shrieking, whiny affect that made his crippling timidity more grating than sympathetic. The Undub version surgically removes this wound. Hearing Emil’s original Japanese voice actor, Kōsuke Toriumi, portray the character reveals a subtler performance—one that balances genuine terror with undercurrents of repressed rage. The Japanese voice track does not erase Emil’s flaws, but it re-contextualizes them as a legitimate psychological struggle rather than a cartoonish caricature. Similarly, Marta Lualdi’s Japanese voice tempers her obsessive fangirling with a melancholy that the English dub largely misses. The Undub, therefore, does not just change audio; it restores narrative dignity.
Narrative dignity is crucial because Dawn of the New World is, beneath its controversial surface, a remarkably bold sequel. Rather than retreading the epic, party-driven journey of its predecessor, the game shrinks its scope to two primary protagonists—Emil and Marta—and a catchable monster-raising system. The returning heroes from the first game are relegated to guest roles, often depicted as morally ambiguous, secretive, or even antagonistic. This design choice enraged many fans who wanted another adventure with Lloyd, Colette, and Genis. Yet, viewed through the lens of thematic intention, this was a clever subversion. The original Symphonia was about killing a god to free the world; Dawn of the New World asks: what happens to the survivors of that revolution? How does one live in a world no longer defined by a clear evil? Emil, who merges with the spirit of the monstrous Ratatosk, embodies this question. He is not a chosen hero but a vessel for a forgotten, amoral force of nature. The Undub version allows this melancholic, introspective tone to breathe without the distraction of mismatched vocal performances.
Technically, the Undub for the USA Wii release is a testament to the passion of the modding community. Nintendo’s Wii was notoriously region-locked and resistant to unofficial modifications. Creating an Undub required ripping the game’s ISO, extracting the audio files from the Japanese release, meticulously renaming and repacking them into the American data structure, and finally burning or loading the result onto a modded Wii or Dolphin emulator. It was an act of digital archaeology and translation activism. Fans were not merely seeking “superior” Japanese voices; they were rejecting a compromised product. They argued that the original artistic intent—including the tone of every scream, whisper, and battle cry—was part of the game’s holistic design. In an era before mainstream dual-audio options became standard (a feature now expected in most JRPGs), the Dawn of the New World Undub was a guerrilla fix for a systemic publisher oversight.
Of course, no patch can fix every flaw. The game’s repetitive field maps, the controversial “catch ‘em all” monster system (which often makes human party members feel superfluous), and the awkwardly animated skits remain unchanged. Emil remains a frustratingly passive protagonist for the first ten hours, and Marta’s devotion still borders on pathological. The Undub does not magically transform Dawn of the New World into a lost classic. Instead, it reveals what the game always was: a deeply flawed, structurally odd, but thematically ambitious sequel that dares to ask uncomfortable questions about the cost of heroism. With the original Japanese voices, the tragedy of Emil’s dual identity resonates more authentically. The bitterness of the old heroes feels less like character assassination and more like believable trauma.
In conclusion, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World - USA - Undub exists in a fascinating liminal space. It is not an official release, but for many fans, it is the definitive version. It stands as a monument to the era of late-2000s JRPGs—a time when localization was still an inconsistent art, and when dedicated fans had to become engineers to hear a game the way its creators intended. The Undub teaches us that a game’s soul does not reside solely in its code or its mechanics, but in the cadence of its dialogue and the authenticity of its emotional outbursts. While the vanilla American release often sounds like a parody of a dark fantasy, the Undub version whispers a sadder, stranger, and far more compelling truth: that even in the dawn of a new world, the monsters we fight are often just mirrors of ourselves. And sometimes, you need to hear that reflection in the right voice. Tales of Symphonia- Dawn of the New World -USA--Undub- Wii
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (known as Knight of Ratatosk in Japan) is the direct sequel to the highly acclaimed Tales of Symphonia. Released on the Nintendo Wii in 2008, it continues the story of the merged worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla through the eyes of new protagonists, Emil and Marta.
The term "Undub" refers to a fan-made modification that restores the original Japanese voice acting while keeping the English text localized for the USA version. Many fans seek out this version because the original Japanese cast is often viewed as providing more nuanced performances, particularly for characters like Emil, whose complex personality is central to the plot. Why Choose the "Undub" Version?
The primary appeal of an undubbed version lies in the preservation of the original creative intent.
Original Casting: In Japan, high-profile voice actors are often cast specifically for their ability to bring depth to anime-style characters.
Voice Quality: Fans often find the Japanese audio more engrossing and less "melodramatic" in its native tongue.
Completeness: Some localized versions may remove audio for certain scenes or skits. An undub ensures that all voiced content, including the iconic character skits that are a staple of the Tales series, is heard in its original form. Story and Setting
Set two years after the events of the first game, the world is in a state of environmental and political chaos following the merging of the two worlds.
You're looking for a guide for "Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World" on the Wii, specifically the Undub version for the USA region. Here are some general tips and resources to help you:
Game Overview
"Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World" is a role-playing game developed by Dimps and published by Namco Bandai Games. The game is a sequel to the GameCube and Xbox games "Tales of Symphonia". The story takes place 120 years after the events of the first game and follows a new protagonist, Lloyd Irving, as he navigates a world filled with conflict and mystery.
Undub Version
The Undub version is a re-release of the game that fixes some of the bugs and issues present in the original Wii release. This version is also known as the "USA Undub" or "v1.01" patch.
Guides and Resources
Here are some guides and resources to help you navigate the game:
Tips and Tricks
Here are some general tips to get you started:
Whether you’re a die-hard veteran or a newcomer looking to bridge the gap between Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
in its "Undub" form is the ultimate way to experience Emil and Marta’s journey. Here is why this specific version changes the game: 1. The "Mieu" Factor: Original Seiyuus
While the English cast is solid, there is a certain charm to hearing Hiro Shimono (Emil) and 釘宮 理恵 (Rie Kugimiya)
(Marta) in their original roles. The emotional range—especially during Emil’s "Ratatosk Mode" shifts—feels sharper and more aligned with the character's facial expressions and "Skits." 2. Fully Voiced Skits
One of the biggest tragedies of the localized Wii release was the removal of voice acting from the
. In the Undub, these hilarious and heartwarming side-conversations are restored to their full glory. It makes the bond between the "New World" duo and the returning "Old World" cast (Lloyd, Colette, etc.) feel much more personal. 3. That Classic "Tales" Energy Dawn of the New World To understand the "Undub," you must understand the betrayal
often gets a bad rap for its monster-catching mechanics, but when you pair that "Pokémon-lite" gameplay with the high-octane Japanese battle shouts and dramatic Mystic Arte calls, the energy levels skyrocket. Hearing “Tenshou Kourinjin!” just hits differently than the localized equivalents. 4. Re-evaluating Emil
A lot of players found Emil "whiny" in English. In the Undub, his soft-spoken Japanese performance makes his growth into a confident warrior feel more like a classic Shonen arc. It turns a polarizing protagonist into a much more sympathetic hero. The Verdict:
If you still have your Wii (or a very capable "dolphin" of an emulator), the USA Undub is the definitive way to see how the world of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla fared after the reunification.
Are you team "Monster Party" or do you prefer sticking with the classic Symphonia cameos for your frontline?
There is no official "Undub" disc. To play it, you need:
Important: Downloading pre-patched ISOs is copyright infringement. Most community guides require you to patch your own legally obtained disc image.
Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes. Piracy is illegal. You should only attempt this if you own a legitimate physical or digital copy of the game.
There are two ways to play the Undub: on original hardware (a modded Wii) or via emulation.
An "Undub" is a fan-created patch for a game that replaces the English audio with the original Japanese audio while retaining all English text, subtitles, and menus. The goal is accessibility: You get the reading ease of the localized script (plus quality-of-life improvements like English item names) with the original vocal performances.
For Dawn of the New World, the Undub is particularly vital because the Japanese cast is stellar. Emil is voiced by Yuki Kaji (Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan), and Marta by Nana Mizuki (Hinata Hyuga in Naruto). The emotional range, especially during Emil’s "Ratatosk Mode" transformations, is measurably more intense in the original track.