The story of Tales of Phantasia begins in a quiet village where Cless lives with his parents. One day, while hunting with his friend Chester, he stumbles upon a mysterious talking tree who asks for his help. However, when the conversation ends, they're met with an alarm that signals the start of a horrific event – their village is burnt to ashes and its inhabitants are dead.
Cless' mother dies in his arms, warning him about a pendant he received as a birthday gift from her and his father. Believing this might be connected to the tragedy, Cless sets out on a journey to find answers with his uncle, unaware of the challenges ahead. Tales of Phantasia is a Japanese-style RPG that takes players through an unusual combat system.
The game features action-based battles fought on separate side-scrolling screens. While controlling one character directly, other party members are controlled by AI. Players can pause the game to use magic, items, or choose strategies for their allies at any time.