Mutsumi Inomata
"Tempest" was developed by Dimps, along with staff from Namco Tales Studio, including composer Motoi Sakuraba, designers Mutsumi Inomata and Daigo Okomura, and producer Makoto Yoshizumi. As the first title in the series to be developed for the DS, the concept behind it was to create a compact "Tales" experience for that platform. Yoshizumi moved to delay the game twice before its release so as to refine the experience. Upon release, the game polarized Japanese and western critics, with "Famitsu Weekly" giving it a notably harsh review. While some have praised the game's story and gameplay, others have faulted these and other aspects such as its technical quality and short length. Originally described by Japanese media as a main title, it was later classified and described by staff as a spin-off.