Bandai Namco’s Tales franchise has steadfastly stuck to outdated graphics and mechanics throughout its 25-year history. Anime-inspired art, high-fantasy settings, linear-motion battle iterations, and character-centric interactions are all synonymous with previous entries, but these qualities are both a gift and a curse, making the JRPG series a unique, if also less successful alternative to mainstream hits like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Tales of Arise is a significant evolutionary step. Smart gameplay changes, Unreal Engine 4 expansions, and a well-engineered narrative with a compelling roster of playable characters bring the series to life in ways that cannot be ignored. The latest adventure in the Tales saga more than does justice to the occasion.
From open conversations next to a crackling fire to intoxicating encounters with tentacle monstrosities, Tales of Arise juggles several entertaining peripherals and rarely misses a beat. When I wasn’t raising cattle to improve food ingredients or bringing rare ore to local blacksmiths, I would fish in a remote paradise or interact with stray owls in exchange for silly cosmetics. A host of exciting side activities is a welcome respite, because Tales of Arise is anything but a trip with little effort. I spent dozens of hours wading through intense sociopolitical issues like racism, authoritarianism, and mental illness (especially PTSD). These central motifs thoughtfully catalyze character motivations and never felt like superficial gimmicks.
The protagonists Alphen and Shionne may be traveling companions, but they are allegorically worlds apart. A centuries-long race war between the tech-savvy Renans and the naturalistic Dahnans has culminated in labor camps, surveillance states, and rampant hate crimes. In addition, creatures made by Renan called Zeugles patrol the vastness of Dahna, indiscriminately claiming the lives of unwary travelers and asylum seekers. Regardless of their ethnic differences and unpredictable feelings for one another, Alphen and Shionne are peas in a pod; The amnesiac warrior literally cannot feel pain, and the gun-bearing fashionista inflicts nothing but pain on him. Watching the two grow closer through trivial arguments and serious revelations in the course of their arduous mission to bring about positive change was a narrative highlight.
The remarkable level of sophistication that goes into Arise’s story is also reflected visually. Dahna’s realms are home to great geographic structures such as sizzling canyons overlooking lava lakes and winter wonderlands with sparkling blankets of snow. Elde Menancia, a green expanse, offers my favorite postcard-worthy view: a flourishing kingdom comfortably seated in an ancient forest. I traversed linear microcosms of these places, narrow passages that gave way to junctions littered with degradable cliffs, edible leaves, and rabid wildlife. I appreciated that I didn’t have to stray too far off the beaten path to find chests or secret, awe-inspiring views. Still, dungeon segments like ancient sewer systems, abandoned ruins, and multi-story castles based on dry puzzle designs were obviously rough spots – finding keys to removing obstacles or acquiring other boring progression items quickly grew old.
Combat, of course, is the core of the experience and makes up for some of the everyday Tales of Arise environments. When there were enemies to contend with, I was satisfied. Even side quests, which often led to negligible fetch targets, were tolerable as long as I could kill the Zeugles to my heart’s content. Don’t let the minimalist combat UI fool you; Effectively chaining combos for optimal damage numbers is harder than it seems. Even together, Alphen and Shionne’s fighting strength is limited. Add in the various other heroes you meet along the way and things get interesting.
Victories result from elemental weaknesses, astral art (or magic) use, well-timed “boost attacks” that prompt party members to single-handedly incapacitate enemies, and team finishers called “boost strikes”. Simple keystrokes and a free camera optimize the action, so you can concentrate on the essentials: the colorful explosions and the stylish cinematic sequences that will blow your opponents to pieces. Air strikes and last-second dodges add extra flair and, more importantly, temporary damage increases. Moving to another party member who can capitalize on tiered enemies is satisfactory as each character comes with their own set of perks and play style. For example, there’s nothing quite like juggling a boar in mid-air and then toppling local martial artist Law with one flying kick, or beating your unprecedented Artecaster Rinwell multiple opponents with beams of fire.
Boss fights forced me to change tactics, as simply activating skills without foresight often leads to quick and sudden KOs, Tales of Arise offers a wealth of options to prepare for your toughest assignments – eating at rest points for bonus attribute points, adjusting group behavior Priority healing arts and traditional grinding, which combined with “battle chain” effects meant that the more Zeugles I encounter in a row, the higher the chance of getting better rewards or meeting high-level challengers. Having a diverse range of progression options has always been a nourishment, even after barely surviving those harrowing battles.
Other incentives like “Title” are carried over from older Tales games and come with new Artes and permanent stat increases. Unlocking different nodes for each title with my skill points accumulated was a fun way to hone the roles of my favorite group members. I loved investing in Arte Gauge modifiers across the board so I could spam as many devastating attacks as I wanted without worrying about annoying skill cooldowns. Micromanagement is the key to progressing in Tales of Arise. However, user-friendly accessibility options like automatic and semi-automatic combat controls could be useful for players who are overwhelmed with split-second decision making.
Tales of Arise balances popular systems like visual novel-inspired skits and updatable titles with new and improved gameplay tweaks. Complicated world construction in side quests and even banal discussions help with the pace and narrative cohesion. Campy JRPG-centric themes like the power of friendship and slow romantic tension are prevalent everywhere. Nonetheless, I found myself fully invested in the cast’s tragedies and accomplishments, even when awkward pauses and stiff cutscene animations threatened to disrupt the immersion. Tales of Arise is a fantastic reinvention of Bandai Namco’s proven formula. It might even be the best part of the franchise yet.
