Spoiler-Free Review

Tales of Arise is a beautiful and compelling JRPG adventure that takes the series to new heights with an emotional story, endearing cast and fun gameplay. As a long-time fan of the Tales of franchise, I can recommend this game to newcomers and veteran fans alike.


Arise is set in a conflict between the twin worlds of Dahna and Rena. They once stood peacefully until the technologically advanced Renans enslaved Dahna’s people and stripped them of their dignity and freedom for the past 300 years. An amnesiac Dahnan man named Alphen is forced to experience the brutal torture of slavery until he meets a Renan maiden named Shionne, a traitor to her kind who causes pain to anyone she touches due to her curse. With their common goals overlapping, the pair reluctantly team up to overthrow the bloodthirsty Renan lords and free all Dahnans from slavery. During their journey, they meet with four amicable companions whilst uncovering the truth behind Rena’s horrific actions.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. At first glance, the story doesn’t hesitate to tackle heavy subjects, such as the horrors of war, slavery and prejudice. However, that’s not to say everything is dark and gloomy. Initially, there was hostility between Alphen and Shionne, which was understandable due to their conflicting races. Despite this, as the story unfolded, they became less antagonistic to one another. Watching their relationship grow from contentious to becoming caring friends is one of my favourite highlights to witness. In addition, there was plenty of cheerful banter that made me laugh and smile because of how charming the characters are. They build meaningful relationships with each other whilst learning to cope with their personal issues and grow to become extraordinary individuals, showing strong character development and effective storytelling.

https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603026658

What really shines is the captivating combat. Not only was it consistently enjoyable, but it became increasingly addicting. When you touch an enemy on the field, you are put in a circular real-time arena, allowing you to strike at your enemies with fluid movements using artes. You control one of four active battle members whilst the other two provide support. Each character has their playstyle and a variety of action-packed moves, which can be upgraded with skill points. For example, Alphen is pretty straightforward as he can hack and slash with his sword, and his perk has a risk-reward mechanic of sacrificing his health for more power. Shionne, on the other hand, casts healing artes and is a gunslinger who has the advantage to shoot down flying enemies. Fighting is exciting because dealing damage is great whereas healing takes time and effort to keep my friends alive. Dodging allows you to perform a lethal counterattack. Spamming the same move can be a habit, and it surprises me that the game penalises you for that because enemies can easily recover, rendering said move ineffective. I find this strategy essential because it encourages me to try out different moves to accumulate interesting combos.

My favourite part is performing special attacks. When foes are stunned or near death, they are vulnerable to a boost strike where two fighters combine their strength for an instant kill. This finishing move is great because it can sometimes destroy surrounding foes, turning the tide of battle. In addition, you can perform a powerful move called a Mystic Arte, launching you in a jaw-dropping spectacle that will obliterate your foes with destruction! Boss battles are challenging because they can unleash their ultimate abilities that can nearly wipe out my party in one hit. However, that doesn’t stop me from fighting back because they are incredibly rewarding in the end. After the battle, you will earn XP, consumables & various key items.

https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609058888

Exploring the vibrant world of Dahna feels immersive. You will be searching various continents, such as the barren wasteland of Calaglia, the snowy mountains of Cyslodia and the fancy streets of Elde Menancia. Among the rich lands are filled with secrets, loot and valuable resources that you can use to cook meals and craft stronger weapons and accessories. You will frequently come across camping sites or inns to rest, restoring HP, but not before being given the option to cook meals and increase bonds with your party members. Cooking grants temporary buffs, such as ATK or DEF boost, an increased rate of finding rare materials and healing a certain amount of HP after the battle. Not to mention the food presented in the game looks appetising. These buffs save you time from grinding. In addition, there are cheap DLC boosts to upgrade your experience. However, I find them unnecessary because it is a waste of money when you have meals to back you up. Tired of exploring? Use fast travel to avoid backtracking.

There is so much content to enjoy with New Game+ being unlocked after completing the main story. Side quests don’t feel like repetitive chores, even though they are generic with simply collecting materials and fighting enemies. Some can be finished quickly after activating them, and others branch out into short side stories. Outside of combat, you can search for hidden owls for cosmetics, and there is a fishing minigame that can serve as a pastime. The controls are simple, and there are no limits as you can fish as many times as you want. The fish rewarded can be used as ingredients for food or sold for money. My time with fishing was refreshing, as fighting will eventually become tiring after so long.

https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607537993

PC Specs:
Windows 10
Intel i7-9750H
AMD
16 GB

Thankfully, I haven’t encountered any bugs or performance issues. I ran the game on high video settings at 1920x1080 with a stable 60 FPS.

Built using Unreal Engine 4, the visuals and character models looked stunning. There is photo mode to capture stellar screenshots, but it would be nicer if there were more options like switching between different frames, colours or character expressions. Once again, Ufotable produced gorgeous 2D anime cutscenes, and the soundtrack is phenomenal to the point that I listen to the songs on repeat.

If I had one thing to complain about, that would be the small but frequent localization issues. I played the game in English and I noticed that in some scenes, the lip-syncing feels off. I also spotted occasional typos in subtitles, as well as unscripted dialogue. Other than that, the game felt very polished, and none of the cons I mentioned above undermined my experience in any way.

Is it the best Tales of game yet? HELL YES! The overall presentation is simply mind-blowing compared with previous entries. I cannot fully express enough how much I enjoyed Tales of Arise. Bandai Namco delivered us an epic game, and this triumphant return to the franchise has gotten me excited for the future!

★★★★★ 10/10 (Masterpiece) ★★★★★

[h1][b][i]A tale worth telling![/i][/b][/h1] [h2][i]It’s time to rise up and fight for freedom![/i][/h2] [b]Spoiler-Free Review[/b] [h2]Overview[/h2] [b][i]Tales of Arise[/i][/b] is a beautiful and compelling JRPG adventure that takes the series to new heights with an emotional story, endearing cast and fun gameplay. As a long-time fan of the [i]Tales of[/i] franchise, I can recommend this game to newcomers and veteran fans alike. [table] [tr] [th]✅ Pros[/th] [th]❌ Cons[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]- Outstanding story and excellent worldbuilding - Memorable characters with interesting backstories - Addicting combat system with unique playstyles - Stunning visual design - Huge amount of side content[/td] [td]- Localisation issues [/td] [/tr] [/table] [h2]Story[/h2] [b][i]Arise[/i][/b] is set in a conflict between the twin worlds of Dahna and Rena. They once stood peacefully until the technologically advanced Renans enslaved Dahna’s people and stripped them of their dignity and freedom for the past 300 years. An amnesiac Dahnan man named Alphen is forced to experience the brutal torture of slavery until he meets a Renan maiden named Shionne, a traitor to her kind who causes pain to anyone she touches due to her curse. With their common goals overlapping, the pair reluctantly team up to overthrow the bloodthirsty Renan lords and free all Dahnans from slavery. During their journey, they meet with four amicable companions whilst uncovering the truth behind Rena’s horrific actions. I have thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. At first glance, the story doesn’t hesitate to tackle heavy subjects, such as the horrors of war, slavery and prejudice. However, that’s not to say everything is dark and gloomy. Initially, there was hostility between Alphen and Shionne, which was understandable due to their conflicting races. Despite this, as the story unfolded, they became less antagonistic to one another. Watching their relationship grow from contentious to becoming caring friends is one of my favourite highlights to witness. In addition, there was plenty of cheerful banter that made me laugh and smile because of how charming the characters are. They build meaningful relationships with each other whilst learning to cope with their personal issues and grow to become extraordinary individuals, showing strong character development and effective storytelling. https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603026658 [h2]Gameplay[/h2] [h3]Combat[/h3] What really shines is the captivating combat. Not only was it consistently enjoyable, but it became increasingly addicting. When you touch an enemy on the field, you are put in a circular real-time arena, allowing you to strike at your enemies with fluid movements using [i]artes[/i]. You control one of four active battle members whilst the other two provide support. Each character has their playstyle and a variety of action-packed moves, which can be upgraded with skill points. For example, Alphen is pretty straightforward as he can hack and slash with his sword, and his perk has a risk-reward mechanic of sacrificing his health for more power. Shionne, on the other hand, casts healing artes and is a gunslinger who has the advantage to shoot down flying enemies. Fighting is exciting because dealing damage is great whereas healing takes time and effort to keep my friends alive. Dodging allows you to perform a lethal counterattack. Spamming the same move can be a habit, and it surprises me that the game penalises you for that because enemies can easily recover, rendering said move ineffective. I find this strategy essential because it encourages me to try out different moves to accumulate interesting combos. My favourite part is performing special attacks. When foes are stunned or near death, they are vulnerable to a [i]boost strike[/i] where two fighters combine their strength for an instant kill. This finishing move is great because it can sometimes destroy surrounding foes, turning the tide of battle. In addition, you can perform a powerful move called a [i]Mystic Arte[/i], launching you in a jaw-dropping spectacle that will obliterate your foes with destruction! Boss battles are challenging because they can unleash their ultimate abilities that can nearly wipe out my party in one hit. However, that doesn’t stop me from fighting back because they are incredibly rewarding in the end. After the battle, you will earn XP, consumables & various key items. https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609058888 [h3]Exploration & Side Activities[/h3] Exploring the vibrant world of Dahna feels immersive. You will be searching various continents, such as the barren wasteland of Calaglia, the snowy mountains of Cyslodia and the fancy streets of Elde Menancia. Among the rich lands are filled with secrets, loot and valuable resources that you can use to cook meals and craft stronger weapons and accessories. You will frequently come across camping sites or inns to rest, restoring HP, but not before being given the option to cook meals and increase bonds with your party members. Cooking grants temporary buffs, such as ATK or DEF boost, an increased rate of finding rare materials and healing a certain amount of HP after the battle. Not to mention the food presented in the game looks appetising. These buffs save you time from grinding. In addition, there are cheap DLC boosts to upgrade your experience. However, I find them unnecessary because it is a waste of money when you have meals to back you up. Tired of exploring? Use fast travel to avoid backtracking. There is so much content to enjoy with New Game+ being unlocked after completing the main story. Side quests don’t feel like repetitive chores, even though they are generic with simply collecting materials and fighting enemies. Some can be finished quickly after activating them, and others branch out into short side stories. Outside of combat, you can search for hidden owls for cosmetics, and there is a fishing minigame that can serve as a pastime. The controls are simple, and there are no limits as you can fish as many times as you want. The fish rewarded can be used as ingredients for food or sold for money. My time with fishing was refreshing, as fighting will eventually become tiring after so long. https://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607537993 [h2]Technical Analysis[/h2] [quote][b]PC Specs:[/b] Windows 10 Intel i7-9750H AMD 16 GB[/quote] [h3]Performance[/h3] Thankfully, I haven’t encountered any bugs or performance issues. I ran the game on high video settings at 1920x1080 with a stable 60 FPS. [h3]Audiovisuals[/h3] Built using Unreal Engine 4, the visuals and character models looked stunning. There is photo mode to capture stellar screenshots, but it would be nicer if there were more options like switching between different frames, colours or character expressions. Once again, Ufotable produced gorgeous 2D anime cutscenes, and the soundtrack is phenomenal to the point that I listen to the songs on repeat. If I had one thing to complain about, that would be the small but frequent localization issues. I played the game in English and I noticed that in some scenes, the lip-syncing feels off. I also spotted occasional typos in subtitles, as well as unscripted dialogue. Other than that, the game felt very polished, and none of the cons I mentioned above undermined my experience in any way. [h2]Final Verdict[/h2] [quote][b]Is it the best [i]Tales of[/i] game yet? HELL YES! The overall presentation is simply mind-blowing compared with previous entries. I cannot fully express enough how much I enjoyed [i]Tales of Arise[/i]. Bandai Namco delivered us an epic game, and this triumphant return to the franchise has gotten me excited for the future![/b] [h2][b]★★★★★ 10/10 (Masterpiece) ★★★★★[/b][/h2][/quote]