With the highly anticipated Tales of Arise due to release in September this year, Bandai Namco has already released numerous gameplay, character introduction, and story trailers showcasing the game. Set between the clashing worlds of Rena and Dahna, the trailers introduced the backstories for the main cast as well as the revamped combat system. With the lukewarm reception of previous Tales games over the past few years, Tales of Arise aims to take the franchise in a new direction.
Although many of the details surrounding Tales of Arise remain a mystery, the trailers showcase how the game is a new approach to the classic Tales formula. With plenty of new features and changes to the franchise, Tales of Arise will appeal to newcomers and veterans alike. Given how long it's been since Tales of Arise was first announced, there are many previews that players might have missed or showcases that flew under the radar so here's all of the trailers released so far.
Tales of Arise E3 2019 Announcement Trailer
Tales of Arise was first announced at E3 2019 with a trailer showcasing the new approach to the series. Much of the trailer focused on the detailed environments as well as a brief introduction to the protagonists, Alphen and Shionne. It also offered fans a brief glimpse at the combat and Mystic Artes although the mechanics weren't shown in detail. Originally planned for a 2020 release, Tales of Arise would get delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic.
Tales of Festival 2019 Trailer
Another similar trailer was released during the Tales of Festival 2019 event showcasing much of the same content but with voiceovers from Alphen and Shionne to give players some insight into Tales of Arise's story. Players learned that Alphen and Shionne come from the opposing worlds of Dahna and Rena. Although it isn't clear why they joined together, it's evident that the enemies they encounter consider Shionne to be a traitor.
Tales of Arise - A Fateful Encounter Trailer
Later that year, Bandai Namco released another short preview trailer for Tales of Arise that explored a little more of the backstories for Alphen and Shionne. Alphen is revealed to have lost his memories as well as the capability to feel pain. Shionne's curse of thorns is emphasized here and it's stated that anyone who comes in contact with her will be subject to immense pain. Shionne is also shown to have the capability to use Astral Artes to heal others. At the very end of the trailer, fans got a sneak peek at the next character to be revealed, Rinwell.
Tales of Arise Gameplay Showcase
Due to development issues as a result of the pandemic, Bandai Namco went silent with Tales of Arise news for a while but eventually revealed a gameplay showcase in 2021. The seven minute trailer shows off large areas, the combo-based combat, and Artes system. Picking up from the last trailer, more of the story is revealed as Rinwell joins the cast and the party attempts to navigate through a forest. The game's overworld exploration is also shown in more detail as Alphen climbs mountainous terrains and explores winding paths. At the end of the trailer, a new release date was revealed to be September 10, 2021.
Tales of Arise Release Date Trailer
Tales of Arise also received an official release date trailer shortly after which introduces Law, a young Dahnan man working for a Renan police force. Primarily fighting with his fists, the trailer revealed Law's combat abilities and combos. Fans were also able to take a closer look at more of the Mystic Artes from Alphen, Shionne, and Rinwell. The trailer also offered a look at Balseph, one of the antagonists revealed for Tales of Arise. The release date trailer closed with a sneak peek at the preorder bonuses for both physical and digital editions of the game.
Tales of Arise World Design and Environment Trailer
A quick preview trailer for the environments of Tales of Arise followed shortly after showcasing the game's gorgeous open-ended areas. Although not much was revealed in the trailer, it's evident that Tales of Arise is placing a heavier emphasis on exploration while retaining the franchise's typical linear narrative direction. While previous Tales games were built with an in-house engine, Tales of Arise will use Unreal Engine 4 which allows for a much better graphical quality.
Tales of Arise Mystic Artes Trailer
A short trailer also appeared on the Japanese site for Tales of Arise showcasing the four characters' Mystic Artes. Alphen is shown using the blazing sword given to him by Shionne to create fiery slashes. Shionne's Mystic Arte turns her eyes blue as she creates bullets mid-air which are loaded into her gun and create giant explosions. Rinwell uses a spellbook to create a windy vortex that traps enemies before firing beams of light at them. Law's Mystic Arte infuses his fists and legs with lightning as he strikes down enemies.
Tales of Arise Summer Game Fest Trailer
As most Tales games usually feature six playable party members, it wasn't surprising to see two new character reveals at the Summer Game Fest. Dohalim is an eccentric man from Rena who seems to believe in a peaceful co-existence with Dahnas while Kisara is one of the strongest soldiers in the Dahnan army that serves Dohalim. The duo make an appearance in this Tales of Arise trailer and although not much is revealed about them, their belief of co-existence will likely play a large role in the story.
Alphen and Shionne's Character Introduction Trailers
With only a few months left before Tales of Arise releases, Bandai Namco has also recently released character introduction trailers for Alphen and Shionne. Both trailers dive more into the backstories of the characters and showcase a little more of their combat capabilities. Alphen's trailer centers around his memory loss and his fight for freedom from Rena. Shionne's trailer centers around her curse of thorns and how it hurts anyone she comes into contact with. The character introduction trailers also show off their playstyles with Alphen being a fast-paced swordfighter excelling in close-quarters combat while Shionne is a long-range gunslinger who can heal her party members.
Tales of Arise Animated Opening
It wouldn't be a Tales game without an animated intro and Tales of Arise looks to carry on that tradition with a brand new opening from Ufotable. Although Ufotable has consistently worked with the Tales franchise in the past, their recent work with Demon Slayer and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel have also helped catapult them to global mainstream attention. Depending on the success of Tales of Arise, it's possible that there might be an anime adaptation as well similar to Tales of Zestiria or Tales of Symphonia. The animated trailer also showcased more characters that are presumably going to end up as NPCs or antagonists that players will encounter throughout the game.
Tales of Arise releases September 10th for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S.