Among long-running JRPGs is the Tales series. Beginning with 1995's Tales of Phantasia, the series has been extremely well-received in its homeland of Japan which is also where a vast majority of its sales come from. After a lengthy hiatus from mainline Tales games, the upcoming title, Tales of Arise, aims to be a breakout title outside of Japan through its mature tone and vast world.
Fans of JRPGs are likely to be familiar with the Tales series and Tales of Arise certainly has a lot of hype and expectations for being a return to the roots of the series. Rest assured, that even those who are unfamiliar with the Tales series and even JRPGs altogether should have no issues getting into Arise. Developers Bandai Namco has streamlined and simplified a lot of systems to be more welcoming to new players. Similar to the acclaimed Persona series, every Tales game is independent of one another with some gameplay features and thematic storylines remaining the same throughout.
Plot and Gameplay in Tales of Arise
One of the most common threads between each Tales game is that of harmony within a conflict, specifically in regards to race. Like many other titles in the series, Tales of Arise takes place within a high fantasy setting. There are two polar opposite worlds, Dahna and Rena. The former being a more traditional medieval world and the latter a magically and technologically advanced one. Due to Rena's advanced state, they are in control of Dahna and largely subjugate its people as slaves. The two protagonists of Tales of Arise, Alphen from Dahna and Shionne from Rena, both team up to free Dahna though for very different reasons.
Given that Alphen is unable to feel pain while Shionne is unable to touch others because she hurts them, the two should have a very interesting dynamic. As expected in a JRPG of this nature, the player will be able to team up and control other party members they may encounter within the world. These party members not only bring their style of gameplay but also their own unique perspectives on the world and its conflict.
The Tales series has become known for the creation of the Linear Motion Battle System which resembles early fighting games in appearance. Each title after Tales of Phantasia has altered or improved this gameplay system in unique ways. Tales of Arise prefers a more loose combat system that while very flashy also places a large emphasis on evasion and dodging enemy attacks akin to the souls-like genre. However, there will be a toggleable button for players who do not feel comfortable with their reaction time. Instead of the traditional multiplayer, Tale of Arise focuses more on the interaction between all party members with special combo attacks known as "Boost Strikes" to be triggered on certain occasions, reminiscent of Persona 5 Royal's follow-ups and showtime moves.
A New Beginning for the Tales series
Though the series has had remarkably few missteps for a series with 17 mainline entries, spinoffs, manga, and anime, Tales of Arise intends to be a return to the roots of the series. With the backing of Unreal Engine 4, Tales of Arise will be able to compete with its biggest rivals in terms of open-world graphics. Furthermore, nearly every aspect of previous games seems to be improved upon, or at the very least retained. Cooking has always been a mainstay of the Tales franchise and has been expanded in Arise. The fan-favorite skits between party members that allow for funny and insightful world-building moments will also be present and in full 3D, again thanks to the Unreal Engine.
Whether all of these factors can come together to bring Tales of Arise to JRPG triple-A stardom remains to be seen. However, the independent nature of the series, prescient plot, revamped combat, and sparkling new graphics might be enough to excite old fans as well as bring in new ones. Outside of Japan, JRPGs have been enjoying more commercial and critical success than previously, and though there have been some commercial duds like some Final Fantasy installments, the genre is very much alive and well, and Tales of Arise is certainly one to watch out for this year.
Tales of Arise is out September 10, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.