Ever since its announcement at E3 2019, Tales of Arise has been getting a lot of attention from both fans and newcomers, primarily due to its gorgeous art and stylish combat. After revealing the opening animation of Tales of Arise earlier this month, Bandai Namco has released a new trailer, highlighting some of its mini-games and bonus features.
Tales of Arise is the 17th installment in this long-running franchise. While the previous two games in the main series, Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Berseria, were also released on PS4 and PC, they were primarily developed with PS3 architecture in mind. Fans had been waiting to see what the developers are capable of when they are not held back by significantly weaker hardware. The result has taken many by surprise, as all of the footage released thus far showcases a massive increase in graphical quality.
This latest trailer shows the main characters interacting with each other at a campsite and highlights some of its extra features. Cooking has been always been a big part of this series, but it is not an essential gameplay mechanic. It often gives various bonuses, such as increased stats. As an example from the video, cooking a Leaf-Wrapped Fish will boost the number of experience points earned. It also shows that players will be able to catch various types of fish, as well as take part in a ranch management mini-game where they raise livestock.
While cooking and fishing are fairly standard features present in most games in this genre, it feels reassuring to get a confirmation. This trailer also reveals how Skits will play out in the game. Skits are events that focus on character interaction and are presented in a unique format, which is not all that different from visual novels. They often provide context for recent events and are separate from the main story cutscenes.
Tales of Arise is shaping up to be the most exciting game in the series in a long time. In addition to a graphical overhaul, the battle system is also shaping up to be interesting and engaging. From the dialogue in the trailer, it looks like the cast will have good chemistry with one another. A lot of fans will be relieved to know that cooking and fishing are still a part of the game, and the new Skit animations will undoubtedly lead to some hilarious exchanges.
Tales of Arise is set to launch on September 10 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.