Tales of Arise will be the seventeenth entry in what is considered as the third biggest Japanese RPG series in the world. It is due to release sometime this year for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC. Visually, the game seems to be stylistically darker, much like its predecessor Tales of Berseria, rather than the upbeat adventure games prior.
In addition, Arise will no longer be using Bandai Namco’s in-house game engine with developers opting to use the Unreal Engine 4 instead. However, it’ll still maintain the series’ anime style as well as other core features that make a Tales game what it is.
While fans are waiting for the next big entry in the series, let’s take a look at 10 games which may fill the void until its release. This list has been written under the assumption that readers have played other entries in the series.
10 Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was first released on the PlayStation 4 and the PC 2017 and 2018 respectively. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition was released in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch featuring new story content, orchestral music, and a 16bit mode.
Dragon Quest XI is a far more traditional JRPG in terms of its combat system but Tales fans will definitely feel at home in its colorful and whimsical fantasy world. The story is easy to follow but full of twists and turns that will keep players entertained throughout.
9 Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition
Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016 and the PC and Google Stadia in 2018 and 2019 respectively. While it was critically acclaimed at launch, the game’s biggest issue was that it felt unfinished.
However, with the addition of the episodic content and free patches to help flesh out the game’s story and characters, Final Fantasy XV is a much better game now than it was at launch. Tales fans should also appreciate the game’s battle system which is far more action-oriented than its predecessors. Furthermore, the game’s focus on friendship and camaraderie is very Tales-like in its execution with discussions in the car and around campfires being reminiscent of the Skits mechanic in the Tales series.
8 The Star Ocean Series
For gamers looking for a similar experience to the Tales series in terms of the trademark action-based gameplay and light-hearted characters, the Star Ocean series is exactly what they are looking for. The studio behind the series, Tri-Ace, was founded by many of the same team members that created the first game in the Tales series Tales of Phantasia.
There are five games in the Star Ocean series, all of which can be purchased on the PlayStation store. The first two games in the series were released on the PSP but Star Ocean: First Departure was remastered for the PS4 in 2019. The stories aren’t particularly deep but that doesn’t stop them from being enjoyable and compelling at the same time.
7 Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology was released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2017. It is a remaster of the Nintendo DS original that was released in 2010 in Japan and the US only. Its limited release made Radiant Historia a highly sought after JRPG fetching a high price by resellers.
This is because despite being a traditional RPG on the surface Radiant Historia was an innovative game that stayed true to its formula but wasn’t afraid to take risks. The Tales series has always appealed to its core fan base for this exact reason. Furthermore, Historia has a fantastic story with time travel, branching stories, and a great battle-hardened protagonist.
6 Lost Odyssey
Released in 2008 exclusively for the Xbox 360, Lost Odyssey was developed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s studio Mistwalker. In addition to Sakaguchi writing the script, it was worked on by former members of Shadow Hearts developer Nautilus and the same team that worked on The Legend of Dragoon.
For many fans, it was a Final Fantasy title in everything but name. While it’s a much darker RPG than the Tales series, the ensemble cast of characters feels very Tales-like. Its lead protagonist Kaim is also one of the most complex but likable characters in the genre. The game’s combat system is reminiscent of the judgment Ring from Shadow Hearts.
5 The Xenoblade Chronicles Series
Nintendo’s Xenoblade Chronicles series is developed by Monolith Soft, the same team that created Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy. The first game was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010 after fans petitioned for its release in the west along with The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower in what became known as Operation Rainfall.
The spin-off Xenoblade Chronicles X was released on the Nintendo Wii U in 2015 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017. All three games are loved by fans, especially the numbered entries. They offer massive worlds to explore but more importantly the characters and stories are some of the best this generation.
4 Resonance Of Fate
First released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2010, Resonance of Fate is an action-RPG by Tri-Ace, the creators of Star Ocean. The game received a 4K/HD remaster in 2018 of the PlayStation 4 and the PC featuring improved visuals and framerates.
Resonance of Fate is set on Earth in a steampunk near-future setting where humanity is forced to live around an air-purification tower known as Basel. It features a great ensemble of characters with good voice work from Uncharted’s Nolan North and Apex Legend’s Chris Edgerly. The action-based combat system is also some of Tri-Ace's most stylish work implementing a Matrix-style fighting/shooting system.
3 The Last Story
Released on the Nintendo Wii in 2012, The Last Story was developed by Mistwalker. It was written and directed by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi while the musical score was composed by Final Fantasy veteran Nobuo Uematsu.
The Last Story’s combat system is action-based and incorporates stealth and cover system forcing the player to work tactically. Just like Tales the game’s AI controls the party members but the player can issue commands. It’s very easy to pick up and even gamers that aren’t necessarily JRPG fans will enjoy one of the best and most accessible combat systems seen in an RPG.
2 The Trails Series
The Legend of Heroes: Trails series has been sold in the west since 2011. The first two games in the series Trails in the Sky and Trails in the Sky SC (second chapter) were released on the PSP and Trails in the Sky: The 3rd was released on Steam.
Trails continued in the west on the PlayStation 3, Vita and PlayStation 4 with the first three entries in the Trails of Cold Steel series. It may seem like a huge undertaking but all JRPG fans owe it to themselves to delve into this series. The story, world-building, history, and character development are unrivaled in the genre.
1 Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana
Released on the PlayStation 4, Vita and the Nintendo Switch, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is the most recent title in the long-running action-RPG series. It is from Falcom, the same studio that brought the Legend of Heroes: Trails series.
While it doesn’t have the same level of depth as Trails the stories are still very fun and Tales-like and fans will feel right at home with the action-based combat system. Additionally, there’s an interesting village building mechanic based on how many survivors the lead character Adol rescues on a deserted island.