It’s been a while since the last Tales game was released. Tales of Berseria was a 2016 release in Japan which was followed by a 2017 Western release. Fans have understandably been anxiously anticipating this release for the next round of systems. Does Bandai Namco push the boundaries for this the Tales series forward on these new consoles can do or is Tales of Arise held back because it’s also on last-gen systems?
The answer is mixed. It does look, run, and play great on the new systems but one can’t help but feel like it does feel old in some capacity. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it may not be what fans expect. What things overall did this new entry do right and what things did Tales of Arise do wrong?
10 Best: Amazing Anime Visuals
This series has always looked as close to an anime as possible. This game in particular is really pushing the visuals to a new level. Characters especially look great but the environments are also nicely varied and colorful.
It should be mentioned that environments are not as detailed as characters but that’s still okay. The world of Tales of Arise is even more open than any entry in the series before which is a big step up.
9 Worst: There Is No Co-Op
One of the reoccurring features some fans may look forward to in each new release is the co-op. The series is one of very few AAA RPGs that usually offers co-op. That’s not the case with this new game. So, for longtime fans, finding this out can be a bit disheartening. There is always the hope that developers will see the outcry and possibly patch it in.
8 Best: Voices and Cutscenes
Bandai Namco’s last action RPG, Scarlet Nexus, had some inconsistencies in the cutscenes and voice work. Given that both that game and Tales of Arise share development team members, fans may be wondering if Tales of Arise suffers from the same inconsistencies.
The thankful answer is no. Almost the entire game is voiced which was not the problem for this other game, Scarlet Nexus. It was that most of the story was told through manga-like cutouts. Tale of Arise has this feature as well but only in Skits, which is side dialogue. Most of the game then has plenty of voiced, in-game cutscenes.
7 Worst: Lip-Syncing Issues
The one issue with the voice work that might be vexing for fans is that the lip-sync is inconsistent. Sometimes it is spot on and other times the lips flap like old school dubbed movies from the 80s and 90s. Another issue is that the pacing in dialogue can feel awkward due to pauses. The acting is mostly great, to reiterate once again, so these issues may not bother everyone.
6 Best: Combat
One of the reasons why Bandai Namco may have taken out co-op was to create a more fluid and dynamic battle system. Combat is better than ever thanks to the newest addition, Boost Strikes.
Attacking enemies will build a gauge for each of the four characters in battle. Hitting the corresponding character on the D-Pad will unleash a special attack like Law’s who can break through defenses. This wouldn’t work in co-op so while it is missed, combat is still fun.
5 Worst: Battle Arenas
There are no random battles in the game but there are still battle arenas. This means that coming into contact with an enemy will warp players into a separate battlefield.
Loads are great in the game thanks to the new systems, but going in and out of battle still doesn’t feel that great. This is especially true next to other modern action RPGs like Final Fantasy 7 Remake wherein battles take place in real-time.
4 Best: Costumes
Alphen, Shionne, and the rest of the cast can’t be completely customized like Fallout 3’s character creator. Each character can still be tweaked with full-on costumes as well as accessories. Costumes can be found in the game or purchased through DLC.
There is also an owl side quest that will persist throughout most of the adventure wherein tracking new feathered friends down will bestow players with accessories like horns or glasses. This is an element that has been with the series for a while now and helps set it apart from other modern RPGs.
3 Worst: No Photo Mode
Most modern RPGs, or modern games in general, come with photo modes. That’s not the case with this game. This is a shame because of the aforementioned great anime-style graphics on top of the cool costumes one can unlock. Those elements make this game feel primed for cool photo opportunities. Maybe this can be patched in later.
2 Best: Fast Travel
Fast travel options are not unlocked right away in the game, but it doesn’t take that long after the first hour to get them. There are no items required to use fast travel either. Just go to the map, find a fast travel point, and that’s it.
Plus there are tons of points to travel to. This makes backtracking between side quests a breeze. On the subject of skipping time, the skip options for the story segments are also appreciated
1 Worst: Quest System
While the fast travel system may make side quests easier to get to, the quests themselves aren’t that inspired. They are fairly easy such as gathering items or slaying monsters. They are typical RPG quests and the rewards are worth it for the Gald and SP alone.
It is a shame that these aren’t more fleshed out into cool narratives though. The Witcher 3 really set the bar too high for action RPGs.