“What amazes me is how someone could have that kind of power and yet keep it hidden all that time”
- Shionne – Tales of Arise
Challenge the Fate That Binds You.
“For 300 years, Rena has ruled over Dahna, pillaging the planet of its resources and stripping people of their dignity and freedom.
Our tale begins with two people, Alphen and Shionne, born on different worlds, each looking to change their fate and create a new future.
Featuring a diverse cast of characters, intuitive and rewarding combat system, and a captivating story set in a lush world worth fighting for, Tales of Arise delivers a first-class JRPG experience.”
One of the hardest questions to ask a JRPG fan is, “Which is your favourite series in the genre?” Could it be the epic storytelling of the Cold Steel series from Falcom, or GUST’s Atelier series which is now hitting top form with Atelier Ryza? Well, just to complicate the issue even more, Bandai Namco, is parking the car outside and is about to make a grand entrance with the latest behemoth in the genre, Tales of Arise.
It’s been a whopping seven years since the last game in the long-running series, which was the superb Tales of Berseria. Tales of Berseria was such a revelation to me, as it was the JRPG that grabbed me hook, line and sinker into the genre. That was quickly followed by playing some of the previous games (Tales of Graces and Tales of Vesperia).
Each of those games had a certain quality that is almost unmatched by others within the genre. It’s a series that tries to put more effort into the animations and visuals, adding more detail and interest than its counterparts. Only Ni No Kuni has impressed me in this way, as that game had the legendary animation creators, Studio Ghibli, to help them with development. However, Bandai Namco has been working in collaboration with the anime studio “ufotable” for the in-game cutscenes in Tales of Arise. If you are unfamiliar with ufotable, this is the studio that was responsible for the 2019 hit anime Demon Slayer (Kimetsu No Yaiba), as well as God Eater, The Garden of Sinners and Fate Zero.
Another reason the game has taken seven years to complete is that during the process they spent five years designing a bespoke lighting mechanic, called an “atmospheric shader”. The developers took time out to explain the atmospheric shader in the trailer below, and the gobsmacking results are plain to see.
Putting this all together, the visuals look stunning, especially for a JRPG. Tales of Arise even has an environment trailer showcasing how vibrant, varied and detailed the worlds you will be playing in will be. For anyone like me who can enjoy JRPG games with fairly basic environments, this new game is ripping up the rule book and taking things to a whole new level, as JRPG fans simply aren’t used to this kind of graphical fidelity.
However, not only have the visuals been given an almighty upgrade compared to previous games, but the combat looks fast and fluid too. Have we hit the gaming nirvana of a JRPG game that has the classic RPG overtones to get invested in, combined with fast, free-flowing hack and slash combat in the style of Devil May Cry? Judging by the gameplay trailer below, we most certainly have!
Tales of Arise combines stunning visuals with smooth and slick gameplay mechanics. When this is woven together with the signature Tales of immersive storytelling, that beguiles players into the world by crafting the characters’ identities into the overarching narrative, you may then be able to understand why the arrival of Tales of Arise is a very big deal in the JRPG genre.
We here at Total Gaming addicts can’t wait for this one, and we will be bringing you more news, previews and the full game review upon it’s worldwide release.
Tales of Arise is scheduled for release on the 10th September 2021, for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Microsoft Windows.
