Tales of Arise Reviews
Tales of Arise presents a refreshing sense of nostalgia in a shiny new package. At times it can misfire between its lovable but inconsistent cast of characters and political narrative, but there’s still a band of loveable heroes brandishing the classic Tales archetypes I’ve always adored. Perhaps it wields subtlety like a cudgel—placing Shionne, the woman who causes pain, and Alphen, the man who can’t feel pain, together—yet it’s that same ungraceful melodrama I remember being so fond of a decade ago. Arise elevates Tales back into the RPG spotlight, but it doesn’t leave the pieces of the past you loved behind.
Bandai Namco created something special here. Fast-paced, accessible combat meets a well-constructed narrative told with beautiful visuals, wonderful voice work, and an impeccable soundtrack. Even with its odd issue here and there, nothing stands in the way of Tales of Arise succeeding on all levels.
Tales of Arise went above and beyond our expectations.
With its engaging story, dark atmosphere, charming characters, and excellent combat, Tales of Arise provides an experience that feels both new and familiar at the same time, making for a game that both long-time fans and newcomers will enjoy.
Tales of Arise is a great game and a significant step forward from its predecessor, a wonderful mix of bright narrative and excellent gameplay.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tales of Arise is the peak of Tales of franchise, where the dev team managed to use years of experience to craft something really great.
Review in Russian | Read full review
As a long-time fan of the series, Tales of Arise was a fresh but familiar experience. The game iterated on the series formula enough to keep progressing the series while maintaining the Tales charm. The combat system is as fluid as ever, and I found it to be engaging and fun. The area that the game shines the most is in its characters, both during the course of the main story or the skits that break up the action. Overall, Tales of Arise is a great example of a classic series that keeps improving while maintaining its identity.
I really think the developers have done a marvellous job reinventing this classic series for a new audience without compromising much of the key elements. Tales of Arise is sure to cause a massive stir amongst JRPG fans and the gaming community
Tales of Arise is a genuinely exceptional JRPG that does little wrong. The reworked combat mechanics aren't perfect, but in the grand scheme of things that doesn't matter. Its storytelling, character development, visuals, accessibility, and PC version quality have all been produced to world-class standards. Bandai Namco should be proud, and fans should be thrilled.
Tales of Arise is a Japanese role-playing game of classic dimensions. A motley band of young heroes set out to save a world filled with secrets, beautiful cities, fun battles and an exciting story. The technical bit is a bit uneven, the action wobbles a bit and the set-up toughens on in familiar tracks – but for those who want a grand Japanese role-playing game, Tales of Arise is the best in a long time.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
And there you have it. Tales of Arise is a good port on PC, save for my R2 button. It doesn’t have the vastest array of settings, but it gets the job done.
When it’s all said and done, Tales of Arise features a likeable cast of characters, compelling story and one of my new favorite combat engines, not just in the Tales series but in all the JRPGs I’ve played so far and if not for the pacing issues and the PC port’s technical issues, it could have set the bar for JRPGs to follow.
Tales of Arise marks a real turning point for the license. More mature than its predecessors, the app may deal with the same themes as the previous opus, it adds a lot of nuance and does not fall into the clichés of the genre when treating its characters. Alphen and Shionne form a duo that is both touching and dynamic while the second knives that complete the group are not to be outdone and also benefit from a special care.
Review in French | Read full review
Bandai Namco combines excellent writing, stunning anime visuals, and a deep, rewarding combat system to make one of the best JRPGs of the year.
Tales of Arise a great step toward the JRPG's evolution and a must-play for fans of the genre.
Tales of Arise accomplishes the rare feat of catering to its many fans while simultaneously making a compelling case for newcomers to give it a try, and it's a JRPG must-play that was more than worth the wait.
Tales of Arise is gorgeous. The lands are lush and vibrant, even those trapped in extreme weather patterns. Calaglia's arid landscape makes me thirsty and trudging through Cyslodia's tundra reminds me of long Canadian winters. Sadly this all seems to be lost when it's time to throw in some anime. The switch from game graphics to anime cutscenes is actually rather jarring and I'm not a fan. I like the anime separately as its own entity, just not within the game itself. If the coloring matched the game, sure. But it washes out all of the hard work the level design team put into the game. Pair this with just way too much going on with the artes system and you can see how, though a fantastic game, it falls just shy of hitting a perfect ten.
Tales of Arise is a beautiful JRPG that is fun to play that fans of the genre will no doubt get a lot out of.
Tales of Arise is to date the highest peak ever reached by the Bandai Namco franchise, which despite the ability to tell touching stories had never managed to shine even on a technical and graphic level. The transition to the Unreal Engine 4 and the adoption of the Atmospheric Shader have instead allowed the Japanese company to overcome its historical limits and create a delicious cel-shading, which without renouncing its identity marks a strong and evident detachment from the past.
Review in Italian | Read full review