Tales of Arise: A new era of JRPGS? The hot gentle roleplay in the test!

With Tales of Arise, developers and Publisher Bandai Namco sends the next part of the traditional series into the race. On the 25th anniversary of the series, it should pop, and we already recognize at first glance that Tales of Arise has made a great leap compared to the predecessors graphically and animation technically.

However, the focus of the franchise is normally in the sophisticated stories and the action-engraving combat system. Whether these aspects are under the other new nines or whether the old qualities are enhanced by the new robe, you will learn in our test!

Table of contents

1. 1-heel free
2. 2dahna against Rena
3. 3th struggle for the crown
4. 4 duplicated fight
5. 5 sentenced opportunities
6. 6tales of Customization
7. 7A playable anime
8. 8th succeeded anniversary?

Pain-free

We start the game as a nameless slave working in a mine. We are known under the title Iron Mask , as our protagonist carries an iron helmet, which he can not lose weight. Quickly we learn that our memory returns only one year, says our hero only knows life as a slave in Dahna, but longs for the outside world and the liberation of the country. Fortunately, we are witnessing a chase: an unknown girl who seems to have strange skills tries to escape.

Who touches them, suffers unspeakable pain, this phenomenon is called the thorns . Of course, we use the chance and turmoil, help the young woman and can escape the slavery. However, this is not easy, at the end of our liberation mission we will change. Some of the key sequences are represented by anime sequences that are beautifully animated. Source: Computec Media GmbH We escape the situation only through our new acquaintance called Shionne, because in addition to your thorns you can also summon a sword of pure fire from your chest. Normally you can not lead this weapon because it inflicts strong burns to the wearer, but our protagonist Alphen has no pain sensation, which is why he use the sword and defeat the opponents.

The dynamics of the two characters promises an interesting story at the beginning, because Alphen is the only person who can touch the Shionne without harming him. In addition, he can be the flame sword as so far only person. Initially, the two different goals are pursuing, but doing themselves together: Alphen wants to stop the oppression starting from Rena, while Shionnes wants to kill all five Reno Lords. Both projects are easier through the mighty cutting edge! What Shionnes motivation is behind the murder of the Lords, we learn in the later course of the game, as well as where the skills of our two heroes actually come from.

Dahna against Rena

The country Dahna has been suppressed by the Renaurs for over 300 years. A life without slavery is no longer imaginable, multiple generations must submit to the Daughtean citizens of the Renews, as they have stronger magic and advanced technology. Incidentally, Rena is not another kingdom, but a completely different planet, whose citizens, however, living on a satellite between Rena and Dahna. The Renaische Lords are sent to Dahna by noble titles to prevail over the Dahnets.

The lords leave alone by their external appearance, but their deeds are still cruel when their appearance suggests. Source: Computec Media GmbH What does not help in coexisting the peoples is the fact that Renes can be recognized at their bright eyes. Demolding, they are called beam eye from the Dahnewäuf. The hatred of the peoples on each other is omnipresent in the narrative. Shionne, who accompanies our adventure from the beginning, is also renewant, which is why our group is always critically eyed. Only Alphen always tries to consider the individual without taking into account the origin, which often leads to conflicts, because at first glance none of the two heroes seems trusting.

The fight for the crown

The Rena Lords hold on the planet Dahna to win the fight for the title as a ruler. Their goal is therefore to escape their respective people as much energy as possible. Every one of the candidates uses another strategy. Thus, each of the empires also pursues a different policy, but the goal remains to rob the subject to the subject. Like everywhere, when it comes to power, play also in Tales of Arise (Buy Now 59.99 € / 50.99 €) Betrayed, death and brutality a big role. At first glance, the colorful anime style may promise innocent history, but it is made clear from the beginning that adult topics are always the focus.

In some cities also small separate stories are also told, which is not only interesting for themselves, but is relevant in the entire context of the game. Piece for pieces we reveal more secrets of the worlds and why the fight for the crown is so important. Which role we play in this puzzle, we also learn only in the later course of history. And whenever we think, now we know everything, comes the next, shocking plot twist around the corner. Especially in the last hours, many questions are raised again, but also answered. Well suited is the narrative rhythm, there are no passages that cause boredom.

Diverse fight

The basic combat system is initially simple. We have three skills to get on the ground, and three talents to attack in the air. Which ones are, we look for yourself. There are also normal attacks and dodging, whereby perfect dodging is rewarded with a powerful counterpart. So far is the right self-explanatory. However, the game gently adds more and more mechanics over many hours, so we can get used to each of them.

Every single one of the six playable characters builds on a different basic mechanism that should be used in battles. For example, alpha has its flaming sword, which harms him when used. A character called Law we get to know early is getting stronger the longer he does not put a goal. So we can choose a style depending on your mood, as a character is for every game types that fits the preferences. But here the depth does not stop!

The fighting in Tales of Arise run in real time. They are very action-relieved what the gameplay will never be bored. Source: Computec Media GmbH Each of the figures can use a further ability during a fight by a control cross, which helps in different situations. So we hold opponents for example, interrupt your magic or penetrate your shield. On top of that there is also a combos system that builds on the so-called boost display. Create it with our group to beat an opponent continuously, we fill this boost display of the particular enemy, can then turn it off with a team attack and even get even ingenuations for the rest of the fight.

The team attacks are always carried out with the player character and a partner, each individual constellation brings a unique, bombastic animation that could come directly from an anime.

Otherwise, each of our characters always learns more and stronger skills that we can choose themselves, but on the other hand, more and more complex animations. So fighting, especially against smaller opponents, will become confusing, because we do not know at all the effect fireworks, which is now a hostile or an ally attack. Above all, this will be fatal to us on higher levels of difficulty, because the opponents do not share little damage.

He just wants to enjoy the story, has the opportunity to play on a simple level of difficulty and to leave the fight even semi-automatic , which we only need to use our skills while our character moves alone. However, we would not recommend this because the fight, if you have internalized all systems, is a lot of fun.

missed opportunities

Very a pity is the fact that perfect dodging is rewarded as mentioned, but we can not cancel our attacks with an escape role. So it seems more often to situations in which we do not dare to attack, and prefer to wait for the attack of the opponent, as we otherwise have no valid option. With the ability to cancel animations, as you know it from titles like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, the fighting would be a lot of intuitive and reactive pity, a big missed chance.

Not only the main character Alphen we can control, but also the five other characters that we get to know in the course of the game. Source: Computec Media GmbH Just as a pity is that Tales of Arise has too few different enemy types. After the first hours we have seen in principle all opponent types, the bosses except. In the various areas, the monsters only have other colors or were easily modified, unfortunately, they have rarely parat. Nevertheless, fighting will never be boring as we are motivated to perfect the filling of the boost bar over time and also the graphic representation is extremely successful.

TALES OF CUSTOMIZATION

We learn new techniques about the capability matrix. In combat we receive not only experience points, but also skill points, short FP. The deserved FP we can distribute well as we want it. In our opinion, we already have the perfect set of abilities, we can also simply invest in different status points such as attack or defense. On top of that there are passive skills that are helpful depending on the situation. For example, we choose a bonus, so we do more damage after a boost attack. So we can expand our characters exactly how we are popular.

But not only the fight can be influenced, but also our appearance. Everywhere in the game world, owls are hidden, which can be found. These fluttermen wear different accessories, which we can then equip to our characters, so let s personalize. Pleasing: We can equip all the costumes found at any time in the main menu. If a weapon did not like us, we just clap the skin of another about it and tada! We have a weapon again who likes us. Through various skins, we can completely change our outfit. Unfortunately, some of the costumes are only unlockable by DLC, like this student costume. Source: Computec Media GmbH

A playable anime

Not only the struggles are stained as directed directly from an anime, but also the presentation of the story: Again and again the manga strip passages are not less serious, especially as there are interesting dialogues here. Source: Computec Media GmbH we can lead to small conversations at the push of a button, which are told in the form of comic, or better rather manga strips. Although these talks are pure optional, they should not be ignored. Here, a large part of the character development that lives through our troupe.

In addition, the interpersonal relationships, which develop over time, explains more precisely. Since the individual figures are realistic and always comprehensible, we do not feel annoyed by clichés, but still listen to the conversations. This also applies to the parent story - here is no character no reason!

A successful anniversary?

Tales of Arise does not respond to his predecessors. The refreshed presentation helps the title immensely, because technically and graphically limped the number today s standard so far. This is what the developer Bandai Namco knows where the qualities of the series are: in the strong history and the credible characters. No Open World is needed, the small, atmospheric areas and dungeons in which we stop doing their jobs. There is no annoying, role-playing typical collect ten wool quests. The different intermediate sequences are great designed and convey a good impression of the game world. Source: Computec Media GmbH The secondary tasks are either associated with a funny story or done so quickly that you can check them in passing. A refreshing variety, especially for fans of Japanese RPGs! However, when entering areas occasionally, there are smaller FPS burglaries, but these are short and do not disturb the gameplay. Fortunately, the fighting is always fluid, despite the thousands of effects. Otherwise, there are no problems technically. Tales of Arise is a love letter to the loyal fans of the series, but also a great invitation for all newcomers in the series.

From 10 September 2021 Tales of Arise for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, as well as Xbox One and Series X / S is available.

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Tales of Arise: Tales of Arise rings a new era of JRPGs? The hot gentle role-playing game in the big test + Video (1) [Source: Computec Media GmbH]

My opinion

İyannik Cunha author

Tales of Arise is a first class JRPG!

So far, I have played only a part of the Tales-of-series completely completely. The stiff animations and the outdated graphics style always finished me so much that I could not finish the titles despite the promising stories. This is one of the happiness of the past now, because Tales of Arise makes everything right in terms of presentation, what to do. After the initial struggles and first hours, my fear was borned that similar problems like in the series of serial would stop me to enjoy the story. The opposite is the case! The fighting, the world and history complement each other wonderful. I can put Tales of Arise to everyone s heart, which the anime look is not completely detrimental! From Yannik Cunha author & Katharina Pache Editorial manager 08.09.2021 at 16:00