I’ve always considered myself a Tales fan, which feels awfully strange given that I haven’t liked a single entry for nearly a decade. Vesperia and Graces F marked my last fond memories of the series before a steady streak of letdowns—I’ve spent years hoping for another endearing cast or curious world and have always ended up being disappointed. The creeping months of Arise’s launch began to feel like a brace for bad news, but instead, there’s a sigh of relief. Tales of Arise is a brilliant iteration on a familiar series that understands the need to push forward and leave the past behind, although its story of revolution is occasionally underserved by moments of second-guessing.

Tales of Arise once again features dual protagonists, first introducing us to Alphen, an iron-masked slave from Dahna who can’t feel pain, and then Shionne, a young woman from Rena who is, quite literally, dangerous to the touch. Rena is a neighboring planet to Dahna and is home to the tyrannical ruling class of Arise’s universe. Five lords occupy their own major Dahnan realm, all of whom hold otherworldly powers and overwhelming military might, forcing the citizens of Dahna to slave their lives away while stripping the world of its natural resources. The fight between the two isn’t one of equal warring powers; it’s an oppressive conqueror with centuries of victims forming its blood-laden legacy.

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The enchanting, bright aesthetics of Tales prior have never been shy in expressing their darker side, and Arise wastes no time in presenting the pain of Dahna and its citizens. Alphen’s journey begins in the pits of a fiery mine, surrounded by other Dahnans praying for liberation. Shionne’s introduction paves the way for this progress shortly afterwards as you find yourself saving her when she's labelled an enemy of the empire. Her status as a Renan doesn’t seem to matter, as she’s pursued by her own people for reasons unbeknownst to you. While Shionne makes it clear she doesn’t like Dahnans, she still wants Alphen’s help. Alphen—while quite admirable and charming in his own way—is the sort of bumbling, dopey main hero type, so he agrees to a strange alliance with a Renan who shocks people when touched. Something something, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Alphen and Shionne traveling together in Tales of Arise

Arise quickly sets you loose into all of this chaos, and my trek through linear map after map somehow went surprisingly unnoticed for a while. Dahna isn’t a big open world of adventure, and that’s absolutely fine; I often still felt bewildered by its lush biomes and striking cities. In an RPG that is dozens of hours long, I spent a lot of time feeling eager to see where I could go next. Everything from delightful blue skies to flashy, sharp battle animations kept me in a constant cycle of “just five more minutes.” It’s one of those games where you miss your bedtime, every time.

With all of that said, it shouldn’t seem too surprising that this is the most visually spectacular Tales game yet. However, that same spectacle transcends aesthetic: Arise’s central themes of revolution and justice play a huge role in what allows it to stand where so many previous entries have faltered. Tales of Arise is filled with poignant moments, brilliantly depicting Dahna’s relentless fight for liberation and how centuries of oppression have permeated through their culture. There are, admittedly, also some jarring conversations that feel uncharacteristic for Arise’s characters, but the core narrative is handled with tact and finesse.

Tales of Arise 3

Many of these moments occur in skits, a mechanic Tales of Arise carries over from previous games where you engage in optional conversations between characters. There are hundreds of them, but most still tap into the same scenes of whimsy, drama, friendship, and flirting Tales is known for. There’s a lot of heart in these cute windows of respite - you learn about Shionne’s constant snacking, Law’s personal regrets, and Alphen’s struggle with amnesia—and they’ve got a new look, too. Arise moves away from the usual character portraits Tales relied upon for skits in the past, now opting for panels that look like comic book panels. The change may not seem like something to make a big fuss over, but it makes things a bit more dynamic and surprising.

Party composition also requires strategy. Each character has a Skill Panel with Titles that divvy up new traits, and you spend SP to unlock additional stats, buffs, and Artes in a way that suits your playstyle. I immediately ensured every party member had skills that prevented them from dying alongside anything that gave me bonuses to character boost gauges. I couldn’t stop chaining those animated attack sequences together, and Arise gave me a way to keep the combos climbing no matter the situation. My party was often a four-person crew of 1-HP powerhouses who refused to go down.

Tales of Arise 4

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.

Tales of Arise review card

Score: 4/5. A PS4 review code was provided by the publisher.

tales of arise
Tales of Arise

In Tales of Arise, the land of Daha is oppressed by the advanced Renan civilization. Alphen and Shionne, two people from opposing sides, must band together with other allies to bring and end to the tyranny.

Next: Unlike Star Ocean, Tales of Arise Knows That The Series Needs To Evolve