Tales of Arise released to generally positive critical reviews and commercial success, becoming the fastest-selling Tales game in franchise history. That's a good sign for a series celebrating its 25th anniversary. While Arise may not go down as one of the more groundbreaking narratives in the series, it reinvigorated many aspects of the franchise that had been growing stale and turning away longtime fans. Change is not always for the better, but Arise does not compromise on the elements that make it a Tales game.
The post-launch success of Arise isn't over yet, though. Tales of Arise was nominated as a contender in The Game Awards' category for Best Role Playing, competing with the likes of Scarlet Nexus and Shin Megami Tensei V. While the final outcome is hard to predict, Tales of Arise would more than deserve to walk away with the title.
Bringing Tales To A New Generation
One of the most notable changes in Arise is its new skit system. Skits have always been a staple of the series for their memorable character banter, and over the years they have undergone many different iterations. Arise, however, is the first to introduce drastic changes to the presentation of these classic character interactions. Skits have grown from being boxed character portraits with dialogue text at the bottom to becoming graphic novel-style cutscenes complete with voice acting, backgrounds and movement. The change may initially be jarring for longtime fans, but it's actually a system that works quite well.
Cooking is another staple for the Tales series. While the days of the quirky Wonder Chef in his various guises are gone, Arise keeps the series' standard format of cooking while adding in a new item-gathering element. Players can collect ingredients from specific locations marked on the map to cook recipes at a campfire or inn. Furthermore, Arise introduces a fishing element that includes over 40 types of fish to catch using different rods and lures, as well as the ranch where players can raise livestock. These elements take cooking from primarily being a narrative or combat tool and making it a more interactive gameplay element.
Every basic aspect of what makes a Tales game a Tales game saw some sort of overhaul to bring it into the new generation. Unlocked titles contain numerous abilities that can be purchased and are displayed by a skill tree comparable to any other modern RPG. Side-quests are more clearly marked on the map, and the maps themselves contain more details based on items players find.
Tales of Arise may not be on the level of Symphonia or Abyss, but it ranks in the upper echelon of Tales games. After the surprisingly divisive Zestiria and Berseria, Tales of Arise has brought greater attention to what some might have argued was a dying series. Arise retains the classic Tales formula while bringing modern conventions into the series. With new life in the series, new fans are coming in instead of only the most dedicated returning.
Does Arise Deserve To Win Best RPG of 2021?
Arise is a good Tales RPG, but does it deserve to beat Scarlet Nexus, Shin Megami Tensei V, Monster Hunter Rise and Cyberpunk 2077 as Best RPG at The Game Awards 2021? Looking at critical review averages from Metacritic and the Internet Games Database, Tales of Arise currently sits at an 87. Monster Hunter Rise is the only one to score higher based on critical reviews, holding an 87.5 average. Shin Megami Tensei V is third with an average of 84 and Scarlet Nexus has a respectable 80.5 average. Cyberpunk is hard to judge since the Xbox and PlayStation releases were messes at launch, but it sits at an 80 average if only taking into consideration the PC score on Metacritic.
User ratings, however, tell a different story. Cyberpunk 2077, using PC scores, sits at 74.5. Scarlet Nexus has an average of 78, while Arise is third with 84. Shin Megami Tensei V hasn't been out long enough for the Internet Games Database to have user data for it, but it sits at a 90 thanks to Metacritic. Monster Hunter Rise still wins out with an average of 93.
Based on these numbers, a win from Monster Hunter Rise or Shin Megami Tensei V wouldn't be surprising. Yet, Tales of Arise still ranks high as an RPG with an average score of 87 from critics and 84 from fans. Top that with the innovations it introduced for the series as a whole, and Arise has a good case for walking away with more than just recognition of its nomination on Dec. 9.