Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Edition

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition is as strong of a JRPG on the Switch 2 as it was on the PS4, and the port works perfectly. It runs so well, and it’s a delight to play in handheld mode. This also being the full and complete version of the game with the expansion and cosmetic DLC also helps it feel like a strong new staple to the system’s RPG library.

Tales of Arise - Beyond The Dawn Edition remains the great game it already was upon its 2021 release, carrying over the many strengths and few flaws of the original edition. One of the most interesting entries in the Tales Of series arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 complete with its expansion, and it manages to do so competently, even though there are some technical limitations that are understandable, though not entirely painless. Bandai Namco Entertainment enriches the console’s catalog by showing that it took the adaptation process seriously, even if the gameplay conversion is simply identical to what we have already seen, without taking advantage of the specific features that make Switch 2 a unique gaming machine. Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn allows those who never played the original to experience the adventures of Alphen and Shionne on Nintendo’s hybrid console, but it does not offer many reasons to start a new playthrough if you have already thoroughly experienced it on other platforms. An excellent action JRPG with solid gameplay and a story that holds up almost all the time, presented here in its least performant version, yet still enjoyable.

A satisfying yet streamlined JRPG that is more character study than grand adventure.

Tales of Arise continues to shine, now on Switch 2, for its dynamic combat, its great art direction, and an entertaining story that manages to hook you from beginning to end. Being able to enjoy one of the best entries in the Tales of series in a portable format is simply great. Although it has questionable technical decisions like those 30fps, it is still a title worth considering.

If you’ve been waiting to check this particular version of the game out for the first time and haven’t already played it, I think this is a solid way to do so. Extra patches to smooth over stuttering and get a fully locked 30 frames per second would be great, but I’m not sure if Bandai sees value in coming back to this one. Arise isn’t a perfect game, nor my favorite entry in the Tales of series, but this is a good version of it. There’s a lot of extra downloadable content and a whole expansion to take a look at, making this package ideal for portable action game enthusiasts looking to see the latest from the Tales of series. I am personally stoked for the upcoming release of Eternia, and eagerly await diving into the series’ 2D era.