Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Edition

Tales of Arise is a righteous action RPG and stands tall as one of the best Tales entries yet. While some story beats are a bit tired and cheesy, it has a lot of heart and unbelievably dazzling visuals. After a while, it's easy to overlook the tropey writing and dialogue because the world is immersive and the combat feels great, even at 30fps. Any game with fishing in it can't be all bad, but Arise is already so superb that non-fishing fans will still delight in it.

The Switch 2 version may not replace the PlayStation 5 edition from a purely technical standpoint. If raw performance is your only concern, Sony’s hardware still wins thanks to its smoother frame rates and cleaner visuals. But that doesn’t automatically make this release inferior.

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.

A solid mix of strong characters, great story beats, and surprisingly-engaging action-based combat help this shine.

Tales of Arise is one of the best entries in the series, and while its release on the Switch 2 is far from perfect, it remains a very enjoyable JRPG, whether you play it in docked or handheld mode.

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

ales of Arise is one of the video games that can be called art. Everything here is well orchestrated, from soundtrack to visual style to its story and very enjoyable gameplay, and finishing it leaves the kind of tightness in the heart that wishes for more. Beyond the Dawn extends that feeling without trying to eclipse it. Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition is the most complete way to experience both. It isn’t the most technically polished version of the package, but if you’ve been waiting for portable access — or if you missed Arise the first time around — this is the easiest door into one of the strongest JRPGs of its generation.

Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition brings the newest Tales title to Switch 2 owners in a complete fashion, albeit one that is not the most optimized for the hardware. It remains a compelling, engaging, and gorgeously designed action-RPG despite its execution.

Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Edition is a great way to experience one of the strongest entries in the JRPG genre on Nintendo Switch 2. The handheld format feels like a natural fit for the adventure, making its world and story easy to enjoy anywhere. While some performance issues prevent this version from being the definitive way to play, the excellent gameplay, engaging combat, and wealth of content still make it a worthwhile addition to the system's library.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition can be described as an "almost" perfect Nintendo Switch 2 port. It is a complete edition that packs both the main game and the expansion, boasting visual quality that holds its own against the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The only real downside is the 30 fps cap, which is a critical drawback for an action game. It leaves a lingering sense of disappointment, as if falling just short of the perfect finishing touch.

Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition brings the latest and one of the best entries in the Tales series to Switch 2. The inclusion of the game's story expansion as well as additional extras make for an impressive package, with the only real disappointment being 30fps gameplay.

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.

Tales of Arise was the game that proved the series could evolve without losing its identity. The Beyond the Dawn Edition on Switch 2 arrives four years after the original release, but it comes complete, and on a platform that especially benefits from this kind of lengthy RPG—one you can enjoy wherever you want.

Tales of Arise is a straight forward RPG that places narrative above mechanical depth or a grand world. There are times where that can be a little boring, as you’re railroaded from one story point to the next. At the same time that story is good enough that I was genuinely eager to see what would happen next. Combat is exciting and only improves as your options expand. The Switch 2 version has some issues in the frame rate department (though in fairness it wasn’t perfectly smooth on other platforms either). But the actual image quality and presentation remain as excellent as they were when this launched on other platforms. While it won’t be your next 100-hour epic, Tales of Arise provides an excellent, condensed, RPG experience both docked and on the go.

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.

Overall, Tales of Arise is a very good game marred by a lackluster second half. Had the story ended after the first arc players would have been treated to a tidy, satisfying 20–25-hour experience. Instead, we get a strong start followed by a disappointingly clunky second act that manages to somehow end with a decent enough finale. I can see why this game received the praise it did on its initial release in 2021 and think it is a worthwhile addition to the Switch 2 library.

Those looking for higher resolutions and frame rates should look elsewhere, but for those who have never played Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition, or those looking to double dip to play on the go, the Switch 2 port is a great choice.

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.

There's no art in making a long game. The trick is keeping the player interested when making one. Tales of Arise doesn't adhere to this principle, overdoing it on many levels. Bosses are sponges, the amount of dialogue becomes overwhelming, and the plot becomes muddled. If you can swallow these "overdoses," you'll be treated to a JRPG that captivates with its art style and delights with dynamic combat.

Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Edition is finally on the Switch 2, but not without concessions. The current-gen ports are undoubtedly the best way to play Arise if you have access to them. For those in the Nintendo ecosystem, you'll find better ports available. Really, though, this port is for those who missed out five years ago and now have a shiny new device that needs games, and frankly, that's justifiable enough to me because overall, Tales of Arise is a good game, only undercut by a few odd choices.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition features hours of RPG greatness, but you'd likely be better off playing it on another console.

Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition includes everything from the base game and epilogue DLC on Nintendo’s hybrid device. While it doesn’t perform at the same level as its counterparts on more powerful hardware, it still holds up well enough to make this a viable way to play. Fans of the original can now take the adventure on the go, though newcomers may struggle to connect with its long-winded storytelling and some dated design elements.

Tales of Arise – Beyond the Dawn Edition is a strong port of one of the better entries in the Tales series. Flashy combat, gorgeous graphics, and a meaty epilogue all combine to make this one a worthwhile purchase, even if lingering issues like an overlong story, spongy enemies, and underwhelming DLC can drag things out too much. If you’re looking for a solid action RPG or want a good entry point to see what the Tales games are about, I’d suggest you pick this one up when you get the chance. Some issues aside, Arise has got it where it counts, and provides a good foundation for future series entries to build upon.