Tales of Arise

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 139 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 105 out of 139
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 139
  3. Negative: 15 out of 139
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  1. CLAWS
    Oct 15, 2021
    1
    BUY TO DELETE -_- Exp from mobs is lowered x2 for ONE level difference. Is no gring here, PM of this project is ... worst game of the series
  2. davygravy93
    Sep 13, 2021
    0
    Just a warning, there are advertisements for micro transaction dlc shoved in your face when camping with your party, disgusting and inexcusable for an rpg. The combat is mindless button button mashing and the worst part is the characters NEVER SHUT Up they're just constantly screaming random lines like they have mental issues, it's so annoying. The story is laughably bad, it's almost as ifJust a warning, there are advertisements for micro transaction dlc shoved in your face when camping with your party, disgusting and inexcusable for an rpg. The combat is mindless button button mashing and the worst part is the characters NEVER SHUT Up they're just constantly screaming random lines like they have mental issues, it's so annoying. The story is laughably bad, it's almost as if the game is trying to be a cliché ridden mess. The characters all have weird designs that make them look like they're from separate games, the main Character has an armor eyepatch, nuff said. If you're a weeb you'll probably like this but otherwise stay far away.… Expand
  3. wardemon
    Sep 22, 2021
    4
    Was initially enjoying the game but once I learned there were endgame combat artes (skills and abilities) behind a paywall I just couldn't enjoy the experience as much as before knowing no matter how much I grinded how much time I put in to master the combat and unlock all the abilities I could never have a complete character without paying the developer another 20 bucks for the skillsWas initially enjoying the game but once I learned there were endgame combat artes (skills and abilities) behind a paywall I just couldn't enjoy the experience as much as before knowing no matter how much I grinded how much time I put in to master the combat and unlock all the abilities I could never have a complete character without paying the developer another 20 bucks for the skills they cut out of the game to sell to me separately. Imagine a streetfighter game that charged you an extra $5 to use dragon punch (actually considering where streetfighter is going charging for characters maybe I shouldn't make that analogy) Still I rather have an extra character behind a paywall than have incomplete characters that I already paid for...even though both are scummy business practices to me.… Expand
  4. HunterSeeker
    Jan 11, 2022
    3
    It's amazing how much more advanced graphics and gameplay has come in video games, yet storytelling still stays stagnant. The story of this game is extremely tropey. It tries to spice things up with deaths but fails to build any meaningful character development with any character that dies except for one. The combat in the game is quite solid and fluid. The different types of areas alsoIt's amazing how much more advanced graphics and gameplay has come in video games, yet storytelling still stays stagnant. The story of this game is extremely tropey. It tries to spice things up with deaths but fails to build any meaningful character development with any character that dies except for one. The combat in the game is quite solid and fluid. The different types of areas also add a nice variety. However, the story and characters are so vapid and forgettable.… Expand
  5. Phuz
    Dec 25, 2021
    0
    Another disappointment. A total **** show of a Tales game. Remember the destruction BotW did to Zelda, well this is the equivalent for Tales.

    The forced encounters The uninspiring enemies The OST is bad, boring The story The characters The fetch quests The excessive loading screens Absolutely nothing likeable. I am getting towards halfway though Zestiria and I can't wait to go back to    Another disappointment. A total **** show of a Tales game. Remember the destruction BotW did to Zelda, well this is the equivalent for Tales.

    The forced encounters
    The uninspiring enemies
    The OST is bad, boring
    The story
    The characters
    The fetch quests
    The excessive loading screens

    Absolutely nothing likeable.

    I am getting towards halfway though Zestiria and I can't wait to go back to it. I have given Arise hours and hours now and not one of my hours with Arise has been as good as my worst hour with Zestiria. It has no charm, no mojo, it literally has nothing going for it.

    Really wishing I'd got Ys 9 instead now.

    Tales of Arise forces exploration as quests, then blocks your path with boring encounters. They really should have ditched the arena for battles and left the action to take place within the open world. It feels really dated, like Vesperia with a lick of paint but Vesperia was quite entertaining at times. Arise just feels bad. This game could have learnt a lot from Ys Origin on how to implement fun action.

    As I barely enjoyed any of this and it was an expensive game, as well as a present, I am pissed off. It has cost money, to waste my time. Hours of my time and now I need to drive to Cex to get rid. Not happy.

    Lowest possible score as this was the present I was most looking forward to. Gift ruined.    … Expand
  6. CitySpellsword
    Feb 18, 2023
    2
    The worst writing and most incoherent story of any Tales game. Combat is a chaotic, particle-effect mess. There's some good character base design, gorgeous visual moments, and strong voice acting, just implemented with zero cleverness or respect for the player's time or intelligence. Characters seem unique at first but end up bland and samey by the end. Add in microtransactions forThe worst writing and most incoherent story of any Tales game. Combat is a chaotic, particle-effect mess. There's some good character base design, gorgeous visual moments, and strong voice acting, just implemented with zero cleverness or respect for the player's time or intelligence. Characters seem unique at first but end up bland and samey by the end. Add in microtransactions for exp/money, and you have the last Tales game I'll play.… Expand
  7. YannySp101
    Jan 7, 2023
    4
    I'm gonna be honest, I got my hands on this game last year, I played the first few hours and then I dropped it. I wanted to like the game but I couldn't get into it, so I decided to drop it.
    However, I pushed through the game recently, and well...
    The story follows a premise of taking down 5 Lords and it tackles interesting themes, but unfortunately, it feels consistently monotonous and    I'm gonna be honest, I got my hands on this game last year, I played the first few hours and then I dropped it. I wanted to like the game but I couldn't get into it, so I decided to drop it.
    However, I pushed through the game recently, and well...
    The story follows a premise of taking down 5 Lords and it tackles interesting themes, but unfortunately, it feels consistently monotonous and underwhelming. Once you take down the 5 Lords though, it all goes downhill from there; it becomes a jumbled mess of nonsensical, ridiculous plot points, exposition dumps, plot holes and a rushed ending. It gets quite bad!
    The characters aren't as bad as the story, but some of them are annoying and they make questionable decisions at times for no reason.
    The combat system is good at least, it's not deep enough but it's fun and it looks cool.
    Also, the art style is very good and the music is serviceable.
    With that being said, while the gameplay is fun, the experience is brought down by uninspired level design, poor enemy variety, damage spongey bosses that make the game hard to play through and absolutely terrible pacing; oh my god, the pacing in this game is painful at times! It's genuinely some of the worst pacing I've experienced in any videogame, ever. It always makes things more complicated and tedious than they should be, and it tries to extend the length of the game by throwing damage spongey enemies everywhere, unnecessary cutscenes with repeated dialogue every few minutes, and even entire filler dungeons!
    After the first 10 hours of the game, I was already feeling exhausted, seriously.

    Pros:
    + Enjoyable combat system
    + Great visuals
    + Decent music

    Cons:
    - Bad story
    - Dull level design
    - Enemy variety
    - Damage sponges
    - Awful pacing

    Narrative: 3/10
    Gameplay: 7/10
    Content: ?/10
    Characters: 4/10
    Music: 6/10
    Art Style: 8/10

    Final Rating: 4/10
    - Weak -
    I'm disappointed in Tales of Arise... I really am.
    I got into the game expecting it to be an exciting, intense Action JRPG, and I got a generic, boring and forgettable JRPG that I was longing for it to end.

    Do I recommend it?:
    No, there are much better RPGs out there.    … Expand
  8. magnolia6
    Jun 27, 2023
    0
    A waste of money.

    AAA price tag. Story is just boring and bad. So many times I just want to get to fighting enemies, but there's non-necessary and meaningless dialogue every other 10 minutes. I just want to play the game. I don't care about the 20th cutscene within 30 minutes. Combat excited me at first, but after a few hours got tired of it. Nothing changed. No enemies seemed very    A waste of money.

    AAA price tag.
    Story is just boring and bad.
    So many times I just want to get to fighting enemies, but there's non-necessary and meaningless dialogue every other 10 minutes.
    I just want to play the game.
    I don't care about the 20th cutscene within 30 minutes.

    Combat excited me at first, but after a few hours got tired of it. Nothing changed.
    No enemies seemed very different to each other and how I approach them. Only bosses were unique.

    All in all, I regret having bought this.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PS4 Game of 2021
14
#14 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. GRYOnline.pl
    Apr 15, 2022
    85
    Despite some issues, Tales of Arise is a fantastic game, especially for fans of the genre. Fortunately, it is also accessible to newcomers to the genre, because it has everything: a cool story, great characters, a charming world, and really good gameplay.
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  2. LaPS4
    Oct 27, 2021
    86
    Tales of Arise comes the most ambitious JRPG of the next-gen consoles, offering a great adventure with an excellent combat system and a soundtrack that will remain on the heart of fans of the saga for a long time.
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  3. BaziCenter
    Sep 25, 2021
    90
    Tales of Arise feels like new blood in the Tales series veins, as it gathers all the qualities of the previous games, puts them together and takes them to the next level.
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