Tales of Arise Release Date, Gameplay & Latest News

In truth, Tales of Arise has been an object of obsession for fans of the franchise ever since its official announcement trailer at E3 2019.

Since that fateful day, players have fed off a few scraps of intel. But it has been slim pickings in that department, despite some tantalizing nuggets of intel for sustenance. At least concerning core elements of the game. But much remains a mystery. We thought, with Tales of Arise set to hit stores in 2020, what better time to reflect on our knowledge of the game before release.

So, sit, back, and buckle up for a barnstorming ride, as we take an in-depth dive into the upcoming, much-anticipated Tales of Arise. After reading, you will know everything there is to learn about the game, including its expected release date, the core fundamentals of gameplay, and anything else essential.

Let us get to it, shall we folks.

Tales of Arise Release Date

First announced at E3 2019, Tales of Arise is the first mainline title in the franchise since Tales of Berseria of 2016. The game will be playable across consoles on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. 

The next chapter in the much-celebrated Tales series, spearheaded by BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc, is forecast to release in 2020. According to the game’s official website, the Tales of Arise release date window remains 2020. And that is good news. Especially with the current climate, and global concerns over coronavirus.

Unfortunately, we are yet to have confirmation of an exact date. Meanwhile, the initial announcement trailer was equally vague, only outlining the year of release.

But by looking back at the Tales games previous release windows, we can deduce, in a roundabout about way, when the game could potentially hit shelves.

Tales titles tend to come out towards the tail end of summer or the start of the new year. Probably to avoid getting swamped out by triple-A games during peak times.

For instance, Tales of Zestiria originally came out in January 2015 in Japan, while it was not until August 2016 that Tales of Berseria hit Japan, followed by January 2017 in North America.

As with all release rumours, this is not an exact science, so take that with a pinch of salt.

Then we must factor in next-gen consoles. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X could release before the year is up. So, in theory, we will likely hear from Bandai Namco soon concerning a concrete Tales of Arise release date. If for no other reason, then to offer gamers a fresh alternative in the run-up to any next-gen releases.

Based on that logic, Bandai Namco could set out a Summer or Fall release for Tales of Arise. Having been rated in Korea during January 2020, it is safe to surmise that the game’s development is going at a decent pace. But we shall see.

Predominantly, this is an evolving situation. So, stay tuned for more updates, as and when they surface.

What Kind of Game Is, Tales of Arise?

One of the longest-standing JRPG franchises in existence, the Tales series has cultivated a large community of adoring fans, the world over. And yet, it has also continually evolved down the ages. Hence, refining many of its internal gameplay systems. All while retaining those core trademarks and facets of the franchise, we hold so dearly.

However, this time around, Tales of Arise looks to continue where Tales of Berseria left off. Thus, carrying on with that darker tone and moody aesthetic.

Of course, we can expect many innovations along the way. Perhaps even more so, now that Bandai Namco is switching out their old, in-house engine, in favour of Unreal 4, which is bound to offer the development team some benefits. As good as the old one was.

Tales of Arise Story

We may not have a precise Tales of Arise release date, but we do know bits and bobs relating to the central story.

Tales of Arise makes use of a plot format that will be instantly familiar with fans of the franchise. The core concept being, competing worlds, bound by conflict.

Firstly, we have the medieval-inspired world of Dahna and its inhabitants. Those of which live in fear of Rena. An advanced technologically superior planet, hellbent on draining Dahna of its resources and enslaving its population.

Caught up in the fierce clash are our two primary protagonists. Alphen and Shionne. The first, a mask-wearing man of Dahnain decent, who suffers from loss of memory, and the inability to detect pain.

Then there is Shionne. Cursed by “Thorns,” Shionne can inflict immense physical harm to those she touches. With torn allegiances on both sides, this element will likely form the plot’s basis. The idea being, to put a stop to worldly injustices. But also, to achieve peace between the two planets.

In charge of character design is Minoru Iwamoto. Who previously worked on both Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Berseria. Speaking with Famitsu through the Abyssal Chronicles, the game’s leading producer, Yusuke Tomizawa outlined the turbulent relationship of its two starring roles.

“The people of Rena discriminate against the people of Dahna, so the start of their relationship eventually leads to significant drama,” He said. Tomizawa goes on to state the following: 

“As I said earlier, the game’s goal is to strengthen the harmony between the characters and the worlds and to create an immersive feel, so the enemies are designed according to that tone. That doesn’t mean there are no cute enemies at all, though.”

Tale of Arise Gameplay

Without a solid, Tales of Arise release date, what can we expect gameplaywise? From the various trailers we have seen to date, it seems as though conflict commences in real-time, instead of teleporting players off to a staged battle scene, just like previous entries.

On top of that, from a visual viewpoint, it looks like Bandai Namco are pulling out all the stops, in a bid to make this the most impressive looking Tales game to date. From my view, it appears as though Tales of Arise will have much more of an eye for detail, than previous entries.

So, we could see a stern shift towards realism.

But what about gameplay? As is usually the case with Tales games, you will see your fair share of battles, while exploring the various towns and dungeons on display. According to Yusuke Tomizawa though, the game’s primary aspiration is to hit a sweet spot between “tradition vs evolution.”

That said, Tales of Arise may well depart from the formula in many ways. All while keeping the core fundamentals very much alive.

Despite all of this, we are still without Tales of Arise release date. Even so, that does not make Tales of Arise, any less of a mouth-watering prospect.

Stay tuned for more updates on a Tales of Arise release date soon.