Tales of Arise is one of the most anticipated games of the year as it aims to revitalize the franchise by improving upon traditional Tales mechanics. Tales games have always stood out from other JRPGs in their ability to weave together narrative elements with the games' systems. Character development, in particular, is one of the best aspects of the franchise as the games use skits in order to showcase the bonds and relationships between party members.
In the most recent trailer for Tales of Arise, Bandai Namco revealed a number of new and returning side activities that players can take part in. Fishing, farming, camping, and sidequests will all make an appearance and much like previous Tales games, they emphasize the interactions between party members.
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Since first appearing in Tales of Destiny, skits have become a staple of the Tales series as a way for party members to engage in conversation or idle banter with one another. Though they are optional, the skits help players understand character reactions to the story's events, how they feel during their travels, and their interactions with other party members. In the earliest Tales games, the skits were fairly simplistic as they only featured 2D portraits and voiceovers had to be cut to reduce costs. Later on, the skits in Tales games improved to feature full voice acting and also include animated character portraits to showcase different emotions.
The focus on character interactions is what sets Tales games apart from other JRPG series and these side conversations help flesh out characters and their interactions with companions. Tales of Arise is no different as it improves the skit system once again to match the new graphical upgrade. Furthermore, Tales of Arise seems to link together character interactions with many of the side activities that players will take part in. Many JRPGs feature minigames like fishing, hunting, or camping but they're usually limited in scope. Tales uses these as a platform to develop characters by connecting them with skits and giving players insight into their relationships beyond the main story.
Whereas previous Tales games used animated 2D portraits or cutouts for the skits, Tales of Arise sees the franchise shift towards a new 3D-like style.Although the skits in Tales of Arise appear to be based on the 3D models in-game at first glance, they're actually rendered in 2D as assets and are presented with effects to imitate the hand-drawn style of previous Tales games. The idea is to retain the charm of the 2D portraits from older Tales games while still upgrading the visuals to reflect Tales of Arise's new direction. It's clear that Tales of Arise is still aiming to appeal to its veteran fans as the skits feel more like a natural progression instead of a big jump to full 3D scenes.
The end result enables Tales of Arise's skits to feel more vibrant and alive with detailed character expressions. Over the years, Tales games have slowly improved the animation within the skits, and most recently, Tales of Berseria displays this by moving through different "panels" to showcase dialogue change. Tales of Arise takes this idea one step further by fully animating each panel of the skit and slowly moving through them sequentially. The concept is quite similar to manga in how it shifts through the story and this technique also appeared recently in Scarlet Nexus's where animated portraits were superimposed over cutscenes. Tales of Arise will also fully integrate any costumes or accessories that players place on the party members.
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As revealed by the most recent Tales of Arise trailer, there will be a number of new and returning side activities that players will be able to engage in. Although these activities usually appeared as mini-games or small detours from the main quest, Tales of Arise seems to expand them into full mechanics. The trailer revealed activities such as fishing, farming, camping, and cooking and in classic Tales style, will play into character interactions and bonding between party members.
For example, camping in Tales of Arise is fairly similar to other JRPGs as characters will be able to recharge their HP and CP at dedicated bonfires. Players can also cook while camping and each party member will have their own unique specialty. Along with offering unique bonuses such as increased experience gain, players can also see special skits between the party members while camping. Additionally, players can raise livestock in a ranching management minigame or go fishing with Kisara. These activities incorporate character interactions or skits in a way that few other JRPGs do and encourage players to explore the optional content in depth.
With all of the small details being revamped in Tales of Arise, it's clear that the franchise is headed in a new direction. While it retains many of the core aspects of the series through skits, quests, and exploration, it also aims to attract a new audience. For the first time in the series, Tales of Arise will be developed using Unreal Engine 4 as opposed to an in-house engine and it was made with new-gen hardware in mind. With these changes, Tales of Arise also changes mechanics such as skits to better reflect the new graphical update.
Tales of Arise still feels very much like a traditional Tales game as its focus on character interactions and side narratives are emphasized. Unlike other JRPGs, Tales of Arise combines these sections of character development together with optional content in order to expand upon worldbuilding and the backgrounds of party members. With the new technique of animating the skits, Tales of Arise retains the charm of the 2D skits from previous games while improving on the animations and expressions. Tales games have always excelled at emphasizing character interactions and side stories in a way that fleshes out the personalities of the party members. Tales of Arise looks to continue that tradition and improves upon the skit system to reflect the new direction of the franchise.
Tales of Arise releases September 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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