Tales of Arise launched back in 2021 to staggering positive reviews across the board. Although some fans have divisive opinions on the game, citing its slow-burn introduction and rough climactic plot points toward the end of the story, one thing is certain: Tales of Arise is one of the best modern entries in the Tales series to date. It features a memorable cast of characters, each with their own quirks, alongside a compelling protagonist. The expanded DLC also serves as an epilogue to the base game, adding further closure to the story.
Tales of Arise is set in the worlds of Dahna and the technologically advanced Rena. Dahna is divided into five realms and is rich with lush landscapes, but its natural resources have been stripped away by the Renans, who have enslaved its people. When Shionne meets Alphen, she assists him throughout his journey and helps him recover memories lost due to amnesia. I can’t stress enough how slow the introduction to Tales of Arise is, but the pacing picks up significantly midway through the story as more allies join your party. It captures the classic Tales experience, with more than six characters jumping into action during combat. The likeable cast and their intriguing backstories make the adventure engaging despite the story’s occasional stumbles.
During combat, players can control Alphen and the other party members, each equipped with their own unique Artes. Battles are fast-paced and frantic, focusing on devastating combo chains. Once the chemistry between the characters clicks, combat becomes a satisfying spectacle of chaos on the battlefield. After all, that’s what makes the Tales series such an iconic name in the JRPG landscape. Firing up Tales of Arise once again on the Switch 2 unlocked a core memory I was dreading to revisit: the boss fights with their seemingly endless health bars. Players can unleash flashy combos and chain attacks together, but every major boss battle feels like it lasts a lifetime. While the combat remains exciting, these encounters can become exhausting due to their sheer length.
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 holds up surprisingly well compared to its releases on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam Deck. The Premium Edition includes additional cosmetic items and consumable DLC. The Switch 2 version runs at a variable 30fps at 1080p. Although terrain loading can be somewhat slow, there are occasional frame-pacing issues and minor pop-in when moving quickly through environments. The closest comparison would be the original PlayStation 4 release. Loading times between maps and biomes can also be noticeably lengthy. While docked, there are no significant improvements, which is somewhat disappointing.
Knowing how demanding Unreal Engine can be, achieving performance beyond 40fps was likely never realistic. On top of that, texture quality and draw distance aren’t quite on par with current-generation hardware. Despite those shortcomings, the game still impresses when launched for the first time on the system. It feels as though the developers prioritized the handheld experience for Switch 2 owners, understanding that a lengthy 100-hour RPG is often best enjoyed on the go.
Overall, Tales of Arise feels like a welcome addition to the Switch 2 library, albeit one held back by performance limitations. This port is clearly aimed at Nintendo fans who may have missed out on the game over the past five years, and it remains a solid way to experience the adventure on the go. With its memorable cast, incredible world-building, and occasionally faltering storyline, Tales of Arise remains one of the best entries the Tales series has to offer.
Thank you again Bandai Namco for the review code.
