The upcoming Tales game in the influential JRPG series, Tales of Arise, received a new trailer and release date at the Summer Game Fest today. Developer Bandai Namco’s latest entry was initially planned to release to all platforms during 2020. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the game saw delays going into 2021. Luckily for us, we finally got a release date along with the Tales of Arise trailer. The game will be heading our way on September 10.
The bombastic new trailer gave a glimpse into the new story, as well as the action-RPG gameplay. It also revealed the last two characters to join protagonists Alphen and Shionne. Kisara, a Dahnan soldier, is one of the most powerful soldiers in the Dahnan army. She’ll use a hammer and shield to both deal devastating damage and protect her allies during combat. Dohalim, a noble from Rena, uses a rod and other techniques to deal damage to opponents.
Two conflicting worlds
Some details regarding the story had already come out, but Tales of Arise will take place during a conflict between two worlds, Dahna and Rena. Dahna, a land rich in resources, was conquered by invaders from Rena 300 years ago. Protagonist Alphen, a Dahnian slave, has mysteriously lost his memories and abilities to feel pain. Meanwhile, co-protagonist Shionne is inflicted with a strange curse causing pain to anyone who comes into contact with her. The two are at opposite ends, but will eventually learn to work together as the characters work to liberate Dahnians.
The Tales franchise has delved into social commentary before, so it’ll be interesting to see how it tackles the aforementioned. But with such a heavy concept, it’ll be easy for the game’s story to flop hard. We’ll have to see how tactfully the game explores these themes when the game drops this September.
You can head on over to Steam for more information, where it’s being listed for $59.99 USD.
