We have been able to play a demo of Tales of Arise for an hour, the latest installment in the long-lived JRPG saga. The litmus test has helped us to verify that we are facing a turning point in the franchise: a good visual leap with more detailed environments and a combat that mixes strategy and fluid animations.

In a saga as long-lived as Tales of, it might seem that each new installment more specializes its fans and separates those who have not yet made the leap. But I think Tales of Arise , marking the series’ 25th anniversary and sporting a new graphics engine that makes it more attractive than ever, can change that concept. What we have been able to prove with the new installment shows the values ​​of the franchise, but also a clear commitment to the renewal of its game system and the graphic fine-tuning .

Our first test with the Bandai Namco JRPG has not been very long. Just an hour to travel an area of ​​the world outside Viscint, one of the game cities. Enough to see how the new battle system works, how the game works in Unreal Engine 4 as well as some small changes in the way of planning the scenes.

Because Arise’s narrative, with the different trailers that have been presented, it is already clear that it is what has been least altered (and least needed to do so): we will continue to enjoy epic stories, very focused on conflicts between nations and some moral dilemmas that they happen on the way. On this occasion, the protagonism falls mainly on two characters: Alphen and Shionne, in the middle of a conflict between the planets Dhana and Rena (yes, in this universe they are very close to each other), who has ruled over the first during 300 years.

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Alphen is a Dhana warrior who falls under the trope of amnesia, but more interesting is his ability to feel no pain; Shione, on the other hand, is a princess of Rena who has contracted the curse of the thorns, causing harm to anyone who touches her. You can imagine that the relationship between people so different, but whose curses interpenetrate, will be on the surface, working both in the narrative and in the playable; as Alphen can carry a sword of lethal fire for everyone, even the one who wields it, thanks to his ability to resist pain and Shionne’s healing properties.

It’s easy to notice Arise’s visual change compared to its immediate predecessor: Tales of Berseria . But, after all, Berseria was a development released in Japan on PlayStation 3 even though it had a version for PS4 and PC, so it could be better understood. And yet it is easy to see in Arise a game that tries to be more of its time, with much more complex and detailed environmentsthat, this time yes, accompany the great design work that its main characters usually have. Both Alphen and Shionne look great: him in his heavy armor and threadbare cape, and she in her suit with embroidered trim and reinforced with pieces of armor. But the palm is taken by its scenarios, which, as I said, was the aspect that most faltered Tales of visually. Now, in addition to taking advantage of the powerful lighting system of the UE4, a watercolor texturing has been chosen , something similar to the technique used by The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and that gives the world a much more special and unique style.

Apparently in our test, the combat mixes some classic factors with other renewed ones. We will continue to enter a battle arena every time we make contact with an enemy. Uploads are very fast and are expected to be even faster on next-gen consoles. Within the fray is when we begin to notice some differences. We have a basic attack with the upper right button and three arts located on the front buttons of the controller, which we can combine to break guards, establish altered states and take advantage of weaknesses.

However, the most special attacks are taken by the digital crosshead. One of the combatants waits in each direction so that, once their bar is full, they can unleash a special powered attack that is specific to each fighter. This also includes the support members, who, alternating with the trigger, can also be summoned, although during combat they will remain withdrawn. On this occasion it seems that Bandai Namco has not wanted to add any type of cooperative component so that the experience for a player does not suffer and to be able to make an even more strategic use of each member of the team. In addition, there are empowered blows: a bit like Final Fantasy VII Remake, once we have used enough normal attacks to recharge an indicator, we can use a combined attack to kill the basic enemies.

The combat mixes some classic factors with other renewed onesThe last great novelty on the part of our fighters that we have been able to see is the dodge. Using the right trigger, we will be able to dodge an opponent’s attack; If we do it at the right moment, just before receiving the attack, we will make a perfect evasion that will give us an advantage. Some enemies also have weak points: a kind of bumps will indicate the places where we can do more damage and it will be important to remain vigilant.

There is still a lot to see in the fighting, since the game that we have been able to play took place in a late part of the plot (at 10 o’clock or so) with characters around level 20. Therefore, we want to see how to combine good enemy weaknessesand to our fighters to understand the whole system of weaknesses well. For example, Shionne can perform an empowered attack that is very effective against flying enemies, knocking them down and leaving them exposed. But also to see the most powerful abilities of each of the six characters that will make up our main group. Of course, although it has its strategic component (you just have to see the two Alphin swords and how to use them), it is also easy to notice again that if you want to deepen the combat you will probably have to resort to a slightly more difficult mode high, since in normal mode the game is still somewhat permissive with the act of crushing the command, except in some fight against final bosses where a little more order and concentration is required.

Although the map design does not seem to have varied much with respect to other deliveries, it is true that it seems more complete as well. Some areas are somewhat more open and we can swim to reach certain places. We will find power ores to refine, as well as ingredients to cook with in the camps, creating recipes that, when consumed, will grant a special bonus to the group. Finally, we cannot ignore the famous skits, those funny conversations that have become an icon in the saga. We haven’t found any in our tests, but they will be in the final version. If we have not seen them, it is because the Bandai Namco team has assured that they have wanted to give it a renewed look to surprise the fans.

The PS5 and Series X versions will have shorter loading times and two graphic modesI mentioned it recently in the analysis of Ratchet And Clank: A Dimension Apart and I think that with Tales of Arise the same premise is fulfilled: we are facing one of those installments of a long-lived saga that is a great leap forward. With its attractive graphics, really good looking animations and an interesting story, Bandai Namco seeks to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series by welcoming new fans with open arms, while the most die-hard will also notice the change. Also, Arise doesn’t want to forget about the new generation and, although the game will look great on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the PS5 and Series X versionsThey will have shorter loading times and two graphic modes that will further enhance their technical section; the performance mode prioritizing the frame rate up to 60 fps and the graphics mode raising the resolution to 4K on both consoles.

Now we just have to wait until September 10 to be able to start this adventure from the beginning and see step by step how both the new game systems and the story of Tales of Arise unfold. For the moment, with more dungeon designs and how its narrative progresses, the result is convincing, even more thanks to that worked visual style that emphasizes the beautiful world of Dhana so much. But one thing is clear: the JRPG remains in good shape, coming out stronger for another generation even in its longest-running franchises. And this Tales of Arise has a magnificent opportunity to rise among them all.