I loved Tales of Arise back in 2021. It was a big shakeup the series really needed at that point in time, with Zesteria and Berseria feeling somewhat confused in how they wanted to step away from the series’ fighting game-esque combat. Arise landed on the simple solution, a fairly standard action RPG, but the Tales of mechanics – like AC – to limit your actions still made it feel like an evolution rather than a compromise. It also helps that the game was absolutely gorgeous, felt great to play, and had a compelling story (up until you hit the third act, that is).
Two years later, I also really enjoyed the game’s expansion, Beyond the Dawn, giving the game a better climax while also serving as an epilogue. For this one, it helps that I’m a sucker for using the game’s theme song as the final boss track. As part of the series’ anniversary remaster project, Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Edition has landed on Nintendo Switch 2. I’m having a ton of fun revisiting the game, and while the port isn’t perfect, it’s probably the best one to hit Nintendo’s systems so far.
David Flynn
Just like other Tales of remaster games on Switch, Tales of Arise runs at 30 frames per second. This one has a better excuse than Xillia, Graces, or Berseria though, as it’s originally a PlayStation 4 and 5 game rather than a PS3 or Wii title. Previous remasters also targeted the original Switch rather than the Switch 2 (though I’d still like to see patches for all of them, Bamco). 30 feels fine here, though I did notice some dips in fights with big enemies casting a bunch of spells. I do wish Arise had a performance mode or something to eke out 60, at least in combat, but given how stunning the game looks here I’m not sure I’d pick that over the visual splendor on offer.
Arise always had a fantastic art style, particularly with regards to the environment. See, as you get further away from objects, they take on a more sketchy look, with their colors fading and the black outlines being much more visible. I think this version might have a shorter draw distance for high quality objects, because I’m seeing a lot more distant terrain here, but it honestly works greatly in the game’s favor. It’s like you’re running through a storybook, with color and detail only existing for whatever is immediately around you.
David Flynn
Image quality is also a boon. I can’t exactly tell what resolution the game is running out, but everything looks clear and crisp both in handheld and docked modes. Even if I weren’t reviewing this, I’d probably still be taking screenshots of the landscapes or cool moments in cutscenes. That brings us to the weird part of the port: the cutscenes run at 60 fps. At least, they try to hit 60; my tests show they’re closer to 40 or 50 a lot of the time, but still sometimes hit that coveted target. I’ve seen games that are 60 in gameplay but 30 in cutscenes, with the most recent example being Saros on PS5, but I’ve never seen the opposite. It’s honestly kind of nice, and somehow less jarring than the opposite; you get just a taste of smoothness for a cutscene or when using a finishing move in battle. I don’t mind the game running at 30 fps here as it still feels good to control, but getting that occasional taste still makes me want a performance mode.
I’m looking forward to replaying the rest of the game on Switch 2 even after finishing this article. The game is great and this is a great way to play it, especially since it’s portable. This version also includes the vast majority of DLC released for Arise, such as the Beyond the Dawn expansion (it’s in the name), some “cheat” items to increase your levels or get some extra gald, and almost all of the costumes. The Sword Art Online crossover isn’t included and needs to be purchased separately, but given I have no interest in that franchise I don’t mind.
It’s been great to revisit many of my favorite Tales of titles and discover some I missed out on with the remaster project, and while I look forward to it continuing (especially for Tales of Xillia 2), revisiting Arise makes me yearn for a brand new title. Something that takes the foundation laid here and builds upon it further, or even throws all of it out to try something new. It’s been a while, and I sincerely hope we see whatever they’re working on soon.
