Tales of Arise Switch 2 Review

Tales of Arise Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Bandai Namco’s Tales series has been a staple of my RPG collection since the GameCube days of Tales of Symphonia. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the memorable worlds, colourful characters, and emotional stories that have helped define the franchise. It’s also been a great time to be a Tales fan. Bandai Namco has steadily been bringing classic entries to Nintendo Switch with remasters and quality-of-life improvements, making the series more accessible than ever. Tales of Arise marks the franchise’s first appearance on Nintendo Switch 2, and despite its reputation as the series’ most successful entry, it’s one that I somehow missed the first time around. What’s It Like? Form your party, grab your sword, and stock up on Life Bottles as we review Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition for Nintendo Switch 2.

Tales of Arise follows Alphen, a Dahnan slave who has lost both his memories and his ability to feel pain, and Shionne, a mysterious Renan woman cursed with deadly thorns that harm anyone who touches her. Despite coming from opposite sides of a centuries-long conflict, the pair form an unlikely alliance and set out on a journey across Dahna’s five realms. Along the way, they gather a ragtag group of companions, each with their own personal struggles, motivations, and connections to the world’s evolving conflicts. What begins as a mission to overthrow the ruling Lords gradually becomes something much larger, challenging long-held beliefs about both Dahna and Rena. While the story explores themes of freedom, prejudice, grief, and identity, it remains anchored by the growing relationships between its cast. The bond between Alphen and Shionne forms the emotional core of the adventure and provides some of the game’s strongest moments.

Also included is Beyond the Dawn, an expansion set 12 months after the events of Tales of Arise that reunites players with the same cast of characters. Revealing too much would venture into spoiler territory, but I appreciated the opportunity to see what happened after the credits rolled. While Beyond the Dawn doesn’t introduce significant new gameplay mechanics, it offers a worthwhile epilogue that further explores the world and its characters. This works because the cast has genuine depth and personal motivations that don’t always align with one another. There is friction within the party, differing perspectives on key events, and meaningful character growth throughout the adventure. More than once, I felt the story was settling into a familiar JRPG formula, only for a new revelation, location, or emotional twist to send it in an unexpected direction. Several moments caught me completely off guard, and those surprises kept me invested right through to the end.

Tales of Arise follows a fairly traditional JRPG structure, blending story progression with side quests, exploration, and party management. What sets it apart is its combat system, which feels somewhat reminiscent of the recent Final Fantasy VII Remake titles, giving players direct control over their chosen character while working alongside an AI-controlled party. Combat is fast, furious, and satisfying, combining real-time attacks, last-second dodges, and powerful Artes with spectacular cinematic finishers. Battles become especially exciting when unleashing Boost Strikes after breaking an enemy’s defence, often ending encounters in dramatic fashion. It all comes together to make combat feel both challenging and rewarding, especially for more agressive playstyles. That said, the battle system takes time to fully open up. While enjoyable from the outset, many of its most interesting mechanics don’t become available until the party roster is complete and additional abilities have been unlocked. As a result, the first 10 to 15 hours can feel like a slower burn compared to the more dynamic combat found later in the adventure. The early chapters still maintain momentum, but they lack some of the flair and flexibility that make the later encounters so engaging.

The game’s pacing rewards patience, gradually layering new systems onto both its combat and progression mechanics. Players will unlock new Artes, expand skill trees, and gain access to additional combat options through both story progression and battle experience. Those who prefer not to micromanage every aspect of their party will likely do just fine investing points as new skill trees pop up, though some of the tougher boss encounters may encourage a more strategic (or at least, well-stocked) approach. I also became oddly obsessed with finding the game’s hidden owls, something I don’t usually do because I’m not much of a completionist. Scattered throughout Dahna, these feathered collectibles reward exploration with cosmetic items and other bonuses, and before long, I found myself actively making sure I hadn’t missed one. There’s something strangely satisfying about hearing the telltale hoot of a nearby owl and immediately abandoning your current objective to track it down. It’s a simple side activity, but one that added a lot of charm to the journey.

I particularly appreciated how Tales of Arise introduces its systems without overwhelming the player. There is always something new to experiment with, but rarely so much that it becomes intimidating. Tales of Arise rewards settling in for longer sessions, with individual chapters often lasting anywhere from three to six hours, depending on how much side content and exploration you choose to pursue.

Tales of Arise features a cel-shaded art style that often looks like a painting brought to life. While the opening hours in Calaglia are intentionally bleak and barren, the game quickly opens up into a visually impressive adventure filled with lush forests, frozen landscapes, and a variety of distinct regions. Each realm reflects the personality and elemental influence of its ruling Lord, helping every major area feel unique and memorable. Combined with the game’s anime-inspired character designs, Tales of Arise remains a striking RPG several years after its original release. Performance on Nintendo Switch 2 is generally solid, with the game targeting 30 frames per second during gameplay. Combat remains responsive, and exploration feels smooth for the vast majority of the adventure. That said, I found one particular design choice a little strange. Many of the game’s cutscenes, including certain battle animations and special attacks, run at 60 frames per second. These moments look fantastic, but they also highlight what the game could have looked like had the gameplay itself targeted a higher frame rate. I’m not sure what the decision was here.

There are also a few minor technical issues worth mentioning. During particularly busy battles with heavy particle effects, I noticed occasional frame pacing hiccups. Similar stutters sometimes occurred when transitioning between gameplay, story scenes, and combat encounters. I also encountered a handful of moments where environmental details and character models took a second or two to fully load during the comic-style story segments that appear throughout the adventure. None of these issues significantly impacted my enjoyment of the game, and they were relatively minor across my playthrough. Even so, they are noticeable enough that players expecting a completely flawless technical experience should be aware of them.

For my freedom fighters looking into accessibility, there are a handful of options available to make your journey across Dahna more approachable. These include adjusting input queue timing to make combo execution more forgiving, custom button remapping, fixed or rotating minimap options, and the ability to enable or disable quest markers depending on how much guidance you prefer. As always, I recommend further research to determine whether Tales of Arise meets your specific accessibility needs.

At just under $70 AUD, Tales of Arise offers an epic adventure that you can take anywhere. It’s easy to see why Arise has cemented itself as one of the strongest entries in the Tales series, combining approachable pacing, engaging combat, and a high-stakes story that subverts expectations just when you think you’ve settled into its rhythm. The decision to lock gameplay at 30 frames per second while presenting cinematics and certain special attacks at 60 frames per second remains an odd one. Even so, these issues do little to diminish a journey that can comfortably last anywhere from 40 to well over 100 hours, depending on how much side content you choose to tackle.

The inclusion of Beyond the Dawn also gives players the rare opportunity to see what happens after the main story concludes. While it doesn’t dramatically expand the gameplay formula, it provides a worthwhile epilogue and a chance to spend more time with a cast that becomes increasingly likable as the adventure unfolds. Few RPGs manage to balance spectacle, heart, and character growth quite like Tales of Arise. It’s a journey well worth taking, and a tale that deserves to be told on Switch 2.

So, What’s it Like? Tales of Arise is like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, with a slick anime style.

In the interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence my score.

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