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Tales of Arise: The Manga in the Iron Mask
- Thread starter Issun
- Start date
4-So
Spicy
I'm not a fan of anime in general, neither the aesthetics or the usual trappings, but there was something compelling about Arise when I played the demo earlier this year. I actually picked up the game for myself last month but I'm waiting until this weekend to play it. Santa Law and all that. It'll be my first Tales experience outside of putzing around with Phantasia on an emulator many years ago.
I bought this game around when it came out. Played a little of it. Seemed polished and neat. There was also just a LOT going on with regard to learning systems and stuff from the get go. I bounced off of it pretty hard at first, but I'm pretty sure a big part of that is that I have no attention span gaming while under the influence, especially if I gotta read text/subtitles to follow along. I plan to come back to it, but I also am pretty apprehensive about Tales games in general. They tend to be some of the worst offenders in the console RPG space that stretches out its premise and gameplay paper thin with stories and bloat that pushes them well past the reasonable 60hr mark. Still, good looking game. Runs great on PS5.
In Cyslodia now. This is a game that takes a few hours to find its feet, but once it does it's pretty dang good.
Edit: And after exploring Cysloden for a bit, I'm even more impressed. Never figured a Tales game for tackling themes like the true cost of authoritarian governments and their toll on the most vulnerable citizens.
Edit: And after exploring Cysloden for a bit, I'm even more impressed. Never figured a Tales game for tackling themes like the true cost of authoritarian governments and their toll on the most vulnerable citizens.
Last edited:
4-So
Spicy
We're close to the same place, I think. I just got to Cyslodia last night. I'm not at the central hub or whatever for this region but I'm at some cabin early into the area. I'm finding some of the moment-to-moment narrative bits hard to digest due to All The Anime, and the voice acting is uneven, but it's a Xenoblade Chronicles 2 situation here where I'm enjoying so much of the other bits of the game the storytelling gets a pass.
Finished up the Cyslodia arc. Man, this Lord was extra satisfying to defeat.
While the dialogue and voice acting are kind of B- the characters still shine through, and Shionne, Alphyn and Law are all great (Rinwell not so much), and Shionne is probably the most interesting character, since we're all waiting to find out why she is the way she is and when the walls are going to come down.
While the dialogue and voice acting are kind of B- the characters still shine through, and Shionne, Alphyn and Law are all great (Rinwell not so much), and Shionne is probably the most interesting character, since we're all waiting to find out why she is the way she is and when the walls are going to come down.
4-So
Spicy
I actually fell off the game after getting to Mahag Saar. I'm debating on whether or not I want to go back to it. I really like the battle and upgrade systems, really do not like the sheer "anime-ness" of the game and that kind of overwrought, melodramatic storytelling that seems to be common in certain kinds of anime. Very much not my thing (and the primary reason I passed on Scarlet Nexus, despite enjoying the combat in that game quite a bit.)
Yeah, the battle/upgrade systems is what carried me through it (and kept me playing to get all achievements). It's very anime and gets deeper on that end as it goes.
It's the opposite for me. The systems are borderline inscrutable for me, whereas, while the story is anime AF, it's still better than a lot of JRPG stories nowadays. Thus I have been cruising through on Very Easy for most of the game.
Although I just got to one of the big endgame lore dumps and I love how this is basically turning out to be Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
Although I just got to one of the big endgame lore dumps and I love how this is basically turning out to be Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
I don't even remember the last 1/3 at this point. It anime'd so hard I stopped caring haha. And I like anime. So maybe more accurate to say it bad-nime'd or something.
I've been playing this recently and I'm really enjoying it. Not really that good at the battle system, but it's still fun to play on easiest difficulty and the story and characters are working for me.
I was hoping somebody who's beaten the game could give me an idea of how much longer I have to go- (significant late game spoilers) I just got Shionne back and started Del Fharis Castle- can you give me a rough idea about how far through the game am I?
I was hoping somebody who's beaten the game could give me an idea of how much longer I have to go- (significant late game spoilers) I just got Shionne back and started Del Fharis Castle- can you give me a rough idea about how far through the game am I?
It's been a while for me, but I'd say you probably have about 15 hours to go. Get ready for way more anime!
Yeah, that sounds about right. Although it might be closer to 20 if you fully explore the final dungeon.
One more thing, you may be aware with as deep in as you are, but remember that you can switch your playable character to someone else in the party if Alphen isn't connecting with you.
I found most of my fun with the combat with him, but it wasn't until I found artes that I could combo together to get something I was having fun with.
I found most of my fun with the combat with him, but it wasn't until I found artes that I could combo together to get something I was having fun with.
Hey, I started playing this a while back and beat it last night. This game was pretty good! Like a right-across-the-plate-fast-ball of a JRPG. If you're not into this stuff I'm not sure you'd be convinced by anything it's doing, but if you are, then you should definitely play it. I played the PS5 version on frame rate mode and thought it generally looked and played great.
I was stupidly far into the game before I realized how you can switch battle characters, but I honestly never felt the need. Shionne was generally my "set it and forget it" healer and I was legitimately worried to control her for fear of fucking up my healing processes. I'll just pop a CP-restoring gel from time to time or a life potion if she faints, thank you very much. I generally liked how Alphen played, though, so no worries on my end.
The game seemed to want me to remember that some of the character's bursts, or whatever you call the attacks that charge up, could interact with certain enemy types, but those intervals just never felt like they lined up with actionable opportunities 99% of the time. Like, IF you're fighting an enemy that can charge, and IF Kisara's burst is charged and IF the enemy is charging right now you can block the charge. I maybe did it twice.
Considering the anime visuals, I was constantly expecting the plot to let me down, but it never did. It kept it generally mature and logical, gave all of the characters motivations, weaknesses and things to do and learn. It hewed a bit romancey/flirty between the obvious couple pairings sometimes, but also let friendships grow between non-romantic pairings as well.
I know there's some post-game content but I don't feel especially inclined to interact with it right now. Plus, I'm sure my wife will be more than happy to not have to hear the chorus of my characters yelling the names of all of their special moves ever 1/3 of a second.
All in all, a solid, fun, well made game.
I was stupidly far into the game before I realized how you can switch battle characters, but I honestly never felt the need. Shionne was generally my "set it and forget it" healer and I was legitimately worried to control her for fear of fucking up my healing processes. I'll just pop a CP-restoring gel from time to time or a life potion if she faints, thank you very much. I generally liked how Alphen played, though, so no worries on my end.
The game seemed to want me to remember that some of the character's bursts, or whatever you call the attacks that charge up, could interact with certain enemy types, but those intervals just never felt like they lined up with actionable opportunities 99% of the time. Like, IF you're fighting an enemy that can charge, and IF Kisara's burst is charged and IF the enemy is charging right now you can block the charge. I maybe did it twice.
Considering the anime visuals, I was constantly expecting the plot to let me down, but it never did. It kept it generally mature and logical, gave all of the characters motivations, weaknesses and things to do and learn. It hewed a bit romancey/flirty between the obvious couple pairings sometimes, but also let friendships grow between non-romantic pairings as well.
I know there's some post-game content but I don't feel especially inclined to interact with it right now. Plus, I'm sure my wife will be more than happy to not have to hear the chorus of my characters yelling the names of all of their special moves ever 1/3 of a second.
All in all, a solid, fun, well made game.