Tales of Ariseis one of the most anticipated games of the year as it aims to revitalize the franchise by improving upon traditionalTalesmechanics.Talesgames have always stood out from other JRPGs in their ability to weave together narrative elements with the games' systems. Character development, in particular, is one of the best aspects of the franchise as the games use skits in order to showcase the bonds and relationships between party members.
In the most recent trailer forTales of Arise,Bandai Namco revealed a number of new and returning side activities that players can take part in. Fishing, farming, camping, and sidequests will all make an appearance and much like previousTalesgames, they emphasize the interactions between party members.
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How Skits Set Tales Games Apart
Since first appearing inTales of Destiny,skits have become a staple of theTalesseriesas a way for party members to engage in conversation or idle banter with one another. Though they are optional, the skits help players understand character reactions to the story’s events, how they feel during their travels, and their interactions with other party members. In the earliestTalesgames, the skits were fairly simplistic as they only featured 2D portraits and voiceovers had to be cut to reduce costs. Later on, the skits inTalesgames improved to feature full voice acting and also include animated character portraits to showcase different emotions.
Thefocus on character interactions is what setsTalesgames apartfrom other JRPG series and these side conversations help flesh out characters and their interactions with companions.Tales of Ariseis no different as it improves the skit system once again to match the new graphical upgrade. Furthermore,Tales of Ariseseems to link together character interactions with many of the side activities that players will take part in. Many JRPGs feature minigames like fishing, hunting, or camping but they’re usually limited in scope.Talesuses these as a platform to develop characters by connecting them with skits and giving players insight into their relationships beyond the main story.
Skits in Tales of Arise
WhereaspreviousTalesgamesused animated 2D portraits or cutouts for the skits,Tales of Arisesees the franchise shift towards a new 3D-like style.Although the skits inTales of Ariseappear to be based on the 3D models in-game at first glance, they’re actually rendered in 2D as assets and are presented with effects to imitate the hand-drawn style of previousTalesgames. The idea is to retain the charm of the 2D portraits from olderTalesgames while still upgrading the visuals to reflectTales of Arise’snew direction. It’s clear thatTales of Ariseis still aiming to appeal to its veteran fans as the skits feel more like a natural progression instead of a big jump to full 3D scenes.
The end resultenablesTales of Arise’sskits to feel more vibrant and alivewith detailed character expressions. Over the years,Talesgames have slowly improved the animation within the skits, and most recently,Tales of Berseriadisplays this by moving through different “panels” to showcase dialogue change.Tales of Arisetakes this idea one step further by fully animating each panel of the skit and slowly moving through them sequentially. The concept is quite similar to manga in how it shifts through the story and this technique also appeared recently inScarlet Nexus’swhere animated portraits were superimposed over cutscenes.Tales of Arisewill also fully integrate any costumes or accessories that players place on the party members.
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Tales of Arise Side Activities
As revealed by the most recentTales of Arisetrailer, there will be a number of new and returning side activitiesthat players will be able to engage in. Although these activities usually appeared as mini-games or small detours from the main quest,Tales of Ariseseems to expand them into full mechanics. The trailer revealed activities such as fishing, farming, camping, and cooking and in classicTalesstyle, will play into character interactions and bonding between party members.
For example,camping inTales of Ariseis fairly similar to other JRPGsas characters will be able to recharge their HP and CP at dedicated bonfires. Players can also cook while camping and each party member will have their own unique specialty. Along with offering unique bonuses such as increased experience gain, players can also see special skits between the party members while camping. Additionally, players can raise livestock in a ranching management minigame or go fishing with Kisara. These activities incorporate character interactions or skits in a way that few other JRPGs do and encourage players to explore the optional content in depth.
The Evolution of Tales Games
With all of the small details being revamped inTales of Arise,it’s clear that the franchise is headed in a new direction. While it retains many of the core aspects of the series through skits, quests, and exploration, it also aims to attract a new audience. For the first time in the series,Tales of Arisewill be developed using Unreal Engine 4as opposed to an in-house engine and it was made with new-gen hardware in mind. With these changes,Tales of Arisealso changes mechanics such as skits to better reflect the new graphical update.
Tales of Arisestill feels very much like a traditionalTalesgameas its focus on character interactions and side narratives are emphasized. Unlike other JRPGs,Tales of Arisecombines these sections of character development together with optional content in order to expand upon worldbuilding and the backgrounds of party members. With the new technique of animating the skits,Tales of Ariseretains the charm of the 2D skits from previous games while improving on the animations and expressions.Talesgames have always excelled at emphasizing character interactions and side stories in a way that fleshes out the personalities of the party members.Tales of Ariselooks to continue that tradition and improves upon the skit system to reflect the new direction of the franchise.
Tales of Arisereleases September 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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