Slated to release later this year, Tales of Arise is shaping up to be an exciting new addition to Bandai Namco's long-running Tales series, bringing the franchise to next-generation systems for the first time. The seventeenth mainline entry may still be a ways off, currently aiming for a September release date, however, fans can get an all-new look at the title right now via a short trailer posted on its YouTube channel.
The footage showcases some of the Mystic Artes players will be able to pull off using Tales of Arise's various party members, including protagonists Alphen and Shionne. For those unfamiliar with the Tales franchise, Mystic Artes are incredibly powerful special attacks that players can unlock during the games, often coming complete with a cinematic cutscene that highlights each party member landing their deadly final blow.
The new Tales of Arise trailer highlights four of these special attacks. The first focuses on Alphen's Mystical Arte, which sees the character set his sword alight and frequently slice his enemy, creating a chaotic, fiery inferno. Next is Shionne, with the character's Mystical Arte focusing on her magic rifle. In her cutscene, she conjures bullets in the air, throwing them out towards her opponent as she fires a giant blue laser beam.
The final two characters featured in the trailer are Rinwell and Law. The former can use her spellbook to summon a giant whirlwind, catching a foe in the devastating attack. She then follows up with four surges of lightning to deliver the final blow. Law, on the other hand, mostly focuses on his powered-up melee abilities, striking the enemy several times during his cutscene before leaping up in the air to deliver a powerful flying kick. All four cutscenes seem to hint that the upcoming sequel won't be toning down the cinematic Mystical Arte attacks that have become a prevailing part of prior Tales games.
For those not currently clued in on Tales of Arise, the game follows a conflict between the planets of Dahna and Rena. The latter has plundered the former for resources for years, leaving Dahna a medieval landscape, while Rena has long dominated as a technologically advanced civilization. The game's story follows two natives of these retrospective planets, with Alphen and Shionne teaming up to change the fates of their worlds. Tales of Arise aims to have plenty of stylish battles, fun role-playing elements, and striking open-world landscapes, with Bandai Namco claiming it intends to offer "a first-class JRPG experience."
Tales of Arise is slated to launch on September 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Bandai Namco
