After a long wait of five years since the last Tales entry, Tales of Arise is finally in the hands of players. As fans get to experience its combat firsthand, they also get to watch as the story of Alphen and company unfolds before them in all its dramatic flair. The story is just as regular players would expect; full to the brim with lore, detailed world-building, and driven by realistic characters that come to life within the game's cutscenes. While Alphen and Shionne are at the forefront, they aren't alone in the adventure. Among their party are Rinwell and Law, the youngest of the group who grow and learn from each other throughout the title.
Rinwell and Law join the party in the second area of Tales of Arise, when fans enter the wintery land of Cyslodia. While some players may believe that the second realm will lead into Rinwell's story, it actually ends up being more about Law and Zephyr, as Rinwell's character arc comes in later. With two party members for gamers to get attached to, though, the game focuses just the right amount on them both, as their differences and similarities lead them to interact in interesting ways throughout the game.
Rinwell's Brains to Law's Brawn
As the two are introduced roughly one after the other, the fact that Rinwell is the mage of the group, where Law is the type to settle things with his fists is an interesting match-up right away. It says a lot about them personally, as Rinwell is the bookworm while Law working for the Snake Eyes has given him more street smarts. The difference in temperament between them leads the two to bicker just slightly, but it's mostly in a comedic fashion for the sake of the player, especially in the game's skits.
Though, the fights start out in part by how they can't understand one another. Yet, as the game progresses, and they're made to travel together, that understanding grows. For a long while, until the group reaches the fourth realm, Rinwell keeps a secret close regarding the disappearance of the other mages. Once the truth (that they were killed by Lord Almeidrea) is revealed, Law literally and physically gets in the way to stop Rinwell from taking her revenge. After having his own father die, he's the one in the party who can't watch Rinwell nearly succumb to her own hatred the most and ends up being the reason she can deal with it in a healthy way. Thanks to Law, Rinwell processes a fair deal of her own emotions regarding the loss of her parents, including her hatred towards the Renans.
Law and Rinwell Bond Almost Like Siblings
One interaction that fans can discover when talking to their party members before bed deals with Alphen and Rinwell saying the party in Tales of Arise has become like a family. Beyond being a heartwarming interaction, it does end up being rather true with how the group all interact with each other. Even as Law and Rinwell grow closer, smaller in-game moments have them playfully snarking back and forth at each other, and it's very reminiscent of a brother and his sister. One example being that Rinwell at one point makes a comment at Law's expense regarding the stuff he does during training when he thinks no one is looking, which leads him to be rather embarrassed.
Like family, even though the two still have their little comments to make back and forth to each other, they show incredible teamwork on all fronts in battle. Their team attack, Super Fighting Fang, deals with the mage powering up Law's punches to bring a bright finish to an encounter with enemies if timed right. They also work together to keep the kids in water realm's spirits up once Lord Vholran is bested and the realm is freed, helping with the relief effort together.
While Alphen and Shionne's relationship is much more of a factor when it comes to how Tales of Arise functions on a story level and a gameplay level, Rinwell and Law's relationship will be hard for players to miss. It evolves at just the right pacing and provides the game with plenty of humor. It may seem small at first, but it's still a wonderful bond to watch take shape as Tales of Arise's story progresses.
Tales of Arise is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
