Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn

NOV 15th, 2023

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Review Blog

Here's a review of "Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn," broken down into different categories:

1. Story and Narrative:

- Plot: The expansion focuses on the aftermath of the original game's ending, featuring the protagonists navigating a world where the peoples of Dahna and Rena coexist. It introduces a new character, Nazamil, whose involvement adds depth and a fresh dynamic to the story.

- Narrative Execution: While the narrative provides some decent character development and explores unanswered questions, it tends to stretch thin over the expansion's runtime, with some parts feeling like filler.

2. Gameplay Mechanics:

- Combat: The combat system remains unchanged from the original game, retaining its strengths. Players will find the action engaging, especially with challenging encounters in later dungeons.

- Sidequests: A significant portion of the expansion is dedicated to sidequests, which, while plentiful, may feel repetitive and don't add much novelty to the gameplay experience.

3. Character Development:

- Character Integration: Nazamil, the new character, initially appears as a typical anime trope but eventually opens up, complementing the existing cast effectively.

- Character Growth: The existing characters receive additional development, offering more insight into their personalities and roles in the new world order.

4. Presentation and Aesthetics:

- Visuals: The expansion maintains the high-quality visuals from the original game, enhancing the overall experience.

- Setting Consistency: Most of the game's quests and activities take place in familiar environments from the original game, which can give a sense of repetition and missed opportunity for fresh exploration.

5. Overall Experience:

- Content and Value: The expansion is substantial, but a considerable part of it reuses elements from the original game. For those deeply invested in the "Tales of Arise" universe, it offers a rewarding experience, but it may not satisfy players looking for significant innovations or expansions of the game's mechanics.

- Fan Service: The expansion effectively caters to fans of the original game, providing closure and additional context to the story and characters.

In summary, "Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn" is a solid epilogue that provides closure and further character development, but its gameplay and narrative innovations are limited, focusing largely on familiar elements from the original game. The expansion is most rewarding for dedicated fans of "Tales of Arise," offering a chance to revisit beloved characters and settings, albeit without significant changes to the gameplay mechanics.