Kodoani.com – Tales of Arise was originally conceived as an original IP, rather than a game under the “Tales of” franchise. Even after the concept morphed into a “Tales of” game, the team’s design philosophy was to re-evaluate every hallmark of the brand and decide if they could match a sensible player experience. more or not.
In an interview with Japanese game news website DenFamiNicoGamer on December 21, Tales of Arise producer Yusuke Tomizawa and director Hirokazu Kagawa shared specifics of what changed and why at star. For example, they cut the dialogue scenes after the battle because the game has many dungeons with multiple battles in a row, which slows down the speed as the player explores. Instead, they decided to play the dialogue while the game continued.
Tomikawa said the change was a challenge because fans praised that element in each installment. Even the gel-healing items, a staple of the series, don’t get a free ticket, as the staff members seriously discuss the question: “Is this really an attraction for people?” with the newcomers?” In many cases, they decide to keep the original elements while adjusting their form or distribution.
Notably, small scenes replace the traditional 2D presentation with 3D models. Tomizawa said that he felt this change was necessary because he felt that the old format needed to be relevant to the current era. He argues that the skit’s main appeal lies in the dialogue itself, so the team worked hard to keep that essence even with a different transmission.
Kagawa added that the skits were made in 2D in the previous games due to technical shortcomings at the time. Their original idea was to describe what the characters would say when they traveled together. Because of this, when given a choice between 2D and 3D, he chose 3D for a more immersive experience. By dimming the background instead of a separate screen and adjusting the lighting to match the time of day in the game, the team was able to give the impression that skits were happening on the spot.
The combat system also undergoes changes. The traditional “linear motion combat system” combines 2D fighting game mechanics. The team feels that one of its biggest limitations for modern audiences is that it only allows movement in a straight line. In Tales of Arise, more emphasis is placed on dodging attacks than defending them. Kagawa commented that he felt pressure to change the “Tales of” combat system in reference to the Bayonetta and NieR: Automata games developed by Platinum Games.
Tomizawa further explained that this was necessary because the game took five years to develop, and if the game cannot attract new players, it will be difficult to maintain the brand. The idea for Tales of Arise began in 2016, shortly after Tales of Berseria was released. This is around the transition from the PS3 to PS4 console generation. Because the team wanted to use a new engine and create a premium game, they added new producers and team members.
Tomizawa commented, “It was such a revolutionary experiment that the next title might not even warrant the title ‘Tales of’. “At first, we called the title ‘Arise’ instead of ‘Tales of Arise.’ ‘Rise’ in this context means ‘born’ or ‘revived’.In the end, it fits the name ‘Tales of’, but in the beginning of development, we approached everyone. thing with the thought of creating a new IP with this group.”
Tomizawa eventually commented that he was relieved that the game had been well received by longtime fans, even before the game’s release. Few fans on social media called for them to stop growing. The team also received many warm comments from people who sympathized with what the series was doing from a long-term perspective.
The interview also includes a discussion with Soul Hackers 2 co-producers and directors Eiji Ishida and Mitsuru Hirata. They frankly admitted at the beginning of the interview that the game received poor reception and that they are working very seriously to consider that feedback in order to improve the quality of the game.
Bandai Namco Entertainment released Tales of Arise for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on September 10, 2021 in the West, and on September 9, 2021 in Japan. The game was originally scheduled to launch in 2020, but Bandai Namco delayed the game past 2020 “due to the ambitious nature of the project.” Yusuke Tomizawa (God Eater) is in charge of the development team, starting with Tales of Arise.
Tales of Arise won Best Role Playing Game in the Game Awards 2021.
