Tales Of Arise: Beyond The Dawn Review (PS5) – Two years ago, Tales Of Arise launched on PS4 and PS5. Now, we get our hands on some additional story content. Has it been worth the wait for a $30 expansion in Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn?
Fair warning: If you plan to play the core game, be well aware that this review will contain spoilers.
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Review (PS5) – Another Chance To Be With The Tales of Arise Cast
It’s been a year since the events of the main game. The two worlds are now one, and the Dahnans and the Renans now live side by side. With that comes conflicts and differences across the land. What’s unexpected is the existence of a girl of noble blood, named Nazamil, who is both Dahnans and Renan.
Due to this unlikely combination, no one wants or welcomes her. Eventually, she meets Alphen and the gang, who show her what acceptance feels like. Nazamil, unaccustomed to acceptance, takes a leap in logic and utilizes dangerous technology in order to control the population. In doing so, everyone will be the same and everyone will be at peace.
Naturally, the gang rejects this, calling it tyranny, and Nazamil doesn’t know how to handle it. So, instead of reassessing her actions, she doubles down and lets aforementioned technology take over her as well. This leaves the gang reeling, needing to figure out how to stop their new friend from taking over the world.
More Of The Same
All in all, Beyond the Dawn is an opportunity to spend more time with the likable cast of Arise. Due to the 8-hour storyline, the experience comes across somewhat abridged when compared to the base game. It is what it is, and it’s not inherently bad.
If you’re buying DLC for any game, you’re likely doing that because you like that game and want more of it. With that in mind, returning players get exactly what they want: a new storyline, a new batch of 40 side quests, and more bosses and gear to seek out.
With that said, Beyond the Dawn does very little to change up the formula. No new mechanics, no new areas outside of a few story dungeons, and only a handful of new enemies based around the story. There are new variants of existing enemies, but that’s about it.
Stretched Out Expansion
There are also long, empty corridors far too often. While they look intriguing, you do nothing in them but run, with the occasional party banter over it. This elongates the experience rather than build up to the finale, dulling the intrigue the story tries to put together.
One of my dislikes from the core game makes a reappearance in this expansion. Once again, boss fights feel like chiseling away at brick walls. It’s for the most part a steady 5 to 10 minutes of constant button pressing the same combos and attacks. This holds especially true for the final boss fights.
To boot, said boss fights tend to be against monsters that are much bigger than what the camera can display.
On that note, there’s a final fight sequence that, after the long button-mashing fights, feels so empowering, both in terms of gameplay and narrative. This sequence would not be as impactful without the long fights beforehand, which makes you forget the full length of those fights.
Still, those long exchanges can’t be ignored, even in hindsight.
A Fan’s Expansion Through And Through
Tales Of Arise: Beyond the Dawn gives fans a chance to spend more time with the likable cast of the game in a new scenario. It does provide a main story, a big bunch of side quests, and more gear to collect. The story itself last a healthy amount, but the ending sequence still overstays its welcome a bit.
Overall, $30 is a good sell for this content. At that price point, though, this expansion isn’t for everyone. Still, as long as you want a good excuse to jump back into the game, Beyond the Dawn will be worth every penny.
Tales Of Arise: Beyond The Dawn is available on PS5 and PS4.
Review code kindly provided by publisher.