Last week Bandai Namco quietly dropped a demo for their upcoming game, Tales of Arise. The demo, which was released on August 18th, features a small slice of gameplay that gives players a closer look at the mechanics, combat, and art style of Arise. The demo comes with three cinematic trailers focusing on different characters, and completing the demo unlocks a unique reward for the full-game if purchased on the same platform.   

Tales of Arise is the latest entry in the popular Tales series of games that began in 1995 with Tales of Phantasia. The series has become synonymous over the years with its cartoonish art style and in-game features like skits and cooking. While many of these systems will be present in Arise, the new game sports an updated art style and combat system markedly different from its predecessors.

Each game in the Tales series tells a new story with a fresh batch of characters. Tales of Arise follows Alphen and Shionne, two people from very different worlds who must work together in order to put an end to a senseless war. On their journey they’ll recruit party members from different walks of life who also want to help create a more peaceful world.

The Tales of Arise demo is available now on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, and the game officially launches on September 10th, 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.