Tales of Arise, one of the very best JRPGs of 2021, is getting DLC set after the main game.
Having sold over one million copies in its first week, Tales of Arise is the fastest-selling entry in the series' long history. But despite its popularity and success, Bandai Namco previously stated that it had no intention of doing a sequel or narrative expansion.
Beyond the Dawn, a new story-driven DLC for Tales of Arise comes as something of a surprise then, and a very pleasant one at that. Announced during yesterday's State of Play, this expansion is set one year after the events of the main game. Along their journey, Alphen and his party come across a mysterious girl called Nazamil, as the reveal trailer below shows.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, producer Yusuke Tomizawa, shed a little more light on this enigmatic new character. "Nazamil is a girl of both Dahnan and Renan blood and is the daughter of a Lord who stood in the way of the player in the main story of Arise," he explained.
Discussing the decision to expand on Tales of Arise's narrative, Tomizawa said, "Since the release of Arise, we have received many requests from people who have enjoyed the main story for a continuation of the story and the development team has had in-depth discussions and deliberations on what kind of significance and appeal would be necessary if we were to seriously go beyond the original story. It was also a way for us to reflect on what Arise was for us."
Beyond the Dawn promises 20 hours of additional content. As well as a sizable new story, there are new quests, dungeons, and boss fights on offer. Your character progress won't carry across to the new content, though, as Tomizawa explains. "We wanted all users to be able to enjoy the game at the appropriate level of design. In order to ensure this, a certain level of skills and other statuses are provided at the start, and we did not adopt a simple transfer of levels and statuses from the main game." Instead, you'll be rewarded with bonuses such as money and skill points if you've finished the main game.
We don't have long to wait for another slice of Tales of Arise action, as Beyond the Dawn launches later this year on November 9.
For many more great titles coming your way in the near future, check out our guide to new games 2023.
