With each new game in the JRPG genre, there are certain expectations that come with the territory, as spiky-haired protagonists, world-altering plots, and big, eccentric swords are essential items on the JRPG menu. Though the series had been quiet since 2016, the arrival of Tales of Arise in Q3 of 2021 satisfied each of these prerequisites, unsurprisingly resulting in no small amount of critical praise.