Most RPGs follow a predictable rhythm. You meet a starry-eyed kid, they find a magic sword, and suddenly they're saving the world with a group of friends who never seem to have a single awkward conversation. Tales of Arise isn't that game. Honestly, when you first boot it up, the chemistry between the Tales of Arise characters feels less like a "power of friendship" montage and more like a group therapy session that might turn violent at any moment. It’s gritty. It’s messy.
Bandai Namco took a massive gamble here. They moved away from the "skits" being 2D portraits and turned them into 3D comic-style panels, but the real shift was in the maturity. We’re talking about a cast defined by systemic oppression, literal slavery, and the kind of trauma that doesn't just go away because you leveled up.
The Alphen and Shionne Dynamic: More Than Just "Opposites Attract"
Alphen starts the game as an iron-masked slave who can't feel pain. Shionne is a high-and-mighty Renan who causes physical agony to anyone who touches her. It’s a bit on the nose, right? The guy who can't feel anything paired with the girl no one can touch. But it works. It works because the writers didn't make them instantly likable.
Shionne is, frankly, kind of a jerk for the first ten hours. She’s abrasive, secretive, and looks down on Alphen’s people. You’ve probably played games where the heroine is "tsundere," but Shionne's coldness comes from a place of genuine, soul-crushing isolation. She’s lived her whole life as a biological weapon. On the flip side, Alphen isn't just a generic hero; he’s a man obsessed with a justice he doesn't fully understand because he’s missing his memories.
Their relationship carries the entire first act. When they finally start to trust each other, it doesn't feel like a scripted romance beat. It feels like two drowning people finally finding a life raft. The way their Blazing Sword mechanic translates narrative stakes into gameplay—where Alphen literally burns his own HP to use Shionne’s power—is a masterclass in "ludo-narrative harmony."
Why Rinwell and Law Break the "Teen Sidekick" Mold
Usually, the younger characters in a Tales game are there for comic relief. Think Teepo in Tales of Xillia or Mieu in Abyss. In Arise, Rinwell and Law carry some of the heaviest thematic weight.
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Rinwell is a mage in a world where her kind was hunted. She’s harborring a level of racial prejudice against Renans that is uncomfortable to watch but entirely realistic given her backstory. When she interacts with Shionne, it’s tense. It’s not "cute" bickering. It’s deep-seated resentment. Watching her grow out of that—not through a sudden realization, but through slow, painful exposure to the fact that not all Renans are monsters—is perhaps the best writing in the game.
Then there's Law. Poor Law. He starts as a "snake," a traitor to his own people working for the oppressors. His confrontation with his father, Zephyr, is the emotional peak of the early game. Law isn't just the "brawny fighter" archetype. He’s a kid trying to outrun the guilt of his own choices. He uses his fists because he doesn't know how to use his words.
The Older Guard: Kisara and Dohalim
It’s rare to get a JRPG where half the cast feels like actual adults with resumes and past careers. Kisara and Dohalim bring a much-needed "grown-up" perspective to the Tales of Arise characters lineup.
Kisara is the powerhouse. She doesn't even use a weapon; she uses a shield. That tells you everything about her personality. She’s the protector, the one who looks after everyone’s laundry and making sure they eat, but she’s also grappling with the collapse of her entire belief system. She worshipped Dohalim. She believed in the "peace" he created in Elde Menancia. Finding out that peace was built on a different kind of exploitation shattered her.
Dohalim il Qaras is easily the most complex figure in the party. He’s an aristocrat who smells like expensive cologne and speaks in poetry, but he’s driven by a crushing sense of inadequacy. He didn't create a "fair" realm because he was a saint; he did it because he couldn't stand the sound of people screaming. It was an act of selfish empathy.
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Breaking Down the Combat Synergy
You can't talk about these characters without talking about how they play. Every single one has a "Boost Attack" specifically designed to counter a certain type of enemy.
- Shionne shoots down aerial targets with her rifle.
- Rinwell steals enemy casting gauges, essentially "silencing" mages.
- Kisara slams her shield down to stop charging enemies in their tracks.
- Law breaks through heavy armor and shields with his strikes.
- Dohalim uses his rod to ensnare fast-moving, "fleet-footed" enemies.
This means you aren't just picking your favorites based on who looks coolest. You’re constantly cycling through the whole roster. It makes the party feel like a tactical unit rather than a main hero and five backups. If you're fighting a boss in the second half of the game and you aren't swapping to Dohalim to ground those lightning-fast enemies, you're going to have a bad time.
The Evolution of the Skit System
A huge part of why these characters stick with you is the revamped skit system. In previous games, skits were just talking heads. In Arise, they use the in-game engine to show movement and expression. You see the way Alphen winces or the way Shionne looks away when she’s embarrassed.
It’s in these quiet moments—talking about fish, arguing over how to cook a potato, or discussing the philosophy of freedom—where the Tales of Arise characters truly become human. They aren't just archetypes moving the plot from Point A to Point B. They’re a group of traumatized individuals trying to figure out what a "normal" life even looks like.
Common Misconceptions About the Arise Cast
Some critics argued the characters get "too preachy" in the final third of the game. I disagree. By the time you reach the final dungeon (which, let's be honest, is a bit of a slog), these characters have earned their right to be philosophical. They’ve seen the literal end of worlds.
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Another common complaint is that the villains aren't as well-developed. That’s actually a fair point. The Lords—Balseph, Ganabelt, Almeidrea—are mostly mustache-twirling psychopaths. But that’s a narrative choice. The game isn't about the villains; it’s about the victims’ response to them. The villains are symbols of a broken system, while the party represents the messy, complicated process of trying to fix it.
Mastering the Party: Actionable Tips for Players
If you're jumping back into the game or starting a New Game Plus run, don't just stick to Alphen.
- Play as Kisara for a bit. Learning how to time her blocks perfectly changes the flow of combat from a chaotic hack-and-slash to a rhythmic, defensive dance.
- Focus on Rinwell’s "Magic Charge." You can "store" a spell and then cast another one to combine them into a higher-tier spell without the long cast time. It makes her the highest DPS character in the game if you know what you’re doing.
- Check the "Library" often. The game tracks specific character interactions and small bits of lore that aren't always in the main cutscenes.
- Don't ignore the camp scenes. You can choose who to talk to before you sleep. This isn't just flavor text; it unlocks specific titles and skills in their skill trees.
The brilliance of the Tales of Arise characters lies in their friction. They don't always agree. They don't always like each other. But they choose to move forward together anyway. That’s a lot more interesting than a group of people who were destined to be friends from the first dialogue box.
To get the most out of your experience, prioritize finishing the character-specific sub-quests that appear toward the end of the game. Specifically, Dohalim’s side quest in Elde Menancia and Kisara’s fishing tournament offer some of the most poignant closures for their personal arcs. These aren't just "fetch quests"—they are the final pieces of the emotional puzzle that make the ending hit as hard as it does. Check your map for the green sub-quest icons before heading to the final boss to ensure you haven't missed these crucial narrative beats.