Scarlet Nexus Or Tales Of Arise

It's been a rather skillful year for BANDAI Namco and its single-actor animé-manner games. In mid 2021 they launched the all-new, all-original Blood-red Nexus . A couple of months later, they released the latest in a long-running franchise, Tales of Ascend . If you're on the debate about which 1 to play first (permit'due south confront it, if you're a fan of this type of game you lot likely want to play both), hopefully this will help you lot make up one's mind.

Before everything else, let's get a few disclaimers out of the style. I've yet to fully complete both games. Well, in Blood-red Nexus I've finished my first playthrough with Kasane and I'thousand currently in the very early on stages of my Yuito playthrough. Meanwhile in Tales of Arise, I'm about twenty+ hours deep and have a 6-member party. I feel similar I've played enough to give my thoughts on both games.

This exercise is specifically aimed at those who can't outright buy both games. As well, if you're a long-time Tales of fan, y'all've probable made your decision already so this may not exist for you. Lastly, this is in no mode a definitive assessment of either game. I'm just a dude who wants to share his thoughts on two games he enjoyed (enjoys?) playing. And I genuinely can't make up one's mind which ane to recommend get-go, thus, this practice.

Point system

Here'south how we'll do this. Nosotros'll score each game on the post-obit pillars:

• Visual presentation
• Music and soundtrack
• Combat
• Story
• Fun Factor

I'll talk over my thoughts on both games for each colonnade and give a score from 1-10, 1 being the everyman and 10 being the highest. Towards the end, we'll tally scores and highest total wins. Sounds simple enough, yep?

Let'due south swoop in!

Visual presentation

The full general art fashion for both games is very similar. At this point, BANDAI Namco and their partner developers have pretty much mastered cel-shading graphics for the plethora of animé titles under their chugalug. There are a few differences though.

For instance, both games take this comic-volume style cutting-scene where the characters commutation dialogue to more often than not add together to character development. Another cool thing about this style is that it carries over whatever cosmetic equipment your characters have on. It's a nice cool execution that visual enthusiasts will definitely capeesh.

While at start glance, they look the same, there's really a slight difference. In Scarlet Nexus, the images in the panel are mostly still. Only a scattering of scenes are really blithe. Meanwhile, in Tales of Arise, the panels are actually animated. There's minimal but noticeable movement making each panel feel more than alive.

Next is the overall expect and feel of the visuals. I retrieve both games do a good job of showcasing their respective worlds. Crimson Nexus is this mail-apocalyptic, cyberpunk-ish earth that feels rather empty, merely that's considering of the story and the setting. Tales of Arise, on the other mitt, feels more alive and is mostly vivid and charming like most high fantasy titles.

When it comes to the menus, I'm partial to Tales of Ascend because there are plenty spaces left to let elements on the screen exhale. In contrast, I felt Blood-red Nexus had a actually busy-looking menu that can exist a lot to take in even after having spent hours on the game.

This design looks busy to me

Verdict:

• Tales of Arise — 9 points
• Scarlet Nexus — 8 points

I recall both games expect great and have a definitive visual identity. There are simply picayune factors here and there that, for me, Tales of Arise does better.

Music and soundtrack

Dissimilar the visual presentation section, I don't think I can say as much near the music and soundtrack. Unless it's extremely proficient or bad, music and soundtrack is by and large something I notice concluding.

For example, the sound blueprint in Returnal is something I admittedly gave praises to. Persona 5's "Final Surprise" still rings in my ear to this 24-hour interval. And of grade you take iconic and memorable soundtracks like Utada Hikaru'due south "Elementary and Make clean", and Faye Wong'due south "Optics on Me."

For me, there'south nothing of this sort on either Scarlet Nexus or Tales of Arise. Don't get me wrong, I think the soundtrack and music are proficient. Just naught immediately memorable.

Scarlet Nexus blasts a multifariousness of genres throughout your playthrough. There's a mish-mash of electronic, pop, punk, and even EDM (electronic trip the light fantastic toe music) in there. Meanwhile, Tales of Arise has this more traditional mix of animé pop-rock intro and fantastical soundtrack. Its opening vocal, in particular, is an accented banger.

Verdict:

• Tales of Ascend — 7 points
• Cerise Nexus — 7 points

Evenly matched because they're good for unlike reasons but don't exactly stand up out in the greater scheme of things.

Combat

The combat of both games are fun and take interesting levels of depth in unlike means.

In Scarlet Nexus, you play equally either of the lead characters Kasane or Yuito in a unmarried entrada. Each 1 volition have a political party of characters but they are more often than not supporting casts in battle. They attack independently and you tin use their unique abilities for a limited one at a time or all at one time to aid y'all in combat.  The level of depth comes in the multiple abilities you can combine to take down enemies and a variety of ways. Almost of which are pretty satisfying.

Going to Brain Drive mode in Cherry Nexus is pretty satisfying

Tales of Arise gives you a little bit more or a multifariousness in a unmarried campaign. All political party members are playable and have very distinct fighting styles and abilities. Naturally, yous'll spend more time with leads Alphen and Shionne, merely the rest of the crew: Rinwell, Police force, BEST Daughter Kisara, and Dohalim offering new dynamics to gainsay that help keep the gameplay feel fresh.

Combat encounters are also a little different. Crimson Nexus feels more than similar an actual action-JRPG with how you can jump at an enemy as you're traversing an expanse. Meanwhile, in Tales of Arise you encounter an enemy in an area and become transported into somewhat of a battle arena section to go into combat. The controls itself still experience action RPG-like once y'all're in combat only the departure is how y'all get there.

I remember Carmine Nexus offers a little more precision when it comes to combat. From my experience, I experience more in control during fights with who I'yard targeting despite the decorated screen with everyone in the party fighting.

Perchance it's because I just haven't spent as much time with Tales of Arise yet that I haven't completely figured out every nook and cranny of its combat. Effectually my tenth to 12th hour playing, the visuals and gameplay still experience similar, in the words of Girlfriend Reviews, "diarrhea Christmas lights." There's a hefty amount of splash and color going in that it's easy to get lost in it. That said, the finishing moves here are specially entertaining and never go old despite the repetition.

"Diarrhea Christmas Lights"

Verdict:

• Tales of Arise — eight points
• Scarlet Nexus — 8.5 points

Both have their strengths just I similar having the feeling of a petty more control that'due south why Scarlet Nexus gets half a bespeak more than Tales of Ascend.

Story

Personally, this is what makes or breaks a game for me. I put a lot of weight in a game's story and overall narrative. I don't look for anything besides unpredictable or too out there. Just something that's engaging and satisfying.

As I've mentioned, I haven't completed the story for both games. With Scarlet Nexus, you accept to go through both campaigns to get a full flick and I haven't washed that yet. Meanwhile in Tales of Arise, I've only just completed the half dozen-member party.

And so far, I'm enjoying both for different reasons. Scarlet Nexus gives a "Yo, what the hell is happening right at present" vibes. It's filled with twists and mysteries and a pretty manner out there revelation despite its setting.

Tales of Arise tackles a heavy topic of what it feels like to really be free and then far, in my gameplay, has seemed like a more traditional and linear story. It can get predictable especially if yous've consumed plenty of stories like I take but it's still exciting nonetheless.

To give you a better overview idea, I asked Chris Garcia of I More Game to describe the story. Here's what he said:

"Tales of Arise is bolstered by a strong cast of characters that undergo a journey of realization that sees the typical JRPG narrative formula with stakes that get grander at every arc."

Meanwhile, our very own Gab Orlina describes the story of Scarlet Nexus as "Twisting and turning, but not overwhelming. [Yous're] in search of the truth about stopping a world-ending event that shapes the time to come of the nation."

Verdict:

• Tales of Arise — seven points
• Reddish Nexus — 8 points

I really had to pause and grit my teeth over this one. I'1000 personally enjoying Tales of Arise more simply that may just exist recency bias since it's what I'm currently playing. Only looking back, there are more "WTF" moments in Carmine Nexus that's why I gave it a slight border.

Fun factor

While this whole affair has been an exercise of subjectivity, it doesn't get any more subjective than this. What each of us consider fun is different. And so, I'g just gonna hang my hat on that as I bespeak out what I really thought was fun for both games.

I actually enjoyed the gainsay and the WTF moments in Scarlet Nexus. If annihilation'southward gonna want you to keep playing, it's wanting to find out exactly why the earth is the manner it is. And the revelations go actually outrageous but with yet missing story threads with just one playthrough. This makes going through the second campaign with a different graphic symbol enticing because yous desire to be able to paint a total picture of what happened.

This was a heartbreaking scene.

All the same, getting through the story sometimes felt like a chore because of how yous move around areas. Honest Game Trailers described information technology every bit like going through 1 long hallway and information technology was so on point. Some parts of the game, while they aren't bad, just didn't experience every bit polished.

When it comes to Tales of Arise, I'thousand all the way in. There isn't a story beat then far that I haven't been able to predict. Despite that, information technology remains enjoyable every step of the way. And I've always really liked this kind of loftier fantasy setting. Information technology also helps that overall, this game just feels more polished than Scarlet Nexus. But I guess that's what you become with a long-running franchise versus one that only started.

This loftier fantasy look is totally my jam.

Verdict:

• Tales of Arise — 9 points
• Scarlet Nexus — seven points

Tally

	Tales of Arise	Ruby Nexus
Visual presentation	9	8
Music and soundtrack	7	7
Gainsay	8	8.5
Story	vii	viii
Fun cistron	9	7
Total	40	38.5

There you accept information technology, that'southward my completely subjective and unscientific showdown betwixt Tales of Arise and Scarlet Nexus. I think the scores actually reverberate how I feel well-nigh each game every bit of writing.

Nobody asked but this is how I dodge awkward conversations.

There'southward plenty of enjoyment to exist had on both games, just the overall more polished vibe I get from Tales of Ascend makes information technology my pick if you simply had to choice simply one to play or which 1 to play outset.

In the finish, the decision is yours, only I hope this helped even simply a niggling.

Source: https://www.gadgetmatch.com/tales-of-arise-vs-scarlet-nexus-what-to-play-first/

Share this post