Namco Tales Studio

Review Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn (PS5) - Solid Expansion Treads Very Familiar Territory

Arise again

Right off the bat, the biggest problem with Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn is trying to remember how to actually play Tales of Arise. The (largely fantastic, in our opinion) action RPG launched what feels like an eternity ago back in September 2021, and now, over two years later, we're getting a full-on post-game expansion. But the DLC...

• Wed 8th Nov 2023
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS5
• Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn

Review Tales of Arise (PS5) - A Fantastic JRPG, and the Strongest Tales Game in a Long Time

Blazing a Tale

Big budget, Japanese role-playing games are a rarity these days. Outside of obvious mainstays like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, it's a genre that often has to make do with more cost-efficient production. You either get your breakout hit — like Atlus did with Persona 5 — or you go underappreciated for what feels like an...

• Wed 8th Sep 2021
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS5
• Tales of Arise

Review Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition - Still One of the Very Best Tales Games

The star still shines

When the topic of classic Japanese role-playing games is brought up, people tend to focus on a set few titles. Final Fantasy VII will forever be etched into the history of the genre for obvious reasons -- as is the case with several other entries in Square Enix's beloved series -- and most would probably give nods to properties...

• Wed 9th Jan 2019
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS4
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

Review Tales of Berseria (PS4)

Velvet not cut from the same cloth

You can always count on the Tales series to keep to its roots. While the latest Final Fantasy might have divided opinion with its more Westernised open world direction, Tales of Berseria is a far more typical Japanese role-playing game that continues – and develops, in some meaningful ways – the genre's...

• Wed 25th Jan 2017
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS4
• Tales of Berseria

Review Tales of Zestiria (PS4)

Lemon gel zest

Where to start with Tales of Zestiria? The latest lengthy Japanese role-playing release of a series that's been a staple of Namco's output for what seems like an age, it's the franchise's first PlayStation 4 foray. There's a clear ambition from the developer to make things bigger and to explore themes, concepts, and gameplay mechanics...

• Fri 16th Oct 2015
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS4
• Tales of Zestiria

Review Tales of Hearts R (PlayStation Vita)

Pacemaker

Tales of Hearts R is an enhanced version of the popular Tales of Hearts on the Nintendo DS. Originally only released in Japan, this title represents the 11th entry in Bandai Namco’s long-running role-playing series – but does it live up to the property’s esteemed standards, and is it the type of title that famished PlayStation Vita...

• Fri 14th Nov 2014
• Reviews
• Bandai Namco
• PS Vita
• Tales of Hearts R