Tales of Arise – Damage-Sponge Bosses
Bandai Namco’s newest entry in the Tales series is its biggest yet. Sporting a new engine, it offers gorgeous environments and character models along with much better presentation. Even the combat is on a much crazier scale thanks to the sheer number of combos, abilities, Boost Strikes and evasion. It’s perhaps the best that the series has ever been in terms of combat…except, as you’ve probably guessed, for one big flaw: The bosses.
Even if you’re fairly leveled and unleashing highly damaging combos, bosses – especially the Renan Lords – feel like they’re hardly reacting to your attacks even on Normal difficulty. Even more annoying is how cinematic uses of Boost Strikes are pretty much necessary for creating. As you unlock more upgrades and become more comfortable with the combat, you feel less under-powered but it still takes you out of the combat from time to time.
