First up, for free, there’s the addition of Very Easy and Unknown modes, which will offer new simple/extremely difficult gameplay options. Fans who’ve tried Very Easy say it’s an even more straightforward option than the current Story Mode, designed for players who just want to experience the narrative. Another training grounds battle will also be available, with the opportunity to earn new weapons. Onto the paid stuff, there’s yet more costumes for Alphen and Shionne, plus a new Training Grounds fight, all themed around Sword Art Online. This pack costs a pricy £13.49. Tales of Arise has gone down very well with the series’ fanbase and has broken franchise records by hitting 1m copies sold in less than a week. But it hasn’t been without complaint. One regular gripe I’ve seen is the way Tales of Arise advertises new DLC packs via a small on-screen ticker viewable whenever you sit down at a campfire. Restful, that is not.
