Gaming

Tales of Arise vs Scarlet Nexus: What to play first?

Animé game showdown!

Published

October 12, 2021

It’s been a rather good year for BANDAI Namco and its single-player animé-style games. In mid 2021 they launched the all-new, all-original Scarlet Nexus. A couple of months later, they released the latest in a long-running franchise, Tales of Arise. If you’re on the fence about which one to play first (let’s face it, if you’re a fan of this type of game you likely want to play both), hopefully this will help you decide.

Before everything else, let’s get a few disclaimers out of the way. I’ve yet to fully complete both games. Well, in Scarlet Nexus I’ve finished my first playthrough with Kasane and I’m currently in the very early stages of my Yuito playthrough. Meanwhile in Tales of Arise, I’m about 20+ hours deep and have a 6-member party. I feel like 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. Also, if you’re a long-time Tales of fan, you’ve likely made your decision already so this may not be for you. Lastly, this is in no way 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 decide which one to recommend first, thus, this exercise.

Point system

Here’s how we’ll do this. We’ll score each game on the following pillars:

Visual presentation
Music and soundtrack
Combat
Story
Fun Factor

I’ll discuss my thoughts on both games for each pillar and give a score from 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Towards the end, we’ll tally scores and highest total wins. Sounds simple enough, yeah?

Let’s dive in!

Visual presentation

The general art style 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 belt. There are a few differences though.

For instance, both games have this comic-book style cut-scene where the characters exchange dialogue to mostly add 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 appreciate.

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

Next is the overall look and feel of the visuals. I think both games do a good job of showcasing their respective worlds. Scarlet Nexus is this post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk-ish world that feels rather empty, but that’s because of the story and the setting. Tales of Arise, on the other hand, feels more alive and is generally bright and charming like most high fantasy titles.

When it comes to the menus, I’m partial to Tales of Arise because there are enough spaces left to let elements on the screen breathe. In contrast, I felt Scarlet Nexus had a really busy-looking menu that can be 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 think both games look great and have a definitive visual identity. There are just little factors here and there that, for me, Tales of Arise does better.

Music and soundtrack

Unlike the visual presentation section, I don’t think I can say as much about the music and soundtrack. Unless it’s extremely good or bad, music and soundtrack is generally something I notice last.

For instance, the sound design in Returnal is something I absolutely gave praises to. Persona 5’s “Last Surprise” still rings in my ear to this day. And of course you have iconic and memorable soundtracks like Utada Hikaru’s “Simple and Clean”, and Faye Wong’s “Eyes on Me.”

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

Scarlet Nexus blasts a variety of genres throughout your playthrough. There’s a mish-mash of electronic, pop, punk, and even EDM (electronic dance music) in there. Meanwhile, Tales of Arise has this more traditional mix of animé pop-rock intro and fantastical soundtrack. Its opening song, in particular, is an absolute banger.

Verdict:

Tales of Arise — 7 points
Scarlet Nexus — 7 points

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

Combat

The combat of both games are fun and have interesting levels of depth in different ways.

In Scarlet Nexus, you play as either of the lead characters Kasane or Yuito in a single campaign. Each one will have a party of characters but they are mostly supporting casts in battle. They attack independently and you can use their unique abilities for a limited one at a time or all at once to aid you in combat. The level of depth comes in the multiple abilities you can combine to take down enemies and a variety of ways. Most of which are pretty satisfying.

Going to Brain Drive mode in Scarlet Nexus is pretty satisfying

Tales of Arise gives you a little bit more or a variety in a single campaign. All party members are playable and have very distinct fighting styles and abilities. Naturally, you’ll spend more time with leads Alphen and Shionne, but the rest of the crew: Rinwell, Law, BEST GIRL Kisara, and Dohalim offer new dynamics to combat that help keep the gameplay feel fresh.

Combat encounters are also a little different. Scarlet Nexus feels more like an actual action-JRPG with how you can jump at an enemy as you’re traversing an area. Meanwhile, in Tales of Arise you encounter an enemy in an area and get transported into somewhat of a battle arena section to go into combat. The controls itself still feel action RPG-like once you’re in combat but the difference is how you get there.

I think Scarlet Nexus offers a little more precision when it comes to combat. From my experience, I feel more in control during fights with who I’m targeting despite the busy screen with everyone in the party fighting.

Maybe 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. Around my 10th to 12th hour playing, the visuals and gameplay still feel like, 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 especially entertaining and never get old despite the repetition.

“Diarrhea Christmas Lights”

Verdict:

Tales of Arise — 8 points
Scarlet Nexus — 8.5 points

Both have their strengths but I like having the feeling of a little more control that’s why Scarlet Nexus gets half a point more than Tales of Arise.

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 too 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 have to go through both campaigns to get a full picture and I haven’t done that yet. Meanwhile in Tales of Arise, I’ve only just completed the 6-member party.

So far, I’m enjoying both for different reasons. Scarlet Nexus gives a “Yo, what the hell is happening right now” vibes. It’s filled with twists and mysteries and a pretty way out there revelation despite its setting.

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

To give you a better overview idea, I asked Chris Garcia of One 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. [You’re] in search of the truth about stopping a world-ending event that shapes the future of the nation.”

Verdict:

Tales of Arise — 7 points
Scarlet Nexus — 8 points

I really had to pause and grit my teeth over this one. I’m personally enjoying Tales of Arise more but that may just be recency bias since it’s what I’m currently playing. But looking back, there are more “WTF” moments in Scarlet Nexus that’s why I gave it a slight edge.

Fun factor

While this whole thing has been an exercise of subjectivity, it doesn’t get any more subjective than this. What each of us consider fun is different. So, I’m just gonna hang my hat on that as I point out what I really thought was fun for both games.

I really enjoyed the combat and the WTF moments in Scarlet Nexus. If anything’s gonna want you to keep playing, it’s wanting to find out exactly why the world is the way it is. And the revelations get really outrageous but with still missing story threads with just one playthrough. This makes going through the second campaign with a different character enticing because you want to be able to paint a full picture of what happened.

This was a heartbreaking scene.

However, getting through the story sometimes felt like a chore because of how you move around areas. Honest Game Trailers described it as like going through one long hallway and it was so on point. Some parts of the game, while they aren’t bad, just didn’t feel as polished.

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

This high fantasy look is totally my jam.

Verdict:

Tales of Arise — 9 points
Scarlet Nexus — 7 points

Tally

	Tales of Arise	Scarlet Nexus
Visual presentation	9	8
Music and soundtrack	7	7
Combat	8	8.5
Story	7	8
Fun factor	9	7
Total	40	38.5

There you have it, that’s my completely subjective and unscientific showdown between Tales of Arise and Scarlet Nexus. I think the scores really reflect how I feel about each game as of writing.

Nobody asked but this is how I dodge awkward conversations.

There’s plenty of enjoyment to be had on both games, but the overall more polished vibe I get from Tales of Arise makes it my pick if you only had to pick just one to play or which one to play first.

In the end, the decision is yours, but I hope this helped even just a little.

Related Topics:Bandai Namco Scarlet Nexus Tales of ARISE

Gaming

Stranger Than Heaven is a Yakuza prequel with Snoop Dogg

The story spans different eras and regions across half a century in Japan.

Published

May 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In my review of Yakuza Kiwami 3, I groaned about how every new entry in the Yakuza and Like a Dragon franchise — original and remake — looked identical with each other. I ended that playthrough hoping desperately for a new era. Thankfully, those hopes did not fall on deaf ears. In its first trailer, the upcoming Stranger Than Heaven showed off an interesting reimagining of the Yakuza universe. Oh, and Snoop Dogg is in it.

First announced back in late 2024 as Project Century, Stranger Than Heaven has now confirmed itself as a prequel to the prequel to the Yakuza games. It didn’t start that way, though. When it was announced, there was hope that the then-untitled game featured a new story disconnected from Yakuza. It looks like the final game is making the best of both worlds.

Stranger Than Heaven chronicles the rise of the infamous Tojo Clan. Unless this is decidedly different from the Tojo Clan in the Yakuza series, this is the clearest sign that this is, in fact, a prequel.

Makoto Daito, a Japanese boy living in Chicago, escapes America to forge a new life in Japan. Along the way, he meets Orpheus, a smuggler played by Snoop Dogg, who drags Makoto into the criminal underworld. Eventually, Makoto decides to do things his own way by creating a new crime family called the Tojo Clan.

Unlike other games in the series, Stranger Than Heaven spans different eras and regions in Japan, starting with Fukuoka in 1915 and ending with Kamurocho in 1965. It will also have different fighting mechanics by mapping the left and right bumpers/triggers to left and right attacks.

Off the bat, Stranger Than Heaven looks like a new era for the series. It launches winter this year for all major platforms.

Gaming

Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches October 6

Pre-orders now live

Published

May 4, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to launch on October 6, 2026, bringing a new high-speed twist to the Star Wars universe. The game is published by Secret Mode and developed by Fuse Games. It arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with support for up to 12 players.

Pre-orders are now open across Standard, Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions. Pricing starts at $59.99 for the Standard Edition, with both digital and physical versions available depending on platform.

A different kind of Star Wars story

Set in the lawless Outer Rim, the game introduces the Galactic League—an unsanctioned racing circuit where skill matters more than destiny. You play as a mysterious pilot named Shade, navigating a single-player campaign built on rivalries, alliances, and unfinished business.

There’s no Force or prophecy here. Instead, the focus is on build strategy and racing mastery. Players can customize three types of repulsorcraft and even take on classic podracers, blending familiar Star Wars elements with a more competitive, arcade-style edge.

Multiplayer supports online races where players can test their builds and driving skills against others.

Pre-order bonuses and editions

All pre-orders include a bonus livery usable across vehicles, with platform-specific colors, plus a Player Banner background for multiplayer.

The Deluxe Edition adds three extra vehicles, exclusive Arcade events, a livery pack, and cosmetic upgrades like new player banners and insignias. It also includes a digital art book featuring early designs of characters, locations, and vehicles.

Collector’s Edition for dedicated pilots

For collectors, the physical Collector’s Edition bundles a model of the Kor Sarun: Darc X landspeeder, themed patches, a printed art book, and a steel case housed in premium packaging. It also includes all Deluxe Edition digital content.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches on October 6, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with pre-orders now available.

Gaming

PRAGMATA is not for the faint of heart

Already a Game of the Year contender for all the feels

Published

May 4, 2026

Gab Orlina

Six years and a few notable launch delays. That’s what it took for Capcom to finally introduce a new franchise in 2026. They already have legacy franchises getting new releases. However, the biggest question looming over their head was whether or not they dare to explore something new. What makes it more challenging is an entirely new team is working on its development. That comes with its own sets of risks and rewards.

This was the story of PRAGMATA, another exciting title finally getting its time in the spotlight on all modern platforms. Looking at trailers, screenshots, and even demo highlights, I already got the sense that this game may just be at par with a ton of sci-fi-inspired RPGs. The expectation on my end was clear: all action, all exploration, with a storyline that will tie everything together seamlessly.

I was not prepared for the storm of emotions and action that came my way.

Maximizing your brain power

PRAGMATA operates like most action-packed RPGs with how combat works: you point, you shoot. To set that up, you play as Hugh. He is an engineer sent to a moonbase called the Cradle to investigate comms being down. As you enter the Cradle, something already feels off. Before you even get a chance to blink, you’re already plunging into danger as the AI that keeps it safe has gone rogue. By the time you come to, you’re attacked by one of the bots that helped you out. From there, must fight your way throughout the game to survive.

Luckily for you, a support android named D-I-0336-7 fixes you up. The android willingly helps you fight the rogue AI by hacking through them. Not only will the hacking deal additional damage, but it will help you identify enemy weak spots to exploit. However, to achieve the perfect hack, you are required to solve a puzzle-like board with nodes mid-fight. Essentially, you’ll be doing two things at once to survive and fight your way through the Cradle.

It’s the kind of mechanic that feels unique as the level of difficulty escalates with every encounter. Oftentimes, the hacking and the shooting are separate mechanics that are done to calmly set you up for the fights. Now, it’s do-or-die with the hacking increasing your odds of success immensely. Enemies are hard to defeat simply on the gunplay alone. And you will need to keep that in mind as you progress through the game.

Expansive world to complete and unlock

Speaking of progression, as you get out of that initial skirmish alive with D-I-0336-7, who Hugh cutely gives the nickname “Diana” to, you end up in a tram to the Shelter. Effectively, the Shelter serves as both your base of operations and a rest spot to retool before combat. As you go through every area of the game, you unlock newer features. These are REM Replicators, upgrades to your health, firepower and hacking skills, and access to more weapon schematics and nodes. Also, you can even set up matching suits for Hugh and Diana before heading out into the world again!

Once you have everything you need, you will venture out into areas in the Cradle that need to be restored. A lot of the areas are incredibly expansive. This allows you to explore and grab as many freebies lying around as you can. From the Lunafilament used for upgrades to newer weapons at your disposal, the game scatters these for you to find and harvest from the overworld. Of course, you’ll run into the occasional swarm of enemies but you have Diana, and Diana has you!

Diana’s hacking even extends into these as you progressively acquire new skills. As you progress, you’ll be able to remove map hazards, clear traps, and scale structures effortlessly. This fully allows exploration to be less of a drag. There are newer pathways to areas you previously couldn’t explore or made it easier to backtrack. Plus, there are stations that can be activated as save points and hangars to return to the Shelter that Diana can activate.

It’s a large hub to explore. You’re encouraged to get and know everything because this next part will have you strapped.

Building bridges back to Earth

Without completely spoiling too much, PRAGMATA‘s storyline is one you gradually feel and resonate with. Earlier, I mentioned that the whole reason Hugh and his team were in the Cradle was to investigate its unresponsiveness. In an unfortunate turn of events, Hugh gets separated from his team and has to go through the entire Cradle looking for a way to get back to Earth. Along the way, Diana resurrects Hugh from certain death and accompanies him throughout the excursion mostly to be a guide and helping hand.

Throughout the game, Hugh and Diana develop a strong bond that already borders a father-daughter dynamic. Originally, Hugh didn’t really consider himself as a parental figure since he doesn’t have kids of his own. However, he goes out of his way to ensure Diana’s safety and overall wellbeing – effectively giving human compassion and love to an android. Oddly enough, Diana almost certainly feels more human and would even want to join him back to Earth.

As you explore throughout the game, you also pick up schematics of real Earth objects that are processed in the Shelter’s REM Replicators. These are neat trinkets that Diana actually gets to play with, even to a point of bonding with Hugh through them. It’s the kind of heartwarming moments in between the chaos that reflects the dynamic that many people will truly appreciate.

Struggles picked, sacrifices made

Remember how the game encourages you to explore to know everything? All of that was intentional for Hugh and Diana to get down to the bottom of what really happened at the Cradle. As it turns out, the AI mainframe of the Cradle, IDUS went into disarray after the moonquake that separated Hugh from his crew. Along the excursion through the Cradle, the pair discovers and meets up with another android called Eight who has the answers to effectively contain IDUS through Diana.

Only for them to realize that there are far graver dangers ahead. So now, the objective is to survive till the end, get back to Earth and stop anything that gets in the way. All throughout, you as Hugh will be tested on not only keeping Diana safe, but also ensuring that she gets to experience Earth with or without him. For the parents and parental figures out there, you know this feeling all too well.

A GamingMatch Made in Heaven?

No matter how you slice it, PRAGMATA nailed everything in my list of expectations: the right mix of exploration, easy-to-master combat mechanics, and an emotional story that transcends culture and hits right in the feels. It feels like Capcom continuously revitalizes the RPG experience with newer concepts and mechanics that truly test players at the core. Matching it with characters that allow you to have an emotional investment in, and the game hits right in the feels in more ways than one.

It’s a game that gradually keeps you engrossed in the experience from start to finish. From approaching tougher and larger enemies to traversing the overworld to collect resources, every instance feels wholly unique. Furthermore, the game incentivizes rest and reset without fully losing progress in your adventure.

More than anything, it offers a fresh take on character dynamics that will leave you in an emotional mess. Whether you like it or not. Admittedly, the bond between Hugh and Diana is one that a lot of people simply resonate and potentially aspire to have. It’s a reminder of how deep the human connection can truly transcend. And even be the ultimate key to survival against all olds.

Not only does PRAGMATA get a Swipe Right, but this game truly deserves to be up there for Game of the Year contention.