Info about Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn Expansion:

Official game description:
  
The large-scale expansion Beyond the Dawn is now available for Tales of Arise.  
After the battle for the fate of two worlds, Alphen and his party meet a young girl named Nazamil, who is the daughter of a Renan Lord and a Dahnan. Will the six be able to change the fate of the girl who will eventually fall under the curse of the mask? Explore the world again with party members who are bounded together by a strong bond.  
Expansion contents:  
\- Beyond the Dawn  
Satisfying storyline, new dungeons, and subquests that depict the new adventures of the party members.  
\- Special Data  
6 additional costumes, content featuring the hero and heroine, and more.  
\- Travel Support Pack  
Additional items (50,000 Gald, Level Up +5, CP +100, complete fishing gear).  
\- Silver Weapon Collection  
A set of new silver-colored variant weapons.  
\*Beyond the Dawn Expansion content will be available in-game after claiming it from the Unclaimed DLC List when the expansion releases on November 9.  
\*Content included in this product can be purchased separately.  
\*Other editions are also available. Please be careful not to purchase the same content twice.

Release date: Nov 8, 2023

Categories: Action RPG, Character Progression, Story-driven Gameplay, Character Interaction, Combat, Exploration, Narrative Adventure

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The user reviews for this DLC indicate a strong consensus that it is overpriced and lacks substantial content to justify its cost. Many players feel that the DLC is a 'cash grab' and recommend purchasing it only during sales. Additionally, the practice of locking achievements and content behind the DLC is seen as predatory and frustrating. Overall, the DLC is perceived as not offering good value for money.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Story is highly praised (weight 0.32): The main story and its plot are consistently described as good, interesting, and enjoyable. Players appreciate the quality and depth of the narrative.
- New character Nazamil is well-received (weight 0.2): The new character Nazamil is found interesting, cute, and well-developed. Players appreciate her design and role in the story.
- DLC offers enjoyable content (weight 0.18): The DLC is described as enjoyable and emotionally engaging, providing additional character interactions and skits. It is entertaining and offers a substantial amount of new content.
- Visuals and soundtrack are praised (weight 0.16): The visual aesthetics, character design, and soundtrack are noted for their high quality, matching the standards set by the main game.
- Character interactions and skits are enjoyable (weight 0.15): Players enjoy the character interactions and comedic moments, finding them abundant and entertaining. These interactions are a highlight for many.
- Nostalgia for base game characters (weight 0.11): Some players are drawn to the DLC because of their attachment to the characters and story from the base game, finding it enjoyable to see them again.
- Combat system is enjoyable (weight 0.06): Players find the combat system enjoyable, highlighting it as one of the enjoyable parts of the game.

Common complaints:
- High price not justified (weight 0.48): Many players feel that the DLC is overpriced for the amount and quality of content it offers. It is often considered not worth the full price unless the player is a die-hard fan or aiming for a platinum trophy.
- Progress reset issue (weight 0.39): The DLC forces players to start over at level 65 without their previously acquired weapons, skills, or items. This requires players to rebuild their characters from scratch, which is seen as a significant drawback.
- Uninspired side quests (weight 0.32): Side quests in the DLC are criticized for being repetitive, boring, and lacking depth. They are often seen as uninteresting and unrewarding, adding little value to the overall gameplay experience.
- Short main story (weight 0.22): The main story of the DLC is considered too short and not as engaging as the main game. It can be completed in a few hours and does not provide enough new information or character development.
- Poor character integration (weight 0.21): The new character, Nazamil, is criticized for being unlikable, poorly integrated into the story, and lacking emotional depth. Her actions and motivations are not well-described, and she serves only a minor role.
- Limited and inaccessible map (weight 0.1): The map in the DLC is criticized for being smaller and having many inaccessible or omitted areas, making the game feel shrunk and less expansive.

Gameplay feedback:
- Level and skill reset (weight 0.48): Players are forced to start over with a level reset and must re-learn skills, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.
- Reused assets and gameplay (weight 0.46): The DLC heavily reuses assets, enemies, and gameplay mechanics from the main game, offering little in terms of new content or innovation.
- Story and character issues (weight 0.4): The story feels rushed and lacks depth, with new characters like Nazamil not being well-integrated or participating in battles.
- Limited progression carryover (weight 0.29): The DLC does not allow players to carry over progress, items, or skills from the main game, forcing them to start anew.
- Limited enemy variety (weight 0.17): The DLC features mostly reused enemies from the main game, with few variations and only a couple of new bosses.
- Minor additions (weight 0.09): The DLC offers only minor additions such as a few new recipes and slight improvements to existing mechanics like Boost Attacks.
- Final dungeon issues (weight 0.09): The final dungeon is repetitive, too long, and lacks engaging story elements or challenging gameplay.
- Achievement frustrations (weight 0.06): Achievements in the DLC are not well-integrated and can be frustrating for completionists.
- Extended tutorials (weight 0.06): The DLC includes extended tutorials that review main content, which may be redundant for returning players.
- Limited area access (weight 0.05): Players have limited access to certain areas and zones within the game world.
- Combat balance issues (weight 0.05): The combat system remains largely unchanged, and new weapons are only slightly better, with monsters having stacked attributes.

Performance notes:
- Improved graphics and visuals (weight 0.07): Players have noted that the graphics and visuals in the game have been updated and are impressive, particularly highlighting the atmospheric shaders.
- Gaps in final dungeon (weight 0.04): There are visible gaps reported in the final dungeon, which may affect the gameplay experience.

Recommendations:
- Only buy DLC on sale (weight 0.59): Many players recommend purchasing the DLC only when it is on sale, suggesting that the content is not worth the full price. Some specify waiting for a significant discount, such as 50-75% off.
- Recommended for fans of the base game (weight 0.46): The DLC is recommended for players who enjoyed the main story and characters of the base game. It is suggested for those who want more story and character interactions.
- Worth for completionists (weight 0.28): Some reviews suggest that the DLC is worth it for players who want to complete all achievements and experience everything the game has to offer.
- Not recommended for casual players (weight 0.17): The DLC is not recommended for players who are not die-hard fans of the series or those who have spent a lot of time on the main game. It is also not recommended for those seeking new content or challenges.

Other player notes:
- Development challenges acknowledged (weight 0.07): Players recognized the efforts of the developers despite facing budget constraints and timeline disruptions due to COVID-19.
- Avoid side content (weight 0.04): Players advised against engaging with the side content of the expansion, indicating it may not be worth the time or effort.
- Language support issues (weight 0.04): The game lacks Simplified Chinese language support, and players need to change the language settings in the game properties.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.55): Players are disappointed due to the lack of significant changes in the world and character development, with many finding the storyline boring, cliche, and rushed. The DLC is criticized for feeling like a filler episode with repetitive tasks, lack of new content, and high price, leading to a sense of it being a lazy cash grab. Additionally, the new character, Nazamil, is widely disliked for ruining the plot and not being playable, further contributing to the disappointment.
- Frustration (weight 0.27): Players are frustrated with the repetitive tasks, resets in progress, and the lack of significant romantic development. The story is criticized for being rushed, lacking depth, and filled with fetch quests. The DLC's structure, which forces players to rebuild their characters and deal with reused environments, adds to the frustration.
- Anger (weight 0.07): Players are angry due to the lack of inheritance of levels, items, and skills from the main game, forcing them to start over. The high price combined with the lack of new content and the reuse of old maps is seen as a waste of money. The story is also criticized for being ridiculous and not meeting expectations.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Players are satisfied with the quality of the DLC, finding it emotionally engaging and maintaining the quality of the main game. The interesting story, detailed events, and minor details with NPCs contribute to this satisfaction. The abundant sub-quests and skits, as well as the further development of the characters' story, are also appreciated.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players express joy due to the great OST and costumes, as well as the engaging group dynamics and skits. The enjoyment of the base game also contributes to this positive emotion.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Players feel bored due to the long, drawn-out side quests that involve only talking to different characters without combat or gathering materials. The repetitive and tedious nature of these quests contributes to the sense of boredom.
- Mixed feelings (weight 0.02): Players have mixed feelings as they appreciate some aspects like the story, new character, combat system, and character interactions. However, they are disappointed by the side quests, lack of new features, and repetitive tasks, leading to a conflicted emotional response.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.01): Players enjoy the new character and the overall game, finding it pretty enjoyable. The positive aspects of the game contribute to this sense of enjoyment.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players express love for the game, indicating a deep emotional connection and appreciation for Tales of Arise.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Players are excited to see again the characters they loved during the main game. The final dungeon and the finale are highlighted as epic and well-executed, contributing to this excitement.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the outcome of the game, feeling genuinely glad for a character and overall satisfied with the experience.}