Events Tales of Arise unfold in two worlds at once – Rena and Dan. The first shines with technological progress, such as technology, firearms and advanced magic. The second one is stuck in the Middle Ages. Both planets are connected to each other and the more developed one keeps the second one under yoke, taking resources from there and even taking the locals into slavery. The protagonists are the inhabitants of warring worlds traveling together: the girl Shion from Dana and the guy Alfen from Rena. The goal of both is to equalize the rights of the planets and free people from the yoke of tyrants.

In terms of gameplay, Tales of Arise is an action-JRPG in open areas. Following the traditions of the genre, the heroes travel across the global map of the world, visiting individual locations where they move in person. There, the protagonists are given several possible activities. These include collecting materials, completing main and additional quests, communicating with NPCs and fighting opponents. The latter happen in a classic way for the series. The characters stumble upon a group of enemies and are transported to a separate limited area, where a dynamic battle takes place.

The battles themselves have become noticeably faster and more dynamic compared to previous parts of the franchise. Controlled heroes move faster, and have also learned not only to block, but also to dodge. The core of the system remains unchanged. The player switches between 4 fighters from the group, controlling the active one personally, while the rest fight under the control of artificial intelligence. For victories, the team receives experience and resources to improve skills and equipment.