Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland – Review
Atelier games have been around for quite a while now, mostly being released in trilogies. At the beginning of the year we had the opportunity to review the Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack and this game is a sequel of the last title in this pack. It seems that the stories aren’t done yet in Arland as the saga continues in this fourth title.
Story
In this game we are teleported a few years after Atelier Meruru. At the beginning, we meet with the young girl Elmerulia, or rather Lulua for the friends. Being the daughter of the famous Alchemist Rorona, she has the burden on her shoulders to follow her mother in her footsteps. In the absence of her mom, she tries her best to study and get better, but things aren’t going as planned. Her friend Eva supports her all the way and although she has the help of her teacher Piana, the adventure actually starts when Lulua encounters a mysterious book. It seems she is the only one able to see text on the pages, even though there are some parts missing. It will take Lulua quite some effort to fill the gaps and learn new recipes for synthesis, together with her adventurous friends.
Being in the same setting as the previous games, there are quite some references to previous alchemists and events, making it harder to understand just what exactly is happening. It’s not obligatory to have played the previous games, but it does help. Just like the other titles, there is an extensive storyline which will lead you through the lands of Arland.
Graphics
If you like cute characters and an overload of colors, you’ll certainly like Atelier Lulua. The main protagonist is clad in adorable clothing that stands out against the environment and even other characters. Her style suits her well and the colors all match perfectly. The other party members all have their distinct clothing and every one of them is just a palette of hues and the whole lot is just amazing to see.
The sceneries are all splendid too, each area has different elements that will make you wander around. Materials are visible by the sparkles, so keep an eye out for those. Do watch out for the enemies though. These mostly stand out quite well, but still, accidents are always just around the corner. The visual effects during battle are similar to the other titles and are fun to watch.
Sound
Going with those cute visuals are cute voices and you can certainly expect that. High-pitched females will blast through your speakers and will take you on quite a journey, together with all the other sounds the game has to offer. Going from cheeky upbeat tunes to softer melodies during certain moments in the game, it has it all. The sound effects during battles are certainly a plus but it’s not that immersive. Sometimes it feels rather shallow and generic, making it go to the background rather fast.
Gameplay
Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is an RPG where Alchemy and synthesis are the main activities. You will need to venture a vast world filled with monsters to find the hidden truth of Arland while filling the mysterious book you found. Just like in the other games, there is time involved as every move you do will progress the game. If you have deadlines to keep in mind, this means that you’ll need to keep track of your to do list. Going to monster-infested areas will also be different depending on day- or nighttime and stronger enemies will pop up.
The main focus on the game is to synthesize and to fill up the book called the Alchemyriddle, but before you can do that, you need to have materials. This can be found all over the place, both in town and when walking around the several areas or it can even be obtained from monsters. Sometimes you will need to make a specific item so you can use it to synthesize something else, which is also visualized in the synthesis menu. Depending on the ingredients you pick to make a certain item, you can choose which type of element to add. This will lead to possible extras you can pick for your end product, although there is only a certain amount of points to distribute.
The Alchemyriddle is filled up by doing certain things like going to a certain area or finding a specific item. It’s best to keep an eye on this, as the main quest-line is linked to this book, same as some of the side-quests. If you have completed the different events that were needed for that specific page, you have to go to the atelier and complete it before you can continue.
Fighting monsters doesn’t just give materials but also experience. Leveling up characters means that they get extra skills which can be used. The party can consist out of a maximum of five people, with two being support characters. These two people can’t actually fight during the battle itself but can help the vanguard now and then. Having alchemists on the team means that they can only use items they can make. Going from bombs to healing items, you can equip anything you want. Even more, these items can be used as intercepts too when the bar has been filled. The battling system itself consists out of turns and depending on the speed and if you were able to initiate a first strike or not. If you get wiped out though, it’s not game over but you will lose precious time as you need to recover. It’s of course possible to get armor and weapon upgrades for all your characters, although that the buying system is a bit cumbersome. It’s not really possible to see if the newly acquired item would be better or not, which makes it more work than it should be.
If you have enough of the synthesizing, you can also go and fetch some sweet requests. Some will need you to make items, collect certain materials or kill some monsters. While you’re on the go anyway, why not take those requests with you? You can always cancel and it won’t have any consequences, but completing them will give you some nice money bonus or other advantages.
Conclusion
If you like to get your hands dirty with synthesizing and bashing some enemies, you’re going to love this title. The graphics are great and cute while the sounds will help getting that kawaii effect. The gameplay is a tad different than the previous titles. For example, the synthesizing is a different, which makes the game feel fresh again. You’ll be able to bash in some monsters while learning new recipes, what more fun is there?
Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland - Review,
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[…] KOEI TECMO Europe and GUST Studios have just revealed a brand new gameplay trailer for Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. This is the newest addition to the Alchemist series. The series has been around since the PlayStation 2 and counts more than a dozen games. If you’re not familiar with the series, in a nutshell, you follow the development of an alchemist to be. In this case, we’ll be following teenage tomboy Ryza and her mischievous group of friends. As the title might also give away, you’ll be building a secret hideout! The gameplay has undergone some upgrades and the game now uses a newly revamped Real-Time Tactical Battle system meaning that battles continue even while you are choosing your next action. Two characters will also be able to perform a powerful combo attack. These new additions seem to take the series in a fresh new direction. If you’re curious about the series, you can find our review of the previous installment right here. […]
Looking forward to the new one!