Gust & the Simple Sprites

Otaku-san

Otaku-san

Chuunibyou
Atelier Series that started with a playstation game by Guest in 1997 was a simple isometric spirited game that kept one element in common; Alchemy. As you expect a person finds a recipe, they then find ingredients to create the item that will assist the travellers on their journey, which more a less has some cursed creation that the hero's must defeat. These games started with two set squeals on the PS1 and 3 on the PS2(see image below), then between 2004 to 2007 Guest created the Atelier Iris series for the PS2, still featuring that classic spirited characters, backgrounds and turn based system. it's only been recently this series has been localised by NIS america, and Koei for PAL release, spawning alone side the Disgeae franchise. Guest continued and created Ar Tonelico, a project to create rapid combat and different viewing perspective on the playing field, which then became the bases for Mana Khemia. These simple creations are a charming little series to play and gave fair well to the fleeting PS2.

Now Guest has completed a new Atelier series (codenamed A11) that's now 3D rendered compared to all of it's previous games.
I heard that NIS Europe (<.<) has released Ar Tonelico 2 and Mana Khemia for the PS2 and PSP, and will further pull out others including Mana Khemia 2, but since Ar Tonelico 1 was licensed by 505 for Pal (rest of Europe and not the UK) I'm not sure what's happening to that.

If there's one element that I like that others my well dislike, for such simple graphics, is the music thats been composed by Ken Nakawaga, Daisuki Achiwa and Akira Tsuchiya for Atelier Iris series and Ar Tonelico alike. They've been able to combine a perfect blend of synth bass structure and natural instruments with such a joyish beat

Table Showing The Structure of The Atelier Series
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Soundtrack from Ar Tonelico
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Very soothing and ambient

Part of the "Volkslied"
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Gust have often done this with there soundtracks. Some better then others, this is definitely better

New Atelier Rorona (A11)
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Atelier Rorona E3 Trailer
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Atelier Battle Montage
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yep voices are annoying :p
 
I wouldn't have wrote a review for it otherwise <<


Well the games nothing of the complex nature, so really nothing you need a stragity guide for.

this is what play.com has to say

Atelier Iris 1

* A classic fantasy RPG with platform-gaming elements. Gaining new abilities will give you access to previously unreachable areas.
* Unique, high-resolution 2D graphics bring the anime-inspired world to life.
* Synthesis system lets you use Mana to create and collect over 300 items.
* The 'Cost Turn Battle System' lets you choose from quick, low damage attacks to time-consuming, high damage attacks. It's a simple system, yet adds a great deal of strategy to combat.
* Deep story punctuated by witty dialogue and plenty of references for anime and RPG fans.
* Interesting and engaging characters, an array of side quests, and a vast amount of customizability.
* The sixth in the popular Atelier series, and the first to come to Europe.
* Bilingual voice option - listen to the dialogue in English or the original Japanese.

Atelier Iris 3

* Active Card Cost Battle - With the fast paced ACCB system, battle sequences are ordered by cards that represent the characters' action order. The quicker the character, the faster their action turn comes around.
* Symbol Encounter - An innovative change for Atelier Iris 3 is the introduction of a symbol encounter system. Players will no longer randomly encounter enemies, but visually confirm and engage them.
* Guild Quest - Unlike previous Atelier Iris titles, the all-new Atelier Iris 3 adopts a guild quest system. With this system, players can easily accept quests and missions that the guild post.
* Comprehensive item/weapon crafting.

Ar Tonelico
* Fast paced song magic battle system
* A "Dive" system that allows you to date and solve your friends psychological problems through song
* Massive character and item customisation system
* 4 different endings for 100+ hours of gameplay

Hope this provides some enlightenment
 
Should I buy Mana Khemia, Y/N? I REALLY love the song "Stigmata" but I'm not sure what to expect, I don't want another Star Ocean... in 2D.
 
Well i would, people's reviews on it well praise the game and it retains that Card Cost Battle System from the third atelier iris. Plus i remember reading somewhere that Ar Tonelico was the base for creating the Mana Khemia, so there's vary similar camera views with the world map and the multiple endings.

But you take a butchers anywere that sold the game, most are shear praise. Though I don't know why Ar Tonelico 2 got a back seat
 
Otaku-san said:
I wouldn't have wrote a review for it otherwise <<
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Well you haven't actually said you've played any of these games...just posted information you could find anywhere... =/

Mania Khemia is alright...it doesn't stand out at all, but if you like generic JRPGs, cool, go for it.

I prefer Ar Tonelico 2, even if just for the slightly pervy lines about "diving into" women.
 
Aaron said:
Otaku-san said:
I wouldn't have wrote a review for it otherwise <<
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Well you haven't actually said you've played any of these games...just posted information you could find anywhere... =/
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I've actually consolidated my data, which at least is far more then any biased review of "ZOMG anyone play FF XII, its uber awesome". Like half the twats on the internet
 
Which reminds me I paid £50 for Ar Tonelico 1 PAL version, that game was very hard to get hold off, already beaten the second game.

I love these sorts of games so I can't wait for Ar Tonelico 3 and Altelier Rorona.

Any news on Mana Khemia 2 PAL release, don't care if its PS2 or PSP really :D?
 
Duskin said:
Which reminds me I paid £50 for Ar Tonelico 1 PAL version, that game was very hard to get hold off, already beaten the second game.

I love these sorts of games so I can't wait for Ar Tonelico 3 and Altelier Rorona.

Any news on Mana Khemia 2 PAL release, don't care if its PS2 or PSP really :D?
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Oh dear oh dear Duskin...should of gone to play.com

anyhow sorry for the late reply but i was doing some searching and apparently it was rumoured to come out last November. But naturally we haven't seen anything. So what is happening.

well this thread I came across had someone contact NIS America to ask whether there will be release of Mana Khemia 2, to which they simple replied to that it won't be possible.
Though I don't see why not since it really isn't NIS Americas choice
 
BlackWolf said:
That's ironic a friend of mine has just given me the three atelier iris games on the PS2 along with Ar Tonelico II.

Are the games any good?
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It has good music and some fun storie's the characters are rather funny and unforgettable. A great way to kill time if you not have any other game to be getting on with, at the same time they not ground braking earth shaking mega hits.
 
I forgot to post that there was a few people that put some videos up of the game play. One of the weirdest things I heard was that you was able to undress the characters down to their underwear 0_o Well, all in the name of science

Saki Battle Montage
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Finnel Battle Montage
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Well I'm re-bumping this thread since I can and will.
For anybody interested in Atelier Rorona knows that it should be available by Q3 this year, I found this little titbit of info

There will be over 100 items for players to create using alchemy, with ingredients to be found all over the game's world. The game will also tout over 30 different endings depending on character interactions and how the player completes missions.
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Cripes! Gust Inc. has gone above and beyond with know 30 endings (i wish i had a PS3), making it more a definitive RPG then Princess Maker will ever be . Anyhow along with that there's also a squeal to be expected bought June 24th called Atelier Totori: Alchemist of Arland 2.
Obviously Gust creating their two set squeals, like they used too with their earlier games before where it focused on same continents rather then alchemists.

In other alcemy news;
The first episode in the second series of the Atelier games AKA Atelier Judie ~The Alchemist of Gramnad, has now been ported to PSP for Japanese consumption early this April. This called possible be translated and released for the EU, a sorta FFIII but without the 20 year wait
 
Big update folks to:

The Most Comprehensive Thread On Gust

I've made a few updates to the thread, two new youtube vids of music, deleting a repetitive vid and replaced with Saki battle from Ar Tonelico Qoga, vids of Atelier Rorona in English plus there will be some links added links on track listings and PS3 exclusives all on the first post :)

Now I know I'm late in saying about the release of Atelier Rorona, but I only got the game from Christmas just gone and it's roughly five months since it's European release. My one quick question to you guys is this:

What do you think about it?

I read all about it months prior to it's release, the anticipation of seeing a Gust game in full 3D environments and a multitude of 30 endings sounded marvellous. Though since it's release the reviews have not been kind, along with the acting, simplistic endings and inability of carrying over elements through multiple play-through. Gamespot gave such a rating as 6, and I noticed that since the Iris series each instalment has been getting lower ratings. Won't surprise me that by the end of the next series, Gamespot will be rating at 4.2.

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Ar Tonelico Qoga

The third squeal to the series is to be released by March 25th for Europe. A new facelift like Rorona, still same artist Nagi providing artwork/backgrounds and Akari Tsuchiya composing music. Though while lurking about for finding more info, I came across one site that stated that Akari said this might well be the last squeal to the Ar Tonelico series. Using a Japanese PSN account has also lead me to believe that there's downloadable expressions for one of the characters, though I'm sure (or hoping) that this will be available to the other stores once the game is released.

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Since I've now got a PS3, I've fiddled about with all the features, and I've noticed that having a bright wallpaper is no good, I've tried all sorts of Reyvateils' and found this pic to be perfect

http://kuro.hanyuu.net/image/a882d0...23120 ar_tonelico gust nagi_ryou shurelia.jpg

also bitterly disappointed with the lack of Atelier themes I sort for Ar Tonelico and here they are:

http://dol.dengeki.com/sp/ar-tonelico/at3/special.html

The themes are second from the bottom. Either download these .p3t files and store them on a USB stick in a folder named 'themes' or access the website through your system.

The next time I'll be posting again will be once Qoga's release and projected dates for Atelier Totori. Though there is something to say about Hyperdimension Neptun(e(ia)) coming out before Ar Tonelico, I might put that in a different thread.
 
ilmaestro said:
I didn't even buy Totori yet, I just have an art book. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.htm ... OBK-830379
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Oh yes the artbook for the Arland series, I remember that advertised whilst on pixiv. At the moment I've been quite in golfed with the OST that I got last Expo

Plus I done a bit of digging to know what this "The Binary World" is. It so happens that it's official DLC, split into five chapters. Also those "Expressions" I mentioned earlier happen to be patches for the character "Harvestasya". I remember seeing half a dozen on the PS store.

anyhow here's a link to what I read:
http://www.siliconera.com/2010/06/30/ar-tonelico-iii-extended-with-extra-chapters/
 
"In addition to the Binary World, Gust prepared some personality changing content for Harvestasya. Use the tsundere pack to make Harvestasya to make her the type of character that warms up to you. The dorodere pattern gives her a hurt on the inside, but sweet on the outside personality. There are four patches to download. All of the patches are optional and free. The tsundere patch is first and it goes live on July 13."

This is the greatest idea ever.
 
I've been playing Ar Tonelico II, having bought the cheapo PAL release a couple of years back. The only reason I started it was to decide whether or not I'd be buying the US release of Ar Tonelico III, with its shexy art book and CD, and I'm pleased to report that I almost certainly will be.

The battle system is great and mainly revolves around building the boost gauge (which determines the strength of the girls' magic) through chaining physical attacks. I particularly like the defence phase; in games with turn-based combat it always irks me how your characters just stand there while being twatted about by the enemy. Not so in Ar Tonelico II, where a well-timed button press can completely negate damage AND earn a large boost gauge increase. Then again, the battle system isn't strictly turn-based; it's more a real-time/turn-based hybrid.

The other big gameplay element is "cosmosphere diving", which entails the main character entering the girls' minds and helping them resolve difficulties they're having in the "real" world, and unlocking more powerful magic in the process. These sections utilise a visual novel-style interface, and use metaphor to represent the problems the characters must overcome (for example, a character who's always done what's expected of her is, in her cosmosphere, a model high school student who really just wants to make friends and have fun like all the other kids).

Perhaps the best thing about the game, however, is the amount of sexual innuendo peppered throughout the game's script. Or it is if your sense of humour is as juvenile as mine. Here's a choice selection of the maidens' innuendo-laden battle cries:

"More!"
"You're so good!"
"I can feel it... stronger!"
"It's overflowing from inside!" (not sure if this one's innuendo or not, but I like it anyway)

The game also contains the immortal line "this'll be the first and last time I ever stick something into you".

Negatives? Well, the graphics are nothing to write home about, and the story is confusing the crap out of me. I'm informed that playing the first game would help, but I had believed ATII was self-contained and so never bothered. Maybe there's a plot FAQ out there somewhere...
 
fabricatedlunatic said:
Negatives? Well, the graphics are nothing to write home about, and the story is confusing the crap out of me. I'm informed that playing the first game would help, but I had believed ATII was self-contained and so never bothered. Maybe there's a plot FAQ out there somewhere...
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Well I can safely say that AT1 has a completely different battle system and field mapping, one could say an exact replica to the Atelier Iris series however, it still has a profound and immersing story.

There was always a glossary at the pause menu for the player to understand the universe or there's always this wikia page:


Platina

It covers everything on Ar Ciel, from translations of "EXEC"/"METHOD" Hymmnos to Wave theory
 
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