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
Soundtrack from Ar Tonelico
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MxvDGiUPgU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MxvDGiUPgU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Very soothing and ambient
Part of the "Volkslied"
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpidCj3YMHY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpidCj3YMHY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Gust have often done this with there soundtracks. Some better then others, this is definitely better
New Atelier Rorona (A11)
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PDhyDwfg5wc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PDhyDwfg5wc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
Atelier Rorona E3 Trailer
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7W_jCTczyFg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7W_jCTczyFg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
Atelier Battle Montage
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/stPTKHkSOwM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/stPTKHkSOwM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
yep voices are annoying
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
Soundtrack from Ar Tonelico
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MxvDGiUPgU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2MxvDGiUPgU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Very soothing and ambient
Part of the "Volkslied"
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpidCj3YMHY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpidCj3YMHY?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Gust have often done this with there soundtracks. Some better then others, this is definitely better
New Atelier Rorona (A11)
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PDhyDwfg5wc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PDhyDwfg5wc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
Atelier Rorona E3 Trailer
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7W_jCTczyFg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7W_jCTczyFg?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
Atelier Battle Montage
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/stPTKHkSOwM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/stPTKHkSOwM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
yep voices are annoying