When I made my full SRPG sport listing I included Atelier video games, which precipitated some remark — they aren’t Strategy RPGs, definitely, however I’d think about no less than the sooner ones to be Simulation RPGs. Plus I just like the collection so I put it on there so I may play extra of the video games.

The lengthy operating collection started in 1997 and presently has 23 essential titles and round 15 aspect video games, plus numerous remakes. The first 5 video games are primarily simulation video games the place you management a younger alchemist attempting to attain some gentle objective (like go an examination or convey prosperity to your village). There is normally a fundamental “good” ending that’s fairly straightforward to get, after which numerous different endings which can be harder. As the collection progressed, they put increasingly RPG components in — by A5 (Viorate) you had explorable dungeons, a sophisticated weapon and armor crafting system, and 5 totally different bosses. However, the sport may nonetheless be accomplished with out doing a lot of this, and the main target was on operating a retailer and crafting gadgets.

A6 (Iris) was a straight RPG (with a crafting system), and the subsequent 4 video games after that continued that development. I first performed the collection when Iris had simply come out, and there was plenty of uncertainty whether or not the collection would ever return to the simulation roots.

But A11 (Rorona) did return to the sooner type, though the RPG components appeared extra distinguished. I haven’t performed something previous A13 (Meruru) however from what I hear the RPG components have develop into increasingly dominant because the collection has progressed.

The aspect video games embrace some video games that aren’t RPGs or simulation video games, but in addition a number of video games for Nintendo transportable programs that appear to be they stands out as the extra conventional video games.

I’m no less than going to submit about A1-A5 once I get to them, however after that it’s going to rely upon how I really feel and what sort of sport they’re. I’ve already performed Marie and gotten all of the endings, so I received’t be replaying it right here, however I’ll write a bit about it.

Atelier Marie (マリーのアトリエ～ザールブルグの錬金術士～), launched 1997/5/23, developed by Gust

The first sport in some ways is a tentative starting for the collection — in case you’ve performed any of the later video games nearly the whole lot is in a quite simple type, which maybe makes it a great beginning sport? Apparently the sport was initially deliberate as an SRPG however the director thought that there have been too many huge title RPGs already on the market, and so selected a brand new kind of sport. The sport was thought to be a aspect mission for the corporate however it was so common that it rapidly turned Gust’s essential product.

The essential character is Marlone (nickname Marie), a not-so-great scholar of the alchemy faculty in Zalberg. Apparently a standard lady was chosen as the primary character as a result of the builders felt that ladies have been beginning to play video games extra — the feminine essential character turned a mainstay of the collection. Marie’s on her final probability on the faculty, and she or he has 5 years to make a great merchandise in order that she will go the examination and graduate.

This imposes a 5 yr time restrict on the sport. One of the core components of the early video games is the time restrict; the whole lot you do takes time, and a part of the sport is studying to make use of your time properly. (I’ve heard that current video games have gotten rid of the time restrict; I’m certain that is extra common amongst informal gamers however it’s a bit disappointing.)

The dialogue is totally voiced, and the graphics are fairly good. The music can also be distinctive; I place Gust second solely to Falcom for constant prime quality music in nearly each sport they launch.

The sport has no actual story. There are some characters like Schia (above), Kreis (a great scholar on the academy), Ruven (an adventurer), and others. Many of them can be part of your get together for a value that can assist you out whenever you journey exterior of the city. They even have some occasions and small story occasions, however nothing a lot.

Basically the whole lot within the sport is non-compulsory. There are a number of endings — the essential ending is to craft a stage 4 merchandise to go the examination. This is kind of straightforward and could be finished even in case you barely know what you’re doing. But the enjoyable of the sport is that you would be able to replay to attempt to get a number of the different endings — there’s one for levelling Marie to 50, one for beating an non-compulsory boss, one for crafting all gadgets, and so forth.

The core of the sport is the merchandise crafting. Marie can be taught recipes for gadgets, after which if she has the correct substances, she will craft them. The issue and time it takes is determined by Marie’s stage — in contrast to later video games there isn’t a separate alchemy and adventurer stage; you acquire XP for crafting gadgets and for killing monsters. Marie may also purchase instruments that may both be crucial for the crafting, or make it much less possible she is going to fail.

Later video games introduce extra complexity to the crafting system, however in Marie you simply mix the substances into the ultimate merchandise.

How does Marie get the gadgets? Two methods — she will both purchase them, or she will exit to the sphere and acquire the gadgets. Buying gadgets after all requires cash; the primary approach to get cash is to take jobs on the pub. By delivering sure gadgets Marie will obtain cash. However, it’s additionally essential to get some gadgets by leaving city.

At the beginning of the sport Marie can solely entry a number of areas near the city, however as the sport progresses you acquire entry to extra areas with rarer gadgets. When you attain a location, you merely press the circle button to seek for gadgets, which prices a day.

You may additionally encounter monsters.

The battle system may be very fundamental; characters can assault, use a particular transfer, and Schia and Marie can use assault or therapeutic gadgets. Marie by herself will die (no less than at first) so it is advisable rent some adventurers (which prices cash).

So the sport is basically a loop of taking jobs for cash, getting the gadgets to craft, shopping for new books to learn to make gadgets, and activating occasions — some occasions open up whenever you go a sure time, and others are solely obtainable for a sure time annually.

As I stated above, even when you have no actual concept what you’re doing, you possibly can simply get the essential ending — so long as you possibly can learn the sport’s textual content you would need to attempt to fail, I believe. The further endings are harder however to not an incredible diploma. I used to be capable of get all of the endings in a single playthrough with only a listing of the endings and a few info on a number of occasions that activated at sure instances. But there was one thing enjoyable concerning the simplicity of the sport.

The sport was later launched for Saturn as “Atelier Marie 1.3” with one further ending and a few new occasions, and a few minor issues based mostly on the Saturn’s inside clock (like in case you play the sport on Christmas she’ll want you Merry Christmas). This model was then ported to the PSX as Atelier Marie Plus, which is the model I performed. There’s a later launch for Game boy, after which a mix launch for PS2 of Marie and Elie. You would assume that’s the definitive model of the sport, however the designers made the weird resolution to eliminate the 図鑑, a spot in the primary menu that exhibits you the entire gadgets you’ve crafted, monsters you’ve discovered, and endings you’ve gotten.

The subsequent sport for the collection is Atelier Elie which got here out in 1998, which I’ve not performed.

As I discussed final week I’m in a busy a part of the autumn. Next week will most certainly be a fast submit on Final Fantasy Tactics, after which hopefully I’ll have completed Seiken Densetsu 3 by the next weekend.