Atlier series of games: where to start?

[Dextro]

I've been wanting to pick up the Atlier series of games for quite some time but I have no idea where to start. Which game would you guys recommend to start with?

[RRW]

well totori will do really, then meruru, rorona will get remake so you can try that later

after that you can try ayesha

[Kotohono]

Atelier series has "arcs" of games generally that all take place in the same world, as long you start with the 1st game of one them it should work fine with anywhere in the series, such as Rorona being the 1st of the Arland arc (Totori, Meruru, and Rorona).

Assuming you have a PlayStation 3, the Arland series is my favorite, so I'd suggest it . If you don't you can look into the Iris arc or Mana arc of games on the PS2.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Konakaga

Atelier series has "arcs" of games generally that all take place in the same world, as long you start with the 1st game of one them it should work fine with anywhere in the series, such as Rorona being the 1st of the Arland arc (Totori, Meruru, and Rorona).

Assuming you have a PlayStation 3, the Arland series is my favorite, so I'd suggest it . If you don't you can look into the Iris arc or Mana arc of games on the PS2.

Don't worry, I'm covered when it comes to Sony consoles. Do you think I should pick up Rorona now or wait to see if the remake that RRW mentioned hits the west?

[fukarming]

start with the classic:

Atelier Marie, Atelier Elie, Marie and Elie, Marie, Elie and Anis

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Dextro

Don't worry, I'm covered when it comes to Sony consoles. Do you think I should pick up Rorona now or wait to see if the remake that RRW mentioned hits the west?

The games are fairly self-contained. Rorona, as I recall, doesn't even have much of a plot to be spoiled (though wait for others to chime in), so I'd say it's safe to wait. Most of what you'd be missing is the character-recognition effect of returning cast members.

Totori is the most story-like game, IMO, so that would be a good place to start (if you plan to start with the PS3 games). Meruru spoils the true ending of Totori (which I haven't gotten in two playthroughs yet, so I was spoiled even though having played Totori before - heh).

There are Vita versions of Totori and Meruru that have more content, compared to the PS3 versions (though I'm not sure where they're available, or whether you can get the same stuff via DLC - I don't connect my PS3 to the internet and I have no Vita).

Ayesha, first game in the new series, has a couple of drawbacks, for me: no Japanese voice track (the European manual tells me how to change tracks, but it's not in the game - grr), and 3D-models replace the colourful sprites in dialogue scenes (it's fairly well done, but I don't like 3D). It's still a cute game.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

The games are fairly self-contained. Rorona, as I recall, doesn't even have much of a plot to be spoiled (though wait for others to chime in), so I'd say it's safe to wait. Most of what you'd be missing is the character-recognition effect of returning cast members.

Totori is the most story-like game, IMO, so that would be a good place to start (if you plan to start with the PS3 games). Meruru spoils the true ending of Totori (which I haven't gotten in two playthroughs yet, so I was spoiled even though having played Totori before - heh).

There are Vita versions of Totori and Meruru that have more content, compared to the PS3 versions (though I'm not sure where they're available, or whether you can get the same stuff via DLC - I don't connect my PS3 to the internet and I have no Vita).

Ayesha, first game in the new series, has a couple of drawbacks, for me: no Japanese voice track (the European manual tells me how to change tracks, but it's not in the game - grr), and 3D-models replace the colourful sprites in dialogue scenes (it's fairly well done, but I don't like 3D). It's still a cute game.

Hum. The Vita for me is a much better platform for jRPGs than the PS3 since I usually keep it on my bedside for a few "quick" gaming stints before going to sleep (and by quick I mean that I end up with some serious sleepy eyes next day ) so I guess I'll look into that one

[RRW]

totori remake certainly be released. generally each atelier game is self contain but each trilogy set in same universe.

so yeah you should finished arland trilogy first. once you finished that. you can try ayesha. escha and logy should be released by then. then next year you can have third dusk game

[Dr. Casey]

Originally Posted by fukarming

start with the classic:

Atelier Marie, Atelier Elie, Marie and Elie, Marie, Elie and Anis

Do those have fan translations? Those might be a little hard to play through for someone that can't understand Japanese (and unfulfilling for those who care about the story - granted, I'm not sure how much story the older entries have, since to my understanding they're not exactly RPGs so much as just... alchemy games).

I'm only familiar with the PS2 Atelier games. Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana is pretty bland, if I ranked all the RPGs I've ever played Eternal Mana would probably belong to the bottommost quarter. Not an outright bad game by any means, but I found the whole experience rather empty. Azoth of Destiny I would recommend a lot more strongly and have a much softer spot for; it doesn't completely pull away from the original's mediocrity, but I do sincerely love the main duo of Felt and Viese (the original's cast was charming enough but extremely flat), and the gameplay is significantly streamlined and much less tedious.

Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm is a black sheep of the Atelier franchise, but it's a very unique game that I spent a great couple of weeks with. The game is divided into ten chapters, with the storyline only kicking in towards the end of each chapter. The bulk of each chapter is instead devoted towards completing missions for the local 'guild' of the town that you belong to, a certain number of mission completions necessary before the storyline kicks back into gear for the final hour or so of the chapter. I think the small scope of the game is cozy (there's only one town and three playable characters), the NPCs are actual characters rather than just aimlessly wandering bodies seeing as each NPC has multiple guild missions they star in, and I enjoyed the game's very unique structure. It's not the kind of game that appeals to all - or, judging by the general backlash against the game, most - people, though.

I do adore the Mana Khemia games a lot more than I've ever cared for Iris, though, which are fresher in my memory since I got them the Christmas of 2009 (I got the Iris trilogy in early 2007). The main setting of both games is an academy for budding witches and warlocks to learn magic, magic schools having always been a setting that's appealed to me. There's also a decent amount of continuity between the two games, with one of the party members from the original returning as a teacher in Mana Khemia 2.

Though with all that said, as far as I can tell the PS3 Atelier games are far superior to anything the PS2 ever put out, so those would be my first choices.

[Dextro]

Ok guys thank you for your responses. I think I'll try to take a chance on Atelier Totori Plus on the Vita for now and see how it goes

[Tasuke Shichiri]

i have Atelier Rorona. while it is indeed quite cute,
but has some seriously grievous play issues that can rather easily add up into an un-completable play-through.

basically, it is way too much like an MMO in the worst ways,
making for an un-enjoyable overall experience, YMMV as always...