You know, it’s really hard to call something niche when a series has been receiving regular entries for what’s now been decades. It may be hard to believe that the Atelier franchise as a whole has been a long standing presence reaching right back to the original PlayStation, but there’s something to be said about
When the original Atelier Ryza launched in the west a little over a year ago, it brought a few changes to the well-established series beloved by fans. With a more action-focused battle system, simplified alchemy systems, a stronger focus on plot, and a touch more fanservice than usual, Ryza went on to be one of
I’ve noticed a trend of RPGs that take the classic formula and mix things up by making the focus of the game some job you’d usually foist off on an NPC. The Atelier series continues that trend, placing you in the shoes of an alchemist who must venture out into the world to acquire the
The overall Atelier franchise is another one of those long-running series that’s always felt a bit difficult to approach for me. It’s very clear at a glance that it is a series that has its own idea of how to handle JRPG standards like crafting, combat, social interactions, and so forth, and if you’ve never
The Atelier series of JRPGs has been one that I’ve been trying to get into, but just haven’t really been able to. A long-running franchise that receives a new entry nearly every year, I’ve attempted to jump in multiple times, but the games have failed to hold my attention every time.
JRPGs can be a tricky thing for the casual gamer with a passing interest in them. More often than not, they expect the player to make a large time and effort commitment with varying degrees of narrative coherency. Not only that, certain character performances and designs might make the game in question better suited for solitary play depending on their own comfort level.
Boy, how time flies. The gaming industry has seen its fair share of IPs that have withstood the test of time with varying amounts of entries. Sure, you might think of the usual suspects in the ring such as Mario, Street Fighter, Sonic, and so on.
