ResidentAtelier
As of now, I have only finished this with the normal and good endings. Going for the other three/all achievements, but I thought I would begin writing my thoughts down.
This game became very fun after awhile! Lydie and Suelle are excellent, fun, charming characters, and I enjoyed the new additions to the series, as well as the returning faces. The events nicely closed out the original mysterious trilogy.
However, it took a long road to get there! For the first six of twelve chapters (about 30 hr in game), I was very bored with the game’s formulaic gameplay, with it being so formulaic that each chapter was structured the same, and the story was predictable. It wasn’t until they broke away from the formula a bit/there was more to do, that I enjoyed it.
This alchemy system is probably my favorite Atelier one so far, and the combat is very fun in the late game, especially for bosses. However, in the early game, regular mobs take way too long, due to both sides not doing much damage. There are some weaker story elements like most Atelier games, but I still overall enjoyed it.
In my opinion, the gameplay pales in comparison to Firis, but is better than Sophie. I’d rank this story highest, and Firis’ as lowest though.
Only 4 stars due to the slow first half…it was going to be 3 before the game picked up. Could have been a 4.5-5 star game if the beginning was given more love! Recommended, but have some patience for it to get better!
Note: 13 trophies to plat. Will play casually until then.
Edit: 9 to plat. Got true ending, so shelving for now.
Edit: downgraded to 3.5 stars. The road to the money ending, as well as platinum are extremely tedious.
This game became very fun after awhile! Lydie and Suelle are excellent, fun, charming characters, and I enjoyed the new additions to the series, as well as the returning faces. The events nicely closed out the original mysterious trilogy.
However, it took a long road to get there! For the first six of twelve chapters (about 30 hr in game), I was very bored with the game’s formulaic gameplay, with it being so formulaic that each chapter was structured the same, and the story was predictable. It wasn’t until they broke away from the formula a bit/there was more to do, that I enjoyed it.
This alchemy system is probably my favorite Atelier one so far, and the combat is very fun in the late game, especially for bosses. However, in the early game, regular mobs take way too long, due to both sides not doing much damage. There are some weaker story elements like most Atelier games, but I still overall enjoyed it.
In my opinion, the gameplay pales in comparison to Firis, but is better than Sophie. I’d rank this story highest, and Firis’ as lowest though.
Only 4 stars due to the slow first half…it was going to be 3 before the game picked up. Could have been a 4.5-5 star game if the beginning was given more love! Recommended, but have some patience for it to get better!
Note: 13 trophies to plat. Will play casually until then.
Edit: 9 to plat. Got true ending, so shelving for now.
Edit: downgraded to 3.5 stars. The road to the money ending, as well as platinum are extremely tedious.
Probably my last Atelier replay for a bit, but I really enjoyed it! I am putting it at half a star higher than a few years ago.
This game is a pleasure to play, and is in my opinion, an improvement on Sophie. As the Atelier series’ first open-world game, they really nailed some things here. The world is fun to explore, the characters are charming, crafting is well thought out, and the enemies are enough to be somewhat challenging, but not ridiculously overpowered. I am not a completionist, but I am only two trophies away from platinum and I have 95% of the in-game database.
The flaws…for one, I wish there was more of an overarching narrative with more conflict and some higher stakes. Here, you have many slice of life type stories, which are fun, cute, and provide some nice world-building after Sophie, but I wanted more. While I prefer this game to Sophie, I will admit Sophie did better in this regard.
There are a few little things about the open-world that don’t work as well. A couple of glitches here and there, repeated conversations as you travel, and in my opinion, it takes much too long to get a fast travel option. In addition, there is a quest line/boss that is too hidden away for how much lore it provides. I know it is relevant in the sequel as well, so I don’t know why it is difficult to access…
Finally, this can be an extremely misleading Atelier game for newcomers. It leaves the impression that the pre-exam portion of the game is most of the game, when it is indeed the opposite. I have seen many posts with people asking what they are supposed to do after, or if after the exam is just an “epilogue.” Gust could have really touted that this is where the adventure actually begins.
Overall, solid experience that I put 120 hours into, and am still not completely finished with. The good outweighs the bad, but I won’t give it 5 stars since I mainly give that score to my really special games. Highly recommended after playing Sophie though!
This game is a pleasure to play, and is in my opinion, an improvement on Sophie. As the Atelier series’ first open-world game, they really nailed some things here. The world is fun to explore, the characters are charming, crafting is well thought out, and the enemies are enough to be somewhat challenging, but not ridiculously overpowered. I am not a completionist, but I am only two trophies away from platinum and I have 95% of the in-game database.
The flaws…for one, I wish there was more of an overarching narrative with more conflict and some higher stakes. Here, you have many slice of life type stories, which are fun, cute, and provide some nice world-building after Sophie, but I wanted more. While I prefer this game to Sophie, I will admit Sophie did better in this regard.
There are a few little things about the open-world that don’t work as well. A couple of glitches here and there, repeated conversations as you travel, and in my opinion, it takes much too long to get a fast travel option. In addition, there is a quest line/boss that is too hidden away for how much lore it provides. I know it is relevant in the sequel as well, so I don’t know why it is difficult to access…
Finally, this can be an extremely misleading Atelier game for newcomers. It leaves the impression that the pre-exam portion of the game is most of the game, when it is indeed the opposite. I have seen many posts with people asking what they are supposed to do after, or if after the exam is just an “epilogue.” Gust could have really touted that this is where the adventure actually begins.
Overall, solid experience that I put 120 hours into, and am still not completely finished with. The good outweighs the bad, but I won’t give it 5 stars since I mainly give that score to my really special games. Highly recommended after playing Sophie though!
Replayed this as part of my Atelier replay marathon. It definitely is not the best Atelier game, but it was still a ton of fun.
There are tons of charming characters and the gameplay is leisurely enough to just make you want to sit back and chill with it. The story is somewhat cliche and isn’t my favorite, but is still decent. I really do miss the heavy humor present in the Arland sub series, but I can still appreciate this entry of the Mysterious series all the same.
I am changing my rating from back in 2020, raising it by half a star. My reason for doing so is probably due to how I played the game this time versus last time. I tried to progress in the main storyline quickly last time…and had to grind levels at the end for the final boss. This time, I played more slowly, doing side content and character quests while leveling. This is definitely how the game is supposed to be played. There is more to it than battle and narrative, as I am learning is the case with Atelier in general.
If you want a chill game that is fun, play this! Not the best game or even the best one in the series by any means, but a solid entry and beginning of a new sub series.
Edit: finally got plat!
There are tons of charming characters and the gameplay is leisurely enough to just make you want to sit back and chill with it. The story is somewhat cliche and isn’t my favorite, but is still decent. I really do miss the heavy humor present in the Arland sub series, but I can still appreciate this entry of the Mysterious series all the same.
I am changing my rating from back in 2020, raising it by half a star. My reason for doing so is probably due to how I played the game this time versus last time. I tried to progress in the main storyline quickly last time…and had to grind levels at the end for the final boss. This time, I played more slowly, doing side content and character quests while leveling. This is definitely how the game is supposed to be played. There is more to it than battle and narrative, as I am learning is the case with Atelier in general.
If you want a chill game that is fun, play this! Not the best game or even the best one in the series by any means, but a solid entry and beginning of a new sub series.
Edit: finally got plat!
This was my 11th Atelier game since I became a fan of the series in 2018. To put it simply, it was a fun game, but definitely not my favorite in the franchise.
Gameplay-wise, it basically rehashed MK 1, with some improvements and flaws alike (like the addition of QTEs for the latter.) The battle system is a ton of fun, yet still manages to get tiring by the end. I enjoyed the leveling system that was here though, rather than just having a traditional one with grinding/raising levels. In this, your alchemy is tied in directly with stats, and I think that is brilliant.
The alchemy system isn’t too bad either…was the same as MK 1, and while it is not my favorite Atelier alchemy system, it is satisfying all the same.
Onto the story…it was a downgrade from the first one where I enjoyed the narrative throughout, even when gameplay became monotonous. Here though, there were many areas that suffered from poor writing. Plot holes, actions or cause/effect devices not making sense…all of that. I am inclined to say we don’t play Atelier for the story, but that brings me to my next point.
Why are so many of the characters unlikable? I might be able to forgive this if the two worst ones weren’t the two protagonists. They are both obnoxious jerks, and I did not care about them throughout. Some of the party members were also pretty horrible (like Lily and Enna in my opinion.)
Overall, this game overstayed its welcome at 65+ hours, and the two campaigns and one extra chapter did not do it any favors. Classes (it is about an alchemy school) became repetitive, especially when you had to do more or less the same thing a second time around. Didn’t enjoy all of the character stories either; kind of hit or miss.
I am giving it a 3.5 because despite all its flaws, I enjoyed my time with it well enough, and am happy to have played it, and to be one step closer to finishing all the Atelier games.
Gameplay-wise, it basically rehashed MK 1, with some improvements and flaws alike (like the addition of QTEs for the latter.) The battle system is a ton of fun, yet still manages to get tiring by the end. I enjoyed the leveling system that was here though, rather than just having a traditional one with grinding/raising levels. In this, your alchemy is tied in directly with stats, and I think that is brilliant.
The alchemy system isn’t too bad either…was the same as MK 1, and while it is not my favorite Atelier alchemy system, it is satisfying all the same.
Onto the story…it was a downgrade from the first one where I enjoyed the narrative throughout, even when gameplay became monotonous. Here though, there were many areas that suffered from poor writing. Plot holes, actions or cause/effect devices not making sense…all of that. I am inclined to say we don’t play Atelier for the story, but that brings me to my next point.
Why are so many of the characters unlikable? I might be able to forgive this if the two worst ones weren’t the two protagonists. They are both obnoxious jerks, and I did not care about them throughout. Some of the party members were also pretty horrible (like Lily and Enna in my opinion.)
Overall, this game overstayed its welcome at 65+ hours, and the two campaigns and one extra chapter did not do it any favors. Classes (it is about an alchemy school) became repetitive, especially when you had to do more or less the same thing a second time around. Didn’t enjoy all of the character stories either; kind of hit or miss.
I am giving it a 3.5 because despite all its flaws, I enjoyed my time with it well enough, and am happy to have played it, and to be one step closer to finishing all the Atelier games.
After replaying the original Arland trilogy, I must say this one is the one where my opinion changed the most. I really didn’t like this game back in early 2021 due to struggling with the time limit. However, this time, it was a ton of fun.
I loved the town building aspects and charming characters, whether they were returning from Rorona or Totori, or new for this game. Like Atelier Rorona, and to a certain extent, Totori, this is a chill game that is surprisingly addicting.
Onto the complaints…for one, you can do everything in the game, beat all bosses, but if it is not NG +, you cannot get the true ending due to a certain character being unavailable for the first playthrough. This is a gaming pet peeve of mine, and never sits well with me.
Unlike Rorona and Totori, you are literally stopped every few minutes for a skit. The other two games had their share of skits, but this one was too much of a good thing. The characters ooze charm, but the skit overload really messed with the pacing.
My last complaint is how horribly this runs on the Vita with frame rate drops and load times. You have to be quite patient with it. My advice is to get the PS4 or Switch DX versions. I imagine those play better.
Overall, so much fun, and I am very glad my opinion of this game has improved. Will play this and Totori later for the true endings, but for now, I am marking them as replayed.
I highly recommend this trilogy if you’re into zen anime games!
Rating in 2021: 3 stars
Rating in 2023: 4.5 stars
Edit: 6/27/23- I decided to finish the game off with the true ending. It was a way better story having everything fleshed out more…I still believe this should have been doable with one playthrough and not required NG +.
Edit on 11/11/23: Finished again with 91% to platinum, and all endings. There were some great ones, so I highly recommend going for all endings. It really fleshes out the game.
I loved the town building aspects and charming characters, whether they were returning from Rorona or Totori, or new for this game. Like Atelier Rorona, and to a certain extent, Totori, this is a chill game that is surprisingly addicting.
Onto the complaints…for one, you can do everything in the game, beat all bosses, but if it is not NG +, you cannot get the true ending due to a certain character being unavailable for the first playthrough. This is a gaming pet peeve of mine, and never sits well with me.
Unlike Rorona and Totori, you are literally stopped every few minutes for a skit. The other two games had their share of skits, but this one was too much of a good thing. The characters ooze charm, but the skit overload really messed with the pacing.
My last complaint is how horribly this runs on the Vita with frame rate drops and load times. You have to be quite patient with it. My advice is to get the PS4 or Switch DX versions. I imagine those play better.
Overall, so much fun, and I am very glad my opinion of this game has improved. Will play this and Totori later for the true endings, but for now, I am marking them as replayed.
I highly recommend this trilogy if you’re into zen anime games!
Rating in 2021: 3 stars
Rating in 2023: 4.5 stars
Edit: 6/27/23- I decided to finish the game off with the true ending. It was a way better story having everything fleshed out more…I still believe this should have been doable with one playthrough and not required NG +.
Edit on 11/11/23: Finished again with 91% to platinum, and all endings. There were some great ones, so I highly recommend going for all endings. It really fleshes out the game.
This game was a little rough around the edges, but not nearly as bad as it was when I played 3 years ago, and didn’t beat the time limit to fight the final boss. I appreciate the dark (for an Atelier game) storyline, and even liked some of the characters. Some of the gameplay and characters alike don’t work for me though.
I think the main problem is how it is almost imperative to do NG + for the true ending. I have done 2 playthroughs now, and still do not have it, despite beating the final boss. According to a guide, this is due to me not being rich and not triggering two character quests. This kind of situation is a little bit of an oversight to me, but that’s subjective. I will try another NG + for the true ending at a later date.
Overall, dark for what it is and fun to play, but it is at a disadvantage being after Rorona and before Meruru. Still, it is worth a playthrough!
Rating in 2020: 2 stars
Rating in 2023: 3.5 stars
Edit: finally got plat! Kind of grateful it is over.
I think the main problem is how it is almost imperative to do NG + for the true ending. I have done 2 playthroughs now, and still do not have it, despite beating the final boss. According to a guide, this is due to me not being rich and not triggering two character quests. This kind of situation is a little bit of an oversight to me, but that’s subjective. I will try another NG + for the true ending at a later date.
Overall, dark for what it is and fun to play, but it is at a disadvantage being after Rorona and before Meruru. Still, it is worth a playthrough!
Rating in 2020: 2 stars
Rating in 2023: 3.5 stars
Edit: finally got plat! Kind of grateful it is over.
Finally got around to replaying this, and I can see why it is one of my favorite games of all time. The chill atmosphere and lenient time limit is what makes the game. Also, the characters are adorable, especially Rorona. It is so charming to just watch the characters as their everyday lives progress.
My only complaint is that the Vita version has a software error that I didn’t experience my first time around several years ago. The error kept me from seeing the last few scenes no matter how much I tried, as well as the ending I would get. Thankfully, I got the true ending on my first playthrough years ago…I really wish for this to be fixed though, since I beat all bosses and assignments, and am curious about what ending I got.
That aside, this is a near, if not flawless game for me! Play it if you want a chill game with cute characters and a carefree story.
Rating in 2019: 5 stars
Rating in 2023: 5 stars
Edit on 11/11/23: Finished again with all endings and 94% to platinum. Some of the endings are a joke, but still worth getting all-around. Highly recommended; can’t say it enough!
My only complaint is that the Vita version has a software error that I didn’t experience my first time around several years ago. The error kept me from seeing the last few scenes no matter how much I tried, as well as the ending I would get. Thankfully, I got the true ending on my first playthrough years ago…I really wish for this to be fixed though, since I beat all bosses and assignments, and am curious about what ending I got.
That aside, this is a near, if not flawless game for me! Play it if you want a chill game with cute characters and a carefree story.
Rating in 2019: 5 stars
Rating in 2023: 5 stars
Edit on 11/11/23: Finished again with all endings and 94% to platinum. Some of the endings are a joke, but still worth getting all-around. Highly recommended; can’t say it enough!
2022
This review contains spoilers
BIG SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
Well, to preface this, I absolutely adore Bayonetta as a character. As far as the games go, I love the first one and thought the second one was a bit weaker, but still good, which seems to be an unpopular opinion. Then, there is this one…
This is really hard to write a review for. I am giving it 3.5 stars because while the gameplay was all over the place with seemingly no structure, especially at first, it was fun in a guilty pleasure kind of way. I should probably elaborate on “all over the place.” For me, it seemed to go from traditional Bayonetta gameplay to everything else under the sun. First of all, you have three playable characters. One is fun…guess who? Bayonetta. The others, Jeanne and newcomer Viola, just don’t play well. Jeanne’s stealth missions were short, and that was their saving grace. They weren’t satisfying or interesting at all. I was not even stealthy, and still beat them all pretty easily. This desperate attempt to switch up gameplay didn’t gel with me. Viola’s? Her levels made me a tad ragey. They were considerably more difficult than all the others…yet they were mixed in here and there (I think one for every two Bayonetta and one Jeanne chapters?) I have a pet peeve in games when the difficulty jumps around. I like when things progressively get more difficult. Difficulty spikes are fine, but Viola’s levels made some of Bayonetta’s later ones very underwhelming difficulty wise. I am not sure how many people would agree…could have been me.
The demon summons took forever for me to like. Most of them move so incredibly slow, and just aren’t enjoyable to fight as. Also, meeting a new demon in almost or maybe even every chapter got tiring and very formulaic. I might have actually liked one or two of them as characters. Baal stands out for me.
Speaking of characters, well…all the good ol’ faces are there, but I don’t always love their execution. Bayonetta seems not quite as badass as she once was, Jeanne seems like an extension of her, and why is Luka such a hero now? His clumsiness and ineptness is part of why I liked him! Switching up the gender roles made the series fun…as did Bayo (who I always perceived as bisexual) having a sort of “love triangle” with him and Jeanne. I don’t like having a canon couple, but unlike a lot of other people, I wouldn’t have been happy if she ended up with Jeanne either. The playfulness and casualness between Bayonetta and the other two spiced up the series. I don’t think it was cut out to be romantic.
We also have newcomer Viola. For the most part, I found her annoying, probably until the last few chapters where she became endearing. Fighting as her is a pain in the ass, as I mentioned, and everything about her is…lacking. I hate to say it, but I could have done without her.
The ending? I can’t tell you how sad the part after the first credits made me. Annoying “true” final boss aside, Viola taking center stage is just painful. I kind of felt viewing that ending like I did when my favorite band broke up: empty and numb. I guess I will buy the fourth game, but am I looking forward to it? Can’t say I am. Such a shame too, since it was one of my favorite series with one of my favorite protagonists.
All in all, fun, but a disappointment. I don’t know why the writers thought that direction was okay to go in. I love a good multiverse plot too, but this one made me kind of sad, especially at the end, where a story should truly shine.
Glad I played it, but won’t return to it. RIP Bayonetta!
Well, to preface this, I absolutely adore Bayonetta as a character. As far as the games go, I love the first one and thought the second one was a bit weaker, but still good, which seems to be an unpopular opinion. Then, there is this one…
This is really hard to write a review for. I am giving it 3.5 stars because while the gameplay was all over the place with seemingly no structure, especially at first, it was fun in a guilty pleasure kind of way. I should probably elaborate on “all over the place.” For me, it seemed to go from traditional Bayonetta gameplay to everything else under the sun. First of all, you have three playable characters. One is fun…guess who? Bayonetta. The others, Jeanne and newcomer Viola, just don’t play well. Jeanne’s stealth missions were short, and that was their saving grace. They weren’t satisfying or interesting at all. I was not even stealthy, and still beat them all pretty easily. This desperate attempt to switch up gameplay didn’t gel with me. Viola’s? Her levels made me a tad ragey. They were considerably more difficult than all the others…yet they were mixed in here and there (I think one for every two Bayonetta and one Jeanne chapters?) I have a pet peeve in games when the difficulty jumps around. I like when things progressively get more difficult. Difficulty spikes are fine, but Viola’s levels made some of Bayonetta’s later ones very underwhelming difficulty wise. I am not sure how many people would agree…could have been me.
The demon summons took forever for me to like. Most of them move so incredibly slow, and just aren’t enjoyable to fight as. Also, meeting a new demon in almost or maybe even every chapter got tiring and very formulaic. I might have actually liked one or two of them as characters. Baal stands out for me.
Speaking of characters, well…all the good ol’ faces are there, but I don’t always love their execution. Bayonetta seems not quite as badass as she once was, Jeanne seems like an extension of her, and why is Luka such a hero now? His clumsiness and ineptness is part of why I liked him! Switching up the gender roles made the series fun…as did Bayo (who I always perceived as bisexual) having a sort of “love triangle” with him and Jeanne. I don’t like having a canon couple, but unlike a lot of other people, I wouldn’t have been happy if she ended up with Jeanne either. The playfulness and casualness between Bayonetta and the other two spiced up the series. I don’t think it was cut out to be romantic.
We also have newcomer Viola. For the most part, I found her annoying, probably until the last few chapters where she became endearing. Fighting as her is a pain in the ass, as I mentioned, and everything about her is…lacking. I hate to say it, but I could have done without her.
The ending? I can’t tell you how sad the part after the first credits made me. Annoying “true” final boss aside, Viola taking center stage is just painful. I kind of felt viewing that ending like I did when my favorite band broke up: empty and numb. I guess I will buy the fourth game, but am I looking forward to it? Can’t say I am. Such a shame too, since it was one of my favorite series with one of my favorite protagonists.
All in all, fun, but a disappointment. I don’t know why the writers thought that direction was okay to go in. I love a good multiverse plot too, but this one made me kind of sad, especially at the end, where a story should truly shine.
Glad I played it, but won’t return to it. RIP Bayonetta!
I should probably start this review by saying that I co-oped this with my sister, and her favorite video game character is Kirby, so she played as him. I was Bandana Waddle Dee.
Anyway, it was a fun, decent game in my opinion! I don’t see what all the hype is about, yet I wish I did, and I have not dismissed the idea that the game may be a lot better as Kirby. I really wish more had been put into the co-op aspect of this game, like it was with Epic Yarn. Bandana Waddle Dee is very lackluster and barely packs a punch. The warping gimmick is a bit annoying, especially when it does this during boss fights. Overall, these areas of the co-op experience could really have been fleshed out.
The story was fun, and actually pretty dark for Kirby! I enjoyed it. I didn’t love all of the levels or the fact that they demand replay to get all achievements. Most of them were one and done for me. The copy abilities were cool, and I imagine playing as Kirby is fun. However, the game does not really tempt me to replay it as Kirby, since most of it was just okay for me. The post game was okay too, but didn’t really add much to the base game.
Overall, it was a good experience, and definitely better than Star Allies. I won’t be playing it again, but I am still glad I did once.
Anyway, it was a fun, decent game in my opinion! I don’t see what all the hype is about, yet I wish I did, and I have not dismissed the idea that the game may be a lot better as Kirby. I really wish more had been put into the co-op aspect of this game, like it was with Epic Yarn. Bandana Waddle Dee is very lackluster and barely packs a punch. The warping gimmick is a bit annoying, especially when it does this during boss fights. Overall, these areas of the co-op experience could really have been fleshed out.
The story was fun, and actually pretty dark for Kirby! I enjoyed it. I didn’t love all of the levels or the fact that they demand replay to get all achievements. Most of them were one and done for me. The copy abilities were cool, and I imagine playing as Kirby is fun. However, the game does not really tempt me to replay it as Kirby, since most of it was just okay for me. The post game was okay too, but didn’t really add much to the base game.
Overall, it was a good experience, and definitely better than Star Allies. I won’t be playing it again, but I am still glad I did once.
2000
This first entry has some rough spots, but is all-around worth playing! If you are new to FF, I would not recommend starting here though.
While this game suffers from age, it has much charm as well. There is seemingly not much of a story unless you talk to the NPCs. There is also VERY little direction. I used to play this in the past, floundering around, and it just wasn’t fun. I used a guide to see where to go next, and would recommend that, if you lack patience like I do. However, I don’t recommend looking up boss strategies or anything like that.
The combat is simple, yet fun…kind of gets a bit dull towards the end. As in many older games, this relies on overly-offensive enemies spamming the same powerful attacks to make the game more difficult. Still, it isn’t that tough of a game, especially having beaten II.
Customizing your classes is fun. My advice would be to go with your gut and play style. One person’s party may not work for another. Also, you can customize the classes to make the game more challenging ie all white mages. There is an easy mode, but I think in the end, the classes probably dictate the game’s difficulty.
Overall, a lot of fun, but combat gets dull, and there is hardly any direction. You should play it if you are already a fan of FF, and wish to see what started it all. Don’t feel bad about using a guide! There are hints, but they are pretty cryptic.
And one last thing…the final boss didn’t live up to the hype. It was easy, and I thought for sure it would be one of those multiple phase bosses. Perhaps I was OP or something? Not too sure, but I don’t like feeling as if I didn’t beat the game. Luckily, the entire final dungeon kind of made up for it.
While this game suffers from age, it has much charm as well. There is seemingly not much of a story unless you talk to the NPCs. There is also VERY little direction. I used to play this in the past, floundering around, and it just wasn’t fun. I used a guide to see where to go next, and would recommend that, if you lack patience like I do. However, I don’t recommend looking up boss strategies or anything like that.
The combat is simple, yet fun…kind of gets a bit dull towards the end. As in many older games, this relies on overly-offensive enemies spamming the same powerful attacks to make the game more difficult. Still, it isn’t that tough of a game, especially having beaten II.
Customizing your classes is fun. My advice would be to go with your gut and play style. One person’s party may not work for another. Also, you can customize the classes to make the game more challenging ie all white mages. There is an easy mode, but I think in the end, the classes probably dictate the game’s difficulty.
Overall, a lot of fun, but combat gets dull, and there is hardly any direction. You should play it if you are already a fan of FF, and wish to see what started it all. Don’t feel bad about using a guide! There are hints, but they are pretty cryptic.
And one last thing…the final boss didn’t live up to the hype. It was easy, and I thought for sure it would be one of those multiple phase bosses. Perhaps I was OP or something? Not too sure, but I don’t like feeling as if I didn’t beat the game. Luckily, the entire final dungeon kind of made up for it.
1999
For me, the Parasite Eve games have been very average. They are fun…until they’re not, basically. I think part of the problem is that they haven’t aged very well.
Combat can go from satisfying to frustrating in a wink. The story is good, but I wish it was fleshed out more and executed better. The exploration aspect of this game is actually pretty good, but I do wish there were more areas.
Also, this may just be me, but I hate when games have such missable true endings. I had to use a guide to get the right ending. This wouldn’t be a problem if the game had a high replayability score, but it is really a one and done.
I hate Kyle by the way…Team Pierce if that is even a thing.
One last add-on: if you opt to play this on Vita, then change the R2 button to something besides the back touch pad. If I had realized this sooner, it would have saved me so much frustration.
Yes, I am being hard on this game in my review, partly because it is a Square game and partly because it had a lot of potential. It wasn’t all bad though. I did have fun with some of the combat and exploration, and even liked some of the characters.
3 star games are a rough spot for me…most of them could have been 4.5-5 stars with a little more love and care!
Combat can go from satisfying to frustrating in a wink. The story is good, but I wish it was fleshed out more and executed better. The exploration aspect of this game is actually pretty good, but I do wish there were more areas.
Also, this may just be me, but I hate when games have such missable true endings. I had to use a guide to get the right ending. This wouldn’t be a problem if the game had a high replayability score, but it is really a one and done.
I hate Kyle by the way…Team Pierce if that is even a thing.
One last add-on: if you opt to play this on Vita, then change the R2 button to something besides the back touch pad. If I had realized this sooner, it would have saved me so much frustration.
Yes, I am being hard on this game in my review, partly because it is a Square game and partly because it had a lot of potential. It wasn’t all bad though. I did have fun with some of the combat and exploration, and even liked some of the characters.
3 star games are a rough spot for me…most of them could have been 4.5-5 stars with a little more love and care!
2017
I just can’t do it…I cannot form a comprehensive review on this game. Saying what it meant to me and how much I needed it, saying the themes it addressed resonated with me so much, and saying how much I adored it, still wouldn’t do it justice. So instead of writing a proper review here, I am just going to give some advice.
Go in as blind as possible.
Do the side quests. If you leave one or two of the ones for completionists, that is fine, but get the most world-building you can.
Be open-minded. Some of these themes and decisions you make in game are VERY uncomfortable. They are worth it though.
Don’t get hyper focused on what you think of the combat system.
Finally, have someone to discuss it with after! I saw the true ending, but didn’t break until I discussed the game and its themes with a friend. Then, it truly made a difference in my life. Plenty of people have played this…so find someone!
That is all. Truly a work of art.
Go in as blind as possible.
Do the side quests. If you leave one or two of the ones for completionists, that is fine, but get the most world-building you can.
Be open-minded. Some of these themes and decisions you make in game are VERY uncomfortable. They are worth it though.
Don’t get hyper focused on what you think of the combat system.
Finally, have someone to discuss it with after! I saw the true ending, but didn’t break until I discussed the game and its themes with a friend. Then, it truly made a difference in my life. Plenty of people have played this…so find someone!
That is all. Truly a work of art.
Not bad, definitely more than I was expecting from a side game. It was genuinely fun to play, and I enjoyed myself!
What stops me from rating it higher is that I wish the battle system had been a little more complex, and not relied on overly-powerful offensive enemies to make the fights more challenging. I didn’t even need items most of the game, which is kind of a miss in Atelier.
Also, I wouldn’t have known how to get the true ending had I not looked it up. You can literally miss out on it from missing an event or two. Just a gaming pet peeve of mine…read the summaries for the rest of the endings, and it looks like all but the true ending are downers, which kind of sucks.
Overall, I enjoyed this, the setting, and characters! Pick it up if you like Atelier, but don’t start here.
What stops me from rating it higher is that I wish the battle system had been a little more complex, and not relied on overly-powerful offensive enemies to make the fights more challenging. I didn’t even need items most of the game, which is kind of a miss in Atelier.
Also, I wouldn’t have known how to get the true ending had I not looked it up. You can literally miss out on it from missing an event or two. Just a gaming pet peeve of mine…read the summaries for the rest of the endings, and it looks like all but the true ending are downers, which kind of sucks.
Overall, I enjoyed this, the setting, and characters! Pick it up if you like Atelier, but don’t start here.
2011
Resident Evil has been my favorite series since I got into it. Therefore, I wanted to like this game so much more than I actually did. I understand that this is a pivotal point for the series, but I just didn’t enjoy it that much. I didn’t like Leon or Ashley as characters in this. Some of the side characters were alright, but for the amount of screen time they got, it just wasn’t worth it. The story was just decent to me. Regular mobs can one shot you in a very annoying fashion. Levels became repetitive, and the game was just too long.
Not to say I hated it, of course. I just have liked every other RE game more than this one, even 0 and Code:Veronica. It was a bit of a disappointment to me.
If you enjoyed it, great! I wish I had been able to more than I did.
Not to say I hated it, of course. I just have liked every other RE game more than this one, even 0 and Code:Veronica. It was a bit of a disappointment to me.
If you enjoyed it, great! I wish I had been able to more than I did.
This wasn’t the Luigi’s Mansion I grew up with, that’s for certain. The levels were hit or miss, and I agree with those who said most of the ghosts lack creativity. Also, more freedom would have been nice?
A very average Mario (or in this case, Luigi) game.
A very average Mario (or in this case, Luigi) game.