Atelier Rorona Review

I'm waiting in anticipation for the NA release of Atelier Totori coming this fall. While I'm waiting, I figured I should try out the first Atelier game for the PS3 (Rorona) so I can become familiar with the story and alchemy system. To my surprise, I didn't expect to get hooked into the game.

The main core is crafting various items in the game. You can submit these crafted items for your daily assignments, quests, or use them yourself in battle. The system does go deeper by giving items traits that grants different effects. So if you add an ability for range boost to make healing items, then the effect will be altered to where it heals your entire party.

The game does run on a time limit for each task assigned from the kingdom. Each assignments will last 90 days and it does sound constraining at first, but it's really not that hard. Only pay attention to the star ratings located on the bottom. A minimum requirement to pass is 3 stars if you are somehow running behind. The best rating is 8-stars so there's no need to fill it up to 9 or 10.

The battle system is straightforward. It's time-based and not much strategy to go by. Once you are able to craft higher quality bombs and healing items, the game becomes too easy from there. Only Rorona will be able to use these items so your other party members that you can hire can block the damage for you when you fill up their meter during combat.

Since this was their first Atelier game for the PS3, the graphics won't please a majority of people. Most characters are modeled in their smaller form compared to their portrait shown during conversations. But, the game's theme using cel-shaded graphics does blend in really well so it's almost like this style was meant to be used like this on purpose.

I say the game's difficulty is very easy compared to most RPGs I've played. The rewarding feeling of crafting items and doing quest kept me busy for hours to where I couldn't put the controller down. Becoming engrossed into staying busy in this game reminds me of Harvest Moon in a way. I enjoy the humor from all these colorful characters that makes them more than just a combatant.


Once you create the ultimate Tera Bomb with the right traits...


...enemies will coward.


Others are starting to be concerned with Rorona's obsession with pies.


I feel bad for her sometimes. Everyone likes to pick on her.


So ladies, is it true?


JRPG isn't complete without some saucy fanservice!


All these characters really bring the life into this game.


I praise this game very much that I even worked my ass off getting all the endings and completing 100% on everything this game has to offer.


So now my expectation towards Totori is even higher than before. After watching this new trailer, they have finally confirmed an official release date for North America. September 27th, 2011.

If anyone that plans on getting Totori that hasn't tried Rorona may miss out the full experience though. But, that's up to you.