[Review] Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland (PS3)

Though there are many genres that constantly add morecomplexity and new gameplay mechanics, RPGs are one of the few that have keptthe status quo and remained relatively unchanged. Instead, they focus on strategic gameplay and strong writing to engage players. AtelierTotori is just such a game and part of a series that’s been around since 1997. Whilethe last iteration turned few heads, Totoriis a huge improvement and has already caught our hearts.

Many RPGs start off with an epic battle or event that leavesthe protagonist in the middle of a series of world changing events. Differingfrom the crowd, though fitting into its own subgenre of sorts, Atelier Totori avoids this and puts players intothe shoes of Totori, who is the apprentice of Rorona of Atelier Rorona fame, as she goes on her quest to become anadventurer and continually improve her alchemy skills. Though it may sound likea bore for some, Totori and her companions will quickly capture players’hearts and drive them to continue playing more than any political intrigue orconspiracy. Those who have played Atelier Rorona will be rewarded with a good amount of cameos and references. If cutesy characters aren’t your cup of tea though, be prepared fora flurry of cutscenes that will play at almost every turn, whether they arenecessary components of the story or just a random side conversation.

The graphics themselves are pretty simple and inspirelittle technological awe, though will capture audiences who are into anime character archetypes, which the game has no shortage of, from the cluelessly innocentTotori to borderline tsundere MimiHoullier von Schwarzlang. The relatively small scope of the story helps playersfocus on the characters themselves rather than on the encompassing world, whichwould have only weakened character development. What may be seen as a shallowstory actually works well with the game’s setting and characters and creates agreat chemistry not found in most western or mainstream RPGs.

Combat in the game reminds players of how versatile turnbased gameplay can still be; a progress bar on the bottom constantly updatesplayers on turn order, allowing for battle strategies and decisions for which foeshould be struck first, rather than mindlessly mashing on X until a battle hasended. The assist command is a great tool for players, allowing weak charactersmore longevity and power with assist shielding and attacks. While the ability to attack enemies on the map before an encounter is present, it could have definitely used some tweaking. Players will find themselves swinging away, waiting for an enemy to come near or have a monster walk towards them unfazed. These shortcomings don't amount to much though, because the draw of thegame doesn’t even lie in combat. Rather, taking on quests, which mostly takethe form of monster hunting, resource gathering, or alchemy, will take up thebulk of players’ time and continue driving the game forward. Most enjoyableabout these quests is that players will have to learn and take on several at atime, managing their way through battles, scavenging, and concocting. Asplayers complete more quests, they get closer to Totori’s goal of becoming afull fledged adventurer; with more quests available after the completion ofanother, the game seems to suck players in as the time flies.

Lacking any revolutionary mechanics or an epic, Atelier Totori succeeds with its addictivemission-based gameplay and charming characters. The only drawback is that thesevery strengths tend to draw lines, keeping AtelierTotori from reaching universal appeal. For gamers looking for a quaint RPGwith a character-centric storyline though, this will be a great choice.

Available on: PS3; Publisher: NIS America; Developer: Gust; Players: 1; Released: September 27, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site

Note: A retail copy was provided to Denkiphile for review purposes by the publisher.