The game itself is, as expected, kept in the anime style. The graphic level is approximately on a level with Atelier Meruru, thus sees itself in quite chic. Is graphics fetishist's again awful, but good enough for me completely out. The main characters and monsters are as always completely oversubscribed and vary in design between quietschbunt and incredibly clichéd, just as it should be. On a positive note that has been dispensed with the annoying dialog design that showed only the thumbnails of active individuals with (partly set to music) talks. Here is happening in game graphics running seamlessly, plus for the game flow, minus point for the atmosphere: While key figures mostly still halfway sensible gesture and grimace, NPCs act often arg wooden and emotionless. Overall, the visual presentation is perfectly fine, I prefer a great game with mediocre graphics as one with great graphics and gameplay zero.
But the sound still sets an ordinary shovel it from atmospheric background tooting up sticky J-Pop, the game situations are excellently accompanied, be it only during the discovery tour, during combat or during special attacks. The (English Sichen) speakers do a very good job, because absolutely everything comes together just Ayesha, the main character himself is sometimes a bit annoying. Oh, and the "cow" sounds like a cattle madman voice actor who has captured the swine flu. Who needs it ... What is so often criticized, is the lack of Japanese language edition. I do not care, I can not speak Japanese, and if there herbrabbeln funny male in a language that I understand zero, right, I'm the more on your nerves as it intensifies the gaming experience.
So, now the game itself: Actually everything happens like in the Arland trilogy, man collects, fights, created more or less useful items, settled hunter-gatherer tasks and follows somehow the main quest, only somehow different. First change that stands out thanks to tutorial: The harvesting of items has been changed, the ingredients, etc. more or less obtained randomly and can no longer control what items you take now and what you would rather not even pocketed. Each collection campaign consumes a certain amount of time, unfortunately, you can, thanks to the time of collection reform is no longer reasonable to manage (what, however, is not necessary). Pity! But the review also has something good: Depending on Party members's special items to pick up. Because it is worth sometimes with changed team an already unexplored area of investigating again.
Direct collecting is indeed connected and the alchemy system. Here's new: As far as I understand it, now the same objects have the same characteristics, past the time when you could combine properties in almost any way. But now to the order of ingredients play a role. Really out I have not that, but at least a bit.
The turn-based battles are a little highlight for me. Here the biggest step forward took place. The figures can move to four different points on the separate battle screen now, depending on the position of attack, damage and Koop capability are determined. That leaves a bit more tactics, at least for bosses at normal Gegenern but enough unfortunately still simple slap and bomb Chuck.
The story is again much more appealing than in Atelier Meruru, one embarks on the search for Ayesha-lost sister Nio. So far, so well known in other games. Wonderfully refreshing I find, however, that this rescue does not depend the welfare of the world, I have now saved enough real worlds. (Tiny SPOILER: In the end, changed this a little, I think, at least, the main story is full of holes, unfortunately, fall a little how and why Nio is now gone, and what the final boss really wants to remain in the dark ...). After about 15 to 20 hours of searching was over, now it's only to side quests or sandbox game. Time is therefore entirely sufficient, and enough else's indeed do.
Almost everyone else going about his own business, and asks for help, of course, the players. It is, as always, to cute / funny / Fremdscham triggering events and cutscenes. That's the way it has to be! Unfortunately, it happens a little too often that you let the Main Quest aside and would rather go with the "powerful witch" Will Bell on a treasure hunt ... During these quests you naturally learn again a handful oblique types know, the one immediately to the Heart grow, so you because with exaggerated (but for this genre mE typical) characters get along.
Oh, and the time limit is more or less beauty, a real pressure never comes on.
So if you liked the predecessor, can safely access, also fans of other JRPGs can certainly take a look. But who can start anything with so much colorful kitsch and JRPGs holds anyway for kid stuff, which is with Atelier Ayesha not happy.
