You have to go back around 16 years to find the last time that an Atelier title had a “3” next to it. From the PlayStation 3 onwards, Gust has been predominantly interested in building games with new protagonists each time. Characters might cross over from one title to the…
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Yesterday, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key was shown off during the Nintendo Direct. The game is a direct sequel to Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout and Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy (similar annoying long titles), continuing its…
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One of the challenges I have with Koei Tecmo’s Warriors franchise is determining the pecking order of the various games within the series. If you asked me to rank the Final Fantasy series, for example, there’s a clear upper echelon (Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VIII), but…
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Touken Ranbu is a game about pretty boys. Who are swords. And travel around time, Quantum Leap-style. I’ve got to be honest with you, if you had told me that at some point in my life I’d be playing an anime boys game whose closest direct comparison is an ‘80s…
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Koei Tecmo has a reputation for producing games that go heavy on the fan service or sex themes – be that Dead or Alive, Project Zero, Atelier, or even the character designs in Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors. Because of that, people have a particular idea of the kind of…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Playing Atelier Sophie 2 and Elden Ring back-to-back over the last week and a bit has been a fascinating experience. They’re both RPGs out of Japan, of course, but they seem like binary opposites to one another. Elden Ring is melancholic, alienating, and makes cruelty an…
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Video by Matt S. Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is a spectacular return to form, for anyone that found the original Dynasty Warriors 9 to be disappointing. More than that, though, it’s perhaps the most thematically true adaptation of the classic novel that all these things are based on. In this…
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My spouse (Lady Sun Shangxiang, no less!), who I had been wooing for years before finally tying the knot, was in trouble. A large force led by Cao Cao had attacked one of my more remote territories, and the task of holding down an entire flank was left on her.…
Read MoreNews by Lindsay M. We’re sitting on pins and needles waiting for the launch of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (it’s next month!), so these new details certainly help placate the impatience. Not only have the battle system and photo mode been detailed, but we…
Read MoreVideo by Matt S. It’s always a good day when we can play some Atelier, and this new Atelier – a sequel to the beloved Atelier Sophie – is an absolute delight of a game. Gust is going from strength to strength with this warm, comforting, happy and joyful series.…
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