| Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana review |
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On surface charms alone, Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana appears to shine brightly in a genre crowded with global crises in fantasy settings, largely thanks to its striking, 2-Dimensional presentation. Sprites and backgrounds glow with vivacity such that it becomes hard not to be instantly drawn to its enchanting visuals that play upon the heartstrings of RPG fans who once lost themselves in the likes of Final Fantasy and Seiken Densetsu on the SNES.
Atelier Iris is built upon this promise of simplicity, this joy of the way things once were, and this design ethic extends far beyond its graphics; its characters and plotline will feel completely straightforward to anyone at all experienced in the genre. The protagonist, Klein Kiesling, wants to be the greatest alchemist in the world (though this involves no desire to create gold from base metals whatsoever). His endeavours bring him into contact with the lively Lita Blanchimont, who persuades the unwitting Klein into becoming a bounty hunter of sorts in the way that only a girl with a short skirt, long hair and large claws can. And so in true Anime/RPG fashion, a whole host of other stereotypical characters join the pair in their endeavours which inevitably lead to a need to stop an evil genius from ending the world in a Ikari Gendo-esque death and rebirth situation.
All staples of common anime and RPG characters are present: the bumbling general who tries to stop the protagonist at each step for no reason other than “He must be stopped!”, the lazy womaniser and even an adorable cat-girl. Needless to say, all characters come replete with plot-twists that have all been seen many times before. The plot is remarkably linear and teases the player onwards, though not in a pleasant way – throughout the game it feels as if a tasty twist could be just around the next corner from which the game can spring onwards and upwards, though this revelation never arrives. The story remains thoroughly mediocre and unsurprising from start to finish.
Which is a terrible shame since the actual script itself is superb. The localisation process may have taken just over a year but it stands as a real example in how translations should be done. Dialogue is witty and entertaining, sticking close enough so that all its typically Japanese jokes remain, yet a background in anime fansubbing isn’t necessary to find amusement in them; the translators haven't held back in injecting a few Westernisms into the proceedings to ensure the experience doesn’t feel too alien. Highlights include Pamela, the most carefree member of the undead you’re ever likely to meet, the translation of cat-girl Norn’s constant meowing and any scene where Lita gets to clash with Veola, the bitchy alchemy store owner. Whilst the English voice dub won’t win any Oscars (particularly when it comes to pronouncing German numbers), it certainly provides a very listenable alternative to the Japanese dub and the welcome inclusion of both dubs in the game caps off this fine translation effort.
Atelier Iris’ old, unsurprising plotline does few favours for making a good RPG, and its core gameplay does little to buck the trend; battles are a simplistic, turn-based affair which emphasise the feeling that this is a 16-bit game brought to life on 128-bit hardware. An over-reliance upon Klein’s alchemy skills in battle lead fights into becoming one-dimensional races to work out which moves and techniques can dispatch the randomly-encountered foes in the swiftest manner. A vast majority of the game’s most important techniques are available only to the alchemist, causing most decisions to be made around him and most encounters begin to feel like going through the same scrap again and again as a result, despite the broad range of foes.
A system of equipping Manas (spirits that join Klein on his quest) for stat boosts and for their interactions with the world makes the time not spent in battles a little more entertaining. Those who have played the Golden Sun games on the GBA will be familiar with how the abilities of Manas can be used for everyday exploring tasks such as breaking blocks, scaling walls and traversing gaps. With regular additions to the list of Manas and their abilities throughout the length of the plot, the rules of exploration seem to continually change, keeping this aspect of the game feeling fresh.
Yet when referring to exploration in Atelier Iris, it’s somewhat unfair to think of this as merely exploring the game world, as a vast majority of exploration in the game is in the world of alchemy. As well as fusing mana spells using the mana energy absorbed from objects in the game world, Klein’s alchemy skills allow him (with the aid of a shop) to fuse entirely new items from objects which he has bought or found. This can range from making new food dishes from ingredients to fusing new clothes from materials; some of the items will be useful in battle, others won’t. It’s largely an exercise in collection and experimentation, as emphasised by the rewards for completing the extensive item list of objects seen by Klein and co. Atelier Iris’ world of alchemy is vast and absorbing for any completist that takes on the game’s dauntingly large task of exploring its every facet and it’s this immense challenge that eventually forms Iris’ greatest asset.
As an RPG, Atelier Iris undoubtedly fails. As competently constructed as it is, as bright its script and characterisation may be, its principal design elements simply do not offer enough to consistently provide much beyond a standard role playing experience. What Iris does charmingly offer, however, is a great deal of alchemy for those with the time and desire to explore it fully.
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System: Sony PlayStation 2
Genre: Role Playing Game
Developer: Gust
Publisher: NIS America
Players: 1
Version: United States
Reviewed: Sep 2005
Writer: Edd Hewett
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Pros:
- Excellent translation
- Charming script
- Expansive world of alchemy to explore
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Cons:
- Repetitive, one-dimensional battles
- Predictable use of stereotypical plot and characters
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