The series finally takes a step forward in the right direction, and it comes out being quite entertaining.
You play as Ayesha, a young girl who was trained by her grandfather as an apothecary who happens to show skills in being an alchemist. Through certain events (I'll avoid as much spoilers as possible) you're sent off on a journey for truth and hope, while also getting moments of subtle humor through character interactions. The story is lighthearted, but it fits the game well to match the characters involved. This isn't an end of the world type story, so don't expect anything too deep. This is a game where you come to play it, not experience it. For that reason, the game play itself makes this an enjoyable time investment.
First is the time management aspect. Despite how it sounds, the game does well to make it feel balanced and not a race against time. Everything you do will progress time forward by days. From alchemy to wandering the map, time will move forward at a gradual pace. However, you don't ever feel like you're wasting time with your activities while at the same time while also not hastily speeding through the game either. It's a very smooth and even formula that gives you a gradual sense of progress, but also chances to actually perform activities without a hefty cost. In the previous games, you had to be very careful with what you did otherwise you might have lost valuable days from doing one specific thing. However, most of your time will be used on traveling, gathering and also alchemy.
Alchemy is the very core of this game and it is a lot of fun to play with. It is a simple, yet addicting system that the Atelier series has made. Throughout the game, you are given countless upon plenty of items to make, ranging from ingredients to stronger and more powerful items, to weapons and healing supplies. To make an item, you first need to find the recipe and these usually are in the form of books you purchase from stores. The prices reflect well on when you should buy them and the items inside are of equal value too. Once you have some recipes, you need to head out and find the appropriate ingredients to make them. The game is kind enough to show specifically what you need or are lacking so you are not aimlessly hunting for a mysterious item that might allow you to make it. Most of the items you'll find in the dungeons of the world, but others can be found from the ample shops and stores you'll run into, but the store wares have a set quality while dungeon items can range from weak to amazing. To harvest items, or Gathering as the game calls it, you simply walk into a glowing circle and hold the X button (or press it as many times as you want until the spot runs dry for your time in that location). Unlike before where you had to choose from a list of what you wanted, this time around the game automatically gives it to you. This speeds up the process nicely and doesn't leave you drowning in boring decisions or menu screens when all you really want is to get items and go. Once you have enough items its time to head back and start working on your alchemy.
The system has become a bit more detailed and less random feeling in terms of how items are made. For starters, you actually get to see how much influence every item has BEFORE the final product is made. This is important since in this game, item grade and quality has a lot of influence in item life, but also with quest completions (more on that later). Don't like the low rating with the items you chose? Then just go back and pick anew. Plus, along with the grade and quality, depending on how the elements of items work together (earth, wind, fire and water) you may get added bonuses to the final item. However, there is now an added final part along with it. While each item is being added together, a general 'point' system is given and should your items mix well together, you may unlock even further hidden effects within the item you're aiming to make. This only gives you more possibilities and options to keep coming back to make the best item possible, or to see how unique you can possibly make a cloth or even a bomb.
Once you have your final product, you'll gain EXP towards your Alchemy level, which unlocks other recipes for you to work on while also possibly discovering others through side story sections and other story related perks. Once you get the final product you'll be treated to one of the newer twists on item creation. Unlike the rest of the series, items you make come in multiple's of three AND you have the added bonus of gaining a surplus on items. This means that the more you make, the more added items of that specific recipe will be made as well without any extra cost. In a game where item creation is important, this is a godsend. No longer must you waste all your items to only get four healing potions or two bombs, now you are rewarded for going up and beyond in filling your wares with items.
As mentioned before, quests return again in this game, but not as mandatory as they were before. You're free to complete the many random quests you find throughout the game, which tend to take the form more of deliveries. Thanks to thought bubbles, you'll be able to find and identify which people want something from you. Most of these quests require you to give three of a specific item, but some add twists where they must either have a certain quality rating or certain elemental attributes or even come from specific kinds of monsters. It adds variety amongst them, but none are overly difficult. When you finish a quest, you are rewarded with up to three kinds of prizes. First you'll gain a hefty money reward (no longer must you perform petty monster hunts for little to no money), second you'll sometimes be given an item depending on what you complete, but lastly you'll be rewarded Memory Points.
Memory Points is yet another new addition to the series and it flows well within this installment. As you progress through the story, you'll be given chances to log certain moments into a journal as a sort of memory towards your final goal. As you discover them, you're given a perk that initially unlocks with it. This can range from stat boosts to better item productivity in your alchemy. However, as you gain enough points you can make it a permanent entry and gain a secondary perk from it. This sort of reward is nice to play with since you feel a gradual sense of growth within Ayesha for actually working towards her intended goal. Plus, Memory Points are not a hassle to earn, thankfully. Just as Meruru introduced, you will come across goals to achieve as you explore the world's dungeons and cities. From these you can gain points from either clearing an area of monsters or harvesting enough times. In cities, you gain them either from quests, or even simply by talking to the people. Sometimes you'll be rewarded for making enough items, but the best gains come from completing the Goals you discover. You can also gain them from finding pamphlets that sort of show a 'life' to the world and all of its locations. They're just yet another fun little item to find randomly as you move from place to place.
Battles, however, generally hold the same feel as its predecessors. Battles are all turn based, where speed decides your order. Your allies stand on one side, while the enemy stands on the other as you wail at each other until one team is left standing. On the right side of your screen you'll see a turn gauge which shows who will act and in what order. This is a nice addition as it lets you plan for who is attacking and when might be a good time to play defense. The support systems returns but it gets an added boost to its execution. Unlike before where you had the option of following up with an attack or blocking a hit for your ally, you can now choose not only which ally does the action, but how they perform it too. If you choose to follow up an attack with another, you can choose to either attack head on, or perhaps perform a back attack. This is yet another new add-on into the battle formula that has its pros and cons and adds just a bit of strategy. Back attacks have the bonus of damaging enemies for greater damage. However, the downside is if one of your characters performs this, they will be behind enemy lines and cannot follow up with the rest of your team, not unless they all move closer together. This is something you have to judge wisely since if you perform this with the wrong character at the wrong time, they could easily be defeated in several hits. Characters all have skills which takes the form of MP to use, while Ayesha mostly has her items to toss and use should you have brought any (and this game makes a point of making sure you do). The skills match the characters nicely and even show slight personality quirks to the ones using them, making them feel like they are personal creations for the characters themselves. Upon defeating your enemies, you are rewarded to experience and money, though the money tends to be minimal at best.
Graphically this game is pretty and the locations do seem a bit more detailed than in previous locations and are even deeper in exploration. The cell shaded look returns along with the traditional Atelier style from the previous trilogy, so nothing much has changed in this aspect. Characters look clean yet the story related ones stand out easily compared to the traditional NPC found in all cities. Sometimes it's a bit too easy to know who will be involved with the story and who won't just from looks, but it's just something you come to enjoy in a game like this.
Musically the game holds a fitting score that has a couple of memorable tunes but nothing that truly stands out. I do find the battle theme to be enjoyable and it holds an upbeat pace that not leaves you sleepy or bored, as other games sometimes use.
Ayesha manages to make a lot of improvements from what the series has created while also bringing its own flare and twist on things. While the story may not be breath taking or deep, it does well to keep you interested and hooked within its game play. Making items has never been more addicting as has gathering for items while bashing away enemies on the field. It is definitely a game worth trying if you're looking for an RPG that is slightly laid back in its plot, but more focused on its execution.