Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland Critic Reviews

Atelier Lulua's an interesting one from Gust. On the one hand it's certainly the most visually impressive and detailed effort we've seen from the series to date. Gust has always had limited budgets to work with, but the team has really pushed themselves here to make something that does look very "next gen". It also plays very cleanly. On the other hand, Atelier Lulua is a very traditional game, and is an effort to bring fans back to trilogy that has had two other full trilogies developed in-between. It's almost painfully delightful, warm, colourful, and completely charming in everything that it does, but its reliance on nostalgia and series tradition means that I'm just not sure that this will be one to win the series new fans.

Atelier Lulua is more than a case of ‘Gust has done it again’, although that’s obviously true. It’s a great game with a brilliantly-told story full of great twists. More than that, though, it’s notable because it takes the chance to question an element at the very heart of the genre — why is combat so central to the experience? Is it a necessary part of the story being told, or does it wind up limiting the kind of adventure that developers can to craft? There’s no clear answer here, but the fact that the question is being asked in such an interesting way deserves a huge amount of respect.

Atelier Lulua is up there with the best that the series has to offer. Although it doesn't do anything exceptionally unique, it's an enjoyable and rewarding adventure set in such a memorable and charming world that you'll find it hard to put down.

Atelier Lulua shows itself as an interesting title which through its story, characters and game mechanics hold the players interest until the end.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland, is both a solid continuation and entry in the series, boasting a combination of addictive alchemy and endearing characters that will appeal to existing fans and newcomers alike. That said, the latter would certainly get more out of the return if they play the original trilogy first.

Atelier Lulua is one of the better Atelier games in recent times and a worthy follow up to the Arland trilogy with its relaxing gameplay and superb soundtrack.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland doesn't stray too far from the formula it created many, many installments ago, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to this series. This is a fun, light-hearted adventure that doesn't overstay its welcome.

This is the best Atelier yet, and a prime point for newcomers to jump in.

As the fourth game in the Arland sub-series of Atelier games, there were characters and interactions that series’ veterans would get more mileage out of than those who hadn’t played the first three, but at no time did the experience suffer from my lack of background knowledge. Atelier Lulua is both a wonderful game for newcomers and Atelier veterans to enjoy.

Atelier Lulua is a solid, albeit safe final entry in the Arland quadrilogy that does an admirable job of bidding farewell to a lovable cast of characters.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is one of the best entries in the Atelier series. While the story is not particularly exciting, the charming characters, enjoyable world and streamlined game mechanics can keep players engaged for a very long time. Highly recommended to fans of the series and to those looking for a nice JRPG that's not too demanding.

Those who love "anime style" products will find a nicely modeled character design, but also a truly sparse concept and little environmental inspiration. For the rest, even The Scion of Arland, like its predecessors, has a sweet and carefree charm, characterized by an untraceable genuineness elsewhere.

Atelier Lulua will delight old school JRPG and anime fans, with it's paused rhythm and focused on the story. You can get to forgive it's poor graphics in exchange of being one of the most beautiful franchise games.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is a more accessible installment to the long running franchise. Lulua and her companions are a fun new cast, and the more streamlined crafting system makes Atelier Lulua a great starting point for new players.

Overall, Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland does great justice to the Arland trilogy, as well as the Atelier series as a whole, becoming a great game in itself.

I am hooked on Arland.

Whether you are a fan or new to the series, Lulua has something for you. It doesn’t have many new feature, but overall it’s a very enjoyable JRPG.

The Scion of Arland’s story and gameplay feel like a culmination of the series, and a tutorial system makes it a lot easier to jump in for newcomers. The soft-touch visuals match the atmosphere of the series, but the battle system brings in new ideas without much success. While some events could have been better explained for those not familiar with previous iterations, in the end this entry creates some of the most exciting moments in the series.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland doesn't even try to change the Atelier formula, only adding some new elements to the gameplay that benefit the overall experience but still fail to bring something really new to the table.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland has plenty going for it. It’s got an interesting story that longtime fans will love, and its gameplay will keep JRPG fans satisfied well into the late hours of its run. Like so many other titles from the genre though, it’s held back by long-held conventions that work against it, and keep it from being something better than just another entry in the Atelier series.