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Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is a very entertaining game and very rarely gets old. The only downfalls of the game are that there are a lot of conversations and that this is episode six of this game series and the first 5 are only in Japanese. If you like RPGs this is a must buy.

A Fun RPG with Interesting Gameplay

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This review was written by James Shea, my son.

Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana is the first game for the PS2 (and the 6th game overall) in a role-playing series by Nippon Ichi Software, the gaming company that made Disgaea and Makai Kingdom. Many of the graphical conventions used in the game are familiar in style and elements.

Atelier Iris, compared to Disgaea, is a much more traditional RPG. Set in a fantasy land where mana - the source of magic - is running out, Atelier Iris' story is for the most part fairly standard for an RPG like this. The characters, too, are fairly standard caricatures of RPG conventions, like the good-intentioned but clumsy main character, or the overbearing female sidekick, or the catgirl wizard. Despite its creator, the wacky humor found in the Disgaea is not especially present here. For the most part, the story isn't even a requirement to play.

Despite its simplistic turn-based gameplay, said gameplay is probably the game's strongest point. Each character - there are six total - has a different ability to use on the world map. The first one, for the main character, is converting items into alchemic elements to use as spells. This means that he collects or transmogrifies almost ANYTHING he can find. Walking down the street and spot some crates? Go ahead and turn them into Wood points. See a pitcher of water? Hit it with your staff and make some ice grenades out of it. The hilarity of going through a town and just smashing and disintegrating everything you see doesn't wear off quickly, let me tell you. With these elements, Klein (the alchemist character) can synthesize potions, weapons, and other comestibles. To do this, he also needs the assistance of his Manas, or alchemic spirits; work them too hard, and they'll become cranky and less capable. Other characters are capable of demolishing objects, flight, or summoning spirits to help with a specific problem.

The combat system is, mainly, as expected for an RPG. It works decently, however. The same cannot be said of the moving-around parts of the game. There are awkward jumping puzzles to reach chests and bonuses that are difficult to pull off because of the camera's view and the game's arbitrary invisible walls.

The graphics are very similar to the cartoonish style of the Disgaea games, with a bit of a more conventional fantasy motif than that series. However, any way you look at it, it's very reminiscent. Depending on your opinion, this can be good or bad, but as a rule in this game the towns are well-animated and well-drawn (with lots of little side animations also coming into play, not just the same 2 or 3 recolored sprites over and over).

The music isn't noticeable one way or the other. It's the same kind of background music that every console RPG has used, and it's so generic that it's unbelievable. The voice actors sound like they're trying, but are constrained by the weird, sappy lines. Because of an effort to match the voices up to the graphics, most of the voices are cutesy; at times, this gets a little obnoxious.

As a whole, this game isn't remarkably different from its peers, but by itself it's not that bad. There are enough fun little elements to keep things interesting, though if you generally don't like RPGs, this probably isn't going to change your mind about that.

Rating: 8/10.

Marred by second tier graphics...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: July 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I'm going to review the Atelier Iris series in the opposite order from what I played them, primarily because I felt some disappointment with this first game, Eternal Mana. I came to it straight from Grand Phantasm and it was a bit of a shock. And I didn't think that Iris #3 was a technical tour de force either. It seems to me that while Eternal Mana's contemporaries were in the process of proving that a PS2 was a lot better a machine than people though it was, this game's developers were happy taking a good concept and story and using graphics that were strictly based on the style of game that marked the original PSOne. Putting it simply this is a good game marred by middling technical grades.

The characters are good. Take a young boy looking or alchemical artifacts and a girl who is a member of the local monster killing club and you have an interesting case of gender reversal that gives things a wry twist. There are plenty of extras to keep them busy and an alarming number of creatures to kill. Throw in the usual looming danger to the world that keeps getting bigger and you have all the fixings of an RPG with enough complexity to keep up your interest.

The mana system is the brilliant addition that makes the game click. You get to wander around collecting ingredients and recipes, making all kinds of useful items that will help you solve puzzles and leave trails of monster parts around. This is almost a subgame of its own - between quests and alchemy the game keeps the player engages. The battle system isn't particularly complicated (or graphic) so old men like me can cope without and embarrassing 'twisted thumb' moments.

Three years ago I would have probably thought this was a five star game had I not played many PC based rpg's. Now, with games like Shining Force EXA in the market, Eternal Mana gets 4 stars at best for story and the alchemy system. Later Atelier Iris stories will be better illustrated and animated, but they never really push the PS2's limits. But they are all more than just humdrum playable - Atlus (and Koei) deserves credit for that. Although this game has gone out of print it is still available at a good price. Just the thing to fill the time waiting for Final Fantasy XIII...

Atelier Iris 2

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Very enjoyable game. The final boss is a little weak, but this seems to happen a lot in newer RPG games. Compared to SNES ZELDA final battle. I give it a solid 4 stars.

Classic RPG on the PS2

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: May 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game feels like a stroll down memory lane. With all the action junkies these days, it is rare to see a classic RPG with a turn-based combat system.

That's right, this is a classic RPG, not a strategy or action RPG which some people have mistook it for. However, it does have some elements of strategic formations. Too bad these mean very little to actual combat. In fact, a regular attack will reset your character's position even if they've been pushed back.

The mana and store synthesis features are fairly unique. You can get different results if you use different items in synthesis. The stores also gain a popularity and approval rating based on the items you synthesis in them.

The game also has a lot of side quests to keep you running around. However you can only undertake one at a time and can't accept others until you're done with the current one.

The story's nothing special. We all know this type of plot. There are some humorous dialog though.

In conclusion, a good game if you miss the old style of RPGs. If you're looking for quick action or in-depth combat, this is not the one.

Not the strategy RPG I hoped for

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: August 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It's about a fifty - sixty hour game, even with everything there is to do. A typical RPG with no great innovations; I actually enjoyed this less than other RPGs.

What Atelier has going for it is the elemental combination and synthesis system. It's extremely complicated and by itself will be half of your game experience. Interesting, but not ground-breaking for a strategy rpg player.

The characterization didn't really connect with me, oddly the characters that I liked the most and were the best developed weren't even in my party. They were shop owners you have to find items to synthesize into new items for.

The music was decent, and I loved the opening anime music video. However you'll find some glitches with the voices, including a glitch that can ruin the ending.

I could live with all that stuff. What annoyed me the most was the lack of challenges and variety with the combat battle parts. The battles were too easy, and the same type of enemies "Puni" are present in both the very first area of the game and the very last areas of the game. I found this tedious rather than fun.

Other things I didn't like were not being able quick-teleport into areas which you could use the teleport network to get out of, the randomness of new formulaes being added at the shops (took me forever to get Magic Pipe for example), and the tedium of converting mana stones into useful abilites.

Things I did like included a couple very funny and challenging side quests, the awesome personality of the water sprite at the item exchaning spring, and some of the voice comments in combat by the characters.

Overall I've played better games with better flow, but I've also played worse games that totally annoy me. Atelier Iris is better than the .Hack series for instance. It was an OK game, but nothing I'd recommend. For true RPGs Final Fantasy is better, and for strategy RPG's go with Nippon Ichi titles.

Keep in mind that Atlier is not a true Nippon Ichi title, it was translated by NIS America, but released by a company called Gust. This threw me off and factored into my decision to buy it.

Had potential to be a great rpg

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: March 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game was really great. I was disappointed in how easy the game was but that is about it. The games good aspects are the item creating, the mana skills, and the storyline. The games storyline is pretty interesting if you talk to one person in a shop then talk to another person in a shop it triggers a little dispute thing. The good thing is if you do the little talking to merchants thing and making the story line better it doesn't affect the main storyline at all. It just makes the game alot longer which is a plus. The item creating is just awesome. Merchants give you a list of things you need to make the item and if you make a plate of food or clothing or something like that. You can make the food spicy or the clothing silk which might get better reviews. The item creating may sound stupid but once you get into it. It can be very time consuming and really fun. This is definitely a game worth playing. When you beat the game there is a flag so when the sequel comes out you might start out with something better or something like that. When the sequel comes out if they make the game harder it could be a very good game that can be really well known like the final fantasy series if the game is made harder.

Atleier Iris: Eternal Mana

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

So I got this game last christmas since I loved the screenshots and heard that it's based on alchemy. The game starts off with an amazing CGI scene with phenomenal music. The battle system is quite easy is to follow except you have a lack of HP. I like the idea of using mana synthesis to create more duplicates of items such as a heal jar, to heal your HP when your running out. As well as using your mase to turn an object like a barrel to a certain element to use to create more and more duplicates of items. The only problem is that you can only create 9 items for each instead of more. I love the animations, as well as the character sprites which reminds me of the good ol times when RPG's first came out. Anyway this was a pretty underated game from an underated company.

Traditional JRPG done quite well

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

In regards to the story and battles this game is pretty much standard JRPG fodder. Most of the characters are pretty interesting and you are interested to learn more about them and to see their relationships develop. The main character is surprisingly the weakest character in the game, the person you're most likely to be the least interested in unfortunately.

The thing that keeps me playing this game is the ability to create items with things you find while playing. You can create items for different vendors and increase the popularity of their store and progress your relationship with that person.

Also you can create items that you can apply to weapons to give them different effects and you can create different potions and such to use during battle such as ice bombs, fire bombs, and more.

This creation process kept me going and wanting to move forward to make better and better things more than the story ever did.

What I hate about this game is the main character Klein who is possibly the most boring lead character ever, items from Vendors cost a lot more than they should and they are almost always out of stock on items you really need...the music is unremarkable all around, the character voice tracks sometimes stop playing mid dialogue, the game will lock up while transitioning between scenes at times and some completely unneccesary animations during routine tasks causing 10 second delays in game play.

Despite this the game is certainly worth playing and should keep you interested long enough to beat it.

My Review

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 19
Date: November 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Personally, the whole thing was too stereotypical for me. Now, I will admit that I'm not usually into what other people are. If you like something like Inuyasha, you might like this.

The story was the same thing that you'll find in most anime. The character's aren't anything special, and the basis of the storyline had been used so many times...

The only reason I even slightly liked this game was because they artwork in it is pretty well done. It also included voices, which is [almost] always good.

Mostly it was because I liked the whole idea of gaining mana points and fusing things together and what not.

If you can find it at a pretty low price, then [maybe] it'd be worth looking at as something to do when you're stuck on one all of your other games.

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