Game REVIEWS
Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island Review
Developer: NIS America
Platform: Nintendo DS
Category: Strategy RPG
Available Now
American fans were first introduced to the Alchemic series with Atelier Iris; Atelier Annie is a new installment in the Atelier series. It is developed and published by the Japanese company, Gust, then imported, translated, and published by NIS America (the first Atelier game in the US for the Nintendo DS). The game features the original Japanese voices for all the characters.
Annie is your average everyday girl, but very lazy. Her parent’s were very worried about her so they went to consult with Annie’s Alchemist grandfather on what to do to change their daughter’s ways. After a few moments of thinking he had a plan and sets it in motion. While Annie is sleeping “heavily” they change her clothes and take her to a far away land. When Annie awakens by a whack to the head, she discovers that she isn’t home anymore. Instead, she finds herself in a weird workshop with a weird little creature dressed in green garb. The little creature gets angry at her and reveals that he is a fairy named Pepe and hands Annie’s a letter from her grandfather. It explains that she is to live on Sera Island for 3 years and help with the renovation of the island. Annie is shocked and wants to go home when she finally realizes her clothes have been changed. Pepe explains to her that the clothes belong to her grandfather and if she is to try to take them off she will be cursed.
Soon afterward a young man enters and requests Annie to come to him. Still in shock, she refuses to listen to him. He grabs her and takes her to the town’s main square where a celebration for the resorts restoration is being held. During the ceremony he introduces himself as Hans, who works for the committee to help restore Sera Island, then fills Annie in on her job. She must use her skills and alchemy for 3 years to help improve the Islands and if she does, she will be greatly rewarded, giving her inspiration to work hard. The king then announces the winner would also marry the prince or princess. Annie wants to win more than ever so she could marry up in status and be rich!! This is where Annie’s adventure begins; having 3 years to: learn and improve her alchemy, create recreational areas for the island, managing them and improving them; all while completing tasks given to her.
Atelier Annie is a tactical RPG, a slice of life game, a race against time, and a quest based game all rolled into one. Every action has a reaction to your game play with a time constraint of 3 years to become the best alchemist on the island. To help Annie on her adventure there are many locations and tools at her disposal: her home is also her laboratory containing her Cauldron, and eventually more tools to help her as the game progresses, as well as her shop managed by Pepe. Through the shop the recreational facilities can be managed, upgraded and see how each facility is doing for Annie’s cash flow. A weapon shop is available for all of Annie’s equipment and quests, as well as a general shop that stocks itself on synthesis items for Annie’s alchemy needs.
As part of the story, Annie has to complete 6 alchemy missions over the period of 3 years. The missions will be given periodically, and depending on how well the mission is done, the player gets rated on the scale of gold, silver, and bronze. Each one rewards Annie with a large sum of money, which excites her until she realizes that money isn’t for her, but for the Island’s restoration. She can use that money to create new facilities and raise even more money to be used to upgrade and build more facilities. Her fame dictates how popular her facilities will be, including even her own shop. Annie must take missions from the guild which includes: finding items, synthesis or adding traits to an item. This rewards her in fame as well as some extra spending money.
This is the first Atelier Annie that doesn’t focus around fighting as much as Iris did. As Annie progresses through the game new friends are made, which you can team up with to go to areas for Annie to collect items for her alchemy (although it takes up much needed time walking to the area, collecting items, and walking back, taking away days at a time through Annie’s adventure). Later on in the game the general store will stock many of the items for synthesis (a lot easier than running around). Fighting in this game is necessary to get different endings and get certain synthesis items for Annie’s alchemy.
Speaking of time, much of Atelier Annie‘s time is used, not just fighting and walking can lose you days at a time, Alchemy itself requires days to create items. Simple items like water can take 1-5 days to create, depending on the quantity being created. Difficult items like jewels can take up to 5 days for just one to be created. This can take its toll on the game depending on how you manage yourself between: leveling, taking care of your facilities, creating stronger friendships, alchemy creations and quests. Due to the game’s 7 possible and unique endings, the game is rich in replay value. By playing through the game the first time around, it gives the player an idea on how the components of the game work together. Also the game’s new game + mode allow the player to carry over everything they have earned so far and start a new game with them.
Atelier Annie is a fun and trying game, it takes a while for one to fully get used to the game with all the new rules and time management. One month can go by within minutes. It gets really tiring when you have to synthesis a spear with a purple trait, yes you heard me right, a purple trait. Weapons aren’t created; you have to buy the weapon you need then assign it a color trait. If Annie has enough skills the trait add is easy, if not, you may have to try again. Traits are created by formula books that extract abilities (color) for weapons and each elemental creature is weak to a color. The first time you play the game it is random and confusing, but once you beat the game it carries over things, like monster guide and recipe guides, that help you as you progress.
Atelier Annie is a cute game. You can use the touch screen to play or use the controls to move and fight. The characters are super deformed (chibi sized) as the play and in scenes are full (normal) sized. The game was frustrating at first, but on my 2nd and 3rd time playing, it was a lot more simplistic. It seems you only have to plan ahead, like have items prepared ahead of time. When you start a second play, it really can make quite a difference.
** Written by Christopher Del Castillo
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