Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland

Atelier Lulua continues the story of the Arland trilogy of games while taking the mechanics of more recent Atelier titles and refining them.

Gust and Koei Tecmo have been busy releasing oodles of charming Atelier games recently so let's journey back to Arland and see if Lulua can fill the shoes of her legendary alchemist mother.

It's more of the same Atelier, but it also takes the best from its predecessors to synthesize a fun and customizable adventure.

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.

There’s something about the long-running Atelier games from developer Gust and publisher Koei Tecmo that always has the same consistency throughout each title. While most JRPGs focus on a greater goal to save the world from some bad mojo, the Atelier games have scaled it back for its players for a more laid back experience. While of course there will always be towns or kingdoms to be helped, it’s ...

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland maintains the magic that this long-running JRPG series is known for. From relaxing gameplay to adorable characters, Atelier Lulua doesn't disappoint. Newcomers to the series might have some larger story beats go over their head, while long-time fans might be miffed at the fact that so few returning characters are playable in battle. Still, when it comes to the At...

Gust's Atelier series has managed, over the years, to garner a respectable following in the West without the developer trying to change many of series' staples to conform to the North American and European audiences' tastes. This is a double-edged sword, in a way, but it is also why the series' popularity is on a slow yet steady growth: you want a true Japanese role-playing game experience? You go...

When it comes to JRPGs, there are plenty of titles that have elements which make them great but can’t shine due to flaws carried over from their series or genre. Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is, for better and worse, one of those titles.

Atelier Lulua is a fun game to play in small spurts. It combines crafting/gathering with a decent JRPG combat system. While crafting and gathering can be tedious at times, the general concept is pretty fun. Discovering new ways to create better items is where the real fun lies. If you're looking for a game with a meaty story to it, you should look elsewhere. If you can overlook the story, and p...