Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2) Preview

[RainOfTerror]

Atelier Iris 3 brings new designs, characters, and an epic story with new systems. It will give players more control and enjoyable game play experience by featuring the Active Cost Card Battle System and the Symbol Encounter System, as well as a Synthesis that is interesting, creative and challenging than the last two titles in the series. WorthPlaying (http://www.WorthPlaying.com) recently had a chance to play with a recent build, here is a snip :

Another interesting new feature is the Blades system. Unlike the early games, Mana, the powerful spirits that govern the magic in the world of Atelier Iris, are not used for alchemy. Instead, they bestow Blades upon your characters. Similar to the Reyvateil costumes found in the last Gust offering, Ar Tonelico, Blades are new outfits for your heroes. Beyond changing how the character looks, however, Blades also give them new weaponry and special moves. For example, the first Blade that Edge receives transforms him into a ninja. He uses kunai instead of swords, and his special moves all change to ones focusing on speed and combo hits. Check the complete Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm preview (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=42015) over at WorthPlaying.

[destoo]

In Salsburg, what's important is definitely how the character looks.

(got my volume 1-5 in french on the way.. (drool))

Is this an oldschool type game, or more real-time stuff?

[Spigot]

Ug. I HATE card battle games.

I loved the original Atelier Iris game but that was more because it was an anti-JRPG. I spent more time chatting up the shopkeepers and scrounging around for items to make new gadgets than I did actively working on the storyline. That said, I don't have much of an interest in the later games. I love that alchemy system but otherwise, bah. I have enough non-old school RPG's and such to work on as it is!

[Syl]

I, on the other hand, LOVE card battle games.

The soundtrack to this game is phenomenal as well; hopefully this Atelier will be worth picking up; the last two didn't interest me all that much.

[Homeskillet]

Not a big fan of card battle games but this one can actually turn out pretty good. Not to forget the great soundtrack, Atelier Iris 3 could turn out pretty decent.

[Vanthar]

I love how PS2 games are still being released.

[Crabby]

Skipped Over Ar Tonelico and Iris 2 but there are enough things loaded into this package that it may just peak my interest.

I had played the first game but lost interest in finishing around the time you would expect the plot to become "involving" since I had just reached the place you're trying to get to for the whole game. Plot not holding my interest = failure.

[twophayse]

I skipped the first game and played a couple of hours into the second one before getting distracted by Yakuza and Okami. What I played was pretty good if you're into the 2D anime look and JRPGs with limited random battles, so I'll definitely check out the third game. Hopefully good Japanese games like this will continue being translated and released here for another year or two to stem the tide of gaming journalists announcing the "last great PS2 game" only to be proven wrong time and time again.

[Spigot]

Hopefully good Japanese games like this will continue being translated and released here for another year or two to stem the tide of gaming journalists announcing the "last great PS2 game" only to be proven wrong time and time again.
That's the thing. It's making sure that the games that come out from now on are good as opposed to just games on the PS2.

While there are definately some good RPG's coming out for the PS2, I think the days of a major mainstream hit like God of War 2 or FFXII are behind us. Odin Sphere looks amazing but I doubt you'll have Joe Public looking at it fondly.

Sigh.

On the upside, that means that I'll finally have time to work my way through the last two years worth of games that I've been buying and not having time to play when the last good PS2 game finally hits!