Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack

Genre: Compilation / Turn-Based JRPG

Players: 1

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Review:

Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack is a Compilation of JRPGs that includes the original “trilogy” of games in the Atelier Arland sub-series of the overarching Atelier franchise of crafting-focused JRPGs, with the Arland series being the fifth series in the franchise (check out this helpful guide on BarrelWisdom.com if you’d like a good overview of the Atelier franchise). However, here’s the short version:

The Arland series fits in the Atelier franchise as a “traditional” series of Atelier games, meaning they have an overarching time limit requiring some degree of resource management over the course of the game (except for Lulua, which abandons this element entirely).

This Compilation includes Atelier Rorona ~The Alchemist of Arland~ DX, Atelier Totori ~The Adventurer of Arland~ DX, and Atelier Meruru ~The Apprentice of Arland~ DX, the updated and modernized versions of the core “trilogy” of games in this series, originally released on PlayStation 3 in 2010 through 2012. This Compilation does not include Atelier Lulua, an additional entry in this series that was made well after the first three games.

Here is what I thought of each of the games in this collection:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Grade
Atelier Rorona ~The Alchemist of Arland~ DX	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C
tl;dr Atelier Rorona is the first game in the fifth series of Atelier games (the Arland series), a franchise of JRPGs with a focus on crafting. Rorona has a lot of charm, but its plot isn’t very compelling, and this low-stakes plot doesn’t match the need to constantly track progress of tasks against impending deadlines on a calendar. While not a terrible JRPG, I wouldn’t recommend this unless you’re already a fan of the series.
Atelier Totori ~The Adventurer of Arland~ DX	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C-
tl;dr Atelier Totori is the second game in the fifth series of Atelier games (the Arland series), a franchise of JRPGs with a focus on crafting. Totori may be a sequel set in the same world as Atelier Rorona, but in many ways this game feels like a step backwards, removing some of Rorona’s better features and replacing them with elements seemingly designed to frustrate. There are still some good elements here, but the only ones who are likely to enjoy them are players who absolutely loved Atelier Rorona and want another game set in that world, even if it’s a worse game.
Atelier Meruru ~The Apprentice of Arland~ DX	Turn-Based JRPG	1	B-
tl;dr Atelier Meruru is the third game in the fifth series of Atelier games (the Arland series), a franchise of JRPGs with a focus on crafting. Meruru is a marked improvement over the prior two games in multiple ways – it features a much better pacing and feeling of progression, it brings back quality-of-life elements that were stripped out of Atelier Totori, it has a better soundtrack than either of the two prior games, and much better graphics. This still isn’t going to be a game for everyone – the overbearing deadlines on quests are still likely to frustrate more casual RPG players. But for those wanting a “traditional” Atelier game, this is the best one yet in the series.

In short, this is a trilogy of games that’s not likely to be for everyone – the time limits on quests in all three games make for a somewhat tense contrast to the otherwise lighthearted presentation. However, if you can tolerate that sort of demand on micromanaging your time and resources, you may find this to be an enjoyable group of JRPGs, especially Meruru, which improves on multiple elements of the prior two games. Conversely, the middle chapter, Totori, is by far the weakest of the group.

So then, the question regarding this Compilation becomes one of value, and in that regard the Atelier Compilations generally tend to make a strong case for buying these games as a group. Each of the individual games in this collection sells individually for $40, while the Deluxe Pack sells for $90, saving you $30 on this trio of games (and even more if you can manage to find these games on sale, something that only happens rarely). However, given how much better Meruru is compared to the first two games in this Compilation, you may also want to consider skipping out on Rorona and Totori and just jumping straight to Meruru – don’t worry, you’re not missing much in terms of story.

In the end, this Compilation of JRPGs was always only ever going to have a very niche appeal due to the Arland series’ strict in-game deadlines, and there’s a good argument to be made that you may want to just skip the first two games of this trilogy. However, all three games here are still charming and have their positive elements, and if you’re a fan of JRPGs, Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack is a decent Compilation that offers a lot of quality gameplay within that genre.

tl;dr – Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack is a Compilation of upgraded versions of the first three games in the Arland series, the fifth series in the Atelier franchise of crafting-focused JRPGs. This package includes Atelier Rorona DX, Atelier Totori DX, and Atelier Meruru DX (not included here is Atelier Lulua, a later entry in the Arland series). The Arland series is not going to appeal to everyone due to its adherence to in-game deadlines for quests and objectives, and there’s a good argument to be made that players may want to just skip ahead to Atelier Meruru, by far the best in the trilogy. However, players wanting to partake in the entire trilogy will find this compilation to be an excellent deal on some charming Turn-Based JRPGs.

Grade: C+

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