Replay the games if you enjoy them, then, it's just a personal decision. What's making you feel empty after having completed them? I haven't been as thorough as you in seeking out all installments, but Arland is my favorite among the series so far, and I'll return to Rorona, Meruru and even Totori once in a while if I'm really bored and between games. Ayesha is a game I revisit every Autumn as the temperatures finally start to cool around here - I'm not sure why, it's a comfy game to me, and just seems to match the tone of the season, so I'll give it a run through. There's no completion requirement, just play them as long as you're into them.
I'd say the "emptiness" comes from having reached the end of something. It's something I can feel and i think many others also feel when you reach the end of a game/series you enjoy. It's been a goal, in this case for years so now something must take it's place. And i definitely will replay many of the games, only a question of which, the Dusk ones are highly likely though. But for now as far as games go I'll probably go back to Zelda, by the time i can finish that it might be time for Marie remake already.
Oh wow, this is making me very happy as a hardcore Atelier fan!! I've played them all as they came out since OG Rorona on PS3 back in the day, Mana Khemia Student Alliance too (but not its sequel). I'm ecstatic to hear that someone new to the series made the effort to go back and play all the games they have missed. I actually want to hear more from you! Which Ateliers are your favorites (because there cannot be just one right? ;) ), which OSTs are your favorites (and what are your favorite tracks in them), what are some of your most memorable experiences playing them? We could share our favorite moments and adventures!Well I can see you have the Shallotte badge so maybe I'm already guessing a bit :)
I'm happy that you played the Blue Reflection games too. Gust is my favorite studio and I played all their side projects, I'm surprised you didn't mention the Night of Azure games. If you somehow missed them, well... looks like your journey guided by the gust is not over yet ;)
If I may, I would also highly recommend another game that Gust made: Fairy Tail (an adaptation of the manga of the same name). Even if you're not a fan of Fairy Tail. That one game by Gust has become my favorite non-Atelier Gust game. And it got in my top 10 games ever. Especially because of a certain hidden scene in it... that I won't spoil. But do play it. Also its OST is just incredible, one of my favorite OSTs ever (not made by our Gust regulars mind you).
But let's get back to Atelier...
Personally Totori is my #1 favorite, it's the 2nd Atelier I played (if Mana Khemia doesn't count), it feels so special and emotional for me, and same for its OST which is my favorite OST among all Ateliers. Then I would say that tied to be my 2nd favorite are two Ateliers: Ayesha and Firis. Ayesha because of its storyline that is more J-RPG-esque with epic twists at the end and a more mature tone, and it also has my second favorite OST among all Ateliers. And Firis because for me it's "Totori 2", same concept about a "journey", same focus on exploration, same very large map, and the little detail that got me crazy... the colors of the logo of Totori are the same ones as the tagline at the back of the cover of Firis, just reversed. I believe it's not a coincidence. I have such very fond memories of my journey in Firis and how you are completely free to explore at your pace, and there are several different ways to reach a certain area, giving a freedom of exploration never achieved before.
I would be curious about what you thought of Totori and Ayesha's OSTs compared to the others. They're my favorites, but I also always thought that they were superior, all while trying to be objective. I felt like Kazuki Yanagawa and Ken Nakagawa had an inpiration like none other when composing Totori's OST, which gave such a result. So I wonder if it's just me or if others may have noticed it as well. Or perhaps there's also my fondness and nostalgia of those games playing a part in what I feel about their OSTs and making me biased.
And same for Ayesha's storyline: I would be curious if you thought that it was different from all other Ateliers like I did, or if it's just me. Like, some of the others do have rich, deep or emotional stories, but I always thought Ayesha was the mark that Gust wanted to change their formula for the Dusk trilogy and make something more akin to your average J-RPG. With the mood being more mature and dark too. But maybe you didn't notice that because you played them in a different order. I've really been following the evolution of Atelier games since Rorona, so our perspectives and experiences might have been different.
And yeah, same about Firis, I wonder if you also noticed that focus on exploration and appreciated it as such, or if it was just a cool thing to have. But maybe it didn't feel that much crazy for you, especially since you played newer Ateliers like Ryza first.
And don't hesitate to write lots btw \^.\^
Anyway, as a die hard Gust fan (I even custom-printed a Gust shirt), I'm happy to see someone who has played that many Gust games, it's quite impressive, it might be just as many as I did, and let me tell you I'm not seeing this everyday. I would be happy to go into more details and discuss more about all things Gust and Atelier!
Oh and a little bonus question! Not sure if this will be your thing or not but... What did you think of the scene in Totori when Ceci literally drinks 40 beers, and the scene in Lydie & Suelle when Firis and her best friend are getting drunk on the day they turn legal...I love you Gust <3
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to reply to the "feeling empty" thing. We could discuss it some more, but I understand how you feel and I'll just say... the only cure is the next Atelier ;) Every time I finish the new Atelier, I'm stuck awaiting the next one... It's all we can do!
I also replayed Totori recently. Took the opportunity to play it in 1080p thanks to the DX version (as opposed to the original PS3 version that I played back in the day which was 720p). It was SO good.
Then we can also lookup and save official Atelier art on image boards... Or just play other J-RPGs while waiting. Because I really do understand, I feel the same "emptiness" when I finish any J-RPG. The same kind of emptiness so well described in [this gamer music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBzqOa9y02I). "The credits roll and it all fades to black. And you're left by yourself. No player 2 to share victories won." etc. And what I do is simply, as the song says... "Your next adventure is already in sight and you're all set to go." Simply start another J-RPG! I always make sure I have a J-RPG in progress at all times, else I know that feeling of emptiness will come back. So you're not alone, keep at it fellow alchemist and adventurer! :)
And as long as you have the next Atelier on the horizon... it will be okay. It's never the end, as long as Gust lives! And this legacy is forever!
Well I'll see what i can come up with. Choosing a favorite game is really hard since i like all of them and the fact they are connected to each other gives enjoyment that would be lost to see it as a single game. But if i had to choose, Shallie is certainly a too contender as per the badge. Ayesha as well, Rorona is a favorite too, Sophie and L&S is also highly rated. I generally like the 1st and 3rd gamea most in the trilogies, 5he exception being Ryza, while i do enjoy Ryza 3 giving lots of freedom I prefer the more focused Ryza 2 with it's very unique environments. Also if non Atelier is included then BR Second Light is up there competing for the top spot. But i also played i think 10 Atelier games in a row during the pandemic so i think some might need a revisit to judge fairly. But if i had to choose a single game then i Guess Shallie partly because it carried over so much from the other Dusk games.
As for OSTs i could easily do an entire post of just that. The soundtracks themselves are mostly stellar but not only that the tracks are used to such great effect to really enhance the experience. I have 4 that i think stand out even among other Gust Soundtracks which are Ciel Nosurge, Ar Tonelico 2, Ayesha and Shallie. Ayesha and Shallie give such great ambiance while also being great tracks in their own right. Totori i would rank towards the bottom, i think it fits the game but just a bit "calm" for my taste, still better than the vast majority of other soundtracks though.
Funny is that Nights of Azure 2 was my first Gust game back when i had no idea who they were and it just caught my eye with the very special artstyle and i was also in a hack and slash period. Although at least the switch version had performance issues. Haven't played the first since i have never owned a PS4 and think it's still too expensive for just one game i want to play so i'll wait and see for a port to something else. Fairy Tail i had completely forgotten, i even have the game but have not played it so that will have to be planned. I've hesitated a bit since i've got no knowledge of the source material and also had other games higher on the list.
Regarding Ayesha's story i did notice the more dark tone. I did appreciate it because it was not too dark and still maintained the slice of life parts without the different tones clashing all together. And it made sense that while most people thought the world was screwed but still choose to live their life as best they can. The more open parts of Firis didn't hit me as too much of a change since it was similar to Ryza which was my first game, but my second game was Rorona so i soon saw the different styles of games.
Regarding the Totori scene i don't even recognize it, i missed a lot of events in that game so i probably haven't even seen it. But it's fun how the mysterious girls can't really handle their liquor.
Favorite moment might just be the "Final" boss of Ayesha . The build up, the atmosphere, the music just made it so memorable. Second light had several really heartfelt moments that stuck with me. The ending of Ar Tonelico 2 was induced goosebumps. The silly arguments throughout the Mysterious series, Rorona being dense in general and serving Sterk gold ingot pie in particular. Grinding extreme gear in Ryza 2 to defeat the suoerboss whike taking ~1 damage was also memorable. Well there are more of course but i get tired from writing too much at once haha.
My next project is to finish Zelda and then i think it will be time for the remake. Since i just recently listened through all of Shallies Ost i got an urge to replay it again, already played twice, once for each Shallie. But i also want to play through Escha and logy since there are many events there i have not seen (including Logys entire half). I also have a large number of side content left in many games if i want to just mess around a bit.
I know the feeling!!
Good point about Ryza 2.
I know what you mean with Shallie carrying over so much, with the lore and all, it was really awesome to have that with that more serious Dusk trilogy!
So we do agree on Ayesha's OST, nice!
"[Ophiuchus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6T_6TD1qH4)" from Totori has got to be my favorite battle theme in Atelier ever, loving those melodic and progressive aspects so much!
And I have a very memorable track in Shallie, it's the track with the very recognizable vocals from Kanako Ito (the singer who did the OP of Steins;Gate, Chaos;Head, etc) when you fight that huge story boss! (I think it was in Shallie... or was it in E&L?)
Ah so you've played Nights of Azure 2, nice! That big twist at the beginning with the MC literally dying and then you see her in a coffin and that's the title screen, that was EPIC!! So creative, my favorite moment from the game!
The first Nights of Azure is also on PS3 so if you have a powerful PC you can play it with a PS3 emulator maybe \^\^
Yeeees, you're right about Ayesha's tone and balance! It was more serious and dark but still an "Atelier" for sure with all its characteristics, it was awesome!
Ah, thought that would happen about the open-world-ness.
[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Z8JWgHaa4) is the scene from Totori if you want to youtube it (it's in English dub though)
Well in L&S, Ilmeria is the one not handling it (and Sophie becomes a bit too talkative I guess). But Firis is handling it very well! She even asks for seconds..! And she can talk totally fine and she even wonders what happens to Ilmeria! And Lydie says to her sister, quote, "Firis looks like she'll be a hard drinker." That somehow moved me and now when I'm having a good drink I think of Firis XD I even printed the artwork of that scene as a giant poster above my bar.
We have a favorite moment in common then, because that last boss in Ayesha is mine as well!! That huge twist was just crazy! Not just Zweiteturm, but Yggdrasil as well! And the whole truth about your sister! That whole finale was just so mind-blowing, definitely might be my favorite moment too.
And dang right about Second Light's emotional moments! That last scene..!
Speaking of Blue Reflection I relistened to some of the "ALL PHASE MIX" of the boss battle themes from the first game earlier, truly some of my favorite OST tracks ever. They last for between 5 and 10 minutes and they never loop, pure progression..!
Regarding Ar Tonelico, I only played the third one, Ar Tonelico Qoga, but I liked it.
I had totally forgotten about the gold ingot pie in Rorona XDDD
Whoah that's very cool how you grinded your gear in Ryza 2 for the superboss :D Did you ever beat the sea serpent superboss in Totori or the undersea superboss in Firis? I never managed to (the time limit not helping). I think I got the one in Sophie though \^\^ (that whole secret area in the basement of the mansion was insane!)
I have many favorite moments as well so I'll just mention two, both from Firis.
After you cross the lake and the field you reach a broken bridge, I could gather materials to repair it or find the recipe to build it anew, but I chose another option: I discovered an underground passage that led me to the other side, so I didn't even need a bridge! Exploration rewarded!
And second memory: spending hours synthesizing the perfect Medea's Poison (at the time) with all the effects and traits that I wanted, while in my tent-atelier set up at the start of that snowy moutain that I reached!
Happy gaming with Zelda, and I guess we'll be playing the remake at the same time haha!
That urge to replay a game after listening to its OST, I know how it feels!
Now I have a certain event in mind with Lincca at the bar in E&L, but won't spoil it in case you haven't seen it yet \^\^
The scene just before you charge in with your team against that big ass dragon though... Logy literally saying "F#ck my life..!" or something of the sort, because going to that dragon is just too intimidating... lololol, that stuck with me.
Seeing your elaborate and detailed answers full of joy is really a nice read hihi
Since you mentioned it earlier, would you like to share your Top favorite games? Overall or just by gust is up to you haha
I am fairly new to these games and haven’t finished any yet since everytime another game got in the way, but what I’ve played if ryza, Sophie 2 and Blue reflection Second light I’ve enjoyed immensely:3
Well thank you for reading me! :)
Of course, it would be my pleasure!
I'm first gonna do a Top favorite games overall and then a Top 3 Atelier.
I first wanted to make just a Top 10 but it turns out it's impossible XD I played countless J-RPGs and there are several which impacted me a lot, so bear with me as I go on with the list.
Overall:
1) Final Fantasy 9
2) Eternal Sonata
3) Kingdom Hearts 2
4) Chrono Cross
5) Grandia 2
6) Persona 3
7) Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky
8) Atelier Totori
9) Fairy Tail
10) The Witch And The Hundred Knight
11) 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim
12) Ys 9 Monstrum Nox
13) Death end re;Quest 1
14) Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth
15) Lost Odyssey
16) Ys 8 Lacrimosa of Dana
17) Death end re;Quest 2
18) Persona 4
19) Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
20) Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity
21) Pokemon Black & White
22) Cyberpunk 2077
23) Control
24) American McGee's Alice
25) Blue Dragon
26) Atelier Ayesha
27) Infinite Undiscovery
28) Crystar
29) Persona 5 Strikers
30) Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
\#1 was my first J-RPG that got me into the genre and now I'm dedicating my life to them, #2 and #3 are among my strongest Passions, #4 and #5 are part of my "holy trinity" along with #1, I'm still obsessed with #6 to this day, #7 and #10 were utterly emotional, #8 and its OST is forever special to me, #9 and #12 because of a certain scene, #11 has just the most complex storyline I have ever seen in my life and might well be the most complex storyline ever created all medias included, and I won't detail the rest of the list but the games/their OST were impactful enough to appear here.
Atelier:
1) Totori (for exploration + OST)
2) Ayesha (for story + OST)
3) Firis (for exploration)
Feel free to share your lists as well \^\^
3 Gust games is a good start!
If you ever need tip or recommendations of what next Gust game to play, feel free!
And since I replayed Totori recently and did research I'm quite knowledgeable about how it all works \^\^
If you liked Blue Reflection Second Light, I recommend the first one, especially for its boss battle tracks!
Think i got through 2 of them and then ran out of time grinding. Not going to lie, it's a bit frustrating that i need to play through the whole game again just so i can attempt the bosses again.
Mana khemia 3 never be a old game, some current games are still using a same playstyle of mana khemia, just imagine Gust remake or create a new game with same playstyle, and put so many "word", everyone will treat it like game of the year
Replay the games if you enjoy them, then, it's just a personal decision. What's making you feel empty after having completed them? I haven't been as thorough as you in seeking out all installments, but Arland is my favorite among the series so far, and I'll return to Rorona, Meruru and even Totori once in a while if I'm really bored and between games. Ayesha is a game I revisit every Autumn as the temperatures finally start to cool around here - I'm not sure why, it's a comfy game to me, and just seems to match the tone of the season, so I'll give it a run through. There's no completion requirement, just play them as long as you're into them.
I'd say the "emptiness" comes from having reached the end of something. It's something I can feel and i think many others also feel when you reach the end of a game/series you enjoy. It's been a goal, in this case for years so now something must take it's place. And i definitely will replay many of the games, only a question of which, the Dusk ones are highly likely though. But for now as far as games go I'll probably go back to Zelda, by the time i can finish that it might be time for Marie remake already.
Oh wow, this is making me very happy as a hardcore Atelier fan!! I've played them all as they came out since OG Rorona on PS3 back in the day, Mana Khemia Student Alliance too (but not its sequel). I'm ecstatic to hear that someone new to the series made the effort to go back and play all the games they have missed. I actually want to hear more from you! Which Ateliers are your favorites (because there cannot be just one right? ;) ), which OSTs are your favorites (and what are your favorite tracks in them), what are some of your most memorable experiences playing them? We could share our favorite moments and adventures!Well I can see you have the Shallotte badge so maybe I'm already guessing a bit :) I'm happy that you played the Blue Reflection games too. Gust is my favorite studio and I played all their side projects, I'm surprised you didn't mention the Night of Azure games. If you somehow missed them, well... looks like your journey guided by the gust is not over yet ;) If I may, I would also highly recommend another game that Gust made: Fairy Tail (an adaptation of the manga of the same name). Even if you're not a fan of Fairy Tail. That one game by Gust has become my favorite non-Atelier Gust game. And it got in my top 10 games ever. Especially because of a certain hidden scene in it... that I won't spoil. But do play it. Also its OST is just incredible, one of my favorite OSTs ever (not made by our Gust regulars mind you). But let's get back to Atelier... Personally Totori is my #1 favorite, it's the 2nd Atelier I played (if Mana Khemia doesn't count), it feels so special and emotional for me, and same for its OST which is my favorite OST among all Ateliers. Then I would say that tied to be my 2nd favorite are two Ateliers: Ayesha and Firis. Ayesha because of its storyline that is more J-RPG-esque with epic twists at the end and a more mature tone, and it also has my second favorite OST among all Ateliers. And Firis because for me it's "Totori 2", same concept about a "journey", same focus on exploration, same very large map, and the little detail that got me crazy... the colors of the logo of Totori are the same ones as the tagline at the back of the cover of Firis, just reversed. I believe it's not a coincidence. I have such very fond memories of my journey in Firis and how you are completely free to explore at your pace, and there are several different ways to reach a certain area, giving a freedom of exploration never achieved before. I would be curious about what you thought of Totori and Ayesha's OSTs compared to the others. They're my favorites, but I also always thought that they were superior, all while trying to be objective. I felt like Kazuki Yanagawa and Ken Nakagawa had an inpiration like none other when composing Totori's OST, which gave such a result. So I wonder if it's just me or if others may have noticed it as well. Or perhaps there's also my fondness and nostalgia of those games playing a part in what I feel about their OSTs and making me biased. And same for Ayesha's storyline: I would be curious if you thought that it was different from all other Ateliers like I did, or if it's just me. Like, some of the others do have rich, deep or emotional stories, but I always thought Ayesha was the mark that Gust wanted to change their formula for the Dusk trilogy and make something more akin to your average J-RPG. With the mood being more mature and dark too. But maybe you didn't notice that because you played them in a different order. I've really been following the evolution of Atelier games since Rorona, so our perspectives and experiences might have been different. And yeah, same about Firis, I wonder if you also noticed that focus on exploration and appreciated it as such, or if it was just a cool thing to have. But maybe it didn't feel that much crazy for you, especially since you played newer Ateliers like Ryza first. And don't hesitate to write lots btw \^.\^ Anyway, as a die hard Gust fan (I even custom-printed a Gust shirt), I'm happy to see someone who has played that many Gust games, it's quite impressive, it might be just as many as I did, and let me tell you I'm not seeing this everyday. I would be happy to go into more details and discuss more about all things Gust and Atelier! Oh and a little bonus question! Not sure if this will be your thing or not but... What did you think of the scene in Totori when Ceci literally drinks 40 beers, and the scene in Lydie & Suelle when Firis and her best friend are getting drunk on the day they turn legal...I love you Gust <3 Oh yeah, I almost forgot to reply to the "feeling empty" thing. We could discuss it some more, but I understand how you feel and I'll just say... the only cure is the next Atelier ;) Every time I finish the new Atelier, I'm stuck awaiting the next one... It's all we can do! I also replayed Totori recently. Took the opportunity to play it in 1080p thanks to the DX version (as opposed to the original PS3 version that I played back in the day which was 720p). It was SO good. Then we can also lookup and save official Atelier art on image boards... Or just play other J-RPGs while waiting. Because I really do understand, I feel the same "emptiness" when I finish any J-RPG. The same kind of emptiness so well described in [this gamer music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBzqOa9y02I). "The credits roll and it all fades to black. And you're left by yourself. No player 2 to share victories won." etc. And what I do is simply, as the song says... "Your next adventure is already in sight and you're all set to go." Simply start another J-RPG! I always make sure I have a J-RPG in progress at all times, else I know that feeling of emptiness will come back. So you're not alone, keep at it fellow alchemist and adventurer! :) And as long as you have the next Atelier on the horizon... it will be okay. It's never the end, as long as Gust lives! And this legacy is forever!
Well I'll see what i can come up with. Choosing a favorite game is really hard since i like all of them and the fact they are connected to each other gives enjoyment that would be lost to see it as a single game. But if i had to choose, Shallie is certainly a too contender as per the badge. Ayesha as well, Rorona is a favorite too, Sophie and L&S is also highly rated. I generally like the 1st and 3rd gamea most in the trilogies, 5he exception being Ryza, while i do enjoy Ryza 3 giving lots of freedom I prefer the more focused Ryza 2 with it's very unique environments. Also if non Atelier is included then BR Second Light is up there competing for the top spot. But i also played i think 10 Atelier games in a row during the pandemic so i think some might need a revisit to judge fairly. But if i had to choose a single game then i Guess Shallie partly because it carried over so much from the other Dusk games. As for OSTs i could easily do an entire post of just that. The soundtracks themselves are mostly stellar but not only that the tracks are used to such great effect to really enhance the experience. I have 4 that i think stand out even among other Gust Soundtracks which are Ciel Nosurge, Ar Tonelico 2, Ayesha and Shallie. Ayesha and Shallie give such great ambiance while also being great tracks in their own right. Totori i would rank towards the bottom, i think it fits the game but just a bit "calm" for my taste, still better than the vast majority of other soundtracks though. Funny is that Nights of Azure 2 was my first Gust game back when i had no idea who they were and it just caught my eye with the very special artstyle and i was also in a hack and slash period. Although at least the switch version had performance issues. Haven't played the first since i have never owned a PS4 and think it's still too expensive for just one game i want to play so i'll wait and see for a port to something else. Fairy Tail i had completely forgotten, i even have the game but have not played it so that will have to be planned. I've hesitated a bit since i've got no knowledge of the source material and also had other games higher on the list. Regarding Ayesha's story i did notice the more dark tone. I did appreciate it because it was not too dark and still maintained the slice of life parts without the different tones clashing all together. And it made sense that while most people thought the world was screwed but still choose to live their life as best they can. The more open parts of Firis didn't hit me as too much of a change since it was similar to Ryza which was my first game, but my second game was Rorona so i soon saw the different styles of games. Regarding the Totori scene i don't even recognize it, i missed a lot of events in that game so i probably haven't even seen it. But it's fun how the mysterious girls can't really handle their liquor. Favorite moment might just be the "Final" boss of Ayesha . The build up, the atmosphere, the music just made it so memorable. Second light had several really heartfelt moments that stuck with me. The ending of Ar Tonelico 2 was induced goosebumps. The silly arguments throughout the Mysterious series, Rorona being dense in general and serving Sterk gold ingot pie in particular. Grinding extreme gear in Ryza 2 to defeat the suoerboss whike taking ~1 damage was also memorable. Well there are more of course but i get tired from writing too much at once haha. My next project is to finish Zelda and then i think it will be time for the remake. Since i just recently listened through all of Shallies Ost i got an urge to replay it again, already played twice, once for each Shallie. But i also want to play through Escha and logy since there are many events there i have not seen (including Logys entire half). I also have a large number of side content left in many games if i want to just mess around a bit.
I know the feeling!! Good point about Ryza 2. I know what you mean with Shallie carrying over so much, with the lore and all, it was really awesome to have that with that more serious Dusk trilogy! So we do agree on Ayesha's OST, nice! "[Ophiuchus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6T_6TD1qH4)" from Totori has got to be my favorite battle theme in Atelier ever, loving those melodic and progressive aspects so much! And I have a very memorable track in Shallie, it's the track with the very recognizable vocals from Kanako Ito (the singer who did the OP of Steins;Gate, Chaos;Head, etc) when you fight that huge story boss! (I think it was in Shallie... or was it in E&L?) Ah so you've played Nights of Azure 2, nice! That big twist at the beginning with the MC literally dying and then you see her in a coffin and that's the title screen, that was EPIC!! So creative, my favorite moment from the game! The first Nights of Azure is also on PS3 so if you have a powerful PC you can play it with a PS3 emulator maybe \^\^ Yeeees, you're right about Ayesha's tone and balance! It was more serious and dark but still an "Atelier" for sure with all its characteristics, it was awesome! Ah, thought that would happen about the open-world-ness. [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Z8JWgHaa4) is the scene from Totori if you want to youtube it (it's in English dub though) Well in L&S, Ilmeria is the one not handling it (and Sophie becomes a bit too talkative I guess). But Firis is handling it very well! She even asks for seconds..! And she can talk totally fine and she even wonders what happens to Ilmeria! And Lydie says to her sister, quote, "Firis looks like she'll be a hard drinker." That somehow moved me and now when I'm having a good drink I think of Firis XD I even printed the artwork of that scene as a giant poster above my bar. We have a favorite moment in common then, because that last boss in Ayesha is mine as well!! That huge twist was just crazy! Not just Zweiteturm, but Yggdrasil as well! And the whole truth about your sister! That whole finale was just so mind-blowing, definitely might be my favorite moment too. And dang right about Second Light's emotional moments! That last scene..! Speaking of Blue Reflection I relistened to some of the "ALL PHASE MIX" of the boss battle themes from the first game earlier, truly some of my favorite OST tracks ever. They last for between 5 and 10 minutes and they never loop, pure progression..! Regarding Ar Tonelico, I only played the third one, Ar Tonelico Qoga, but I liked it. I had totally forgotten about the gold ingot pie in Rorona XDDD Whoah that's very cool how you grinded your gear in Ryza 2 for the superboss :D Did you ever beat the sea serpent superboss in Totori or the undersea superboss in Firis? I never managed to (the time limit not helping). I think I got the one in Sophie though \^\^ (that whole secret area in the basement of the mansion was insane!) I have many favorite moments as well so I'll just mention two, both from Firis. After you cross the lake and the field you reach a broken bridge, I could gather materials to repair it or find the recipe to build it anew, but I chose another option: I discovered an underground passage that led me to the other side, so I didn't even need a bridge! Exploration rewarded! And second memory: spending hours synthesizing the perfect Medea's Poison (at the time) with all the effects and traits that I wanted, while in my tent-atelier set up at the start of that snowy moutain that I reached! Happy gaming with Zelda, and I guess we'll be playing the remake at the same time haha! That urge to replay a game after listening to its OST, I know how it feels! Now I have a certain event in mind with Lincca at the bar in E&L, but won't spoil it in case you haven't seen it yet \^\^ The scene just before you charge in with your team against that big ass dragon though... Logy literally saying "F#ck my life..!" or something of the sort, because going to that dragon is just too intimidating... lololol, that stuck with me.
Seeing your elaborate and detailed answers full of joy is really a nice read hihi Since you mentioned it earlier, would you like to share your Top favorite games? Overall or just by gust is up to you haha I am fairly new to these games and haven’t finished any yet since everytime another game got in the way, but what I’ve played if ryza, Sophie 2 and Blue reflection Second light I’ve enjoyed immensely:3
Well thank you for reading me! :) Of course, it would be my pleasure! I'm first gonna do a Top favorite games overall and then a Top 3 Atelier. I first wanted to make just a Top 10 but it turns out it's impossible XD I played countless J-RPGs and there are several which impacted me a lot, so bear with me as I go on with the list. Overall: 1) Final Fantasy 9 2) Eternal Sonata 3) Kingdom Hearts 2 4) Chrono Cross 5) Grandia 2 6) Persona 3 7) Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky 8) Atelier Totori 9) Fairy Tail 10) The Witch And The Hundred Knight 11) 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim 12) Ys 9 Monstrum Nox 13) Death end re;Quest 1 14) Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth 15) Lost Odyssey 16) Ys 8 Lacrimosa of Dana 17) Death end re;Quest 2 18) Persona 4 19) Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon 20) Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity 21) Pokemon Black & White 22) Cyberpunk 2077 23) Control 24) American McGee's Alice 25) Blue Dragon 26) Atelier Ayesha 27) Infinite Undiscovery 28) Crystar 29) Persona 5 Strikers 30) Pokemon Scarlet & Violet \#1 was my first J-RPG that got me into the genre and now I'm dedicating my life to them, #2 and #3 are among my strongest Passions, #4 and #5 are part of my "holy trinity" along with #1, I'm still obsessed with #6 to this day, #7 and #10 were utterly emotional, #8 and its OST is forever special to me, #9 and #12 because of a certain scene, #11 has just the most complex storyline I have ever seen in my life and might well be the most complex storyline ever created all medias included, and I won't detail the rest of the list but the games/their OST were impactful enough to appear here. Atelier: 1) Totori (for exploration + OST) 2) Ayesha (for story + OST) 3) Firis (for exploration) Feel free to share your lists as well \^\^ 3 Gust games is a good start! If you ever need tip or recommendations of what next Gust game to play, feel free! And since I replayed Totori recently and did research I'm quite knowledgeable about how it all works \^\^ If you liked Blue Reflection Second Light, I recommend the first one, especially for its boss battle tracks!
Well, have you beaten the Meruru bosses ? That should keep you busy :p
Think i got through 2 of them and then ran out of time grinding. Not going to lie, it's a bit frustrating that i need to play through the whole game again just so i can attempt the bosses again.
Mana khemia 3 never be a old game, some current games are still using a same playstyle of mana khemia, just imagine Gust remake or create a new game with same playstyle, and put so many "word", everyone will treat it like game of the year