Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 132 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland Game Cover
Atelier Lulua is one of the better Atelier games in recent times and a worthy follow up to the Arland trilogy with its relaxing gameplay and superb soundtrack.
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"Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland" is a single-player Fantasy RPG, continuing the Arland Trilogy with Lulua, daughter of Rorona. The game features an engaging story, excellent gameplay mechanics, and beautiful visuals/soundtrack, though expect significant grinding. As a continuation of the Arland series, it includes systems from recent Atelier games.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews
story23 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • Atelier Lulua offers a relaxing gameplay experience with no time management, allowing players to enjoy the crafting and exploration at their own pace.
  • The game features a robust and satisfying crafting system, allowing for deep customization of items and a variety of strategies in combat.
  • Returning characters from the Arland trilogy provide a nostalgic experience for fans, enhancing the enjoyment of the story and character interactions.
  • The graphics and character models have received criticism for looking outdated and lacking detail, particularly in facial animations.
  • Some beloved characters from previous games are missing or only referenced, which may disappoint long-time fans of the series.
  • The story can feel rushed and lacks depth, with some players finding the writing to be subpar compared to earlier entries in the series.
  • story114 mentions

    The story in "Atelier Lulua" is generally viewed as lighthearted and character-driven, with a nostalgic appeal for fans of the Arland series, though it suffers from pacing issues and a lack of depth in character development. While some players appreciate the plot twists and slice-of-life elements, others find the narrative to be generic and occasionally frustrating, particularly with its reliance on crafting mechanics for story progression. Overall, the game offers a fun and engaging experience, but its storytelling may not resonate with everyone, especially newcomers to the series.

    • “I think in terms of story, I enjoyed this one a lot compared to other titles.”
    • “The story is largely character-driven; you get some minor goals such as renewing mom's atelier license, figuring out your life goal, and investigating ancient high-tech ruins, but those largely serve as excuses to get characters together and have them bounce off each other.”
    • “It's a slice of life story, lighthearted and fun.”
    • “The story slows to a crawl midway through the game.”
    • “The only real complaint about the story is how your later chapters revolve around a new character, who does not get anywhere near the development or established relationship building that Lulua has with other characters.”
    • “The game decides to end with Jeltje going to look for her brother on the far side of the continent. This is sad and bad writing, as if the writer wants us to continue their story in Arland Part 5 again.”
  • gameplay59 mentions

    The gameplay in this title is a blend of familiar mechanics from previous Atelier games, particularly the alchemy and combat systems, while introducing new features like elemental values and interruption mechanics that enhance the experience. While some players feel it lacks the complexity of earlier entries, many appreciate the smooth, casual gameplay and the engaging synthesis system, making it accessible for newcomers and enjoyable for series veterans. Overall, the game maintains a satisfying loop typical of the Atelier series, though opinions vary on its innovation and depth compared to past titles.

    • “The gameplay is definitely different from the previous Arland series games; it's more similar to the Mysterious series since it was made much later from the original three and after the Mysterious series but before Ryza.”
    • “Highly recommend to new players as the gameplay is easy to manage and you get to enjoy fun alchemy!”
    • “This mechanic alone adds so much to the combat, which is only built on further by the mechanics added later on.”
    • “But for fans of past games, do not expect to find a similar gameplay style here.”
    • “However, the gameplay is far inferior, and I think I'm going to drop the game at the chapter that I made it to.”
    • “So the gameplay might not be what you expect if you expect it to be like the previous Arland games.”
  • graphics38 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant art style and nostalgic environments, while others criticize the outdated visuals and demanding performance requirements. Many players appreciate the cute aesthetic and improved animations, but note the lack of graphical options and occasional technical issues. Overall, the visuals are considered charming yet inconsistent, with a blend of appealing designs and some rough edges.

    • “Despite being the older title in the series, the world of Atelier Lulua is still pleasant to witness thanks to the great art style that the Atelier series is known for.”
    • “Graphically, this is probably the most unashamedly feminine in style of any Atelier game, and that's saying a lot.”
    • “I just finished playing the DX version of Meruru before playing this game, and the graphics of Arls when I visited it here in Lulua almost made me cry.”
    • “Graphics wise, I don't enjoy the art style at all for the 3D models in this game.”
    • “These are awful graphics!”
    • “This game doesn't have any kind of anti-aliasing or any graphical options besides resolution, so playing at resolutions lower than 1080p gives a lot of aliasing artifacts, jagged edges, and a blurry image.”
  • music33 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a solid mix of high-energy battle themes, humorous character event tracks, and soothing ambient tunes. Many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic elements brought by remixed tracks from previous games, while some note that the soundtrack stands out on its own without relying heavily on remastering. Overall, the music enhances the game's charm and emotional impact, particularly during key moments.

    • “Music is pretty solid; it's no dusk, but it's still a good mix of high-energy battle themes, humorous character event themes, and soft ambient town and gathering area themes.”
    • “Oh, and the music and voice acting deserve special credit!”
    • “The usual atelier music returns with several nice remixes of tracks from previous games.”
    • “Though in my opinion, the mysterious series soundtrack is better than this one.”
    • “Music will randomly stop playing.”
    • “Its combat music and challenge are a little lacking compared to Lydie & Suelle, but I say that without having tried the DLC area.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty dialogue and amusing character interactions, often blending lighthearted moments with goofy scenarios. Players appreciate the clever writing and the engaging voice acting that enhance the comedic elements, making the experience enjoyable and uplifting. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor into its narrative and gameplay, providing plenty of funny situations that resonate with players.

    • “The writing is overall very enjoyable, and the humor is more witty instead of just being anime slapstick.”
    • “The game is filled with funny dialogues and situations, and the new graphical design makes it even funnier.”
    • “Combined with relaxing gameplay, funny situations, and a lighthearted story, it always lifts your mood.”
  • character development11 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the detailed and visually appealing character designs, though some characters are criticized as "mary sues." While the main character's growth is limited to her alchemy skills and confidence, the overall narrative and crafting system contribute positively to the experience, maintaining the series' tradition of quirky and engaging characters.

    • “A lot of Mary Sues, but the character development is good and the crafting system is fun.”
    • “She was just an energetic positive ball of fluff for the entire game, and her only character development at all was her skill in alchemy and her confidence at using alchemy.”
    • “It brings with it all that makes the series tick, including its excellent character designs, fun crafting system, great soundtrack, and ridiculously overpriced DLC.”
    • “She was just an energetic positive ball of fluff for the entire game, and her only character development at all was her skill in alchemy and her confidence in using alchemy.”
    • “When it comes to character designs, the game basically takes the fantasy theme and weebifies it, adding in a bunch of quirky, yet fun characters with all sorts of interesting designs.”
    • “The Atelier series always features anime character design.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while the PC port offers excellent performance with support for an uncapped framerate, players report that it requires significant hardware resources to maintain consistent FPS, even on low settings. Some users have found ways to improve performance through manual adjustments, but overall, the optimization could benefit from further refinement.

    • “The PC port is great; it supports an uncapped framerate and the performance is excellent.”
    • “You can get 10 fps more by going to the NVIDIA control panel and manually setting all anti-aliasing to off (I saw no difference in quality), max performance power mode, and vsync disabled.”
    • “Game runs smoothly for me.”
    • “The game is badly optimized, so expect to use high TDP to hit consistent FPS even on low settings.”
    • “As for game optimization, there isn't much there since KT isn't very good at that.”
    • “While I have no complaints on the performance side of things, the port definitely could have used some more work elsewhere.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the relaxed pace of farming for materials and leveling up, others criticize the repetitive nature of grinding for traits and the reliance on real money for progression. Overall, the grind can feel tedious, particularly when it involves using items repeatedly in battles, but it is somewhat alleviated by experience-boosting items.

    • “There are 4 small post-game bosses where you may spend some time farming for the trait materials to get the best traits, and one actual post-game boss (a buffed-up reskin) deep in some ruins.”
    • “But I also don't think it's worth grinding over and over to do the same craft.”
    • “This game is relaxing, yet grindy.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players found moments that could evoke feelings, such as nostalgic graphics and heartwarming gameplay, others felt disconnected from key characters and criticized the writing for lacking depth and coherence. The presence of non-canon endings and unresolved storylines left some players feeling that their emotional investment was ultimately unfulfilled. Overall, the game offers a blend of relaxing and touching experiences, but it may not resonate deeply with everyone.

    • “The graphics of Arls when I visited it here in Lulua almost made me cry.”
    • “If you want a relaxing game or a heartwarming one, get this ASAP.”
    • “The emotional connection that Lulua ultimately shows at some story-relevant points was impactful, even if I didn't have much interaction with the character.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report a mixed experience with stability; while some have not encountered any bugs, crashes, or graphical issues, others have noted that long hair can glitch or spasm through character models.

    • “Long hair often spasms around or glitches through body parts.”
    • “I haven't come across any bugs, crashes, graphical glitches, or other technical issues.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enriched by unique character side-stories and engaging interactions, fostering a sense of companionship among players. The presence of fully voiced Japanese dialogues enhances the immersive experience, contributing significantly to the overall ambiance.

    • “All of the characters have their own unique side stories, and they interact with each other, creating delightful and companionable atmosphere within the game.”
    • “There's only Japanese voiceovers, but all the dialogues are voiced. I prefer hearing the voices all the time, even if it's in Japanese; it adds a lot to the atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
    • “Despite the beautiful graphics, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to engage the player.”
    • “The game tries to create a tense atmosphere, but it often falls short, leaving moments that should be thrilling feeling lifeless.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland

Play time

50hMedian play time
40hAverage play time
20-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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