Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 128 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 with a great story, wonderful gameplay, and pretty visuals. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game, a Season Pass with additional outfits, GUST BGM pack, and an extra high difficulty area. This edition offers a variety of content for players to delve into the world of Arland.

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

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 128 reviews
story19 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Engaging and fun alchemy system that allows for deep customization and creativity in crafting items.
  • Charming characters and nostalgic references to the Arland trilogy, making it a delightful experience for fans of the series.
  • Relaxed gameplay with no time limits, allowing players to explore and enjoy the game at their own pace.
  • Technical issues with the PC port, including crashes and poor optimization, particularly for Nvidia users.
  • Some characters and story elements feel underdeveloped, leading to a less impactful narrative experience.
  • DLC characters are locked behind additional payments, which may frustrate players wanting a complete experience without extra costs.
  • story106 mentions

    The story of "Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland" is generally seen as a nostalgic continuation of the Arland series, appealing primarily to veteran players familiar with its characters and lore. While some find the narrative engaging and character-driven, others criticize it for being generic and lacking depth, particularly in character development and emotional impact. Overall, the game offers a light-hearted, slice-of-life experience, but may feel shallow for newcomers who miss the references to previous 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.”
    • “As far as the story goes, Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland acts as a passing of the torch from mother to daughter, letting a whole new generation experience the story of Arland, while also allowing veteran Atelier players to see some of their favorite characters again.”
    • “The story isn't as grand as a 'save the world' epic journey, but more about the daily activities and the main character's journey to become an accomplished alchemist, and it’s really nice with lots of cute moments and character interactions.”
    • “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.”
  • gameplay43 mentions

    The gameplay in "Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland" is praised for its fun mechanics, particularly the alchemy system and new combat features like interrupts, which add strategic depth. While it doesn't set new standards, it effectively combines familiar elements from previous titles in the series, making it accessible for newcomers and enjoyable for veterans. Overall, the gameplay is fluid, engaging, and offers a rewarding experience, despite some criticisms regarding its storytelling and complexity in crafting mechanics.

    • “I like solving riddles in this game more than in Atelier Ryza 2 because in Atelier Lulua you are required to utilize all of the game mechanics such as combat and synthesis to progress through the pages.”
    • “Gameplay is amazing! Story is decent, but gameplay is where this game really shines.”
    • “With its enjoyable long-lasting content as a result of the new alchemy riddle system, rewarding gameplay, and visually impressive art style, it is hard not to recommend this title.”
    • “However, the gameplay is far inferior, and I think I'm going to drop the game at the chapter that I made it to.”
    • “Certain mechanics made me feel like this game was a testing ground for certain mechanics used in the Ryza series, as they came out within a few months of each other.”
    • “Additionally, most of the good traits (last upgrade tier) are hidden behind a weird mechanic, which feels really bad, as it can be hard figuring out how they work by yourself.”
  • graphics35 mentions

    The graphics of "Atelier Lulua" are generally praised for their vibrant art style and nostalgic design, effectively revisiting areas from previous titles in the series. While some players find the visuals charming and well-executed, others note that they can feel outdated or demanding on hardware, with limited graphical options available. Overall, the game is recognized for its appealing aesthetics, though it may not meet the expectations of those seeking cutting-edge graphics.

    • “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.”
    • “These are awful graphics!”
    • “The other Atelier's graphics are fine and crisp, not this one.”
    • “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.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its solid quality, featuring a mix of high-energy battle themes, humorous character event tracks, and soothing ambient pieces that enhance the overall experience. Many players appreciate the nostalgic elements brought by the soundtrack, especially with the inclusion of tracks from previous games through DLC. While some feel that the combat music could be improved, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere.

    • “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!”
    • “It has an alluring musical score that accents the game's world and lovable characters that you'll grow fond of.”
    • “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.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty writing and engaging character dialogues, offering a mix of goofy moments and light-hearted slice-of-life scenarios that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the humorous sound effects and the voice acting, which adds depth to the characters. Overall, the humor is well-integrated into both the story and gameplay, making it a standout feature of the Atelier series.

    • “If you want a goofy and funny story, I recommend this game in the Atelier series (that I've played).”
    • “The writing is overall very enjoyable, and the humor is more witty instead of just being anime slapstick.”
    • “The alchemy is fun and the dialogue between characters can get really humorous too!”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is mixed, with some players feeling disconnected from key characters due to a lack of development, which diminished the intended emotional resonance. While certain moments and nostalgic graphics evoked strong feelings, the overall narrative and character endings left some players feeling unsatisfied and questioning the significance of their experiences. However, for those seeking a relaxing and heartwarming experience, the game still holds appeal.

    • “The graphics of Arls when I visited it 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 certain story-relevant points is impactful, even if I didn't have much interaction with the character.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the detailed character designs and visuals, though some characters may come off as one-dimensional or overly idealized. While certain characters exhibit limited growth beyond specific skills, such as alchemy, the overall crafting system and character aesthetics contribute positively to the experience.

    • “The color schemes include a lot of pastels and soft colors, the regions are beautifully made, and the character designs and outfits are detailed and pretty (including the men's outfits).”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some post-game bosses require farming for materials, many feel that the repetitive nature of grinding for traits and items can be tedious. However, leveling up becomes more manageable once players unlock experience-boosting items, making the grind less daunting overall.

    • “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.”
    • “I don't think it's worth grinding over and over to do the same craft.”
    • “It can feel grindy at times, especially when you have to use items a certain number of times in battle.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is mixed; while the PC port offers excellent performance with an uncapped framerate, players may struggle with low settings requiring high TDP for consistent FPS. Additionally, the alchemy system provides opportunities for optimization, appealing to perfectionists.

    • “The PC port is great; it supports an uncapped framerate and the performance is excellent.”
    • “It has made some improvements with the dialogue, story, and performance over the first three in this series.”
    • “The alchemy system allows for a lot of optimization – great for perfectionists.”
    • “The game is badly optimized, so expect to use high TDP to hit consistent FPS even on low settings.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report a high level of stability, noting the absence of bugs, crashes, or graphical glitches, indicating a smooth and reliable gaming experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

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

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