Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 34
  3. Negative: 1 out of 34
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  1. netjak
    89
    It's the kind of game that made me feel disappointed it was over. If all games that were just polished versions of older games like Atelier Iris 2 is, then I'd never want for an original game again.
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  2. RPG Fan
    89
    If you're looking for a fun 30-40 hour game to play, Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny is a clear choice. It's nothing like those state-of-the-art 3D RPGs from Square Enix and the like: this is oldschool glory.
  3. eToychest
    87
    This game is a lot of fun, and offers all of the humor, charm, and personality we have come to expect from NIS America. This is the kind of game you won't want to end.
  5. GameBrink
    85
    A Japanese console RPG fans wet dream. It manages to incorporate incredibly creative and new ideas into an old formula with amazingly fun results.
  6. AceGamez
    80
    Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny doesn't break the mold for RPGs but it still contains some very inspired moments.
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  7. Pelit (Finland)
    79
    At times, the slow-paced item-hunting can get boring, but the colourful graphics, good charactes and fast-paced battles more than make up for it. [Oct 2006]
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  8. Just RPG
    78
    A fun role-playing game that fans of the original should welcome with open arms.
  9. Play Magazine
    75
    Atelier Iris 2: Azoth of Destiny may seem out of place on the PS2, but it has a simple charm that will win over anyone with fond memories of the 16-bit RPG era. [May 2006, p.47]
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  10. GameZone
    75
    Atelier Iris 2’s music, story and cast of characters are a winner. The rest doesn’t quite cut it.
  11. Game Informer
    75
    Even though Atelier Iris 2 has undergone enhancements, it's the ultimate loss of complexity in the story and gameplay departments that make it fall short of greatness. [Jun 2006, p.113]
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  12. Deeko
    75
    The battle system needs to be tweaked a bit, the map system disappoints, and searching for items to synthesize is a huge chore, but the graphics, story and voice acting make for a wonderful adventure that is worth noting.
  13. Games Master UK
    75
    A thoroughly decent, if unsurprising, Japanese RPG. Not bad at all. [Sept 2006, p.82]
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  14. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    74
    The break-up of the storyline as you switch from Felt in Belkhyde to Viese in Eden gets incredibly tedious over time, and the storyline – while incredibly naturally told and performed well – is rather uninspiring, but the game itself should give you a good 40 hours of gameplay.
  15. PSM3 Magazine UK
    72
    Pushes PS2 about as far as a toast making sim, but Iris 2 is an endearing adventure nevertheless. [Oct 2006, p.82]
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  16. Play UK
    72
    The combat system is cool, the alchemy is cool, the voice acting is cool; unfortunately the fetching and errand running is so archaic, you can hear it dying. [Issue 144, p.87]
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  17. Digital Entertainment News
    71
    Like Arthur and Excalibur, Felt and the Azoth are part of destiny... one that includes becoming part of any tactical-RPG loving gamer's library.
  18. GameSpot
    70
    Atelier Iris 2 carries the same great style and humor of its predecessor, but the tedious quest design spoils some of the fun.
  19. GamesRadar+
    70
    Everything's so crisp and workable that it's hard not to just smile and deal with all the little problems that try to bring the game down.
  20. Worth Playing
    70
    It's a real shame, because when you're doing almost anything but fighting in AI2, the game is an enjoyable enough experience.
  21. ZTGD
    70
    Atelier Iris 2 isn’t going to change your mind about the genre, in fact as far as RPGs go it really doesn’t offer anything new and revolutionary. But if you are simply in the mood for some old-school goodness you can’t go wrong with this solid follow-up.
  22. PALGN
    70
    The game also lacks a lot of favourable gameplay elements, and what is there usually feels like B-grade material.
  23. Play.tm
    63
    As always, players who do find themselves trapped in an age of nostalgia when 2D gaming is concerned should give this game a try but they will find that it sadly does not live up to the original.
  24. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    62
    A certain niche of gamers will surely warm up to this unassuming quest, but anyone accustomed to the genre's finest offerings will balk at its wimpy difficulty and light-weight narrative. [Jun 2006, p.114]
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  25. PSM Magazine
    60
    While it does carry over the unique item synthesis system from the first game, and improves on its combat system, this alone isn't enough to make up for the game's flaws. [Jun 2006, p.85]
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  26. Edge Magazine
    60
    While these new ingredients can be magical, they’re not enough to produce a truly golden successor. Nevertheless, it’s still an RPG that contains some precious properties. [July 2006, p.90]
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  27. Eurogamer
    60
    In The Azoth of Destiny, these smaller cogs have been removed in favour of a more cumbersome larger gimmick and, as a result, grinding the sequel through its revolutions is tiresome and often unrewarding work.
  28. games(TM)
    60
    Definitely worth a look, but for anyone familiar with the rest of Nippon Ichi's output, Atelier Iris 2 will dazzle and at times almost insult with its simplicity. [Sept 2006, p.124]
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  29. Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK
    60
    Iris 2 isn't a landmark game by any stretch. But with a couple of novel features, it's certainly engaging enough to be a good toe-dipper into the world of RPGs. [Oct 2006, p.98]
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  30. VideoGamer
    60
    A decent RPG, but there's really nothing new or anything it does particularly well to make it truly standout.
  31. Gamestyle
    60
    Quite a decent RPG. What holds it back is that it is far too typical of the genre; there's really nothing new about it nor does it do anything particularly well to make it truly stand out. If you're a fan of RPGs, you'll enjoy it, but it may be something of a forgettable experience.
  32. 1UP
    50
    The Azoth of Destiny doesn't make any horrible mistakes, but the game's only real draw is that it's a very competent, old-school RPG for the PS2.
  33. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    50
    It's mediocre. And since the more recent RPG choices on the Playstation 2 include quality stuff like "Dragon Quest VIII", "Shadow Hearts", and"Grandia III", it's tough to justify spending any time with a mediocre game when you could be playing something great. [Jun 2006, p.94]
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  34. Game Chronicles
    50
    Atelier Iris 2 just goes to show that RPG gamers are going to have to become a little more discerning with what they buy. Either that, or be happy with the occasional turd.
  35. G4 TV
    40
    Mana and magic system aside, the game’s primary selling point is the same as so many other RPGs: a couple dozen hours of content. And if merely killing time is the goal, then it could fill the bill.

Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Best PS2 Game of 2006
51
#51 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2006

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 22
  3. Negative: 3 out of 22
  1. GenTrailsFan
    Mar 1, 2022
    8
    Definite improvement from the first part of the Iris trilogy. Music was good, story was better if a little predictable. Crafting system wasDefinite improvement from the first part of the Iris trilogy. Music was good, story was better if a little predictable. Crafting system was much improved, I love the smithing addition. The story playing out form two different perspectives was very fun and a unique little twist I'd like to see more of in games.

    Story 7/10
    Graphics 7/10
    Gameplay 8.5/10    … Full Review »
  2. SpeedStar1642
    Aug 10, 2023
    9
    Atelier Iris 2 isn't the most deep and complex RPG, but this is an RPG that is just plain comfortable to sit through. The story is cliche to aAtelier Iris 2 isn't the most deep and complex RPG, but this is an RPG that is just plain comfortable to sit through. The story is cliche to a fault, but given the tone of the series is more light-hearted, this is acceptable by my standards. I am totally OK with a cliche story in my personal feelings. And I do love the two side perspective as that game has and it's not like our heroes can't keep in touch thanks to some magic communication rings to also provide a valid excuse to why the protagonists share inventory space. The cast of this game is competently executed and while not the most deep cast, that's OK. Almost every character is likable despite that. (Though I will say my favorite of the main party is the dragon man. He's the most static character, sure. But he's a man that got cursed with this dragon form but this is a Cursed with Awesome scenario. And the icing on the cake is that for once, the cursed beast doesn't face prejudice. Great subversion for a change!). The gameplay loop of gathering materials and crafting with them is simple and to the point. And a small upgrading weapon system was a welcome choice to have. And the combat has a satisfying loop of charging your tech gauge while keeping the enemy stunned and it fixed game 1's issue of only having its protag be allowed to use items which I felt was a dumb choice. I do think the difficulty curve is a bit too jarring by the halfway point where enemies did over half of your health, but I can tank some grinding to get there. As for the presentation, I'd say it's miles better than the first for having a more consistent style throughout and the map system in this game is in a drawing form so that that part in the game doesn't feel outta place. Sprites got a nice upgrade in the style, character portraits lean more on the anime side and it doesn't feel wrong to look at, and the backgrounds while static do their job pretty well. And I'd consider Iris 2's music to be the most memorable for me by series standards. And plus we got some great actors in the cast. To show off my inner actor nerd, Spike Spencer and Michelle Ruff are the protags, the late Bob Papenbrook being the dragon man, Mona Marshall being the annoying fairy (Though I still love Mona's voice work), and Liam O'Brien basically playing as the Jerkass Rival villain. Not one performance was awful per se, but the line cutting got pretty annoying. That's the only other gripe in this game that bugged me. All in all, Iris 2's a much more refined game and fun to come back to if ya want some cliche, but still fun RPG goodness. And this is what I'd consider to be a prime example of an RPG that is just plain fun without deep tones.… Full Review »
  3. Barjoe
    Jan 1, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Lots of reused assets & have the worst soundtrack out of any Atelier game, a bland Gary Stu protagonist that everyone in the game magically likes & is good at almost everything, and they makes you craft the exploration tools this time instead of infinite use like in the previous game.

    As a fan of the series I can safely say that everyone should just do themself a favor & completely skip this game.    … Full Review »
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