Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky

It's not perfect, but the flaws are so minor that I can't help but grade this the same as I did Meruru—a JRPG experience that anyone with even the most passing interest in the genre owes it to themselves to play.

Impressively balanced in a way that makes the game difficult to put down.

The game is the perfect entry for newcomers to the series and also provides plenty of depth and Atelier staples for those series veterans. The improved combat, ease of item crafting, and the relaxed time constraints make for an enjoyable game without making it a snooze fest.

For those who want to give the series a try, or for those are already invested in this series, Escha & Logy definitely has something for everyone.

The perfect starting point for those not already into the series; it balances out the problems Atelier Ayesha had, while delivering a package of risk and reward that can keep RPG fans wanting to keep replaying the game.

Yet another charming, low-stress Atelier title that provides a good respite from the melodrama of its RPG peers.

Excellent crafting system and great combat make up for bland story and uninteresting characters. [07/2014, p.68]

A host of small refinements add up to create the best game in the series. [May 2014, p83]

The enjoyable combat and in-depth combat system carry the by-the-numbers plot, and the entire experience is fun. In a genre filled with world-saving, melodrama, and danger, it's nice to have an RPG with such relaxing goals.

For anyone who wants to sit down on a couch after a hard days work and play a JRPG that will craft a smile on your face, then Atelier Escha & Logy comes recommended.

Atelier Escha & Logy is a lovely RPG that should easily succeed in its goal of pleasing both series and standard RPG fans, with pleasantly deep systems and an inviting world to explore them in.

Atelier Escha & Logy makes time management fun, challenging you to maximize your efficiency if you want to help everyone in need. Its version of alchemy is inspiringly multifaceted, while the combat's basic but entertaining. If you can appreciate the simpler things in life, like a job well done, definitely give this JRPG a try.

With an improved combat system, Atelier comes back with a game that will appeal at a wider audience, as well as classic fans of the series.

A year after Ayesha brought us a new, more dramatic and dark kind of story, the Atelier series continues this trend with Escha & Logy, the fifteenth chapter in the Japan RPG series from GUST. The Alchemists of Dusk Sky has enough innovations to please the fans, and at the same time a familiar Atelier universe & rules feeling, beginning with the series trademark: Its crafting system, open enough to attract new public, but complex enough to please the old loyal followers. Visually precious in its own not-photorealistic style, with a great OST and two characters this time to choose, if you like Japan RPGs or Ateliers, just do yourself a favour and pick up a copy.

Escha and Logy are the two halves of a great entry for this series, and a good JRPG overall. Both combat and alchemy system are fun to play and to explore, while we can not say the same about the plot, too boring and slow.

Escha & Logy may have some flaws, but it's good at providing a formulaic experience that rewards you with seeing your progression play out before you.

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky is finally out of its niche thanks to a good blend of traditional jRPG gameplay and peculiar alchemy/crafting shenanigans. It has quite a few flaws, but it can easily appeal newcomers as well.

The possibility to choose between two different protagonists, a complex alchemy system, and the management of the time for the completion of missions, make the work by Gust an experience as unusual as appreciable.

Gust continues offering nice and delightful JRPGs designed for PS3.

With tons of things to do, things to make, and areas to explore, Atelier Escha & Logy is a nice fusion of alchemy, adventure, and tactics.

A good combat system, solid even if not original, is mixed with a boring plot.

The game's peculiar magnetism stems from its unhurried, two-pronged approach to regularly rushed RPG checklists, and its inauguration of a male lead to balance out the considerable effeminate quirk that has been Atelier's chronic calling card.

If you can work through the mind numbing first couple of hours, Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky blooms into an addictive JRPG. Much like an alchemical formula, the individual pieces of this concoction are less impressive than its whole – just don’t jump into the release expecting to make something out of nothing.

An enjoyable romp through a pretty enough world, but one that may struggle to resonate with Western audiences. Fans of the series and established canon will find much to love, though, from the whimsical characters to the competent battle and crafting systems.

A solid alchemist adventure that sticks to the formula. Don’t expect anything new.