Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 86
  3. Negative: 9 out of 86
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  1. sgb
    Oct 6, 2011
    6
    Basically the same game as Aletlier Rorona with minor improvements throughout the game. The biggest improvement is there are no longer 'assignments', instead you have one main goal and the entire timelimit can be spent reaching that however you like. It feels much more open ended than Rorona. Little things like being able to turn in quests with items in your storage help game flow, andBasically the same game as Aletlier Rorona with minor improvements throughout the game. The biggest improvement is there are no longer 'assignments', instead you have one main goal and the entire timelimit can be spent reaching that however you like. It feels much more open ended than Rorona. Little things like being able to turn in quests with items in your storage help game flow, and the art is better.

    However the some of the main problems Rorona had return. Combat is still bland, the game is still very easy, and the plot and dialogues are still mostly pointless. I understand they wanted to avoid a cheesy 'save the world' plot with these games, but having almost nothing going on isn't any better. While the art is nice, the in-game models are still sub-par for modern RPG standards. Sound and voiceovers are okay, but nothing special. As a fair warning, this game had day 1 DLC which I feel is a !@#$ move for any company.

    All in all if you loved Rorona, you'll enjoy Totori. If you thought Rorona was a below average game, Totori won't change your opinion of the series.    … Expand
  2. Hamilton
    Oct 6, 2011
    10
    Totori improves in every possible way Rorona's already original and compelling gameplay, mixing the old turn based jrpg fare with a lot of rare elements often found in manager games.. Alchemy has never been so much fun, and since the narrative is more focused than in Rorona because of Totori's own personal story I felt much more interested to explore every corner of the world and to tryTotori improves in every possible way Rorona's already original and compelling gameplay, mixing the old turn based jrpg fare with a lot of rare elements often found in manager games.. Alchemy has never been so much fun, and since the narrative is more focused than in Rorona because of Totori's own personal story I felt much more interested to explore every corner of the world and to try every possible event.

    Not only that, but graphics have really been improved, and the characters are extremely well done, sometimes even better than the portraits used in dialogues. I strongly suggest this game to anyone interested in non-conventional, experimental games, not to mention Atelier fans.    … Expand
  3. Smert_
    Apr 29, 2013
    9
    There are so many fun and great reasons of why I love this game. Just after beating Persona 4, and platinuming Zero Escape, I am instantly deep into caring for these characters purely on the merits that the 2 aforementioned titles and Atelier Totori use the same voice actors. The voices are so well scripted, and Totori is so entirely innocent that everything she says has this sort ofThere are so many fun and great reasons of why I love this game. Just after beating Persona 4, and platinuming Zero Escape, I am instantly deep into caring for these characters purely on the merits that the 2 aforementioned titles and Atelier Totori use the same voice actors. The voices are so well scripted, and Totori is so entirely innocent that everything she says has this sort of natural charm, that you just want to take her under your wing and see her succeed. That primarily drives the game, supplemented with the story of her family dynamics changing as young Totori matures as an up-and-coming adventurer.

    The game follows a bit of an open-world scheme, allowing you to travel, battle, and gather ingredients according to your prerogative. Borrowing from the Persona series, there is an urgency to how you prioritize your activities with a calendar in the corner tracking your days. It takes time to travel to destinations, fight, and collect items from the ground. It's clever, and keeps the game constantly strategic, even when grinding. The designers were clever to allow you freedom of decisions, yet interweaving the story at certain game-time landmarks. For instance, I could be anywhere in the game, and once I accomplish a certain task, a cut-scene is initiated- the direction of the game includes clever dialogue with the characters in your party, cut-scenes specific to, yet somehow independent of my location, and are clearly part of the directed story. It makes me feel like I'm crafting the story according to my gameplay, and it feels very clever, organic, and rewarding.

    This game instantly hooked me. The art style and the characters are the cherry-on-top to the fun, and polished gameplay and story. There are clear tutorials for every new feature introduced to the gameplay, and the game does something original with it's time mechanic to keep the grinding and collecting engaging. Its execution is polished, understandable, and simple everything that you need to really get into it and have fun. Some of the reviews on this site that range from poor to mediocre claim that they didn't understand the time mechanic of the game. Really, that is the fault of the player- the game makes it very clear, from the very beginning and constantly reminds you as you accept quests. If a player is inpatient and skips everything, rather than soaking in the voice acting and story, then it is their fault for not understanding it and not the game's.

    I highly recommend this game. It's just the RPG the VITA needs. Persona 4 is one of the greatest RPGs of all time, and has been the only real RPG available for the VITA until Atelier Totori, which does a fantastic job of adding to the genre on the VITA's library.

    Trophies: Hard to tell just yet, but I'd say the trophies look pretty easy. You have to experience a number of different endings to get the platinum, so save frequently on different save files to go back and branch out from different paths.    … Expand
  4. jaydee_28
    Apr 1, 2013
    6
    This is the first of the Atelier Series that I played and I found this addicting for the 1st hours resulting to a BAD ending. Yes, BAAAD, like I wasted several hours of playtime for I have no Idea that this game has a strict Time Constraint.

    The story is so fun especially when doing quests, hunting monsters, gathering and synthesizing materials. What I don't like is the English Dub but    This is the first of the Atelier Series that I played and I found this addicting for the 1st hours resulting to a BAD ending. Yes, BAAAD, like I wasted several hours of playtime for I have no Idea that this game has a strict Time Constraint.

    The story is so fun especially when doing quests, hunting monsters, gathering and synthesizing materials. What I don't like is the English Dub but you can change the setting to Japanese which is very Animeistic.

    Totori's main quest is to find out what happens to her mom. She needs to roam Arland and the peninsula just to gather clues.

    This game is not replayable. I would like to kill all the boss monsters after I found out what happened to Totori's mom but time is the factor. You can't have your character level after finishing the game but you can have your Coles (money) and equipment back when you start a new game.

    This game should be really addicting but the time constraint REALLY a FUN/JOY KILLER. I should have love this game but can't because of this. :(

    Hopefully, Atelier Ayesha has no Time Limit.

    Overall I initially love this game but the Fun factor failed when you reached the end of the Time limit.    … Expand
  5. ryuzaki57
    Feb 25, 2012
    10
    I loved Atelier Rorona. It was fun and extremely innovative, but weak graphically speaking. Thus I was looking forward for Atelier Totori with much excitment. When I saw the dreadful marks it received from French websites, I was furious (I crossed the line and got banned by the way). But at the beginning of the game, I slightly wondered whether I was the one wrong.

    The 3D animated    I loved Atelier Rorona. It was fun and extremely innovative, but weak graphically speaking. Thus I was looking forward for Atelier Totori with much excitment. When I saw the dreadful marks it received from French websites, I was furious (I crossed the line and got banned by the way). But at the beginning of the game, I slightly wondered whether I was the one wrong.

    The 3D animated characters do look better than in Rorona, but it really depends on the characters : Sterk, Melvia and Totori are near perfect but Rorona and Mimi look weird. Of course, the general design is still one of the best in JRPGs. Backgrounds also are still a bit awkward, but more impressive then in the previous game.

    At a first glance, the battle system seems unchanged : your characters still disappear when another attacks and your alchemist can be protected by her companions just like before. But when you have to fight harder battles, youâ    … Expand
  6. frantisek
    Oct 6, 2011
    9
    I am really impressed with Totori, I liked Atelier Rorona but personally I found that its lack of narrative focus detracted from the overall experience, while this sequel is able to mix its peculiar gameplay (the mix of traditional JRPG and item crafting the series is known for) with a stronger pacing. The soundtrack is extremely fitting, and the art direction is beautiful thanks to Gust'sI am really impressed with Totori, I liked Atelier Rorona but personally I found that its lack of narrative focus detracted from the overall experience, while this sequel is able to mix its peculiar gameplay (the mix of traditional JRPG and item crafting the series is known for) with a stronger pacing. The soundtrack is extremely fitting, and the art direction is beautiful thanks to Gust's effort to exploit PS3's potential with better models and textures, something that really shows in battle and cutscenes alike (environments still need some work, though). I really love the direction this series has taken since Rorona, as I find the PS3 Arland games far more unique than the PS2 Atelier Iris ones, not to mention they are overall far more polished titles.
    Localization is good, and the dual audio (a NIS America habit, by now) is always good to have.    … Expand
  7. Sollertia
    Oct 7, 2011
    10
    Atelier Totori is a surprising game. It hits all the right notes, with its charm, that which many games lack nowadays. Make no mistake; this is not an elaborate journey where bloodshed and betrayal will befall upon you, the player. It's, instead, a heartwarming, lighthearted adventure about a youngster's pilgrimage. A tale about maturity, about experience. However, its charm is yet itsAtelier Totori is a surprising game. It hits all the right notes, with its charm, that which many games lack nowadays. Make no mistake; this is not an elaborate journey where bloodshed and betrayal will befall upon you, the player. It's, instead, a heartwarming, lighthearted adventure about a youngster's pilgrimage. A tale about maturity, about experience. However, its charm is yet its biggest flaw: it's a niche game, first and foremost. A game that's just simple and honesty, and thus, not many people will like it. It pushes away connoisseurs of the japanese variation of the genre, with its open-ended gameplay and choice as far as the eye can see. It also pushes away fans of the western variation of the genre, with its cutesy charm and bubbly presentation. It's a game that appeals to no-one, and, instead, it does its own thing.

    That's also why it's so engrossing, and so fun. It's a relaxing, sometimes touching experience that gives the player what others don't offer: an RPG that does something truly different.

    It's a game that's just playful, and endearing. It's not flawless, however. The narrative (or lack thereof, for half the game), certain bugs, weak backgrounds and standard combat are all there. Yet, it's fun to play. It's TONS of fun to play. It's just a joy to go through. To laugh along, and to cry along. To engross yourself into the standard, yet beautiful world of Arland, and its plains, catacombs, forests and caves. To explore, and be rewarded. To fail, and be rewarded. To simply enjoy, something not many games of this generation focus on.    … Expand
  8. Jez89
    Oct 11, 2011
    10
    Totori irons out all of the kinks in Atelier Rorona, while continuing to deliver the qualities that makes the series so endearing to fans. Best JRPG this gen.
  9. Dynel
    Dec 15, 2014
    0
    I didn't finish the game. Everything in it made me hate the game. Story, gameplay, Alchemy mechanics and exploring the dungeons. dropped the game after 20 minutes of starting. Not even bothering to play anymore since I got bored watching the intro/tutorial.
  10. Almasy
    Jun 20, 2019
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The plot doesn't exist, the Battle system Is too slow (found others j-rpg that had more faster turn based battles), characters' charisma Is like a plant, craft items system Is pointless, dungeon exploring doesn't exists (20 steps for complete a map, more or less), boss fighting... Where? No boss fights right now and i just take the adventurer badge. Those are some of bad things of this game. Not even comparable to Atelier Iris for Ps2. A bad game. And, please, you can't put me a cutscene every 3 mins. this Game make me turn off the PS3. And this happened only with 2 or 3 more titles. Bad game.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Best PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Eurogamer Germany
    Jan 17, 2012
    70
    Atelier Totori features a few elegant mechanics in combat and framing. (…) Let me put the story this way: If you, unlike me, don´t have to look up, what "Shōjo" means, but instead use it as a positive filter during your search for new anime-stuff, then Atelier Totori is right up your alley.
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  2. GameShark
    Nov 7, 2011
    83
    While gamers new to (or averse to) anime style may not enjoy Atelier Totori, the committed JRPG audience will likely be pleased with what the game has to offer. For us JRPG enthusiasts, a good game means beautiful anime-style graphics, expressive musical scores, eccentric characters and dialog and complex gameplay mechanics; despite its somewhat simplified approach to combat, Atelier Totori scores on all points.
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  3. DarkZero
    Nov 7, 2011
    70
    Fans that have played the games before won't need any introduction, they will know what to expect in an Atelier game, and it's a good game in that respect for them. As mentioned it's not an epic adventure, but it never tries to be. This story is a personal one of one girl's emotional ride to becoming experienced in alchemy and adventuring and her quest to find her mum. It's not an RPG for everyone who likes the genre, but it is fun, and if you can get into it once you've passed the initial couple of hours then you'll have found yourself one of the most relaxing and easygoing RPGs on the market today.
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