Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
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  1. Digitally Downloaded
    May 21, 2019
    100
    Atelier Lulua's an interesting one from Gust. On the one hand it's certainly the most visually impressive and detailed effort we've seen from the series to date. Gust has always had limited budgets to work with, but the team has really pushed themselves here to make something that does look very "next gen". It also plays very cleanly. On the other hand, Atelier Lulua is a very traditional game, and is an effort to bring fans back to trilogy that has had two other full trilogies developed in-between. It's almost painfully delightful, warm, colourful, and completely charming in everything that it does, but its reliance on nostalgia and series tradition means that I'm just not sure that this will be one to win the series new fans.
  2. GameCritics
    Aug 19, 2019
    90
    Atelier Lulua is more than a case of ‘Gust has done it again’, although that’s obviously true. It’s a great game with a brilliantly-told story full of great twists. More than that, though, it’s notable because it takes the chance to question an element at the very heart of the genre — why is combat so central to the experience? Is it a necessary part of the story being told, or does it wind up limiting the kind of adventure that developers can to craft? There’s no clear answer here, but the fact that the question is being asked in such an interesting way deserves a huge amount of respect.
  3. Video Chums
    May 21, 2019
    83
    Atelier Lulua is up there with the best that the series has to offer. Although it doesn't do anything exceptionally unique, it's an enjoyable and rewarding adventure set in such a memorable and charming world that you'll find it hard to put down.
  5. Meristation
    Aug 5, 2019
    82
    Atelier Lulua shows itself as an interesting title which through its story, characters and game mechanics hold the players interest until the end.
  6. ZTGD
    Jul 31, 2019
    80
    Atelier Lulua is a solid, albeit safe final entry in the Arland quadrilogy that does an admirable job of bidding farewell to a lovable cast of characters.
  7. RPGamer
    Jul 10, 2019
    80
    As the fourth game in the Arland sub-series of Atelier games, there were characters and interactions that series’ veterans would get more mileage out of than those who hadn’t played the first three, but at no time did the experience suffer from my lack of background knowledge. Atelier Lulua is both a wonderful game for newcomers and Atelier veterans to enjoy.
  8. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jun 27, 2019
    80
    This is the best Atelier yet, and a prime point for newcomers to jump in. [Issue#164, p.90]
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  9. We Got This Covered
    Jun 1, 2019
    80
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland doesn't stray too far from the formula it created many, many installments ago, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to this series. This is a fun, light-hearted adventure that doesn't overstay its welcome.
  10. God is a Geek
    May 28, 2019
    80
    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.
  11. Attack of the Fanboy
    May 26, 2019
    80
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland, is both a solid continuation and entry in the series, boasting a combination of addictive alchemy and endearing characters that will appeal to existing fans and newcomers alike. That said, the latter would certainly get more out of the return if they play the original trilogy first.
  12. Wccftech
    Jun 4, 2019
    78
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is one of the best entries in the Atelier series. While the story is not particularly exciting, the charming characters, enjoyable world and streamlined game mechanics can keep players engaged for a very long time. Highly recommended to fans of the series and to those looking for a nice JRPG that's not too demanding.
  13. Everyeye.it
    May 21, 2019
    77
    Those who love "anime style" products will find a nicely modeled character design, but also a truly sparse concept and little environmental inspiration. For the rest, even The Scion of Arland, like its predecessors, has a sweet and carefree charm, characterized by an untraceable genuineness elsewhere.
  14. LaPS4
    Aug 13, 2019
    76
    Atelier Lulua will delight old school JRPG and anime fans, with it's paused rhythm and focused on the story. You can get to forgive it's poor graphics in exchange of being one of the most beautiful franchise games.
  15. PlayStation LifeStyle
    May 29, 2019
    75
    I am hooked on Arland.
  16. Softpedia
    May 21, 2019
    75
    Overall, Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland does great justice to the Arland trilogy, as well as the Atelier series as a whole, becoming a great game in itself.
  17. PlayStation Universe
    May 21, 2019
    75
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is a more accessible installment to the long running franchise. Lulua and her companions are a fun new cast, and the more streamlined crafting system makes Atelier Lulua a great starting point for new players.
  18. Vandal
    May 21, 2019
    74
    Whether you are a fan or new to the series, Lulua has something for you. It doesn’t have many new feature, but overall it’s a very enjoyable JRPG.
  19. IGN Japan
    Apr 29, 2019
    73
    The Scion of Arland’s story and gameplay feel like a culmination of the series, and a tutorial system makes it a lot easier to jump in for newcomers. The soft-touch visuals match the atmosphere of the series, but the battle system brings in new ideas without much success. While some events could have been better explained for those not familiar with previous iterations, in the end this entry creates some of the most exciting moments in the series.
  20. RPG Fan
    Jun 11, 2019
    70
    Lulua is an exceptionally safe Atelier title that feels less like a return to form and more like an achromatic stroll down the rugged cobblestone of memory lane.
  21. Twinfinite
    May 22, 2019
    70
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland has plenty going for it. It’s got an interesting story that longtime fans will love, and its gameplay will keep JRPG fans satisfied well into the late hours of its run. Like so many other titles from the genre though, it’s held back by long-held conventions that work against it, and keep it from being something better than just another entry in the Atelier series.
  22. SpazioGames
    May 22, 2019
    70
    Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland doesn't even try to change the Atelier formula, only adding some new elements to the gameplay that benefit the overall experience but still fail to bring something really new to the table.
  23. Jeuxvideo.com
    May 5, 2019
    60
    Quotation forthcoming.

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best PS4 Game of 2019
78
#78 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 37
  3. Negative: 10 out of 37
  1. Starlightzz85
    May 27, 2019
    10
    This could be one of the best games in the series to date. I will start out by addressing possible cons, first with time limit concerns, whichThis could be one of the best games in the series to date. I will start out by addressing possible cons, first with time limit concerns, which is more personal preference than an actual con. Players that prefer the time limit that most Atelier games use to have, including the first 3 games of the Arland quadrilogy, will be disappointed as there are no time limits in Lulua. For those of us that dislike the time limit, rejoice! You can relax and enjoy the game at your leisure. The only other possible issue that could be a con for some, is that there are no English voice-overs. All the text and dialogue is English though. This can be awkward hearing familiar characters from earlier games in the quadrilogy suddenly talking with a different voice. It's awkward, but I personally am not lowering the score over it, mainly because the developers lack funds as it is. They needed to cut somewhere due to budget. I was actually surprised they had the funding to add English voice-overs all the way up until Lydie & Suelle. The series is very niche. It doesn't sell a boatload of copies. Maybe as the series gains more popularity, they'll be able to add English voice-overs again. This is why it saddens me when some people say they won't buy the latest Atelier games because the voices are in Japanese, as it only hurts the series success outside of Japan even more. If I had to choose between not having these localized at all, or localized without English voice-overs, I would choose localized without English voice-overs any day.

    Now aside from possible cons, everything else about the game is flawless. The alchemy system returns to a more traditional form, ditching the grid-based system the Mysterious trilogy had. The battle system has new features, such as the fact that there is a formation grid with front row and back row hexagon spaces connected in a zig-zag pattern. Characters in the back row will not fight directly, but will use their support skills when the trigger condition for the skill is met. They tend to support the front row characters in hexagons adjacent to their own. In example, if a support skill is an attack that is triggered when a physical attack skill is used, and let's say you have a character in both of the adjacent front row hexagons, this means any time you use a physical attack skill with any of those 2 front row characters it will trigger the support skill of the connecting back row support character causing them to use their support attack. This is just 1 example. Every character has support skills used to support front row characters. This is one of the best new differences with this Atelier. You can set up some nice combos and chains with this system.

    There are also quality of life changes which I'm not going to go into. The music is great. Visually, the game is stunning. The art style is beautiful as always and the characters are highly detailed, though environmental textures are terrible in comparison the same as any Atelier game. It's like PS4 characters inhabiting a PS3 world with some grass and flowers looking PS2. Luckily the nicer looking stuff drowns out the worst looking textures, making them less noticeable. There are other things I haven't touched upon in this review, such as other battle additions, discovering new recipes, locations, and more by solving alchemy riddles, etc. All in all, it's hard to understand why this Atelier seems so much better than past titles. I think it is simply the fact that it takes the best features of past Atelier games, combined with the new additions and pieces it all together in a way that works and is very refined. This makes it a great game not only for vets of the series, but also as an entry point for newcomers.    … Full Review »
  2. TalionSwift
    May 23, 2019
    7
    This game so far is quite wonderful, the art, music, alchemy systems and combat give quite the experience. Unfortunately however i am quiteThis game so far is quite wonderful, the art, music, alchemy systems and combat give quite the experience. Unfortunately however i am quite disappointed at the lack of an English track for the voices. as someone who always plays the English tack in every version of this generally great series of games i am quite sad especially when older characters in it make an appearance with essentially a different voice than when first experienced. I don't know it kind of kills the vibe a tad for me. In any case the JP voices are not bad and i will most likely finish the game i have to dock a point or two off, and in the future i will only purchase an entry that has the English track as sad as it makes me.… Full Review »
  3. Polycount2084
    Jun 28, 2019
    10
    Prettiest game in the series to date, lot's of fan service and loyalty to the fans of the Arland saga.
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