Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland

 PlayStation Vita
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Jul 1, 2014
    100
    This is a very rewarding game, with something like 30 different endings to experience, depending on how well you play, and more side quests, optional missions and challenges and places to explore than most other JRPGs out there.
  2. Gamers\' Temple
    Jun 25, 2014
    93
    While Vita's Persona 4 Golden fanbase and acclaim is beyond huge, I think Sony's portable system just found its second best RPG experience in the outstanding Atelier Rorona (and by extension, Totori and Meruru).
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Aug 12, 2014
    80
    It's forceful, gotta give it that. [Issue#251, p.82]
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  5. DarkStation
    Jul 24, 2014
    80
    Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland is light-hearted, enjoyable, and one of the better role-playing games on the PlayStation Vita.
  6. Pocket Gamer UK
    Jul 8, 2014
    80
    An accessible and deep JRPG, even if the opening hours are a bit of a slog.
  7. Hardcore Gamer
    Jun 30, 2014
    80
    Atelier Rorona Plus is a charming, lighthearted JRPG that’s more open-ended than most of its brethren. It can be a little on the repetitive side, but there’s just enough variety to make it a delight in short bursts.
  8. Worth Playing
    Jun 24, 2014
    80
    Atelier Rorona Plus is a great introduction to the franchise for beginners in terms of plot and mechanics. It might not be the best of the Atelier titles, but it's still a big improvement over the PS3 original.
  9. Gaming Age
    Aug 4, 2014
    75
    Those people who already love the series will find everything continues on here as it should, while if you're never played an Atelier game before, then the relatively streamlined gameplay should make Rorona easier to get into.
  10. IGN Italia
    Jul 21, 2014
    71
    Atelier Rorona Plus is a great Japanese role-playing game with some elements which nicely enhance its structure.
  11. games(TM)
    Aug 20, 2014
    70
    Mechanically, this is a game that is worth your time investment. [Sept 2014, p.128]
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  12. The Digital Fix
    Aug 1, 2014
    70
    But, I digress – the framework is there for an excellent game. However, just as they did back on original release, the driving mechanics of Rorona Plus leave you unable to appreciate these systems fully, your journey around Arland never really feels epic enough, and apart from a couple of overpowered bosses towards the end the combat is too limited.
  13. Eurogamer Spain
    Jul 13, 2014
    70
    This Plus version has nice improvements in its user interface and combat systems but it's still far behind other games of this genre.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PS Vita Game of 2014
38
#38 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2014
31
#31 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2014

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 52
  3. Negative: 7 out of 52
  1. Leonballard
    Jul 9, 2014
    9
    This game is awesome, my first Atelier experience and it is wonderfull, just too much ecchi but besides that, a very wonderful adaptation toThis game is awesome, my first Atelier experience and it is wonderfull, just too much ecchi but besides that, a very wonderful adaptation to the PS Vita and a example on how JRPG should be alongside Persona 4 Golden.-… Full Review »
  2. ryuzaki57
    Jun 29, 2014
    7
    I discovered the Atelier series with Atelier Rorona. The game didn’t look very great in 2010, but I knew I had just unearthed somethingI discovered the Atelier series with Atelier Rorona. The game didn’t look very great in 2010, but I knew I had just unearthed something amazing, that would become my favorite series this generation. Four years later, Gust uses a youth potion on its very first HD title.

    Atelier Rorona is a lot more light-hearted than the following Atelier games : no world to be saved, no hideous monster to repel, no member of the family is missing, just a tiny shop to keep afloat by making and delivering alchemy objects for the kingdom and the people. The interest therefore lies down to the vicissitudes of Rororina Fryxell, young apprentice left to do all the job by her lazy master. Although the unscrupulous minister Meriodus will constantly try to get in your way, but it’s always in a humorous point of view. More than ever, it is your own affinity with the series that should dictate your choice.

    One of the points of this remake is the change in graphics to make the game more modern. Not quite like the spectacular jump made in Atelier Escha&Logy, Rorona + borrows the 3D engine from Meruru + with more or less success. Dungeons are still unimpressive, but water is well rendered. Most characters are really well made ( Rorona, Cuderia, Lionela, Esty, Totori et Meruru), but Sterk and Astrid are pretty much failed imo. Animations have improved tenfold and do have very nice effects. In short, the title is quite correct for Vita, but maybe a bit weak on PS3.

    As for the game system, and it’s actually surprising, Atelier Rorona + is not totally up to date. Understand by this that you still have to use MP for alchemy, which is a hassle, costs a great deal of time and makes your sortie with Rorona having low MP! In parallel, you also will be paying your companions. Okay, it matches with some joke thrown in Atelier Totori, but frankly I would have tolerated incoherence because paying friends is plain stupid. While annoying, those details don’t weight that much given the qualities of the remake.

    More importantly, alchemy and battle make a time travel to Atelier Meruru +. Changes made for Dusk series (Ayesha, Escha&Logy) are not taken into account : alchemy is back in hardcore mode in which ou have to synthesize each object one by one, although with the possibility to register some in shops in order to resupply faster. Alchemy consumes a lot of time and deadlines are the same as before (up to 1 month in the game). It is hard to achieve balance between alchemy, delivery, battle and gear-making. Furthermore, popularity and cash appear incompatible, which is a real problem by the end of the game. Despite that, the main story is not difficult to clear since there’s a great deal of tolerance on objectives. Fights lose the possibility to flank enemies, but are still dynamic enough thanks to the return of assists in full. It is strategically still way above average compared to other RPG s since you have to make your own stuff from scratch. That said, events looked difficult to trigger : in Dusk, it’s pretty natural to reach each characters’ ending, but here event flag conditions seem atrociously complex and far-fetched. It’s almost like you have to progress with an eye constantly on walkthroughs.

    Last but not least, Rorona + adds a long chapter after the main story : in the wake of another of Astrid’s failed experiments, Meruru and Totori and sent in the past. It’s quite a nice idea and a real pleasure to have the three heroines in the same team, but the highly punitive difficulty level is likely to make a lot of people kill time in the atelier.After 7 hours drawing blueprints of weapons, armor, accessories, potions, clocks, and at least as many utter defeats, I had to throw the towel. There’s still a lot to be done of the main story, and the race to ultimate strengh and flawless strategy is still hypnotic. To conclude on something more positive, let’s stress that Rorona + has in-game quite some well-crafted outfits, and a additional character for the main story (Esty like she appears in Atelier Meruru).

    Atelier Rorona + is a very good remake : a lot richer than the original, it is also quite satisfying visually speaking. In fact, maybe it’s the game itself that looks a bit old-fashioned after Dusk or the Arland sequels. Consequently, it is destined for Atelier veterans.    … Full Review »
  3. midipon
    Nov 19, 2014
    9
    This game is addictive. It feels great to synthesize and gather items. Everything is easy to get a handle on but it has a lot of depth forThis game is addictive. It feels great to synthesize and gather items. Everything is easy to get a handle on but it has a lot of depth for those who want to have their best runs. The character designs are cute and the art style is unique. The overall world is oddly intriguing and the writing is lighthearted despite some of the more serious events. Atelier Rorona is great for those who are well versed in JRPGs but want a different kind of game from the normal shtick, but that's not to say that even those who aren't into the genre at large won't enjoy this game.

    Despite all this, I have to take points off for the ridiculous difficulty of some bosses and the game being a little too easygoing about some light references to molestation.    … Full Review »
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