Klein is an adventurer, of sorts, who seeks elemental stones to power up his weapons. One day, while upon a path to a place he has yet to explore, he happens across a young lady and is somewhat smitten. Of course, it does not help his ego much that the young lady is more adept at handling a passing monster than he is.
But then, he does not have the ingredient he needs to use his alchemy properly. With his trusted friend, Popo (who is a guide and known as a mana), by his side, Klein enters the city of Kavoc, where adventure beckons.
Atelier Iris – Eternal Mana is a PlayStation 2 title from NIS America that is a scrolling game, or sorts, with a rich cartoonish look, maze-like linear levels and a somewhat simple storyline. The combat is turn-based and there are alchemic overtones to the story. Klein collects items, can use them in his arsenal of alchemically enhanced weapons, all the while
growing in his abilities. This is essentially a two-dimensional game.
Eternal Mana takes place in the world of Regallzine and is comprised of three continents. Each city in the region that Klein begins in, Esviore, is self-ruling, though once they were united under a common king.
The mana aspect of this game is a little different than players used to RPGs may think – in Atelier Iris, mana refers to the spirits that are in the world, and the world of Regallzine is the dwelling place of the Great Spirit, known as Mana. One could almost liken mana to The Force of Star Wars fame for an idea of how it is integrated and revered in this world.
As Klein grows in abilities, he will be able to create new spells and items, and the game is quite rich in that regard with more than 300 creatable items available. He eventually becomes a Galgazit alchemist (primarily concerned with ridding the world of Growloons, for which he achieves rank and coins).
The build that GameZone received for preview was only 60 percent complete, and there were some screens that had yet to be translated. But enough of the game was there to get a good feel for where this title is heading.
The game uses pop-up dialogue boxes to propel the story along. Most of the characters set the plot, and it can sound rather complicated at times. When Klein re-meets the young lady, Lita, they are standing before a gate that is supposed to be unopenable. But Klein finds a bit of a puzzle, which if solved, may open the gates. Herein is where the game sounds more complex than it is. The puzzle states “Lineage of Iris forms the key with mirrors of Dawn and Twilight.” During your travels, which are carefully guided along the storyline, you will discover exactly what the puzzle means.
As the party grows, all members are represented as Klein when traveling, then when a monster pops up, the party separates out and takes turns in the combat, and can target whichever of the opposing force they wish.
The game features combining elements in different ways, both from the alchemic perspective and shopkeepers can combine items for food items. Combat allows players a variety of actions, including defend and run, and Klein can synthesize attack items (like an ice bomb) and use it in the same turn. But each synthesis requires a spirit to perform, and it drains them a little.
The control scheme was one area that needed work in translating from the Asian version, but that should be cleared up by release and the learning curve should not be that great.
The game’s music could be turned down, simply because it gets a little annoying after a bit. And while the game may seem like it is geared for younger children, and for the most part could be played, parents may shy away when Lita explodes at the magic shop owner early in the game because the latter “pisses” her off.
Of course the game also has places where you can buy and sell, as well as upgrade weapons and other supplies
The game draws on a variety of influences for the graphics, from anime to card-style games, though most of the actual action is standard for the genre.
Atelier Iris – Eternal Mana is a game that looks a lot more complex than it turns out to be. Once players understand the flow of the game, it should not seem as daunting as it initially seems. While not offering gameplay that is startling or new, does appear to be an adventure that will entertain and it does have several layers of content that weave together for an imaginative tale.
