Japanese developer Gust is responsible for two of the best and most-underrated role-playing games in the latter half of the PlaySatation 2's life span - Atelier Iris and its sequel, the aptly named Atelier Iris 2. The Iris games combined strong, likeable characters, a well-told story, sharp humor, and a nostalgic feel to great effect, and it's no surprise that Gust's latest title, Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia, follows the same basic recipe. Not content to be a clone of Atelier Iris, however, Ar Tonelico starts with Gust's signature elements and builds a rich, heartfelt experience that more than once veers into the completely bizarre.

Of course, bizarre is to be expected in any game involving a harem of magical dolls with a plethora of costumes who are competing for the main character's affections, especially when said magical dolls develop their skills by way of an extended sex metaphor winkingly called ‘diving' (as in "I need you to dive into me," etc.). At its worst, Ar Tonelico could be downright uncomfortable or tasteless, but even post-localization, an emotional romance story elevates the material beyond base sex comedy. Though the game can be base and juvenile at times, it is only at the hands of base and juvenile characters, and the writers are respectful of the central relationships. In fact, the thing that distinguishes Ar Tonelico from other RPGs where character relationships are ‘important' to the game is the manner in which the Dive mechanic pulls the gamer in and invests them deeply in the characters. Diving allows main character Lyner to enter the subconscious of one of the party's magical Reyvateils in order to unlock more powerful spells. In the process, Lyner uncovers more and more of each Reyvateil's personality. At their best, these sequences are as evocative as Final Fantasy VI's Shadow flashbacks.

As much as the game is a surreal dating simulation, it is still very much a traditional role-player. Though its story and cast draw heavily on cliché, Ar Tonelico is well executed and has a flair that is a reasonable substitute for originality. Graphically speaking, the game is mediocre, though the lush score always fits the mood perfectly. The area where Ar Tonelico really shines, though, is combat. The majority of party members operate in a standard turn-based scheme, but the party's Reyvateil adds active-time management to the mix. During fights, Reyvateils can power up offensive spells, or cast a variety of support spells on the party. While doing so, the power of the spell increases and the Reyvateil's MP decreases. The player can prompt the Reyvateil to interrupt the current turn order at any time, either to cast a spell, change the spell they're casting, or escape from combat, so the Reyvateil's vital stats and the turn order require close monitoring, especially during tough fights. While the fighting is very rarely a true challenge, it's also very rarely boring as a result.

Like previous Gust releases, Ar Tonelico has a detailed crafting system, here called Grathmelding. Items can be made using raw materials and recipe cards either found in the world or bought in shops, and nearly every item available for purchase can also be made. The only downside is that obsessive crafters may find themselves short on cash due to component stockpiling.

Its quirky and suggestive nature may turn some gamers off, but Ar Tonelico is a fun and rewarding experience. While it may not have the epic gravitas of Final Fantasy XII/, it distinguishes itself as one of a very small number of romance games with domestic releases. Fans of NIS and Gust, and gamers looking for a new role-player to sink 40 hours into should definitely give Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia a closer look.

Mar 5, 2007 | 0 comments
Jeff Stolarcyk