Believe it or not, gamers who like the Atelier series are NOT pedophiles

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ruuppa said:
This thread brings me back to when people were claiming that D&D was a gateway to satanism.
Click to expand...

iBFACehk8bsxK.gif
 
No, of course not. I know there are tons of people who do appreciate that type of art style and gameplay, but it's very niche. Sometimes I think people will play it just to have another Japanese title, when the game is not remotely as good as ye olde JRPG.
 
CorvoSol said:
This is going to sound intensely hypocritical coming from someone who plays a lot of Square Enix games, but the only thing I find off-putting about the Atelier series (visual aesthetics notwithstanding) is the way the games are named. I just can't find it in myself to say I'm playing a game called "Meruru". That sounds like something a great aunt in a tv sitcom would coo at a kid. "Whose a widdle meruru? You're a widdle meruru, dat's who!"

I understand that's totally unfair, and I don't judge the quality of the games based on it, but the name alone has repelled me.
Click to expand...

The great irony is that the older games got even this right, in that the names were quite a bit more down to earth. "Meruru" is sort of a "what" name, but how about Atelier Marie or Atelier Lilie? Would those turn you away from the game?

The kicker is that, for all the presentation goofs recent Ateliers have made, the newer ones are superior mechanically in a lot of ways, especially Ayesha, the newest one. That one manages to dispose of the completely silly name, at least, and it does jettison a lot of the worst of the elements criticized here.
 
I'm interested in trying with one of these, but not sure which, any advice? :(

Also, I'm a girl, if you guys are pedophile for enjoying the series, what would that make me? :lol
 
Pikma said:
I'm interested in trying with one of these, but not sure which, any advice? :(

Also, I'm a girl, if you guys are pedophile for enjoying the series, what would that make me? :lol
Click to expand...

A healthy female wanting to relive a past childhood fantasy.... LOLOLOL JUST KIDDING

Start on atelier totori.

I enjoy these games, the soft colors are really pleasing on the eyes. Main reason I play it is cause the game kinda has a water painting look to it. People can be closed minded and hate all they want but the series honestly has some of the nicest character designs this generation.

273077__atelier-totori-alchemist-of-arland-2-sterkenburg-cranach.jpeg
meruru-Mimi.jpg
totori-Rorona.jpg

art-016.jpg
art-016.jpg
art-024.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Pikma said:
I'm interested in trying with one of these, but not sure which, any advice? :(

Also, I'm a girl, if you guys are pedophile for enjoying the series, what would that make me? :lol
Click to expand...

If you're a girl and are sexually attracted to the characters... A lesbian. If you're a woman. Also a pedophile.

Edit: According to the invisible person OP is arguing with who stated gamers who enjoy the Atelier series are pedos.
 
Hey OP! You just did a great job of convincing someone who was pretty turned off by the series to give it a go. Sounds interesting, especially the story premises.
 
I don't think any reasonable person would come to that conclusion, OP.

We can all agree that those upskirt big-boobed figure models are solely for masturbational purposes, though, right?
 
SquiddyBiscuit said:
That looks like a sexualized teenager (or younger), so I can understand the flack this game receives.
Click to expand...

If she's supposed to be anything under the age of 16, then that is erring on the gnarly side of things. Either way, I wouldn't be seen dead walking into a store and purchasing a game with a cover like that.

Edit - Actually, remove the character and that is a really nice looking piece of cover art right there.
 
Himself said:
Hey OP! You just did a great job of convincing someone who was pretty turned off by the series to give it a go. Sounds interesting, especially the story premises.
Click to expand...

Same. I don't have a PS3 yet, but when I get one I'll definitely look into this series if I can find any of the "good" installments at bargain bin prices. Always was a sucker for a good item crafting system...
 
Acquiescence said:
If she's supposed to be anything under the age of 16, then that is erring on the gnarly side of things. Either way, I wouldn't be seen dead walking into a store and purchasing a game with a cover like that.

Edit - Actually, remove the character and that is a really nice looking piece of cover art right there.
Click to expand...

She's 15, although she would be older than that by the time the game is over. The oldest main character in that series was actually the first one rorona as she starts off at 17. Totori is 14 and mururu is 15 at the start of their games. Rorona is 23 in totori's game and totori is 20 in meruru's game. One of the nice things about the series is seeing the characters grown up and such in the next game over.
 
Pikma said:
What about Meruru? is that more complicated, or does it assume you've played the previous entries?
Click to expand...

I'd say start with Totori instead of diving straight into Meruru so you can build some character attachment. It's pretty much the end of a 3 story arc of games. Rorona I don't recommend starting with although I did, it doesn't look that great graphically like a cheap upscaled ps2 game oh and the combat was fucking BAD like something you expect on a portable so you can mash X over and over without thought while riding the bus bad.
 
Pikma said:
What about Meruru? is that more complicated, or does it assume you've played the previous entries?
Click to expand...

As a story, Meruru is more of a Rorona/Totori epilogue than anything, so Totori is a better starting point. Totori has Rorona characters but does a fairly decent job of filling you in.
 
QisTopTier said:
She's 15, although she would be older than that by the time the game is over. The oldest main character in that series was actually the first one rorona as she starts off at 17. Totori is 14 and mururu is 15 at the start of their games. Rorona is 23 in totori's game and totori is 20 in meruru's game. One of the nice things about the series is seeing the characters grown up and such in the next game over.
Click to expand...

Then it's hebephilia, which isn't that much better.

Finaika said:
That's sexualized? I see teenagers wear similar everytime I walk around town here.
Click to expand...

You've never heard of how society is sexualizing young people?
That's usually what they're referring to.
 
There are certainly much worse videogame covers than that.
But does anybody really get embarassed by a game cover when they buy a game? I've never seen that happen.
 
SquiddyBiscuit said:
Then it's hebephilia, which isn't that much better.
Click to expand...

Well that's if you are feeling sexual attraction towards the characters then yeah it is. I find the dudes cool and the girls cute. I fail to see what's wrong with that. Now if I was off looking up doujins of the characters and perverted fan art and fapping to them then yeah. That's wrong.

That cover image makes it hard to tell she is wearing poof shorts underneath that as well.

ss-010.jpg


There is absolutely no excuse for Totori's dress in her game though that shit is straight up see through

NSFW I guess
http://www.rpgfan.com/pics/Atelier_Totori/ss-010.jpg

It looks really pretty and has nice coloring but it really could of went without being see through
 
QisTopTier said:
Well that's if you are feeling sexual attraction towards the characters then yeah it is. I find the dudes cool and the girls cute. I fail to see what's wrong with that. Now if I was off looking up doujins of the characters and perverted fan art and fapping to them then yeah. That's wrong.
Click to expand...

The problem is that you're then normalizing the sexualized depiction of these relatively young characters, you're turning what is generally perceived as a means of increasing sexual attraction (cleavage, super short skirts) as an acceptable feature for younger persons.
That is sexualization even if you personally aren't feeling any sexual attraction towards them.

Then again, there are much worse offenders out there when it comes to gaming (Tera comes to mind).
 
There are some games that really are pushing it too far (see Mugen Souls, Agarest 2, Criminal Girls), but the Atelier series certainly isn't one of them (though I could do without Astrid).
The PS3 games of the series are some of the best RPGs this generation, so don't avoid them just because of some dumb scenes. You see a lot worse stuff if you just turn on the TV (preferably a music channel).
 
Bowler said:
wait... you guys are not talking about the game with a blow up doll?
Click to expand...

No, this is the one with the pretty soft color posters and art books. As for that other game, it wasn't an actual "blow up doll" but it was a little doll you blew up. Uhhh think of one of those little carnival prices that are cheap.
 
SquiddyBiscuit said:
The problem is that you're then normalizing the sexualized depiction of these relatively young characters, you're turning what is generally perceived as a means of increasing sexual attraction (cleavage, super short skirts) as an acceptable feature for younger persons.
That is sexualization even if you personally aren't feeling any sexual attraction towards them.

Then again, there are much worse offenders out there when it comes to gaming (Tera comes to mind).
Click to expand...

While I see where you're coming from, I find it more concerning that real teenage girls wear outfits that, while designed differently, have skirts that are just as short or show the same cleavage in real fashion magazines. (sadly I don't have examples on-hand). I feel that does a far more thorough job or normalizing the sexualization of teens.

So again, while I do understand why you feel the way you do about it, I feel drawn versions of shorter skirts are less offensive in general.
 
Mystearica said:
Do you judge me based on my avatar?
Click to expand...

Acknowledging that this isn't directed at me, but I judge folks based on their avatar for sure, even if it's only on a cursory level. It can't be helped; it's just a built-in mechanism developed from years of browsing the internet. I'm generally wary of anyone who has a cutesy, teenage anime girl as their avatar, or one of those weird anthropomorphic furry abominations or - and this is the absolute pits - a character from My Little Pony. You're damn straight I'm gonna make presumptions if you declare yourself a brony in avatar form, it can't be helped.

Something like Finaika's avatar though - that's cool. It's differs from the norm and the character looks like she's from an old-school, respectable anime, and not something that weeaboos clamour to express their love for because it's "KAWAAAAAIIII!!!1! ^_^"

Calling anyone who likes that sort of thing a paedophile is going way too far though, but I feel that goes without saying.
 
It always strikes me how Atelier games can have so many followers, though being niche titles. I mean, they don't have a particularly high quality, they are not graphic beast, they tend to be quite similar with each other... There's a big Italian forum where in the section devoted to jRPG people talk almost only about Atelier games (and stuffs like Neptune or Falcom titles, and as for the latter I could deal with that), and they always justify their love without admitting all the shortcomings such games have.

By they way, I see the art-style saw a worsening on PS3, Gust saw video gamers appreciated it and it become even worse. The last one seems to be better, but Meruru, Rorona, etc. are quite disgusting in presenting such young girls in such short clothes. I don't think gamers who like Atelier series are pedophiles, but I don't understand why they love such games so much.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

The Atelier Games Are The Most "Easter"-ish Games
8
465
Codes 208 replied
Jason Schreier: Rockstar employees did not believe Fall 2025
News  2
56
428
JusticeForAll replied
  • Poll
PC Gamers: Do you like it on the couch or on our desk?
2
81
3K
DaciaJC replied
  • Locked
Stellar Blade IP is not Owned by Sony , game will come to more platforms like series X/S and Switch 2
19
134
Ebrietas replied
  • Poll
Who is in the May not buy a 2025 release camp?
2
86
2K
deriks replied
Top Bottom