Drinky Crow
Banned
Post some impressions, peaches.
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Anime Fruitboy Thread: Riviera and Atelier Iris out
- Thread starter Drinky Crow
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Drinky Crow
Banned
I picked up Riviera, and so far, it ain't bad. It seems a bit top-heavy in the combat depeartment, but I'm cool with that, and I sadly dig the ostentatiously flashy front end, even if the animations take a little too long to load. Music's great, if a little repetitive. The translation seems solid.
Iris looks just a little too girly frou-frou for my manly gaming disposition; it'd hafta be Disgaea-level deep for me to get over the yucky character designs. Plus with Makai Kingdom out in late July, it's a super-tough sell.
Iris looks just a little too girly frou-frou for my manly gaming disposition; it'd hafta be Disgaea-level deep for me to get over the yucky character designs. Plus with Makai Kingdom out in late July, it's a super-tough sell.
My play through Riviera has been very manly so far. I agree with the designers of this game that random battles, enemy targeting, and durable equipment are for wusses, and so far I haven't been disappointed.
Battle mechanics seem very smooth and appropriate for a handheld RPG. It almost seems like an Action RPG in its elegance and speed. It definitely was not made with the casual Final Fantasy fanbase in mind, and Final Fantasy Tactics nerds should find themselves impotent and weak against bosses. Unfortunately there are no manual combos. Hopefully the long battles will add tension as the game progresses.
Riviera's cat is much manlier than Lunar's. I'm not sure any dungeons are randomized.
Overall, 5/5 so far
Battle mechanics seem very smooth and appropriate for a handheld RPG. It almost seems like an Action RPG in its elegance and speed. It definitely was not made with the casual Final Fantasy fanbase in mind, and Final Fantasy Tactics nerds should find themselves impotent and weak against bosses. Unfortunately there are no manual combos. Hopefully the long battles will add tension as the game progresses.
Riviera's cat is much manlier than Lunar's. I'm not sure any dungeons are randomized.
Overall, 5/5 so far
Red Scarlet
Member
So what are the battles like then?
I've gone through the non-durable equipment thing, but non-random is already a strike..confused about the targetting thing, though. Care to elaborate on the battle aspect?
I've gone through the non-durable equipment thing, but non-random is already a strike..confused about the targetting thing, though. Care to elaborate on the battle aspect?
Eh, it seems alright so far. Kinda lame. As a personal preference, I don't like how they take the control away from you even though the system is built around it. If there's a "MOVE" option (not in the traditional SRPG sense), then I just want to use the D-Pad to move god-damn it 
I'm still VERY early on, haven't been able to give it a proper work out yet.
Anyway, here are my impressions from early play pasted from another forum.
I'm still VERY early on, haven't been able to give it a proper work out yet.Anyway, here are my impressions from early play pasted from another forum.
Amir0x said:
Red Scarlet said:
The non-random aspect is cool. Exploration, battle and cutscenes are all done from the same isometric perspective, with the same character sprites, so after you solve a puzzle the screen can shift effortlessly to an enemy encounter. Best reference is Mario RPG.
I haven't figured out targeting yet. Apparently some weapons have certain attributes that you can select during battle to target enemy groups.
Here's the first battle sequence:
Drinky Crow
Banned
The game plays a lot like Unlimited SaGa, minus all the suck (the obtuse interface and the retarded battle system, basically), and plus a lot of flash. It's fun!
Killkernal
Member
Some of us are stuck at work waiting for the chance to nab Riviera this evening. More impressions please.
Killkernal
Member
demi said:
Uhm, I dunno. More pretty pictures? A full breakdown of the gameplay as done by a 13 year old mentally unstable Gamefaqs user?
*watches clock*
Angels, Demons the Armageddon type stuff
It plays like ZORK in a sense
There are towns, but you don't buy anything. No money in this game at all. They're somewhat of a "in-between" thing between chapers or something
Now, how a chapter works
You travel from room to room and in these rooms you can LOOK at things, should they be available. But these things cost TP, which you get in battle depending on how good your rank is at the end, normally determined on how you deal the final blow.
In each room some of the story pans out, characters talk etc, and normally an enemy will pop up, and you are given the choice to fight or run
Using Look mode you can discover new items, events or new paths.
Each "map" is fairly small, about 5-6 rooms before you go to the next area, where you can save. You can also save mid-dungeon but the game shuts off.
Battles are fairly simple to understand, you are given the choice to bring 4 items with you, such as weapons, items, or stat boosters (fire resistance, etc)
Using these weapons you can unlock new skills to use when your Overdrive meter fills up whenever you are attacked, or you attack. There are like 4 skills, lv 1, lv 2, lv 3 and Extreme. Should you use the Extreme overdrive, you will "smash" the overdrive meter and cannot use it for the remainder of the battle, so you are best off using it near the end of a battle.
As far as "leveling up" is concerned, there ARE NO LEVELS. The only way to boost your stats is by learning skills with weapons, even if you will run out of uses for an item. You can also gain various stat increases by discovering little things during your dungeon exploring.
for example
I have a "Naga Claw" with 3 uses. Should Ein use this 3 times, he will learn a skill, but also lose that weapon. I will gain stat increases however, so it's all good! And should I find another Naga Claw, I will have that skill available for use in the future.
I don't know how the "dating" aspect works, but from where I am now, there are two girls that are flirting with me constantly, and they'll ask you questions and such. Should you say the right thing, a heart will appear over their head. If you say something stupid or rude, a broken heart. Simple? I thought so.
Battles take forever
Animations can be long and tiresome, wish I could skip them
Voices are a nice touch, but you can barely hear them even on the DS
No clue on the story, only on Chapter 2
Game is somewhat easy, haven't had any difficulty as of yet
How's that? I'm no good at this impressions thing as I'm only a 14 year old mentally unstable Gamefaqs user
I'm better off just saying "it fuckin rox" or "it fuckin sux"
It plays like ZORK in a sense
There are towns, but you don't buy anything. No money in this game at all. They're somewhat of a "in-between" thing between chapers or something
Now, how a chapter works
You travel from room to room and in these rooms you can LOOK at things, should they be available. But these things cost TP, which you get in battle depending on how good your rank is at the end, normally determined on how you deal the final blow.
In each room some of the story pans out, characters talk etc, and normally an enemy will pop up, and you are given the choice to fight or run
Using Look mode you can discover new items, events or new paths.
Each "map" is fairly small, about 5-6 rooms before you go to the next area, where you can save. You can also save mid-dungeon but the game shuts off.
Battles are fairly simple to understand, you are given the choice to bring 4 items with you, such as weapons, items, or stat boosters (fire resistance, etc)
Using these weapons you can unlock new skills to use when your Overdrive meter fills up whenever you are attacked, or you attack. There are like 4 skills, lv 1, lv 2, lv 3 and Extreme. Should you use the Extreme overdrive, you will "smash" the overdrive meter and cannot use it for the remainder of the battle, so you are best off using it near the end of a battle.
As far as "leveling up" is concerned, there ARE NO LEVELS. The only way to boost your stats is by learning skills with weapons, even if you will run out of uses for an item. You can also gain various stat increases by discovering little things during your dungeon exploring.
for example
I have a "Naga Claw" with 3 uses. Should Ein use this 3 times, he will learn a skill, but also lose that weapon. I will gain stat increases however, so it's all good! And should I find another Naga Claw, I will have that skill available for use in the future.
I don't know how the "dating" aspect works, but from where I am now, there are two girls that are flirting with me constantly, and they'll ask you questions and such. Should you say the right thing, a heart will appear over their head. If you say something stupid or rude, a broken heart. Simple? I thought so.
Battles take forever
Animations can be long and tiresome, wish I could skip them
Voices are a nice touch, but you can barely hear them even on the DS
No clue on the story, only on Chapter 2
Game is somewhat easy, haven't had any difficulty as of yet
How's that? I'm no good at this impressions thing as I'm only a 14 year old mentally unstable Gamefaqs user
I'm better off just saying "it fuckin rox" or "it fuckin sux"
I picked up both, I loaded Iris once and stopped since I was at work.
Played a little Riveria before bed last night. I'm not at Heaven's Gate yet but I'm liking it so far. The talky is a little annoying right now as I'd rather be hitting things and it shouldn't take 4 minutes to explain a 'look' command but whatever.
I want non sucky skills, though shattering the overdrive meter feels so... right.
Played a little Riveria before bed last night. I'm not at Heaven's Gate yet but I'm liking it so far. The talky is a little annoying right now as I'd rather be hitting things and it shouldn't take 4 minutes to explain a 'look' command but whatever.
I want non sucky skills, though shattering the overdrive meter feels so... right.
Killkernal
Member
demi: Well done, that's just what I was looking for. 
Now I suppose I'll just have to linger around OT for the next four hours. Or maybe go for a walk when these asshole thunderstorms stop. Just don't tell my boss, got it?
Now I suppose I'll just have to linger around OT for the next four hours. Or maybe go for a walk when these asshole thunderstorms stop. Just don't tell my boss, got it?
Well would you look at that
I just learned the "Practice" mode, which is a way to "level up" without losing your weapons! Now this is very useful, allowing me to learn all the skills from all my available weapons before even diving into a dungeon.
And I can learn a skill from a useless weapon (for example -- Ribbon), then simply throw it away and never use it again.
And you keep any items won from this thing as well
But you can only fight the enemies you've encountered already so far.
This is very useful for those weapons and such that have only a one time use. (Rosier)
I just learned the "Practice" mode, which is a way to "level up" without losing your weapons! Now this is very useful, allowing me to learn all the skills from all my available weapons before even diving into a dungeon.
And I can learn a skill from a useless weapon (for example -- Ribbon), then simply throw it away and never use it again.
And you keep any items won from this thing as well
But you can only fight the enemies you've encountered already so far.
This is very useful for those weapons and such that have only a one time use. (Rosier)
I've only played for about 15 minutes and I'm already tired of the game beating me over the head with this "angel" crap. That, and having the cat thing immediately segue into a "hay guys can't read a manual? Here's how to play" dialogue immediately after these two dudes are talking about armageddon and their mission and shit is a little off-putting and this tutorial stuff really should have been worked into the game better.
HOWEVER...I like how the battles work. I always dreamed of playing a non-online RPG that was entirely skill based, and this seems to be the reality of that. It's refreshing to progress based on how I fight, and not just how often
HOWEVER...I like how the battles work. I always dreamed of playing a non-online RPG that was entirely skill based, and this seems to be the reality of that. It's refreshing to progress based on how I fight, and not just how often
I picked up Riviera last night, but haven't had a chance to play more than a few minutes.
I dropped by Gamestop right before they closed, and sales guy had no idea what I was talking about at first. When he realized it was an GBA RPG he hadn't heard of, he wanted it as well. The store only got two copies in, one of which had already been sold, so unfortunately for him he had to sell the last copy to me and put it on backorder. Sales +2.
I dropped by Gamestop right before they closed, and sales guy had no idea what I was talking about at first. When he realized it was an GBA RPG he hadn't heard of, he wanted it as well. The store only got two copies in, one of which had already been sold, so unfortunately for him he had to sell the last copy to me and put it on backorder. Sales +2.
Limedust said:
Buying the only copy that a store got in is strangely satisfying when the the store employee spends more time eyeing your purchase than ringing it up.
Some Iris impressions here : http://forums.gaming-age.com/showthread.php?t=48988&highlight=iris
Adding a bit more, the item creation is actually pretty cool in an excessive, but still nice way (there are either 8800 different items or 88,000 different ones. I can't remember >_<). Bishonen abound and the combat is simple as well as easy.
My biggest complaint so far is that the translation of the japanese script isn't what I'd call a translation. It's almost like they got a japanese high school student to do the translation for cheap and then had a native speaker clean it up some. From the little japanese that I can understand, it's more or less on target, but it's just missing a lot of the character. It's also a bit irritating that the voice options don't save and I have to switch it over every time (The jp dub is decent with some ear grating moments, where the en is just your standard mediocre).
The dungeons all look to have a lot of opportunity for backtracking built in once you get new abilities and it looks like there's even an ability in the game to make the enemy encounters in the earlier dungeons more difficult if desired when you revisit them.
The story so far is the sort of light hearted fluff that you might expect from an anime for girls. It might change, but I doubt it. All indications point to the pretty boy population doubling in the cast of characters by the end of the game.
So far it's worth the purchase for me as I like the item creation, the platformish dungeons, and the sumptuous 2D. I don't mind the fluff story and the combat isn't bad, it's just not special. As a note to the more masculinely conscience, you may want to consider the purchase of some red meat, guns or a Ferrari to compensate for any shrinkage that might occur while your playing Iris.
If you have a Fry's in your area, Riviera is on sale for $24.99. I've noticed that Fry's tends to get in a decent stock of Atlus games, so head there if you can't deprive your EB/Gamestop clerk of the last in-store copy (like I did, woot).
And Atelier Iris is still on sale there as well ($39.99).
And Atelier Iris is still on sale there as well ($39.99).
monchi-kun
Member
Killkernal
Member
I am also the proud owner of my local Gamestop's final copy. 
The young lady behind the counter was very surprised because she'd never heard of it and had sold her other two copies almost immediately after they hit the shelf.
If Target had a copy I could have used my $25 gift card, but nooooooo. Ass-jacks.
The young lady behind the counter was very surprised because she'd never heard of it and had sold her other two copies almost immediately after they hit the shelf.
If Target had a copy I could have used my $25 gift card, but nooooooo. Ass-jacks.
im about 9 hours into Iris, and my only real complaint is the whole "hey the story is finally picking up, no wait, go do this needless thing which leads to this needless thing and so on a so forth"
so easy to get sidetracked.
going forth between playing this and Nocturne is a bit jarring to say the least
so easy to get sidetracked.
going forth between playing this and Nocturne is a bit jarring to say the least