Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia
Ar tonelico was released last year in Japan and made its way to our shores back in February. On paper the game looks to be cliché from the outset. If you have ever played a RPG then you have undoubtedly stepped into the shows of the plucky young adventure that has been charged with saving the world. Trekking around the globe looking for magical trinkets and falling in love with some chick in your party are things gamers have been doing since the Nintendo Entertainment System back in the 80's. So why should you pay attention to Ar tonelico?
Well, for starters Ar tonelico brings a few unique things to the table from the story to simply playing through the game. As far as the plot is concerned the world is in ruins and your character heralds from a place attached to a giant tower. This town is wedged between the sky and crumbled heap of a world below but when a virus threatens their safety Lyner Barsett is chosen to find a crystal that will make things right. Tagging along with Lyner are some Reyvateils who are essentially girls that can sing powerful magical songs. It sounds kind of cheesy but trust me when I tell you it works somehow.
Gameplay
Another component to Ar tonelico's puzzle is some unique gameplay aspects. Sure there are many RPG facets wedged in between this battle and that one but innovation is certainly afoot.
You'll notice right off the bat that traversing the harsh world of Ar tonelico is decidedly different from the norm. Instead of walking around a world map or finding your way between one stretch of town and the next you simply have to select an icon and press a button. Once you do that you're essentially warped to the location in question. This cuts out a lot of the time typically spent with RPGs as you attempt to find your way but it also makes the game incredibly linear. This same system holds true for when you want to hit an inn or any other destination that might prove useful.
Now, in between this warping and whatnot there are dungeons to crawl through and explore. Whenever you're in an environment like this you'll notice an engagement meter appear, and no, it doesn't mean you're about to be hit with a ball and chain. The gauge keeps track of how likely you are to wind up in battle. You see, you can't actually view enemies, yet at the same point you aren't necessarily attacked randomly. Instead you're allowed to see the potential space where you'll be attacked to a greater degree, which is quite often I do have to say.
Battles are actually quite interesting when you get right down to it. Sure they happen to be turn-based but you begin the fight in a creative manner. Those Reyvateils that I told you about start the match by singing a song. As the fight progresses the song powers up and depending what you select you'll receive different abilities and strengths. Now, like most RPGs the Reyvateils happen to reside in the back line. That means they are not conventional fighters and you have to go out of your way to protect them if you want to survive.
This system is very interesting when you begin to experiment with it but there are a few flaws in regards to it. Regular fights never really see full implementation of the song system unless you purposefully drag it out. Even then enemies typically go down too easily to provide any real challenges. Boss battles become something special by comparison but even they dwindle down to boredom after a while. The system is certainly cool but it's not very in depth when coupled with actual fighting.
Despite the flaws in combat the Reyvateils do possess the ability to earn new songs and powers. By speaking with them late at night you can a.) hit on them or b.) dive into their minds. You see, both of the girls that you're traveling with have issues when you get right down to it. By jumping into their psyche you can resolve these restrictions in their subconscious and allow them to get past their personal blocks. This was another unique system in Ar tonelico and it's well-explored. The only problem is that both girls are essentially the same and offer similar experiences with diving.
In between all of these innovative systems the rest of Ar tonelico is just kind of underwhelming. It is linear, repetitious, a little too easy, and poorly paced when you get right down to it. RPG enthusiasts looking for something cut from a different cloth may appreciate some of the steps that Gust has taken to spruce up the genre. Mainstream gamers needn't bother though considering the game's flaws keep it from being accessible and long lasting.
Graphics
Ar tonelico offers a rich anime coat of paint to distract some of the mediocrity. Characters are very well designed and attractive though the in-game graphics look early PlayStation 2 in terms of quality. Some of the special effects are slick but the lack of detail in environments (whether they are the overworld, town, or dungeon) really hurts the overall experience. Still, this is a bright looking game with a lot of personality so there is some stuff to fall in love with. It's just anyone looking for a technical marvel is going to be left with a sour taste in their mouth.
Sound
Speaking of that technical marvel thing, you're going to be left with a sour note in your ears as well if you're hoping for a rich experience. The spoken dialogue in the game isn't always poor but it's not exactly what I'd call top of the line. The same can be said for the music, which is kind of ironic when you consider that this game revolves around music. It's mostly traditional RPG fare with some sweeping tunes but nothing very memorable or outstanding. Sound effects in general also range in quality with some fine sounding audio bites but others that leave a lot to be desired. A mixed bag to be sure.
Conclusion
If you're a sucker for a quirky RPG released by NIS then there's no doubt you have already checked Ar tonelico out. The game offers a lot of personality (insert perverted "dive" joke here), a few interesting gameplay gimmicks, and some inspired events. Unfortunately the awkwardly paced 45 hour adventure leaves a lot to be desired in the end. Things just lack the overall polish that one might expect and in the end Ar tonelico resides firmly in rental territory. It's not a "bad" game but it's not exactly the best RPG to come along.