Been a little busy to update due to work, but things have calmed down now so I have a little more chance to update things here. Now, it seems like this is turning into a Gust/Compile Heart blog but I assure you that's not the intention. 3 niche games from those 2 companies are approaching completion so it's inevitable that there's a lot more information about them cropping up.
That said, on the Atelier Rorona's developer blog, it's mentioned that the staff is on a short holiday to relax from work. There will be a lot of things to do once the staff returns, but it's explicitly mentioned that the tasks on hand will not be related to Atelier Rorona at all. Whether it will be for Trinity Universe or the new Playstation 3 Gust game project is unknown.
Unless a similar issue with Atelier Annie occurs with Atelier Rorona where materials used for the limited edition paper weight doesn't meet new materials safety laws in Japan, it looks like the game itself will not be delayed. The preorder allotments for the premium box set and Gust store limited edition premium box sets are sold out in Japan so if you were looking to get the premium box set, I recommend you order soon from your online import shop of your choice.
**If you'd like to use this translation or paraphrase it, please have the decency to give credit where credit is due.
From the July 2009 edition of Gemaga
Atelier Rorona is an RPG which has a puzzle-esque aspect in which you gather materials and transmute them within a limited amount of time to pass various exams set forth. As long as you clear these exams which crop up on a regular basis, you're free to do what your heart desires, whether it be helping townsfolk out and earning money, gathering mats and transmuting left and right or what not. Thus, the amount of freedom granted to the player in this game is extremely high.
Because exams are designed so that you're able to clear them in a just barely a timely manner, I told myself often, "I can do this with just a little more time!" and ended up prolonging my play time.
The alchemy system is simple, but for those that want to delve into more of it, there is an advanced system prepared as well so gamers new and old to the Atelier series will be able to enjoy this game easily. In addition, the musical score contains some amazing tracks. Highly recommended.
Recommended for these types of gamers: People that are looking for a game which has a LOT of replayability People who like Rorona's character design
Event video for Agarest Senki ZERO is now available at the official homepage. The comical chaos presented is an improvement over a lot of the events in the original. If you enjoyed the first installment of this game, it appears as though the prequel will add another layer of entertainment on top of it.
Video available for your viewing below as well if you have problems navigating the website.
Not a new trailer if you've seen the promotional video on the official website, but if you've wanted to see it in high-def, then head on into your PSN Japan account and rummage around with new arrivals. There should be an entry that looks like アガレスト which is what you would want to download.
Release is scheduled for June 25th alongside Atelier Rorona and BlazBlue in Japan.
If you don't have a PSN Japan account, you can find instructions here or you can view the video down below.
Some new details for Atelier Rorona have surfaced in what I believe is this week's Dengeki issue.
There will be 3 different task types that Rorona can accept:
Government exams Request from townsfolk Request from friends
As you may or may not already know, Atelier Rorona is based around the premise that the Alchemy Atelier that Rorona has taken the reins of will eventually be shut down by the government of Arland due to inactivity. To keep the Atelier alive, Rorona is required to submit to government exams every 3 months.
Requests from townsfolk range from item synthesis to eliminating monsters and leads to trust and positive rating from townsfolk when successfully completed. The UI is designed so that it is easy to see how many of each items and what not are required for the quest.
And finally, friends you meet in the town will occasionally have requests for you to fulfill which not only lead to income, but also strengthening the relationship between Rorona and her friends. Various events and endings will be reliant upon these types of relationships throughout the game.
The bald weapons merchant makes another appearance with the name Hageru Baldness. For those that know Japanese, you might get a small chuckle out of that.
