Piss-poor amateur hour translation and god-awful voice acting where most people just opted to use the JP voices as soon as they heard the English voices.PataHikari said:And how'd they mess of AT1?
Luckily, no fatal game bug like AT2.
Piss-poor amateur hour translation and god-awful voice acting where most people just opted to use the JP voices as soon as they heard the English voices.PataHikari said:And how'd they mess of AT1?
Arde5643 said:and god-awful voice acting where most people just opted to use the JP voices as soon as they heard the English voices.
There was a fatal glitch in AT 1 though. You could basically skip past a scene in Misha's scenario and then you would be unable to complete the game.Arde5643 said:Piss-poor amateur hour translation and god-awful voice acting where most people just opted to use the JP voices as soon as they heard the English voices.
Luckily, no fatal game bug like AT2.
PataHikari said:No I'm paying attention to all of them instead of these two recent mess ups. I'm not saying they didn't screw up on Raphsody or AT2, I'm saying this dosn't make the company suck all of a sudden.
And how'd they mess of AT1?
Schopenhauer said:There was a fatal glitch in AT 1 though. You could basically skip past a scene in Misha's scenario and then you would be unable to complete the game.
There were glitches in Atelier Iris 1 and 2 as well, although they weren't as bad as the one in AT 2.
but it doesn't matter if you can't understand it in the first place!rykomatsu said:The JPN voice acting was pretty...shoddy to begin with too...
Getting a black screen after beating the final boss. I encountered this one, but it isn't an issue if you are using the Jp voice track.MotherFan said:What's the one in Atelier Iris 2? I'm playing that atm. (no spoiler please)
Schopenhauer said:Getting a black screen after beating the final boss. I encountered this one, but it isn't an issue if you are using the Jp voice track.
PataHikari said:Why is it that good things pass by without notice, but one mess up and it's never forgotten...
Durante said:DKnight, the randomness of that conversation is mostly due to Cynthias' character.
But see, that's her shtick: she tells Croix an incomprehensible story and then suddenly produces a new recipe based on it -- he just pre-empts her in that case.charlequin said:Croix's response "...add the recipe" is totally incomprehensible given the context of what's been said to him already in the scene.
That part is certainly true, and it's the same for all text that's not an essential part of the main story arc.charlequin said:The whole thing shows no evidence of even having been examined by an English-speaking editor.
That happen to me, so stupid-i said beep this and put the game away-was mediocre anyways.Schopenhauer said:Getting a black screen after beating the final boss. I encountered this one, but it isn't an issue if you are using the Jp voice track.
Mejilan said:The Rhapsody DS localization resulted in a nasty slap-to-the-face for fans. That was one of their own projects, no?
Durante said:By the way, it's also obvious in many secondary dialogues that some/most of them were translated without knowledge of the in-game context or even adequate information about the overall story and especially the setting of the game. It almost seems like someone was given a bunch of lines and told "translate this".
Joule said:What happened in this particular localization?
This. What is it going to take before Gust gets fed up? Or are they even aware of this?Arde5643 said:PS: I wonder if there's a way to let Gust know to have a different US publisher next time for their game because if they continue to stay with NISA, there's a good chance their next titles might not reach their usual expectation of US releases.
I think a lot of people are starting to get wary of NISA products so they probably will wait for a full review of the localization job first before purchasing.
ANN said:When it was released in Japan, Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica had the dubious privilege of inspiring a new term in supremely pathetic otaku culture. When it comes to anime, manga, and games aimed at desperate Japanese nerds, female character archetypes are known by twee little nicknames. A yandere is a girl who's sweet at first and then violently insane, while a tsundere is a girl who's initially rude and spiteful but later melts like a big-eyed stick of butter in the arms of some bland audience-insertion hero. Cloche, the haughty blonde part of Ar tonelico II's love triangle, was quickly classified as a tsundere, but when they came to the other heroine, Luca Trulyworth, the arbiters of Japan's otaku tastes had to invent a new classification. So they dubbed her a dorodere, an outwardly cheerful girl who hides all sorts of nasty emotional scars.
That's the sort of game Ar tonelico II is. It's a long, loud reading from the gospel of moe culture, commanding easily wiled nerds to gorge themselves on cutesy anime-girl excess at every turn. There's an RPG underneath it all, and it's not a bad RPG. It's just slathered in syrupy bait for lonesome geeks.
Like its predecessor, Ar tonelico II explores a stretch of the world known as Ar Ciel, where floating islands support small colonies of humans and an artificial, all-female, all-attractive race known as Reyvateils. In one corner of the globe, a faction of the Grand Bell church skips ahead in the standard RPG plot and declares open war against the land's patron goddess. Croix Bartel, a young knight from the Grand Bell ranks, finds himself guarding the church's snobbish Reyvateil figurehead, Lady Cloche Leythal Pastalia, with the reluctant help of his bubbly, would-be Reyvateil girlfriend, Luca Trulyworth. Their inevitable romantic entanglements are quickly surrounded by church conspiracies, revolutionaries, divine punishment, and a virus that's turning Reyvateils into insane killing machines.
There's a convoluted plot at work in Ar tonelico II, but the designers are careful to build it around the heroines. After five hours of flirting banter and left-field plot twists, Croix must choose a woman and, with her, a side in the coming war. Cloche's high-society upbringing has left her persnickety but also isolated and miserable, while Luca is an outwardly cheerful psychic therapist who's carrying a metric ton of issues and ulterior motives just below the surface. For those players who dislike both women, a third Reyvateil love interest appears later in the game, with her own bizarre problems and ties to the first Ar tonelico.
Croix gets to know the Reyvateil leads through both face-to-face conversations and psychic dives into their Cosmospheres, layered abstractions of their mental states. Once submerged in a Reyvateil's inner world, Croix trots from one board-game point to another, exploring dialogue trees and discussions akin to those of a visual novel. Each Reyvateil's insecurities play out differently, but the game often decides to stroke well-worn fantasies by putting on symbolic schoolgirl dramas, superhero stories, and other genre standards.
Ar tonelico II is still an RPG, of course, and diving into a Cosmosphere unlocks new songs for Reyvateils to use in the game's surprisingly detailed combat. Each battle finds two of the party's melee fighters shielding a pair of Reyvateils, who sing to unleash various magical attacks. The warriors strike at foes by using various combinations of the directional pad and buttons, and each attack boosts a Reyvateil's power. When enemies hit, the front-line characters protect the Reyvateil singers with timed button-taps almost closer to a music-based game. This is all accompanied by constant chatter, with a typical battle finding Cloche intoning It's OVERFLOWING from inside! while Luca squeaks I feel it STRONGER! and Croix blasts an enemy into space, shouting Maximum PENETRATION! It's well past innuendo.
After the possibly intentional comedy of the voices wears off, the battle system reveals an impressive little equation. Within each limited turn, the player must sync up attacks for combos and pay attention to the graph that indicates the Reyvateils' preferences, all so they'll throw out more powerful spells. It's a complex engine for what's essentially a puffball moe-moe game, and Gust pulls it off with minimal frustration. Enemy encounters are nicely spaced out and most of the levels are simple, easily mapped affairs, making almost every battle a short, enjoyable test. A test filled with orgiastic moans and screams, that is.
When not wandering though dungeons, towns, and the fragile mindscapes of Cloche and Luca, Croix finds many other pursuits steeped in saccharine atmosphere. Reyvateils can gain levels, abilities, and better sync-ratios by taking crystal-infused baths together. Friendly shopkeepers, all of them female, let Croix and his harem create new weapons, items, and bath accessories during cooking scenes (and neither Luca nor Cloche can cook well! Isn't that fucking hilarious?). There's also a host of infected young Reyvateils that, once defeated in battle, can be rehabilitated through Luca's Dive Therapy and used to empower party members. It all fits together quite conveniently.
As with most lower-level RPGs that lack Square Enix budgets, Ar tonelico II sports clean but fairly simple backgrounds and large 2-D character sprites, with rare video clips popping up during key scenes. Most of Gust's budget likely went into the soundtrack, an impressive mixture of everything from sitar-tinged themes to oppressive techno-choral numbers (though I could do without the creepy-little-kid whispers of Ar tonelio popping up everywhere). While the Reyvateils seldom sing in combat, there are more than a few actual songs used during the story, and all of them were left untranslated. The rest of the game has both Japanese and English voice tracks, though NIS cut many voiced lines for the U.S. version. A number of characters are now mute, and some of the game's most memorable dramatic scenes don't have any vocal accompaniment. It doesn't help that typos and awkward lines are strewn throughout the dialogue, along with the rare untranslated text. It's a sloppy localization by modern standards, and it's smoothed over only when the player can hear the capable voice cast, featuring Kate Higgins as Cloche and Laura Bailey as Luca.
Ar tonelico II's inventive battles and unique diversions make it all the more unpleasant when the game joins the same cutesy-sexy horror show that supplies too much of today's anime industry. Luca and Cloche are conventional leads, but those who dive in deep enough will uncover younger and less innocuous characters, including a line of Reyvateil girls with doll-like faces and prominent cleavage. There's also Croix's adopted little sister, Cocona, who dresses like a child prostitute and should appeal to players barred from living within three miles of any school. She's also presented as a potential future girlfriend for Croix. Eww.
Few of Ar tonelico II's ideas make it through undamaged. Wandering a character's subconscious is a promising move for a game, suggesting an RPG-ish Psychonauts or a dialogue-driven Persona 4, but the Cosmosphere quests in Ar tonelico II rarely hit clever moments. They're mostly predictable allegories or bathetic purges, and clearing stages of a Reyvateil's psyche unlocks an increasingly risqué line of outfits for them to wear in combat.
Setting aside all of the suggestive noise, Ar tonelico II doesn't survive as a RPG. It offers a creative world and some potentially interesting details, but they're unraveled by weak writing and abundant clichés. From the floating continents to the wars against deities, nearly every concept in Ar tonelico II is half-formed, resulting in plenty of big, allegedly dramatic twists that carry little to no weight or explanation.
The characters suffer much the same. For example, Croix and Luca at first seem refreshingly unique for an RPG couple; they're already together at the game's outset, but their carefree affections are soon tested as ugly secrets come to light. In a better story, they'd repeatedly confront the truth of their relationship and decide if it was worth saving. Yet Ar tonelico II just puts them through largely facile reconciliation and a jumble of metaphysical bullshit that quickly collapses under its own jargon. For all of the game's barely veiled sexual winking, none of the actual relationships gets beyond inane, rushed, and childish concepts of romance.
One more problem emerges in the game's final round. Due to a memory issue, the third-to-last boss freezes the game unless she's defeated within three complete turns, forcing players to concoct all sorts of cheap strategies to defeat her. It's one of the most embarrassing console-game bugs in a long time, and it shows little sign of being fixed.
There are traces of a great RPG within Ar tonelico II, but it demands too high a tolerance for modern anime pandering. Get over that, and you might revel in the kinetic battle system and the novel veins of character growth. You might also look past the fumbled story and nauseating otaku fetishes. Yet the game may best be left to the truly devoted fans, the ones who will buy Luca model kits and use dorodere in future conversations. With so many more accomplished RPGs on the market, there's little reason to try Ar tonelico II unless you plan to lap up every bit of its fake-girlfriend fantasy.
Holy shiznit is that one very elitist and snobbish pretentious attitude I've seen in a review.pancakesandsex said:Looks like someone reviewed this for anime news network.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2009-02-11
The reviewer is pretty spot on about the games issues both in terms of localization and excessive subculture pandering. Only real points of contention I have are I think the game can be enjoyable in spite of the "issues" (non technical), and he's completely exaggerating the battle dialog stuff, which is actually kinda tongue in cheek versus the rest of the examples given which are just straight up pandering.
Arde5643 said:Holy shiznit is that one very elitist and snobbish pretentious attitude I've seen in a review.
Just from reading that review, I wanna sock the reviewer and feed his glasses up his throat.
You do that first and I do my part after - he won't even know what hit him. Stealth socking at its finest.pancakesandsex said:I wanna shake his or her hand.
Arde5643 said:You do that first and I do my part after - he won't even know what hit him. Stealth socking at its finest.
pancakesandsex said:Looks like someone reviewed this for anime news network.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2009-02-11
The reviewer is pretty spot on about the games issues both in terms of localization and excessive subculture pandering. Only real points of contention I have are I think the game can be enjoyable in spite of the "issues" (non technical), and he's completely exaggerating the battle dialog stuff, which is actually kinda tongue in cheek versus the rest of the examples given which are just straight up pandering.
Bolded for my personal enjoyment.
Spirit Icana said:Game crashing bug is on an optional boss fight near the end. The final battle has no freezing issues.
pancakesandsex said:Looks like someone reviewed this for anime news network.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2009-02-11
The reviewer is pretty spot on about the games issues both in terms of localization and excessive subculture pandering. Only real points of contention I have are I think the game can be enjoyable in spite of the "issues" (non technical), and he's completely exaggerating the battle dialog stuff, which is actually kinda tongue in cheek versus the rest of the examples given which are just straight up pandering.
Bolded for my personal enjoyment.
Hcoregamer00 said:I agree with the entire review, especially on the terrible "innuendo" and the pandering to the moe market which severely limited the sales of the game.
That's just knowing your audience, though. They made the game with a specific set of gamers and targetting them well. I mean, it's not really the type of game that needs to sell that much...Hcoregamer00 said:I agree with the entire review, especially on the terrible "innuendo" and the pandering to the moe market which severely limited the sales of the game.
I felt that Ar Tolenico II was a good game, but all my RPG-loving female friends that embraced Valkyria balked at the idea of buying this game when I showed it to them.
zoku88 said:That's just knowing your audience, though. They made the game with a specific set of gamers and targetting them well. I mean, it's not really the type of game that needs to sell that much...
Arde5643 said:I pretty much enjoyed the game because I felt the innuendos and absurd moe pandering were hilarious.
Something like "I've got a gag manga in my RPG!"
shaowebb said:But...lets list some glitches I've put up with to enjoy these games.
Atelier Iris:Eternal Mana
-If you do not have all the music and sfx turned all the way down in options after you beat the last boss of the game you do NOT get a chance to save after the credits. The game locks. You NEED to be able to save in order to unlock an extra dungeon and to getin order to make all the items in the game to see all the last funny character moments with the NPC's at the shops where you make the last items.Arlin back
Atelier Iris 2:The Azoth of Destiny
-If you do not make the Flay Hammer before the end of Chapter 20 you wont have a move that a character uses in a cut scene moment and the game will freeze. It an item nearly impossible to miss but laziness will get your game frozen here.
-Odd misc freezes in areas near end of game. I began frequent saving to avoid problems.
Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm
-the only glitches I have even HEARD of apparently are from folks using AR MAX to hack.
All was well with this one.
Mana Khemia:Alchemists of Al Revis
-All is well
Ar Tonelico:Melody of Elemia
- Due to a glitch, Secret Cards #063 and #078, can't be acquired during
normal game play, making it impossible to complete the Secret Cards
collection.
-If you acquire the Soleil stone after the first cut scene instead of going back to watch the second one as well your game can freeze. Ha! Got that one out without spoiling anything.
shaowebb said:Well I hate to admit it but yeah these glitches suck.
However I oddly enough proudly admit I will buy every single GUST team game no matter who localizes it.
I own Atelier Iris 1,2&3/Mana Khemia/Ar Tonelico 1&2
I will also buy Mana Khemia 2 when it hits shelves and any of the other older Atelier games they made if they localize them.
Im just in love with the story telling, non-bland characters with cute character models and the whole create an item thing.
But...lets list some glitches I've put up with to enjoy these games.
Atelier Iris:Eternal Mana
-If you do not have all the music and sfx turned all the way down in options after you beat the last boss of the game you do NOT get a chance to save after the credits. The game locks. You NEED to be able to save in order to unlock an extra dungeon and to getin order to make all the items in the game to see all the last funny character moments with the NPC's at the shops where you make the last items.Arlin back
Atelier Iris 2:The Azoth of Destiny
-If you do not make the Flay Hammer before the end of Chapter 20 you wont have a move that a character uses in a cut scene moment and the game will freeze. It an item nearly impossible to miss but laziness will get your game frozen here.
-Odd misc freezes in areas near end of game. I began frequent saving to avoid problems.
Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm
-the only glitches I have even HEARD of apparently are from folks using AR MAX to hack.
All was well with this one.
Mana Khemia:Alchemists of Al Revis
-All is well
Ar Tonelico:Melody of Elemia
- Due to a glitch, Secret Cards #063 and #078, can't be acquired during
normal game play, making it impossible to complete the Secret Cards
collection.
-If you acquire the Soleil stone after the first cut scene instead of going back to watch the second one as well your game can freeze. Ha! Got that one out without spoiling anything.
Volcynika said:Actually, the freezing bug happens on a *required* fight near the end, as well as the subsequent fights (which are optional) to unlock bonus stuff. (I beat the game just last week, so I know I'm right. )
Spirit Icana said:Well, I beat the game before you did and the optional fight was all that killed my system.
I'm guessing the required fight with [Raki?] froze your game too? I have heard about that happening with some gamefaqs users. I remember that fight being tough. I'm sure I went over six turns. I'm playing the game again so I'll see if luck strikes again.
Volcynika said:Thefroze my game. I beat it the first try before freezing, but went back to see it for myself on an earlier save, and sure enough, it froze.Raki story fight
shaowebb said:Wall of bugs
pancakesandsex said:
Actually, Mana Khemia has quite a large glitch during the bonus dungeon. If you fight any random encounters on floor 47 and on, any time you attack an enemy the game will freeze. Your only option to get around this is to avoid random battles with items and/or run away from fights after using a certain skill that makes it possible.shaowebb said:Mana Khemia:Alchemists of Al Revis
-All is well