Atelier Shallie is the final game in the Dusk Trilogy. This entry is by far the easiest to get into in the Dusk Trilogy. There isn’t any timer holding the player back, and they can play as long as they want. For me, I found this entry to be the calmest in this trilogy, and I enjoyed that. While Atelier Ayesha, and Atelier Escha and Logy, are good games, the time constraints can make it hard to enjoy the games. Atelier Shallie stars two girls, both named Shallie. Players play through a prologue for each of the girls before choosing who they will lead through the game. Players might want to save just before they select, so they don’t have to go through the prologue a second time. Each of these girls lives different lives, but one day their lives come crashing into each other. They soon become best friends and are both happily shocked that they have the same name.
Atelier Shallie is the best entry in the Dusk saga because it gives the player as much time as they need. Players can scour the land, search for ingredients, and battle enemies as they see fit. Yes, there are some quests the player needs to complete, but there is no time limit. It gives the player a sense of freedom; that the others don’t. The story progresses with the use of a task system. Players will complete tasks that the game makes a priority, and as they do, they will work towards story goals. After completing the required tasks, players can finish other side objectives. Of course, players can do either at any point, and the game will never rush the player. It’s best to do so at the player’s own pace, as they can enhance their alchemy skills and level up during their free time.
The story brings in all that the players may have learned through the other two entries in the trilogy. This game brings in fan-favorite characters to help out the girls and provides some nice fanservice. Having all of these characters together in a party is magical. I wonder if a game starring all the protagonists would be possible, Atelier warriors could be a blast. Players will once again have to use alchemy throughout the game. They can craft all sorts of items, from weapons to food, and even clothing. Players will gather materials from all over the world, and find goodies hidden everywhere. There are chances for players to find rare goods as they search the world.
Alchemy is similar to Escha and Logy. Players will take different items and throw them together, but they will know what they are going to get before it’s cooks. The duo can add other items to give the dish boosts, which can increase its level and effectiveness. Alchemy will soon become second nature as players complete dish after dish. The Shallie’s will also take on numerous quests throughout the game. Players can take on up to ten at a time from the headquarters. Some are as simple as taking on enemies, but some do require alchemy. Take as many on as possible and complete them in batches to achieve the greatest success. Atelier Shallie has a motivation system in place too. The motivation system takes the form of a bar that fills when the player completes tasks. While it might empty when players synthesize or explore, the player will benefit if the bar is as full as possible. It’s best to keep an eye on the bar to maximize gains in all things.
Players will run around a map and choose where they would like to explore. Players will then run to several spots to collect ingredients and take on monsters. The spots will glow like in the other games, to show where players will need to search. Players can find a variety of items in each location, though some appear far less frequently than others. Players take on turn-based battles like in previous iterations. They will take on a variety of enemies as they battle through different locations. The fights can get hard if players are not ready for them, but players can slay enemies quite easily if they level-up right. Players will select their party of three and bring along three other characters to aid in battle. Each of the six characters will battle at some point in the battles.
As the fights go on, players will swap in characters to use them as shields or to do extra damage. The team members can use a variety of abilities, like healing and magic, so its best to plan for every situation. They will use mp, so watch out for that, and try not to run out during long stretches. There are even several bosses to take on. These bosses have a lot of health and might take a little while to take on. But as long as players have the right party and items, they should be just fine. The bosses are all interesting, and it is fun to take on something harder than a run-of-the-mill enemy.
Solle Grumman and his Homunculi make an appearance in this game too. Players can feed homunculi candy to get them to help them. The homunculi love candy and will do whatever they can to get there mitts on it. They can help explore regions and find items, so use them if possible. The game has fantastic dubbing in this game as well. The characters all sound like they should, and past voice actors return as well. It’s nice to see all of the characters talking, and the dubbing goes a long way. I always appreciate a good dub, and even though later entries don’t have a dub, I’m glad the Dusk trilogy does.
This game has a basic version and a plus version. The plus version is on the Switch and brings back classic alchemists Ayesha and Logy. Other characters are brought back with the DLC including, Escha. Ayesha and Logy change the story a bit and allow for the Dusk saga to reach a real conclusion.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided