Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis

Latest installment of the Atelier Iris games. (It doesn't share the name, but really it shares so many different elements with the others it probably should have).

Only finished chapter 1, and I already love it. And while I have no problem with the English VA, it does have Japanese for you people who prefer it.

Flay is an awesome Character, though again I haven't seen to much of him. Though I expect that to change greatly next chapter.

And among an interesting cast of characters, it has Cat Girls. Oh how that made me fall in love with this game. The blonde Cat Girl with the massive hammer you get has stolen my heart. :love:

I want this game quite alot! It probably won't be released down here to awhile though ._.

It's already out? I thought the release date was later for some reason. It looks really awesome and I'm gonna have to pick it up tomorrow.

I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy the power up system.

Imagine FF X's Sphere Grid, but every player has a purely unique grid.

And rather then leveling, you gain options to advance as you find different alchemic recipes.

You gain AP after the fights that can be used to lock one of the abilities opened up to you after each recipe is learned. Stat boosts and special abilities are possible things to learn.

It's definately an interesting system as a leveling alternative, I'll give it that.

Edit: It came out here in the US today.

I have never heard of this series, but I'm interested now! Tell me more! :D

This games presents a problem I've never had before in a game. I want to use every character so far. I usually switch out the main character ASAP and although I don't like him, he's way useful in combat. Then there's Nikki and she's a tank and fast too. Then there's Pam and she's cute and a mage and uses a possessed bear. Then there's Flay, his mannerism is awesome, but in combat he falls somewhere between Nikki and Vayne. Then there's Jess and I need her healing.

I mainly use Vayne, Nikki, and Pam. Switching out in bosses when I get hurt bad, which happens cause the battles are kind of difficult. And I love the leveling system. So far I've only had to go out of my way to gather items twice for Radishes and Burdock Striat.

Flay gets really vicious with attacks like Max Impact and Screw Driver.

Muppy is awesome when you get him. Good defense and High Magic. HE gets a lot of fire based attacks that hit groups.

Also, later on you get powered up support abilities.

Like if you attack with someone, and switch in flay for a support attack, not only does he hit them, but drops their defense.

Muppy, when you switch him in after getting his improved support defense, takes all the members into his shell and prevents them from taking damage, so he's the only one that will get hit.

Also, for anyone playing, when you start doing the mini quests with your characters during free time, do Muppy and Roxis as soon as you can.

Roxas because thats how you get his Mana, Muppy because his third mini quest is on a scale far beyond epic.

my friend got this the day it came out and so far, it's looking pretty damn awesome! Only problem with the voice acting that I don't like is Flay. He drives me nuts! lol

If you pay close attention to Flay, he is a lot smarter then he first appears to be. :p

Also, depending on which character you have at the highest rating will change your ending.

I got the one where Nikki was at the highest. Currently I'm going back through to do it with Muppy this time.