Each game in the trilogy, while connected, are all stand alone. NO need to play the others.

Totori is pretty awesome. There is a huge element of time management to the game. You are splitting your time between adventuring and crafting. The whole point is basically to keep your shop running and find your mother.

The games are charming as smurf. There is a lot of good writing so long as you aren't' expecting these big epic plot twists, the games are pretty grounded in that regard. Though the humour can get pretty absurd, especially when Pamela, Gust Studios stable ghost girl, shows up.