Maidens of the Kaleidoscope

~Beyond the Border~ => Akyu's Arcade => Topic started by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 03:18:04 AM

Title: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 03:18:04 AM: http://zepy.momotato.com/2009/10/13/ar-tonelico-3-announced-for-ps3/
http://artonelico.isisview.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1344 <-- full translation
http://www.siliconera.com/2009/10/13/reyvateils-return-ar-tonelico-iii-announced/
http://rpgfan.com/news/2009/503.html

Guess I'll have to acquire a PS3 before the year's out after all.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 14, 2009, 03:21:31 AM: Oh shit :O

Thoughts:

-Yay 3d. Totally expected, but still good to have confirmed. Hopefully they'll pull off a game that looks as pleasant as Rorona.

-where the fux is my cocona (She's probably the Jakuri of this game)

-rofl Saki's "extreme emotional tension" causing miracles to occur

-Heroines being able to channel their cosmosphere selves sounds like a very interesting mechanic
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seian Verian on October 14, 2009, 03:53:56 AM: Oh, awesome! Everything Gust makes is amazing~ ...Except for the second Ar Tonelico IMO >.< How much information is available about the battle system on this one?
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 03:58:08 AM: Quote from: ShiningDrake on October 14, 2009, 03:53:56 AM
Except for the second Ar Tonelico IMO >.<
what

Quote from: ShiningDrake on October 14, 2009, 03:53:56 AM
How much information is available about the battle system on this one?

Q: Congratulations on the 2nd anniversary of Ar Portal. Btw, I'd like to mention one thing that's bothered me in AT2. I would have liked a more challenge in the fights. I especially felt a lack of challenge on the boss fights. I'm sure you have received other opinions, but I'd really like to see this being improved upon in the next release. To everyone staff member, good luck! - Gabriel

A: Thank you; this is the battle system programmer. Here's some good news just for you. The next game in the series will have a Hard Mode. After the first clear, there will also be a Masochist Mode added. Amazingly, the battle system will be fully real-time. Furthermore, giant bosses will move fluidly like snakes.
.
.
.
I apologize. I'm being delusional. Everything above is a delusion, but the opinions of gamers are extremely valuable to us (this is true).

hopefully masochist mode is real at least
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seian Verian on October 14, 2009, 04:03:06 AM: Quote from: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 03:58:08 AM
what

I dunno, I really just didn't like Ar Tonelico 2 that much... The battle system and everything felt annoying and like I was being utterly destroyed by everything, even early on... The boss music wasn't that great for me either...

Really, I liked the battle system they had in Ar Tonelico 1 and the Atelier Iris/Mana Khemia games, and the new battle system in AT2 felt kinda bleh to me... Meh, whatever. I probably shouldn't hijack this thread into a discussion of all the Gust games...
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 04:26:12 AM: Not like there's much to discuss yet besides the enigma of neither of the heroines having a huge rack.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 14, 2009, 04:55:12 AM: Quote from: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 14, 2009, 04:26:12 AM
Not like there's much to discuss yet besides the enigma of neither of the heroines having a huge rack.

In preparation for Cocona, surely.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on October 14, 2009, 06:56:42 PM: I'd be lying if I said that I weren't disappointed with the switch to 3D.

3D is awful and games should have never started using it, ugh. It's even worse when a franchise switches to 3D in the middle, like AT.

Just... I'm disappointed on a pretty deep level. AT3 is simply an example of a problem endemic to video games in general, though, so I can't hate it too much, I guess.

Still, though. I really wanted us to be able to finish this series in 2D.

Why, Gust, why? N1 and Vanillaware are now the only companies keeping up the good fight. And, hell, N1's got that crossover game that's gonna be 3D. Like, seriously, if Disgaea 4 or Makai Wars or whatever is 3D, that's it, I'm done, I'm never playing a damn RPG again. I feel almost betrayed by the genre at this point.

Anyway...

I won't ever be able to fully accept the 3D, but, well, this is Ar tonelico III. I'm going to be playing this shit in Japanese the day it comes out (assuming shipping won't take too long). Anything negative I could say about this game is overshadowed by the fact that it's Ar tonelico III, I guess.

I'm calling that there are two secret heroines (one of whom is Cocona) this time around. Five cosmospheres, maybe, counting the omake one.

Also apparently jumping is back. Woo.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 15, 2009, 07:56:19 PM: http://www.shitkakucomplex.com/2009/10/16/ar-tonelico-3-pantsu-baring-ero-rpg/ screenshots
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2009/10/15/gust-brings-ar-tonelico-iii-to-playstation-3/ PV
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 15, 2009, 08:10:11 PM: The 3D looks nice, and they're keeping the best 2d aspects of the game - namely the paperdolls, which are now pleasantly hi-res. I would imagine they'll also keep some of the anime-esque 2d cutscenes.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 26, 2009, 08:38:11 AM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLnNHF_-OPk

Quote
New PV from the AT Fan Appreciation Event @ Enta Matsuri in Akihabara a few hrs ago.

Some tidbits from various event attenders:

-Battle system reminicent of ToA/ToV, free movement on 3D field
-Cocona was narrating the event
-Dive system allows you to obtain Hymma, Hymma are used to synthesize hymnos during battles
-RAH system is rather dynamic...battle music changes quite a bit depending on Hymma combination, battle situation, etc
-Undressing is rather important...
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Dead Princess Sakana on October 26, 2009, 05:26:15 PM: Oh my god. That trailer was totally awesome. That song, that song!
I really hope there'll be a quick localization for the US and Europe for this one. Because if it takes about one/one and a half years like AT2 then I'm gonna go crazy from the wait here.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 26, 2009, 05:32:59 PM: The brief clips of the 3d in motion has exceeded my expectations. Hopefully the same can be said of the doubtful.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: PostCrisisJ2 on October 26, 2009, 05:56:16 PM: Quote from: ShiningDrake on October 14, 2009, 04:03:06 AM
I dunno, I really just didn't like Ar Tonelico 2 that much... The battle system and everything felt annoying and like I was being utterly destroyed by everything, even early on... The boss music wasn't that great for me either...

While I liked the battle system, I really didn't like what they did with synthesis. I know that it's not Atelier/Mana Khemia but having to reenter shops just to get new recipes was annoying, not to mention not being able to synth at save points anymore was a pain--unlike in the Atelier series [or at least the games that I've played] you could easily escape out of a dungeon anytime to do it. Not so much with the AT games.

I really hope they go back to AT1's item creation system or at the very least give you the ability to synth at save points back. The free-movement thing sounds interesting as well.

The character designs are... growing on me. It sounds like it'll be good, though thanks to having to deal with the small but holy-hell-you-people-are-fanatical vocal part of the fandom, I'm a bit burned out on the series at the moment.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on October 27, 2009, 01:50:05 AM: Synthing is basically pointless in AT and has never been anything more than a remnant of the damn Atelier Iris series. Easily the low point in the system for both games so far, so I don't really care what they do with it.

The battle system being free roaming is very cool. I just hope it doesn't turn out shitty.

Still no conclusive info as to how large Saki's boobs are. Honestly I want to know this more than anything else
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 27, 2009, 02:13:09 AM: The most popular girls by far in both AT and AT2 were the tsurupeta duo of Shurelia and Jakuri.

I think they took the hint.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on October 27, 2009, 05:53:08 AM: Quote from: Edible on October 27, 2009, 02:13:09 AM
I think they took the hint.
I sure hope they did, at least!

Saki has a great design... assuming she's flat.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on October 27, 2009, 06:24:30 AM: I wouldn't mind if she had a loli and an adult form, Misha-style. They'd have to do the gag differently, though.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on October 27, 2009, 07:19:22 AM: Quote from: Edible on October 27, 2009, 06:24:30 AM
I wouldn't mind if she had a loli and an adult form, Misha-style. They'd have to do the gag differently, though.

That's basically what the cosmospheres are all about this time.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ionasal kkll Solciel on November 05, 2009, 06:47:39 AM: So, aside from Cocona, who do you think will make it over to the third tower? I'm willing to bet Spica somehow manages to make an appearance at some point.

As for speedy translation, it's probably too much to hope, but they really should hire some people who had English as their first language for their QA and translation groups. After the relative trainwreck that was AT2 (EXEC_DESPEDIA/. being called Deathpedia, Ayane and Jean gender confusion, and the goddamn Raki fight), they better start working their asses off once they have it in order to avoid being ridiculed by the English retranslation community.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on November 08, 2009, 06:00:47 PM: Spica is probably Cocona's contact in Clusternia.

I agree about the translation fuckery - NISA very clearly did not spend much time on the second game (despite continual delays). Granted, I'll be buying it anyway because the series is too good to ignore, so hopefully they'll have gotten the message.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on November 09, 2009, 09:52:17 PM: http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/1229175_1407.html
New characters.

Akane is pretty hot, I wouldn't object to her as a third Reyvateil... looks like she's more likely an antagonist, though.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on November 09, 2009, 09:53:49 PM: I doubt they'll reveal the third Reyvateil before the game comes out.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on November 10, 2009, 12:39:44 AM: lolworkpc can't process japonais runes.

Pink girl looks like an antagonist, sword girl will most likely be a party member.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on November 10, 2009, 02:12:24 AM: Quote from: Edible on November 10, 2009, 12:39:44 AM
lolworkpc can't process japonais runes.

Pink girl looks like an antagonist, sword girl will most likely be a party member.

Text says the opposite, Rikkaryousha (good name) is vice chief of some laboratory in the city of Arukia where humans and Reyvateils can live together, whereas Akane is commander of the Anti-Human Militia or something in Clusternia (the Reyvateil capital where the only humans are slaves.)
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on November 10, 2009, 05:21:29 AM: All the more reason for them to be as I predicted. When have laboratories produced ANYTHING good in AT?
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ionasal kkll Solciel on November 11, 2009, 04:58:03 AM: So, assuming Clusternia has its own tower (or there would have been rioting during the Suspend incident) and isn't just mooching off a relay tower like Sol Marta, what do you think the new prefix is (e.g. EXEC_ or METHOD_)?

On another note, did they already show Tyria (the third Goddess) in one of the two games, or is my memory just flawed?
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on November 11, 2009, 08:57:21 AM: Tyria was shown in AT1, but that was due to Mir hacking Aurica's mind, so completely spurious.

Also, the Toukousphere (http://artonelico.isisview.org/wiki/index.php/Ar_Portal_translation/Toukousphere) (a blog sort of thing where GUST answers questions about the AT universe) has mentioned that Tyria isn't even the administrator of the third tower.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Kojiremi on November 11, 2009, 09:11:47 AM: Man i still have AT2....
man i still haven't played AT2

friggin touhou

I still play AT1's music on my ipod. i especially love the hymns in the game. I remember i preordered AT2 a YEAR before it was released and gotten it earlier this year.
STILL haven't played much of it cause i'v been too into touhou! haha. I bet the same will happen if i get AT3-wait PS3?
nevermind then i don't have a PS3 ahhah.

to be fair i played a little bit of it to get my feet wet on the game. i can't say too much about battle yet but i did find the system in the first one slightly better based on what 40 minutes of gameplay i had in the second one. I dunno i'll have to play more. but the voice acting, graphics everythin definitely reminds me of the first game ^_^ so far i am/did enjoy/ed it.
But...dam Touhou
Remilia won't allow me to fall in love with another game character! (Grown) Misha ftw-*is gungnir'd*
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: ^^flandre^^ on November 11, 2009, 10:13:38 AM: Looking forward to AT3, especially for Hymmnos soundtracks~
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: bluh bluh hueg faggort on November 12, 2009, 09:40:34 PM: I have to be fair on this. I'm honestly a little worried about the whole thing.

The 3D battle system is understandable, but I kind of feel they only went this way because they have Bandai Namco helping with the project. So it'll be like a Tales of game, without the history backing it. Additionally some of the backstory on the characters seems kind of... Rehashed? I can't help but feel that Saki is a little *too* much like Colette from Symphonia regarding her backstory. I'm fairly sure this won't be the case when it comes down to the actual game itself, and I'm liking the idea of having the different "outfits" add a better level of depth to the actual battle aspects, but truth be told I'm a little wary.

Music's awesome as always though, and the game itself looks nice enough. Now I just need a PS3...
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on November 12, 2009, 10:01:54 PM: >implying Tsuchiya cares about Bandai
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ghaleon on November 13, 2009, 12:01:45 AM: I haven't even heard of this series. I'll check it out. But if someone can volunteer a summary about the gameplay mechanics, and pros and cons of it I'd be grateful. I find review sites have gone from bad to worse lately.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on November 13, 2009, 12:05:03 AM: Ar Tonelico is a cross between a standard RPG and a dating sim, with item/song creation mechanics and other unique features.

Pros:
Delicious music, above average sprite work for the first two games, great character designs

Cons:
Easy as fuck, difficult to find legitimate copies for reasonable prices
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ionasal kkll Solciel on November 13, 2009, 03:48:02 AM: Fair warning, the entire series is a Widget Series (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WidgetSeries) among Widget Series, includes a little ecchi (perverted) bits, and can downright get into WTF territory, especially during the Dating Sim aspect of them, and in some of the creatable items.

Like Edible said, the music is awesome, but you'll likely need to trawl Youtube for the guy doing English translations, since even if you can understand Japanese, you'll also need to understand a second language called Hymmnos (you can see an example of six lines from three songs in the second game in my signature) if you want to get anywhere figuring out how the songs fit the current theme. EXEC_HARMONIUS/. is creepy as fuck.

As for battle mechanics, the first game is a bit like FFX's CTB system. Vanguards and enemies fire off attacks, you can pick attacks at your leisure. Reyvateils (you get one active in the first game) can use songs and attack at will. The items dropped is entirely dependent on how you battle - being tactical and launching more but smaller spells is preferable to just pounding away at the enemy and unleashing a massive strike at the end.

In comparison, the second game is a bit more like... Well, I haven't played too many RPGs with this type of battle system. Battle is separated into two phases, one for each side. During the Player Phase, two Vanguards can attack at will, while two Reyvateils sing one song, which they can release any time during the Player Phase. During the Enemy Phase, the enemies launch a preset number of attacks, that you have to guard against with a sort of rhythm meter. Hit it perfectly, and no damage. Miss completely, and that Vanguard and the Reyvateil behind them get hurt. As the Vanguards launch off attacks, they increase the powers of the Reyvateils behind them, and enough in the right direction can even help you launch off special attacks (even unleash the power of the titular tower, half a world away) and special abilities, such as Replakia.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on November 13, 2009, 06:51:49 PM: >linking to TV Tropes

please kill yourself
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on November 14, 2009, 04:30:08 AM: I'm not even sure what 'Widget Series' is supposed to mean beyond "the publisher didn't excise every last iota of quirkiness from it in the name of localization, Working Designs style."

That page is also consistent for summarizing the concept as stuff 'marketed as a Weird Japanese Thing' and then listing a bunch of fansubbed anime.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: 慟哭と軋轢の黎明、苦吟を伴う歪な邂逅、翻然大悟 on November 15, 2009, 12:48:05 AM: I think we should stop talking about random terms random people made up that won't spread at all and don't have much practical use, and start talking about random terms geniuses made up sustained in its own world.

If I could emo in Hymmnos I would.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on November 15, 2009, 01:59:07 AM: Quote from: not_teru on November 15, 2009, 12:48:05 AM
If I could emo in Hymmnos I would.

xava xU rre <-x zz yIyU/.
xU fIpInI art lurrea/.
xN clemenzen whalt a.u.k. cest?

Unfortunately Hymmnos lacks words for 'crawl' or 'skin'.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on November 15, 2009, 04:22:34 PM: Quote from: Moogy on November 13, 2009, 06:51:49 PM
Using 4chan-style indent 'quotes'

Back to the monastery with you.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ionasal kkll Solciel on November 16, 2009, 08:52:22 AM: I'm not really surprised that Tyria isn't an administrator. This apparently means that out of the three Goddesses, only Eolia still maintains her position as an admin, and Ar tonelico is the only main tower left from before the war that made the Sea of Death. Frelia's been hiding on Sol Marta, after all. So I guess this means that the third tower (if it exists) is another Reyvateil-made one, like Infel Pira.

As an aside, when did Cloche take her administrative role with Infel Pira - when she sung one of her METHOD songs, or was it after EXEC_with.METHOD_METAFALICA/. (i.e. after the defrag that took out the IPD syndrome and Infel)?

As for emo in Hymmnos, you could probably replace skin with body for a similar effect (don't know what you could use for crawling), but I kind of wish Gust would come out with a Hymmnos-Japanese dictionary, even if it only included things from the two main dialects, or hell, even just the Central Standard dialect. It'd be easier for the translators at least, since they wouldn't have to take them out of the liner notes of the Hymmnos Concert discs.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Moogy on November 16, 2009, 05:50:11 PM: Um, Tsuchiya put up an H-J dictionary and grammar reference page a long time ago: http://game.salburg.com/hymmnoserver/

There's even a translated version: http://hamsterx.homelinux.org/hymmnoserver/
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on December 09, 2009, 03:44:50 PM: http://kotaku.com/5422299/ar-tonelico-3-goes-underwear-fan-service-silly

hasdfoiashdfaosdifhao

I'm sure there are better scans than Kotaku though.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Dead Princess Sakana on December 09, 2009, 04:35:22 PM: Quote from: Edible on December 09, 2009, 03:44:50 PM
http://kotaku.com/5422299/ar-tonelico-3-goes-underwear-fan-service-silly
Not that I'm complaining, but...
if they go any further than this I fear for the Europe release of this game.

But man, AT3 is really turning into a stripfest there (0_o)
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: 慟哭と軋轢の黎明、苦吟を伴う歪な邂逅、翻然大悟 on January 26, 2010, 09:47:39 PM: http://ar-tonelico.jp/at3_countdown_fes/

34 hours.

COCONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

SASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on January 26, 2010, 11:02:18 PM: Cocona~
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Formless God on January 27, 2010, 02:15:02 PM: ~~Forget the game, I'm not into underwears~~. But the Hymmnos (http://www.youtube.com/user/OSTreamVGM) Concerts (http://www.youtube.com/user/Dimentio64) were already here.

Which reminds me ... I should finish studying these stuff some time >_>
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Edible on January 28, 2010, 06:33:09 PM: Must resist urge to import.

Also the game is broken and you can access the debug menu at any time by pressing /+L2.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on January 29, 2010, 12:03:23 AM: sup

(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7800/artbookn.jpg)(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8650/at3k.jpg)
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: 慟哭と軋轢の黎明、苦吟を伴う歪な邂逅、翻然大悟 on January 29, 2010, 05:59:11 AM: (；?Д｀)ﾊｧﾊｧ

溢れる嫉妬。零れる嫉妬。抑えきれない嫉妬。我慢できない嫉妬。

なんだか凄く下品。
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ionasal kkll Solciel on February 01, 2010, 02:02:55 AM: I should really get a job so I can get a PS3.

On the topic of the Hymmnos Concerts, I have to admit that some of the names surprised me (Cutypump? Seriously?). Ec Tisia made me check twice to see if something messed up with iTunes, because of the Singing Hill reprise.

The first part of EXEC_REBIRTHIA=PROTOCOL/. sounds a lot like the Velvet Room, doesn't it?
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Seventh Holy Scripture on February 01, 2010, 07:08:52 AM: Quote from: I.P.D. on February 01, 2010, 02:02:55 AM
On the topic of the Hymmnos Concerts, I have to admit that some of the names surprised me (Cutypump? Seriously?). Ec Tisia made me check twice to see if something messed up with iTunes, because of the Singing Hill reprise.

Why does everyone hate chmod b111000000/n for being too repetitive and love METHOD_HYMMELI for being too repetitive?

No solid opinion on the game itself so far, combat is not terribly fun but no worse than AT1's, and the story hasn't had a chance to go anywhere yet (it got off to a weaker start than the previous games though.)

Shameless plug, by the way: if you're moonspeak-impaired, PS3-impaired or both you might be interested in following my playthrough here (http://ecliss.net/blog/).
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Formless God on February 01, 2010, 02:04:55 PM: I had to check the track name when Harmonics EOLIA suddenly kicked in >_>

Ec Tisia is the best of all 3 ending themes, though.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: 慟哭と軋轢の黎明、苦吟を伴う歪な邂逅、翻然大悟 on February 17, 2010, 01:41:00 AM: Almost done. Can access Tilia's cosmosphere now. Can't proceed on with Finnel's level 8 untl I progress with the plot.
Except this last stretch of the game probably has a crapload of content so I probably still have a ways to go.
And I'll probably replay it a few times.

I want to marry Finnel.
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: Ruka on February 17, 2010, 04:25:04 PM: For those wanting a video, here are some from MasterLL's page.

WARNING! SPOILERS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td7QbOJvHcY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdEsxVbuVuY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao9hfcu8qhs
Title: Re: Ar Tonelico 3
Post by: 慟哭と軋轢の黎明、苦吟を伴う歪な邂逅、翻然大悟 on February 19, 2010, 07:27:00 AM: Beat the game.
Wrote a short review in an irc channel but too lazy to write it again so just a few points.

Game has a crapload of flaws regarding the structure and progression of the plot, gameplay world, and inability to express tension properly. The number of hymmnos felt like a letdown compared to the previous series (main heroines only sing 1-2 songs each). Previous game has a better battle system but that doesn't mean too much since all the games are easy.

Aside from that you can expect the merits you might have expected from your previous experience with the prequels. But not much more, unless you enjoy the characters more. Which I do. Finnel is my favourite heroine in the entire series. Overall, AT2 is a much better game from an objective point of view, or at least as objective as I can get. This doesn't really matter if you're a fan of the series though. It's freaking AT.