Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis

Last updated
Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis
Mana Khemia Cover.jpg
Developer(s) Gust Co. Ltd.
Publisher(s)
Composer(s) Ken Nakagawa, Daisuke Achiwa
Series Atelier
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • JP: June 21, 2007
  • NA: March 31, 2008
  • EU: March 27, 2009
PlayStation Portable
  • JP: September 25, 2008
  • NA: March 10, 2009
  • EU: March 27, 2009
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis [lower-alpha 1] is a role-playing video game developed by Gust Co. Ltd. in 2007 for the PlayStation 2. The game is the ninth entry to Gust's Atelier series, and incorporates elements of standard turn-based combat and alchemy. A PlayStation Portable version was released which included additional features.

Contents

Gameplay

Mana Khemia shares many common elements with its predecessors, the Atelier Iris trilogy.

At the core of the game is alchemy through which the player can create weapons, armor, usable items, and complex ingredients for these recipes. The player is required to gather core materials through field exploration, spoils of combat, or by purchasing them in the shops. Each item carries fundamental properties that include elemental and special abilities, and character stat improvements, that can be infused into equipment. Through the creation of new items, these properties can transfer over into the new item. A new "alchemy wheel" allows the player to adjust the quality of each ingredient as it is added to the mix, for better or worse, in order to alter the final item's properties as well. Recipes for items are learned over the course of the game by finding or buying recipe books, conversing with characters, or can be extrapolated from existing recipes by altering the ingredients list.

When in the field, the player can opt to avoid encounters with monsters by running and jumping over them, but also may attempt to strike first to go into battle. Mana Khemia uses a turn-based system similar to previous Atelier Iris games. Once the player has more than three characters in the party, he or she can then have up to three characters in reserve; these characters can switch in during a normal turn, or be called in at the end of one character's attack to provide an additional blow, or be called in to replace a character about to be attacked. The swapped out characters require a number of turns to recover before being called in again. As the player becomes able to inflict more damage, they can activate "Burst Mode" that temporarily increases the damage from each attack; this mode rewards the player with a large number of hits. Additionally, about mid-game, Burst Mode can lead to a "Finishing Burst" that requires the player to meet a certain condition while Burst Mode is activated, such as striking with each team member, or healing a certain amount of damage; this allows for a special powerful finishing move to be unleashed by one of the characters.

Both alchemy and combat are necessary to grow the characters. Unlike typical role-playing games, there are no experience points or characters levels. Instead, through combat, characters earn "action points" which are used in the character-specific "grow book" to unlock new skills, and character bonuses such as additional health or mana points. However, these bonuses are tied to completing the recipes for specific items in that book. The grow book is presented as a graph of synthesizable items. The bonuses for an item cannot be acquired using action points until an adjacent item on the graph, and the item itself, has been made.

The game is presented as a series of terms at a school. Each term is made up of several weeks, typically starting and ending with an event, ultimately leading to a key battle to be won. In between, the player is generally required to complete two or three courses, earning a grade depending on how well the course was completed. This is then followed by two or three days of free time. If the player should fail to make a decent cumulative grade by the end of courses, they will need to spend one day of free time in detention, doing required tasks. Once in free time, the player is free to take odd jobs, talk with characters, and perform side quests related to the other members of the party.

Plot

The game's main focus is on the lead protagonist, Vayne Aurelius, the son of a legendary alchemist named Theofratus who had disappeared sometime after Vayne's birth. Since then, Vayne has led the life of a hermit, his only companion being a Mana in cat form named Sulpher. Vayne is invited to the Al-Revis Academy for alchemy training by Zeppel, one of the professors. He is quickly indoctrinated into the school by becoming part of an atelier led by Flay Gunnar (an older student who is known as The Defender of Justice) along with two other students, Jess (a clumsy girl who is nevertheless adept at alchemy), and Nikki (an impulsive beastgirl). They are soon joined by Pamela (the school's resident ghost), Anna (an 11-year-old master swordsman), Roxis (the son of a famous family of alchemists who is quickly forced to join the workshop by Flay), and Muppy (an alien the group discovers on an assignment). The eight of them are able to succeed at completing assignments, learn the skills of alchemy, and allow the workshop to prosper.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Ken Nakagawa and Daisuke Achiwa and includes opening song "Run For Your Life"' by Haruka Shimotsuki and ending song "TOGGLE" by Yuuki Mizusawa. It was released May 30, 2007 in Japan by Team Entertainment.

Disc 1, Tracks:
1. "Run for your Life" (also on Japanese release)
2. "Nostalgic School House" ( なつかしき学び舎よ )
3. "The Dream of the Black Cat" ( 黒猫の見た夢 )
4. "A Boy's Worries" ( 少年の悩み )
5. "To the Future of Dreams" (Chorus Version) ( 夢の未来へ~合唱版~ )
6. "The Day We Met, the Moment We Parted" ( 出会いの日、別れの刻 )
7. "Welcome to the Magic Workshop" ( ようこそ魔法の工房へ )
8. "The Ally of Justice Has Arrived" ( 正義の味方がやってきた )
9. "Homeroom" ( ホームルーム )
10. "Town of Clear Skies" ( 晴天の街 )
11. "Pulse" ( 鼓動 )
12. "Splendid Force" (also on Japanese release)
13. "Victorious High Touch" ( 勝利のハイタッチ )
14. "Nice Work" ( おつかれさ~ん )
15. "Result Announcement" ( 結果発表 )
16. "Vayne and His Pleasant Friends" ( ヴェインと愉快な仲間たち )
17. "Whistling Girl" ( 口笛少女 )
18. "Welcome to the Magic Workshop" ( ようこそ魔法の工房へ~ほのぼのアレンジ )
19. "The Store Lady & Old Man Medley" ( 購買部のおねいさん&おぢさんメドレー )
20. "Wind Banquet" ( 風の宴 )
21. "Pitch Black" ( 漆黒 )
22. "Hurry Up!" (also on Japanese release)
23. "The Menace" (also on Japanese release)
24. "Takedown of Defeat" ( 敗北のテイクダウン )
25. "Taking the Unknown Route" ( 知らない道を行こう )
26. "Ah, Discipline Committee of Youth" ( 嗚呼、青春の風紀委員 )
27. "Stupid Hair Saga" ( アホ毛サーガ )
28. "Legend of Feigned Ignorance" ( オトボケ伝説 )
29. "Let's Try Even Harder" ( もっとがんばりましょう )
30. "Tick Away! Rhythm of Time" ( 刻め!時のリズム )
31. "Sailbird" (also on Japanese release)
32. "Hallucinate Bell" (also on Japanese release)
33. "Today's the School Festival" ( 今日は学園祭 )
34. "A Friend's Hand" ( 友達の手 )
35. "To the Future of Dreams" ( 夢の未来へ )
36. "Sirius" ( シリウス ) by Marie

Disc Length: 66 mins 30 sec

Disc 2, Tracks

1. "Nee" ( ねぇ) by Marie
2. "Onto the Next Step Part 1" ( 次なるステップへ その1 )
3. "Grasshopper" (also on Japanese release)
4. "Absorbed by the Glasses" ( メガネが耽る )
5. "Crystalized" (also on Japanese release)
6. "Together with New Friends" ( 新たな仲間と共に )
7. "A Rusted Neigh" ( 錆びついた嘶き )
8. "Looming Conspiracy" ( 迫り来る陰謀 )
9. "Running Shadow" ( 奔る影 )
10. "Riding on the Winds Crossing over the Hills" ( 丘を越える風に乗って )
11. "Mansion of Slumbering Wisdom" ( 叡智眠りし館 )
12. "Hateful Mana-Khemialchemy" ( ウラメシマナケミアルケミー )
13. "Ghost Girl for Mana-Khemia" ( 幽霊少女 for マナケミア )
14. "Repulsion" (also on Japanese release)
15. "Gavotte" ( がぼっと )
16. "Memorial of Time" ( 刻の碑
17. "A Treasure Obtained" ( 手に入れた財宝 )
18. "The Life of Paon" ( パオーン列伝 )
19. "Rectangular Wave of Love" ( 愛の矩形波 )
20. "Memories of the Great Tree" ( 巨樹の記憶 )
21. "Disrupter" (also on Japanese release)
22. "Sunset" ( 夕茜 )
23. "Onto the Next Step Part 2" ( 次なるステップへ その2 )
24. "Flowers Blooming in the Empty Sky" ( 虚空に咲く花 )
25. "A Smile of Ice" ( 氷の微笑 )
26. "Nefertiti" (also on Japanese release)
27. "Silent Queasiness" ( 静かな眩暈 0
28. "Laments of the Rain" ( 雨の慟哭 )
29. "The Voice of Darkness that Comes from the Abyss" ( 闇の声、深淵より )
30. "One More Demise" ( もう一つの終焉 )
31. "A Gap to the Darkness" ( 闇への間隙 )
32. "With Power and Light in my Hands" ( この手に光と力を )
33. "STIGMATA" by Noriko Mitose (also on Japanese release)
34. "At the Side of an Illusion" ( 幻想の畔 )
35. "TOGGLE" (also on Japanese release)

Disc Length: 71 mins. 29 secs.

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [1] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 31 out of 40. [3]

Re-release

A port for the PSP system that was released in Japan on September 25, 2008 under the title Mana-Khemia Gakuen no Renkinjutsushi-tachi Portable Plus (マナケミア 〜学園の錬金術士たち〜 ポータブルプラス, Mana Kemia ~Gakuen no Renkinjutsushi-tachi~ Pōtaburu Purasu), and in North America on March 10, 2009, branded under the name Mana Khemia: Student Alliance. There are added features like multiplayer battles, Jump Start function to allow the game to load faster, and more items that can be synthesized. In multiplayer battles, enemies may drop rare items that cannot be found in the main game.

Reception

Student Alliance received "unfavorable" reviews, moreso than its PS2 counterpart, according to Metacritic. [13] This was due to its additional loading times, but this can be remedied by playing the download rather than the UMD or using the install function.

Sequel

A sequel was released on May 29, 2008 in Japan and in North America on August 25, 2009.[ citation needed ] Its story is set 15 years after the original game, and the only returning characters are Flay, Tony, and Zeppel.

Notes

  1. Japanese: マナケミア ~学園の錬金術士たち~, Hepburn: Mana Kemia ~Gakuen no Renkinjutsushi-tachi~

Related Research Articles

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist</i> Japanese manga series by Hiromu Arakawa

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga anthology magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan between July 2001 and June 2010; the publisher later collected the individual chapters in 27 tankōbon volumes. The steampunk world of Fullmetal Alchemist is primarily styled after the European Industrial Revolution. Set in the early 20th century, in a fictional universe in which alchemy is a widely practiced science, the series follows the journey of two alchemist brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using alchemy.

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel</i> 2003 video game

Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel is an action role-playing game developed by Racjin and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 console. The game features an original story by Hiromu Arakawa from the creator of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga. It is based on the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series, also published by Square Enix. The game was released in Japan on December 25, 2003, and in North America on January 18, 2005.

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy</i> 2005 video game

Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy is a video game for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in Japan on July 21, 2005, two days before the first Fullmetal Alchemist movie came out, and was accompanied by a PlayStation 2 release of Fullmetal Alchemist 3: The Girl Who Succeeded God. Dual Sympathy was announced by Destineer on September 12, 2006, for release in North America during 2006. It had gone gold on November 27 and was released on December 12, 2006.

<i>Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana</i> 2004 video game

Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana is a role-playing video game developed by Japanese developer Gust for the PlayStation 2, the first of the Atelier Iris saga. Despite the Atelier series' long run and popularity in Japan, Atelier Iris was the first of the series to be released in the U.S.; this release and the English translation were done by NIS America. Japanese voice-overs can be enabled.

<i>Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny</i> 2005 video game

Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny, released in Japan as Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana 2, is a role-playing video game developed by Japanese developer Gust Co. Ltd. for the PlayStation 2. The game is the sequel to Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana, although lore-wise is a prequel.

Ui Miyazaki is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is an actress, known for Charger Girl Ju-den Chan (2009), Hime-sama Goyojin (2006) and Magician's Academy! (2008).

<i>Atelier</i> (video game series) Video game series

The Atelier series is a franchise of role-playing video games developed by Gust Corporation since 1997, primarily for the PlayStation line of consoles. Main entries in the series have seen consistent releases for Microsoft Windows since 2015 and the Nintendo Switch since 2017. New games are released in the series on an almost yearly basis. The series was solely released in Japan and Asia until 2005, after which the series has seen worldwide releases.

<i>Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy</i> 2008 video game

Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy is a role-playing video game developed by Japanese developer Gust Co. Ltd. for the PlayStation 2. A "Portable+" version for PlayStation Portable was released on 1 October 2009. The game is the direct sequel to Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis, as well as the tenth installment to the Atelier series.

<i>Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland</i> 2009 video game

Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland is a Japanese role-playing video game developed by Gust Co. Ltd. It first released for the PlayStation 3 on June 25, 2009, in Japan and was later re-released under the PlayStation 3 the Best label on September 23, 2010. The North American release followed on September 28, 2010, along with a European release on October 22, 2010 and an Australia release on October 28, 2010.

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i> 2009 anime series directed by Yasuhiro Irie

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a Japanese anime television series adapted from the original Fullmetal Alchemist manga series by Hiromu Arakawa. Produced by Bones, the series is directed by Yasuhiro Irie, written by Hiroshi Ōnogi and composed by Akira Senju. The series was conceived in order to create a faithful adaptation that directly follows the entire storyline of the original manga, after 2003's Fullmetal Alchemist anime series strayed away from it to tell its own story after running out of published manga material to adapt.

<i>Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island</i> 2009 video game

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island is a role-playing video game developed by Japanese developer Amazing for the Nintendo DS.

<i>Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk</i> 2012 video game

Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk is a Japanese role-playing video game developed by Gust Co. Ltd. The character designs are by Hidari. It is the fourteenth title in the Atelier series, coming after Atelier Meruru, but has a storyline independent from previous titles in the series. The game is the first installment in the Dusk storyline. An English language release was published in March 2013 by Tecmo Koei in western regions. A PlayStation Vita version titled Atelier Ayesha Plus: The Alchemist of Dusk was released on March 27, 2014 in Japan, January 13, 2015 in North America and January 14, 2015 in Europe. There is also a drama CD and novel based on the game.

<i>Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg</i> 1997 video game

Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg is a 1997 role-playing video game developed and published by Gust. The first entry in the Atelier series, it originally released for the PlayStation, then received ports and enhanced versions on other platforms. A remake for modern platforms, Atelier Marie Remake, was released worldwide in 2023 by Koei Tecmo. Following the efforts of alchemist-in-training Marie to pass an exam within five years, the gameplay focuses on exploring for materials to create alchemical recipes, and completing story missions and requests within the in-game time limit.

<i>Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book</i> 2015 video game

Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is a 2015 Japanese role-playing video game developed by Gust for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita (digital-only) and Microsoft Windows. It is the 17th main game in the Atelier series and the first game of the Mysterious storyline, as well as the debut of Koei Tecmo taking over publishing rights for Western regions in place of NIS America. The enhanced version of the game titled Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and the Nintendo Switch on April 22, 2021.

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist</i> (film) 2017 Japanese film

Fullmetal Alchemist is a 2017 Japanese science fantasy action film directed by Fumihiko Sori, starring Ryosuke Yamada, Tsubasa Honda and Dean Fujioka and based on the manga series of the same name by Hiromu Arakawa, covering the first four volumes of the original storyline. It was released in Japan by Warner Bros. Pictures on 1 December 2017. The theme song of the film, "Kimi no Soba ni Iru yo", is performed by Misia. Two sequels were released in 2022: Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Final Alchemy.

<i>Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey</i> 2016 video game

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey is a 2016 Japanese role-playing video game developed by Gust for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Microsoft Windows. It is the eighteenth main game in the Atelier series and the second game of the Mysterious storyline. It was released on North America and Europe on March 10, 2017, the following year. The enhanced version of the game titled Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey DX was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and the Nintendo Switch on April 22, 2021.

<i>Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings</i> Role-playing video game

Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings is a role-playing video game developed by Gust, and originally released in Japan for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 in December 2017. It was released worldwide in March 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows. It is the nineteenth main entry in the Atelier series celebrating the 20 years of the franchise. It is also the third game of the Mysterious storyline and the last one in chronological order.

<i>Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland</i> 2019 video game

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is a 2019 role-playing video game developed by Gust and published by Koei Tecmo for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Windows. It is part of the Atelier series, and the fourth entry in the Arland subseries. Following trainee alchemist Lulua Frixell as she goes on a journey following the discovery of a magical book called the Alchemyriddle, gameplay features exploration and battles using turn-based combat, and alchemic synthesising for items and quest objectives.

<i>Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World</i> 2019 video game

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World is a 2019 video game developed by Gust and published by Koei Tecmo for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, and PlayStation Vita only in Japan. A title within the Atelier series, the gameplay combines a city-building simulation with role-playing elements. The storyline follows Nelke von Lestamm as she attempts to build her own city while seeking a magical tree, employing legendary alchemists from the Atelier franchise to aid her.

<i>Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad</i> and <i>Atelier Viorate: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2</i> 2002 and 2003 video games

Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad and Atelier Viorate: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 are a duology of role-playing video games developed and published by Gust for the PlayStation 2. Forming the fourth and fifth entries in the Atelier series, they were respectively published in 2002 and 2003. Expanded versions of the games were released for PlayStation Portable in 2010 and 2011. Both titles follow a young female alchemist from the kingdom of Gramnad; Atelier Judie focuses on the character Judith after an accident transports her through time, and Atelier Viorate follows the young Viorate running an alchemy workshop in a dwindling town. The gameplay has the characters exploring for items to perform alchemy, fighting enemies in turn-based combat.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic . Red Ventures . Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  2. Frechette, Jay (April 1, 2008). "Mana Khemia [Alchemists of Al-Revis]". 1Up.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "マナケミア 〜学園の錬金術士たち〜". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  4. "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis". Game Informer . No. 181. GameStop. May 2008. p. 94.
  5. VanOrd, Kevin (May 12, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis Review". GameSpot . Red Ventures. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  6. Elston, Brett (April 1, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis review". GamesRadar+ . Future plc . Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  7. Bedigian, Louis (April 7, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  8. Haynes, Jeff (April 1, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis Review". IGN . Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  9. Lisore (May 5, 2014). "Test: Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  10. "Review: Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis". PlayStation: The Official Magazine . No. 6. Future plc. May 2008. p. 87.
  11. Young, Billy (March 24, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis - Staff Review". RPGamer. CraveOnline . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  12. Gann, Patrick (March 28, 2008). "Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  14. Balistrieri, Emily (March 16, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance". GamePro . IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  15. Dodson, Joe (March 20, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  16. Elston, Brett (April 1, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance review". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  17. Zacarias, Eduardo (March 19, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance - PSP - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  18. Bishop, Sam (March 13, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  19. dharn (May 12, 2009). "Test: Mana Khemia: Student Alliance". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  20. "Review: Mana Khemia: Student Alliance". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 20. Future plc. June 2009. p. 83.
  21. Reimer, Alex (August 18, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance - Staff Review". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  22. McCarroll, John (October 31, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance (PSN)". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  23. McCarroll, John (March 26, 2009). "Mana Khemia: Student Alliance (UMD)". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media. Retrieved October 6, 2021.