Info about Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea DX:

Official game description:
A story of two girls fulfilling their wishes.  
The Dusk series, a trilogy of RPG titles from Gust's popular Atelier series, tells the story of a world on the verge ruin, told from the perspective of its unique characters.  
The 3rd title in the series "Atelier Shallie" is now available as a deluxe version.  
DX version features  
\- Elements added to the Plus version and numerous past DLC are included!  
Story  
Water sources go dry.  
Plants wither and die.  
All creatures thirst and starve.  
The blue oceans turn to sand, and the life of the sea no longer has a place to call home.  
Yet still, the sun continues to shine, mercilessly drying up what little water remains in the earth.  
Slowly, but surely, everything fades away to nothing in this Dusk World.  
Note: This product is also included in a product set. Be careful to avoid making a redundant purchase.

Release date: Jan 14, 2020

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Alchemy System, Crafting, Multiple Endings, New Game+, Character Management, Exploration

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 100; verdict: Wiki Mandatory for Grinding; summary: The primary Wiki Tax issue is the necessity of external references for material drops and traits (Tier 1), with additional dependencies on guides for crafting complex items and understanding intricate alchemy mechanics.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 200.0h
  - Story completion: 50.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence directly provides an estimated range for a quick playthrough (40-60 hours), indicating story completion time, and a specific 200-hour total for full completion including platinum. No clear evidence was found for typical session length or endgame-specific playtime hours.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a slow start and is boring during the first half, but becomes enjoyable later as the story and gameplay open up.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Slow start; Boring first half; Tedious alchemy system with restrictions; Minimal experience from mobs; Pointless progression without time limit
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Dusk Trilogy Veterans (sale)
    - Motivation: Completing the Dusk trilogy story arc and witnessing character development.
    - Playstyle: Engages deeply with the story, seeks out returning character interactions, and likely plays both protagonist routes.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: veteran player
    - Reference games: Atelier Ayesha; Atelier Escha & Logy; Atelier Sophie; Atelier Ryza
  - Casual Relaxed Players (buy)
    - Motivation: To enjoy a relaxing, low-stress gameplay experience without strict time management.
    - Playstyle: Plays on low difficulty, uses story mode, explores freely, and avoids unnecessary grinding.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Mechanics Enthusiasts (sale)
    - Motivation: To master the alchemy system and experience refined combat mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on crafting optimization, plays on higher difficulties, experiments with alchemy skills, and analyzes combat efficiency.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Atelier Escha & Logy


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- No time limit praised (weight 0.57): Many players appreciate the removal of the time limit, which allows for relaxed exploration, experimentation, and leisurely gameplay without pressure.
- Alchemy system well-received (weight 0.39): The alchemy system is consistently praised as interesting, well-made, and fun, with some noting it is simple to learn but offers depth.
- Music is excellent (weight 0.35): The soundtrack is highly praised, with some calling it the best in the series and highlighting the quality of BGM and battle music.
- Returning characters bring nostalgia (weight 0.34): Many characters from previous Dusk games return, creating a sense of nostalgia and rewarding long-time fans with reunions and familiar faces.
- Dusk trilogy conclusion satisfying (weight 0.32): The game provides a great conclusion to the Dusk trilogy, tying up storylines and offering a proper ending that fans find enjoyable and meaningful.
- Combat system highly praised (weight 0.29): The combat system is considered beautiful, evolved, and one of the best in the series, with features like Burst Mode adding enjoyment.
- Characters are likable (weight 0.28): Main characters are likable, human, and well-depicted, with good development for the two Shallies and standout roles like Shallotte.
- Story is engaging (weight 0.19): The story is described as interesting, imaginative, and amazing, contributing to a solid narrative experience.
- Great entry in Atelier series (weight 0.19): The game is considered a solid and fun addition to the Atelier catalog, with some players calling it their favorite so far.
- Replayability from two protagonists (weight 0.16): The choice between two protagonists with different stories and chapters offers significant replay value and diverse gameplay.
- Character designs are a highlight (weight 0.09): Character designs are praised as a standout feature, with some considering them the best in the series.
- Many playable characters (weight 0.09): The game features many playable characters with distinct styles, adding variety to combat.
- Free camera rotation appreciated (weight 0.08): The addition of a freely rotating camera is welcomed, though some note it is mostly good.
- Voice acting adds charm (weight 0.08): Extra voice lines for characters like Escha are found funny and the voice acting quality is good.

Common complaints:
- Boss game overs lose progress (weight 0.14): Boss fights can trigger sudden game overs with no auto-save, causing players to lose up to half an hour of progress, which is extremely frustrating.
- Ending is abrupt and unsatisfying (weight 0.14): The ending is described as abrupt and unsatisfying, failing to provide a fulfilling closure to the story as a final installment.
- Trails require boss farming (weight 0.14): High-level traits are locked behind farming bosses, requiring repetitive gameplay to access key character upgrades, which many find tedious.
- Game too easy on hard (weight 0.1): Even on the highest difficulty, the game is considered too easy, contrasting sharply with the challenging nature of earlier Dusk titles.
- Alchemy 99 grind tedious (weight 0.1): Reaching alchemy level 99 for the associated achievement requires excessive grinding, making it an extremely tedious task.
- No autosave risks progress (weight 0.1): The lack of an auto-save function can lead to significant progress loss in the event of a crash or game over, causing severe setbacks.
- Boss difficulty spikes harshly (weight 0.1): Boss difficulty spikes unreasonably, particularly the first boss, creating a frustrating barrier early in the game.
- Battle items are too weak (weight 0.09): Battle items have been severely weakened, offering low damage, small area of effect, and high cost, making them inferior to skills.
- Gameplay feels forced and boring (weight 0.09): The gameplay is described as forced and boring, feeling monotonous from start to finish, which detracts from overall enjoyment.

Gameplay feedback:
- Skill card alchemy system (weight 0.59): The alchemy system uses skill cards placed in material slots, with a focus on chain effects, PP, and efficiency. It becomes simpler once learned, scaling with alchemy level up to 99, and involves gathering and puzzle-like synthesis.
- Dual protagonists with distinct stories (weight 0.42): The game features two protagonists, Shallistera and Shallotte, with separate storylines and perspectives early on, though they eventually converge. This dual structure adds replay value and narrative depth.
- Turn-based combat with burst mode (weight 0.41): Turn-based combat is central, with a Burst Mode mechanic that significantly boosts damage and enables linked attacks. The battle system is designed around managing the burst gauge for optimal performance.
- No time limit with life tasks (weight 0.28): The DX version removes the time limit, replacing it with a Life Task system that scores progress through tasks. Players must pass certain thresholds to advance the story, offering a more relaxed experience.
- True ending requires New Game+ (weight 0.26): The true ending requires a New Game+ playthrough, where players must achieve a motivation gauge of 70 or higher. New Game+ carries over equipment and progress, encouraging multiple runs.
- Front and back row party (weight 0.09): The party allows up to six members arranged in front and back rows, with three in each row. This setup increases battle variety and strategic options.
- Five distinct endings (weight 0.09): The game includes five endings: two per protagonist plus a true ending, providing incentive for multiple playthroughs.
- Simple classic battle system (weight 0.08): The battle system is described as simple and derived from older games in the series, appealing to fans of classic JRPGs.

Performance notes:
- Mixed stability feedback (weight 0.18): Some players report stable performance, while others experience crashes. One crash fix from the PS3 version is noted, and one reviewer had no issues across all three games.
- Occasional framerate drops (weight 0.09): Frequent framerate drops and occasional drops to 55 FPS are reported, indicating inconsistent performance for some players.
- Full screen crash on Windows 10 (weight 0.06): Full screen mode crashes every 30 minutes on Windows 10, a specific and reproducible bug affecting stability.
- Window mode stable with stutter (weight 0.06): Window mode runs without crashes for up to 2 hours but has occasional stuttering, suggesting a workaround for crash issues.
- Regression bug from Plus version (weight 0.06): A bug from the Plus version involving Escha's field skill has reappeared, indicating regression issues.
- Severe lag in cutscenes (weight 0.06): Video cut-scenes suffer from severe lag, impacting visual storytelling and user experience.
- Stutter in dialog-free cutscenes (weight 0.06): Cutscene stutter occurs during dialog-free events, suggesting specific encoding or loading issues.
- Ayesha interaction stutter (weight 0.06): Ayesha has a stuttering issue when interacting with certain people or objects, affecting gameplay smoothness.
- Menu and area transition delays (weight 0.06): Ayesha has delays when opening menus, entering new areas, or entering combat, impacting overall responsiveness.
- Other games stable at high refresh (weight 0.05): The other two games (not Ayesha) did not have similar issues even at higher refresh rates, indicating Ayesha-specific problems.
- Alternate cutscene playback method (weight 0.05): Cutscene movies can be played externally if in-game playback fails, a helpful workaround noted by players.

Recommendations:
- Must play previous Dusk games (weight 0.39): Multiple reviews strongly advise that this game is best played only after completing Atelier Ayesha and Atelier Escha & Logy to fully appreciate the story and character development. Newcomers or those who skipped the earlier titles are often told to play those first or consider them instead.
- Recommended for Dusk fans (weight 0.26): Several reviews recommend the game specifically to fans of the Dusk series or those who enjoyed Atelier Ayesha and Escha & Logy. The game is seen as a continuation that appeals to established series enthusiasts.
- Broad audience recommendations (weight 0.25): A diverse group of positive reviews recommend the game for various audiences: JRPG and alchemy fans, slice-of-life anime lovers, theorycrafters, and those seeking a casual experience. Some also suggest the trilogy is worth exploring, especially for Ryza-era players.
- Start with other Atelier games (weight 0.2): Several reviews explicitly recommend starting the Atelier series with other subseries or games like Sophie, Ayesha, or the Arland or Mysterious series. This game is seen as a poor entry point compared to those alternatives.
- Not for newcomers (weight 0.18): Multiple reviews state that this game is not suitable as a first entry into the series or as a standalone title. Newcomers are advised to start elsewhere, as the game is heavily dependent on prior knowledge and context.
- Choose protagonist wisely (weight 0.16): Multiple reviews discuss the two protagonists, Shallistera and Shallotte, advising on play order. For those unsure about New Game+, Shallistera is suggested, and if doing only one playthrough, the green Shallie (Shallotte) is recommended. Playing both is recommended for the full story.
- Worth trying despite flaws (weight 0.15): A few reviews give a light or warm recommendation, noting the game's high quality within the Dusk trilogy or suggesting it as the one Atelier game to play if only choosing one. Despite flaws, it is considered worth trying.
- Full story needs prior games (weight 0.1): Two reviews state that full appreciation or enjoyment of the game's reunion aspects requires playing previous entries first. The game's story relies heavily on prior character familiarity.
- Slow pace and management (weight 0.05): A single review notes that the game is not recommended for players who dislike management mechanics and a slow pace, highlighting a potential turn-off for certain playstyles.
- Autosave issue (weight 0.05): One review cannot recommend the game due to an autosave and progress loss issue, which is a specific technical bug that may frustrate players.
- Best Dusk game choice (weight 0.05): One review recommends this game if picking only one of the three Dusk titles, suggesting it stands as the best choice within that subseries.
- Mysterious first loses context (weight 0.05): One review warns that if players start with the Mysterious series first, they will not recognize returning characters, reinforcing the need to play in order.
- Barely playable without prequels (weight 0.05): One review states the game is only barely playable if you played previous Dusk games, reinforcing the near-requirement of prior experience.
- Swimsuit content concerns (weight 0.04): One review specifically criticizes the game for inappropriate swimsuit content, leading to a negative recommendation. This is an isolated opinion but notable for its focus on content concerns.
- Playable standalone (weight 0.04): A single contrarian review claims the game can be played even without having played the others, directly opposing the majority opinion. This is an outlier.
- Buy three-pack on sale (weight 0.04): One review suggests buying the three-pack on sale as a practical purchasing tip for those interested in the full Dusk trilogy.
- Need to be a fan (weight 0.04): A single review recommends that players be fans of the series beforehand for a better experience, implying the game is tailored to existing fans.
- Not a hero story (weight 0.04): One review states the game is not for those wanting a hero saving princesses, clarifying the game's unconventional narrative tone.
- New players welcome (weight 0.04): A single review invites even new players to try the game despite it being older, showing some openness to newcomers.
- Check negative reviews (weight 0.04): One review suggests looking at negative reviews for a balanced perspective, indicating that the game has mixed opinions worth considering.

Other player notes:
- Final Dusk trilogy entry (weight 0.67): This game is the final chapter of the Dusk trilogy, marking the end of the sub-series. Players strongly recommend experiencing the first two titles (Ayesha, Escha & Logy) first for full context and enjoyment, as the story concludes the overarching narrative. The Dusk series has a lower sales record compared to others like Arland, and unlike those series, no direct sequel has been made, leaving fans hoping for a continuation.
- Multiple endings require replay (weight 0.37): The game features multiple endings (five total), one per protagonist with slight variations, and a true ending requiring a second playthrough with both Shallies and specific quest completions, such as the sweet contest and Esca's seed dialogue. Compared to earlier Dusk games, the number of endings is reduced but still satisfying.
- Enhanced DX version update (weight 0.33): Originally released in 2014 on the PS3, this DX version includes numerous improvements and fixes from the Plus version, such as bug fixes (including a PS3 final boss crash), additional DLC characters, costumes, music, and enhanced endings. The original had several problems that were addressed, although the game was released just two months after the previous title, leading to some cut features.
- Removed time limit mechanic (weight 0.25): The DX version removes the time limit mechanic that was present in previous Atelier games and the original 2014 release. This makes it the first game in the series on Steam without a time mechanic, allowing players unlimited time to explore, synthesize, and complete objectives without pressure.
- DLC integration issues (weight 0.24): DLC characters (now integrated in the DX version) can cause narrative inconsistencies. Many costumes and events are DLC, and English dubbing is partial while Japanese is complete. The DX version includes these additions, but fanservice elements like swimsuit scenes are included.
- Two playthroughs needed (weight 0.22): Full completion, including achievements and true ending, requires at least two playthroughs with both protagonists. The second playthrough allows for min-maxing and perfect item building, and it is recommended to play black-haired Shallie first, then green-haired for optimal item builds and easier combat.
- Previous protagonists return (weight 0.21): This game serves as an all-star assembly, featuring playable characters from previous Dusk titles, such as Ayesha, Wilbell, and Cliff. Players who have experienced the earlier games can enjoy seeing these characters interact and develop further.
- Quest and item system quirks (weight 0.2): The game has 9 chapters, a material box with capacity limit, optional bosses that respawn on reload, and quests like 'Green Desert Fish King'. Bounty quest rewards are inconsistent, and there is no general store for bulk purchases.
- Localization errors present (weight 0.19): Localization quality is poor, with spelling errors (e.g., 'Loadning'), menu mistakes, and lower overall quality compared to other series entries. This detracts from immersion.
- Varying playtime lengths (weight 0.16): Playtime varies: a quick run is around 40-60 hours, with completionist playthroughs at 200 hours for the platinum. Hard mode first playthrough takes up to 20 hours plus synthesis, and a second run about 10 hours.
- Tedious alchemy grinding (weight 0.13): Alchemy level cap is 99, requiring repetitive low-level synthesis to unlock high-tier materials. Endgame farming for top traits is tedious and demands extensive grinding.
- Requires sync fix mod (weight 0.1): The PC version reportedly has several unresolved issues, necessitating unofficial mods like the Atelier Sync Fix from GitHub to address problems such as stuttering or sync errors. Modding is almost required for a stable experience.
- No autosave mechanic (weight 0.1): The game lacks an autosave feature, which is a notable omission for a modern port. Players must manually save frequently to avoid losing progress.
- Linked to predecessor achieve (weight 0.09): There is a connection to the previous game A14 (Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk), where a difficulty-related achievement affected the platinum trophy in this title. Also, the PS3 version had easier potencies obtainable from the Silver Dragon.
- Mixed reception overall (weight 0.09): Some players consider this the least favorite game of the PS3 era and describe its overall adjustments as poor. The game is a mixed bag, with both strengths and weaknesses, particularly in alchemy and quest design.
- Difficulty reward incentives (weight 0.09): Higher difficulty settings provide 1.5x experience and 3x money, incentivizing challenge. Some players choose lower difficulties simply to save time.
- Bleak world setting (weight 0.05): The narrative is set in a bleak world suffering from environmental degradation, with loss of fertility and water due to past planetary abuse. This thematic setting drives the story and alchemy goals.
- Score around 6.5–7/10 (weight 0.05): The game received a score of 6.5-7/10, indicating an average experience with notable flaws, especially regarding technical issues and narrative pacing.
- Open-ended world solution (weight 0.05): While the story resolves the local problem, it leaves the overarching Dusk world issue open, potentially disappointing those expecting a complete narrative closure.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Players are frustrated by the tedious alchemy system requiring excessive grinding to level 99, unbalanced difficulty with punishing boss encounters that reset progress on game over, and the lack of autosave leading to lost hours of progress. Other causes include limited convenience features like no bulk crafting, forced encounters during exploration, and poorly explained mechanics such as the chain system and alchemy efficiency.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Disappointment stems from the rushed and abrupt story ending that fails to provide a satisfying conclusion to the Dusk trilogy, alongside a weaker protagonist and reduced scope compared to previous entries. The loss of convenience features like item duplication, linear world design with shallow side characters, and the removal of the time limit making progression feel pointless also contribute to the letdown.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Satisfaction is derived from the removal of the time limit, allowing leisurely exploration and synthesis, as well as the well-designed alchemy system with puzzle-like tuning and the return of characters from previous games providing a stable conclusion. The combat system is praised as complex and fun, and the music and character development are highlights.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Enjoyment comes from the engaging combat system with Burst Mode, the enjoyable loop of gathering, synthesis, and combat, and the likeable cast including reunions with known characters. The story, music, and atmosphere, along with improvements over previous Dusk games, make the experience fun and playable.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is driven by the addictive gameplay loop of alchemy and exploration, the revived and well-received combat system from Mana Khemia, and the two campaign options. The great battle music and overall soundtrack, along with the story and character interactions, heighten the sense of anticipation.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance arises from the overuse of Wilbell in Shallotte's story feeling like fanservice, the lack of bulk crafting, and the battle system's heavy reliance on Burst Mode, which makes other strategies irrelevant. Technical issues like cutscene stutter and grindy alchemy leveling add to the irritation.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by the assembly of previous protagonists and returning characters from earlier games, providing a sentimental reunion. Hearing impactful tracks like 'MARIA' again and seeing characters from the series' past reinforce emotional ties to the trilogy's journey.
- Approval (weight 0.02): Approval is given for the story mode's suitability for new players and the simpler crafting mechanics compared to other Atelier titles. Despite flaws, the game is recommended as a light experience, with improvements like battle party switching adding value.
- Regret (weight 0.02): Regret is felt over accumulated small issues like the rollback mechanic that prevents recommendations, the difficulty in collecting potencies, and missing important characters such as Linka and Nio. Time constraints also prevented a second playthrough, leaving a sense of missed opportunities.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom stems from playing through largely the same story twice, the dull 'Life Tasks' phase without time pressure, and a slow start with a boring first half. Battle enjoyment decreases over time, and gameplay feels forced with little happening.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is expressed for the depth and determinism of trait mechanics, the humanistic approach to character stories and themes, and the music being considered the best in any Atelier game. Quality-of-life features enhance the experience.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Affection is directed toward protagonists like Shallotte and characters like Wilbell, Escha, and Milca, who are found cute and endearing. Love for specific characters, especially Wilbell, drives emotional attachment.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from unique character items having small area-of-effect compared to large enemy groups, event flag issues causing skipped or out-of-order events, and story progression relying on poorly described side objectives and mis-indexed quest descriptions.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is expressed for a sequel to the Dusk series, as the true ending of 'Shallie' feels unfinished and leaves the narrative arc incomplete. Players desire more closure and continuation of the world.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): Discomfort results from a strange mixture of PS Vita and PS3/4 3D models, creating visual inconsistency. Previous games in the series also had difficulty spikes at the final chapter, adding to unease.
- Displeasure (weight 0.01): Displeasure is caused by the removal of the time limit leading to exploitation, making the game feel poorly designed. Criticisms also include voice acting and character design choices, with Ayesha and Keith's story seen as anti-human.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise arises from unexpected game overs without saves, but also from the game's impressive graphics given its PS3 origin, with 1440p support making it look better than anticipated.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is expressed for the effort put into understanding the plot from two differing angles, creating high stakes. The unified art style by three masters contributes to a unique and praised atmosphere.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief comes from the absence of time limits found in other Dusk games, allowing free exploration and tasks. Compatibility with latest AMD drivers also provides technical relief.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction stems from the game feeling overwhelmingly average for an Atelier title, and DLC characters causing story inconsistencies that disrupt narrative cohesion.}