Trip to the Atelier!
Long time no entry! Probably am the only one even writing/reading these but I still meant to type a little more often than I've been haha
Do have a separate bloggy platform I'm wanting to give a try at soon that I discovered on another user's page! It had a t o n more visual customization available, while still being in-built with the posting functionality versus having to do that from total scratch like the main site, which was appealing to me. I'd like to copy the past entries from on here, to that, first, before I switch over though. Just so I can keep a consistent archive of everything so far :>
Unrelated to that if the title was anythin to go by, I've been majorly sucked back into the Atelier series! I'd bought an played my first entry with Sophie 2 last year I believe, and despite not finishing it still, (I lost steam after a plot point that was driving the story up until then, kinda just jumped the shark and was dropped entirely hlKSDJF) I was so smitten by the idea oF the franchise that I bought an entire bundle of games on the switch when it was on sale, but it wasn't until just now I've actually dipped into any of them.
Currently I've gotten really invested with Atelier Firis, a title which from watching reviews and the like, has actually been one of the lesser liked in the franchise due to the time-based mechanics? I actually am really enjoying it and the other resource management aspects so far! It reminds me a lot of Potionomics or Harvest Moon (at least the far earlier titles), wherein theres a set time limit of sorts, but its across the bredth of the main campaign, adding a little bit of stress and strategy to what you're doing, but not so much that you cant take your time at all either.
Being a bit older of a title there's definitely a few QoL quirks that Sophie 2 improved from it in spades, but that was to be expected going in for me, and they're very easy on the whole to work around. So I'm still really enjoying my time and excited to delve further! If I actually manage to finish it as well, I'd like to try moving to the direct sequel Lydia and Suelle next :D The setting and premise for that one are sososo pretty looking (I'd poked at that one first from my bundle, but had a curious nag about Firis that was distracting enough I just switched in the middle of Lydie n Sue's opening LOL)
Do want to finish Sophie 2 still as well, cause I'm still smitten by the environments and visuals to explore, REALLY like how the alchemy puzzles are done, and the combat mechanics are really engaging to try and work around. Even if the story still bugs me a lot from how much it hooked me at the start HLSKJFD