Mana Khemia is the best NIS have to offer not only in the Atelier Iris franchise but to the old school RPG fans.
In this day an age it is hard to find a gamer who can appreciate old-school game especially if he grew on 3D game. But as for me my first Strategy RPG game on my PS2 was Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny, since then I have learn to appreciate old-school. But keen enough to be frustrated in any flaws because my first ever game was Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition.
As AI fans already know, AI focuses on a group of characters (young alchemists as the main character/s) that struggle their way to and adventure which will lead them to a world changing battle against the forces of darkness (as any other RPG have to offer). But in Mana Khemia, NIS changed it to a simple struggle... SCHOOL!!! Oh yeah.. school might be boring but not Al-Reavis which is a school for alchemists. School is not just a setting in this game, you will actually go through it, assignments, classes, vacation, finals and you even worry if you will pass.
If you already played Persona 3 that already offers a school environment integrated in a game, this one is quite different. There is no social links to worry, instead you will worry if you pass because you might take extra classes if your not... just like high school huh? And taking extra classes is not good 'cause you might not enjoy summer vacation... very high schooly... In every chapter of the game have 4 weeks or more which consists of classes weeks and free weeks. In weeks of classes you are required to do classes. Classes of which you need to understand the gameplay so you really need to pay attention. In every class there is an assignment that needed to comply and base on your performance on the assignment you will be graded (ranges from A B C, A is the highest and C is the lowest). Every grade have an equivalent star (or units, example A=4 stars/units, B=3, C=3 etc.). After an assignment is fullfilled you will m ove on to another week. In a chapter (which is also called a term) you need to earn a certain amount of units to pass the course. And if you do good, you might finish course which means you got more time on your hands and do whatever you like. Doing whatever you like is not really whatever, there are 3 possible things you can do, explore the world, do jobs Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm style (where you can earn money) or go through a story in one of your party member (in order to understand the individual motives in joining the school).
The change that NIS made in exploration of this AI predecessor is which I like best. Exploration is not random enemy encounter. Its much like the exploration of AI3 that red (weaker are blue) gelatin-like monster symbol is roaming in the field. You can slash it and start battle on your advantage or avoid it but once you get touch by it the battle will start in their advantage. Once you start exploring, time passes by and after quite sometime it will be noon and before you know it... its night time. Night time is not a good thing if your not prepared because enemy stats will raise and become aggressive which make battle really hard.
The battle system is great. It is a merging, remake and improving the of the battle system of AI3. The battle is turn-base as usual which card symbols will determine the turn or how fast they can act. This is also the return of the Burst Gauge. In every attack you throw to the opponent fills the burst gauge, by the time it is full, your attacks, healing and critical are enhanced. At a certain point of the game, when you burst another gauge must be filled, it can only be filled by a certain attack, buff or healing (random task) given at the start of the burst. Once the second gauge is filled, a character can select action Special Attack which... well... you know what Special Attack means don't you? And I mean it's not just special, it's devastating... or maybe I'm just over reacting. Everyone of the character have a unique special attack. The battle system also let you switch your front characters (which consists of 3) and reserve characters in an instant. Example, once Vayne attacks an opponent you can choose to replace him by Flay. Just this can change the level of the player's strategy. Everyone of the character not just have a special attack, they also have an individual unique support attack which inflict the enemy not just damage but also status effects. It can be triggered by switching characters. Example, Pamela attacks, change to Flay, change to Jess, change to Vayne, Vayne will initiate a support attack which can also be called a coop-attack. The gameplay is very immersive and fresh how to deal with different enemy. If you can defeat an enemy within a few turns, will be awarded a Fast Kill, which means the exploration time will not be advanced even as you battled an enemy that can cause a longer daytime.
Did you ever wonder why Alchemist is good at fighting rather than synthesizing? Did you notice how can they burn the cauldron yet they battle like a God and call themselves an Alchemist? Well... maybe even NIS thought about that. The leveling-up system is not present in this game. Instead it was replaced by the Grow Book system. In order to advance the characters stats and gain such a skill, the player must first synthesize a certain item first that will open a slot to their grow book. Once a slot is open, you can choose a skill inside and spend AP to gain such a skill or improvement to stat. AP can be gain through the battles you have fought. It is much like the Liscence Board of Final Fantasy XII.
Synthesizing was also change. There is now a Synthesizing Circle that will determine the quality of your work. It is a roulette with a few colors in it representing an element. You must match the color on the roulette to the color of the element in each of the needed ingredients. If you have a good reflexes, you may get a 100% quality of usable or needed items. And n this game you can pick someone on your party to be a support. They can also affect the quality and the synthesizing circle during synthesis.
Mana Khemia's story is also great. Having a great mystery of the main character shrouded past surrounded by a group of bubbly characters consists of Amnesiac main character, a girl who burn the cauldron everyday, a cat girl who likes to flirt, a senior who have an insane meaning of justice, another senior who hates the amnesiac main character, ... um.. a ghost... and ... uhm... err.. an alien; is it me or the cast is just weird?
THE GOOD: The best of all the AI series, combining the good traits of the gamelay and story of the past 3 games.
THE BAD: Except Pamela, the voices are the bad as the previous game. Makes you kinda wish upon a star and say, "Can somebody tell NIS to do a little better on the voice actors!!!". This flaw is either forgivable or curses the game. The developer tried to put different endings but I doubt it works. It feels kind of there's only one and they only put different twists everytime of its play through. Once you beaten the game you can play it through... for what...? Ending twists? ... Nothing more. Though if you are into the story you might wanna replay it to make the story of each character will be complete. But its kinda boring if your enemy bosses are only one hit away to death. But it also simplify the playthrough.
To sum it up, Mana Khemia: Alchemist of Al-Reavis is a fine piece of work forgiving a major flaw. The best of the old-school RPG but suffers the shadow of the AI series and have a battle system of a modern day RPG.