Atelier Marie, Elie & Anis: Message on the Gentle Breeze (マリー、エリー&アニスのアトリエ 〜そよ風からの伝言〜 Marī, Erī & Anisu no Atorie ~Soyokaze kara no Dengon~) is a role-playing video game developed by the Japanese game developer Gust and Banpresto for the Gameboy Advance. The game is only available in Japan.
It builds upon the story and mechanics of Marie & Elie: Two People's Atelier, and introduces a brand new protagonist named Anis Ryftchen in addition to the returning two.
Plot[]
The two alchemists Marlone (most commonly refered to as "Marie") and Elfir "Elie" Traum run a workshop together on the Artisan's Way in the city of Salburg. It's not a big business, but their reputation is steadily going up. One day, their past teacher Ingrid requests them to write books for the new library that is being built. The library will be finished in 5 years, so they are requested to write at least one book every year during that time.
During the years, Marie and Elie are introduced to Anis Ryftchen, a young alchemist studying to become a teacher. While Anis initially seems cheerful, it's soon revealed that she is overworking herself. Anis is struggling to keep up with both her work at the academy and her vision to write books for her school back in the Southern Country. Marie and Elie offers to help her, but this is ultimately up to the player to choose.
Gameplay[]
The main goal of the game is to create new items and recipes for several books over five years. The events and outcome of the game will differ depending on the content created for the books.
Like in Marie & Elie: Two People's Atelier, the player can switch between playing as Marie or Elie, and later Anis. The player can let the two work independently from each other, performing different actions simulateneously, or let them co-operate. However, only two protagonists can be active at the same time.
Normal synthesis is simplified compared to the mainline Atelier-games succeeding Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg. Item quality and effects cannot be modified. However, the game features a new to the series "Image Mixing" system. This system is used to alter existing recipes to create new items that can be featured in books or used as ordinary items. The "synthesize together" command has been carried over from Marie & Elie and can be used already at the start of the game, but the Trust stat between the protagonists carries less importance.
While synthesis can only be performed at the workshop, the player can visit a big variety of cities and locations to gather materials, hire adventurers, listen to rumors and interact with townspeople.
Combat is turn-based and the player can use commands such as Attack, Item, Run, etc. Every character has their own unique special move that startes off as being fully charged, but after using it several turns will be needed for the special move to recharge and become available again.
One of the new features is being able to buy paintings. Similar to the Fairy vendor, the art vendor will visit the workshop time to time. The paintings range from incredibly cheap to very expensive, and can be viewed in the second floor of the workshop. These do not provide any benefit in terms of gameplay, but lets the player view scenes from the characters' daily life.
Characters[]
Atelier Marie, Elie & Anis features a large cast mostly made up by returning characters.
Playable Characters[]
- Marlone
- Elfir Traum
- Anis Ryftchen
- Ruven Filnir
- Dagllas McRain
- Enderk Jad
- Millcassee Frobel
- My Sextans
- Eisel Weimar
- Nordis Fuba
- Hallesch Sleiman
- Kyrielich Fagnah
- Schwalbe Satz
- Saiid
- Julika Jeder
- Kreis Kuhl
- Romauge Bremer
Non-playable Characters[]
- Ingrid
- Hermina
- Kugel Richter
- Louise Lawrencium
- Drnie
- Schia Donnerstage
- Gerhard
- Cecil McRain
- Dio Schenk
- Flea Schenk
- Bord Lx
- Otto Holbein
- Xe
- Ru
- Phyruth Alkanet
- Bredolf Schigsal
Endings[]
This time around the player can influence not only Marie, Elie, and Anis' fate, but the future of the academy and the city of Salburg. The conclusion will be made out of four parts, Anis' epilogue, the fate of the Academy, the fate of Salburg, and the fate of the protagonists.
City endings:
- Science Type (学術系): Salburg grows equal to Kentonis as an academic city.
- Military Type (軍事系): Salburg grown into a strong military power through alchemy.
- Livelihood Type(生活系): The people of Salburg came to be able to live more convenient lives than any other city, like leaving housework to living items.
- Fantastic Idea Type(奇想天外系): Salburg develops a strange culture beyond imagination.
Protagonist endings:
- 語り継がれるもの: Marie and Elie's book are read by so many people that the cover has been torn to the point where the title can no longer be read. However, both the book itself and its authors are known by everyone. This ending is accomplished by completing a book in the Final category in the last year. The official strategy guide lists this as the best ending.
- The Pair's Hero Military History(ふたりの英雄戦記): Marie and Elie keep running their workshop forever, but they also defeat evil everywhere and become legendary.
- Wandering(さすらい): Marie and Elie leaves Salburg and re-realize that there are many people in need of alchemy. They start travelling from town to town.
- Forbidden Knowledge(禁断の知識): Marie and Elie close the workshop and disappear. It's rumored by the people that they went to the demon world, desiring forbidden knowledge. This ending is accomplished by finishing the demon's questline in the demon world court.
- The Pair's Atelier(ふたりのアトリエ): Marie and Elie continued running the workshop for all eternity. Their fame reaches faraway foreign countries and their workshop becomes a landmark of Salburg.
- To the Southern Lands(南の地へ): Marie and Elie feel like they are no longer necessary to Salburg and leave for the Southern Country where they promise to help develop the country's academy together with Anis. It's note worthy that the protagonist of Atelier Lilie: The Alchemist of Salburg 3, Lilie, appear in the visual for this ending.
- Bad End 1(バッドエンド１): Marie and Elie do not finish their books in time for the new library's completion. Hermina and Ingrid lock the two inside a room until they finish their book. It's hinted that Marie and Elie stayed locked inside the room forever.
- Bad End 2 (バッドエンド2):
Trivia[]
- There is a special chapter of the Atelier Marie and Elie: Zarlburg Alchemist manga that is based on the game.
- It is never made entirely clear when the game takes place in the (likely alternate) timeline, or how old the characters are supposed to be. There is however room for speculation based on item encyclopedia entries, dialogue, and material from the Atelier Judie & Atelier Series Visual Fan Book. Said book implies that the game takes place after Atelier Viorate, and presents it and its prequel Alchemist Marie & Elie as canonical entries in the Salburg series.
- By 2007, Anis would still make apperances in official merchandise of the Atelier Series, but has since then been absent and is rarely mentioned outside of DLC music packs.
Gallery[]
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