Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island is an off-shoot of Gust's Atelier games (which include both Atelier Iris and Mana Khemia), which thus far have only seen releases on the PS2 and PSP in the US. Although Gust's DS offering retains much of the charm and a few of the series' core gameplay features, it also takes a completely different approach. Although RPG elements are still around, they take a back seat to sim and management aspects, creating a completely different niche for the series.

Whether done as a cost-saving measure or to simply to provide fan service, all of the original Japanese voicework makes it over to the North American version. The appeal of such will obviously depend on how important it is for you to have the original voices. I'm squarely on the side that would prefer English voicework, but considering how shallow Atelier Annie's story is, it really didn't matter much to me. Still, I know there are purists out there who thrive on having the original voicework, so they should be happy. Music is appropriate to the series and the game's overall mood. It's peppy and upbeat, even at points where it doesn't need to be. Oddly enough, even in the game's darker moments (well, more like it's not-as-bright ones), the music works.

The bright tone carries through into the visuals. Characters have their own unique looks, all of which are typical of the series or JRPGs in general. Levels are composed mostly of small, one-screen rooms populated with a few set pieces for details and assorted characters, few of which have anything useful to say. A good deal of playtime is spent navigating menus, which should feel familiar to anyone who has played an Atelier game. If not, the tab system might feel a little clunky, but is readable.

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island follows a lazy girl, Annie, who is sent to live on an island by her grandparents. Soon after her arrival, Annie discovers her grandparents entered her into an alchemical competition held on the island. Although meant as a way for Annie to develop her alchemic abilities, she decides it is better used as a way to meet influential, young men so she can "marry up."

Story has never been something the Atelier Iris series has hung its hat on, but in Atelier Annie, it is as worthless as the combat system. The focus here is squarely on acquiring materials and using them to complete tasks related to the various resorts Annie builds on the island. You'll come across a number of potential party members, or suitors, though none of that really matters. Although they lacked a meaningful story, previous games were at least able to develop some sort of relationship between characters. Here, things just happen regardless of how much attention you're paying to them. This is a squandered opportunity since it opens up the potential for a pseudo-dating sim or even something more elaborate like Thousand Arms's crafting system. Instead, relationships really don't matter, and the experience is cheapened.

Gameplay takes place over three years and charges Annie with building six resorts including a park, a theater and other tourist traps. Once a resort is completed, Annie can then take missions out of it in order to increase its popularity. A popular resort is a profitable one, so you'll want to make sure you complete every task doled out by its manager. Most quests involve searching for alchemic ingredients and creating objects for the resort, though you'll also come across a few touch-based mini-games, such as a wood chopping game. The games make sense within the context of the game (at least more than combat or story elements), but show Atelier Annie as something of a directionless game.

Unless you have issues with patiently waiting for things to happen, Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island isn't incredibly hard. Managing resorts is slightly more complicated, though not by much. Most of the day-to-day operations are handled behind-the-scenes by Annie's diminutive helper, freeing her to concentrate on completing improvement missions. With the exception of the aforementioned mini-games, improvement quests come down to finding the right materials and recipes.

Although the combat system looks complicated, it is one of the game's weakest and more watered-down elements. You can have up to three party members in your group at any time. This would be an interesting aspect if relationships mattered, but as it stands, who you take is purely a personal preference. Combat throws in elements like front and back lines as well as a variety of attacks and abilities. These features only come into play against larger foes. Generally, you can mash down on the Attack command and breeze through combat.

Quests are handed out my Resort Managers and the master of the Adventurer's Guild. Both quests tend to revolve around the same core concept and mechanic - collecting and combining items to create new ones. Missions handed out at Resorts usually require some movement between areas, while Adventure Guild quests are one-and-done affairs.

The core mechanic behind quests revolves around creating items using alchemy and fulfilling missions around the island. Missions are never more complicated than "Create X number of Item X," and sometimes you'll find the materials out in the wild without the need to craft. Really, everything boils down to figuring out how many ingredients you need and tracking down the manual with the recipe. Early on, it's a chore given your limited funds, but once you open your first resort, there isn't much to it. Time limits are imposed on each quest to add a sense of urgency, though I never got to the point where I ran up close to a deadline. Once you understand how things work and, more importantly, which items are usually top priorities to a location, you'll make mass quantities and fulfill them as soon as you get them.

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island shows huge potential as a management/ simulation-styled game, but doesn't seem like it wants to make a commitment in that direction. The management aspects are solid, but lack support from other features. Were the RPG elements dropped in favor of more in-depth management elements, Atelier Annie would be a stronger, more interesting game.