Best PS3
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The PlayStation 3 may be slowing down its English releases, but that didn't stop Koei Tecmo from pushing out one more Atelier game for folks to enjoy. Atelier Shallie is a great addition to the Dusk subseries of games, offering a fantastic ensemble cast of characters with two well-defined heroines with big dreams, and removing the series' most prominent feature since its inception: the time limit. Atelier Shallie takes a huge step forward through its simplified alchemy system and more open gameplay structure.
In a lot of ways, Atelier Shallie has revitalized this series with its changes, and many of them for the better. While the game is a tad on the easy side and the story has a few loose ends, there's still so much to love about this game and the direction the franchise is moving toward. Whereas the series used to meld a light-hearted atmosphere and open world with restrictive, potentially frustrating mechanics, Shallie finally embraces an all-encompassing openness in the gameplay that feels more consistent and right in its freedom. It shines on the PlayStation 3, reminding us that big dreams can come in smaller packages.
by Sam Wachter
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