Introduction
You and Me - Let's Play Atelier Lulua
And who might this be?
This is Lulua, protagonist of the fourth Arland game, released back in 2019 on multiple platforms, making it the first Atelier game released after the designated anniversary game, Nelke and the Legendary Alchemists. For the first time, Gust returns to a trilogy and adds a fourth outing in the same storyline, with Lulua serving as a distant sequel to Atelier Meruru, which I covered so so many years ago as part of the Atelier Arland Trilogy thread. As far as being a sequel, Lulua doesn't directly follow on from any of Meruru's endings, but the added ending to the expanded edition of Meruru (which I didn't cover myself, as I only had the original versions of each game at the time that thread was made, but it was in the LP) where Rorona returns to normal age after drinking the True Potion of Youth seems right to me. So far as I am concerned, that was the canon ending.
It does not particularly matter, as Lulua takes place quite some time in the future compared to the last time I visited the Arland series. But it will feature many references and returning faces, not to mention a new cast, helping Lulua along the journey as a story of discovery unfolds before her eyes.
And what kind of journey would that be?
I'll start off by saying that this is almost certainly not the game Gust would have made if they made all the Arland games in a row, instead of having a Dusk and Mysterious Trilogy, as well as a handful of spin-offs, in-between. You know how most Atelier games don't really have a plot and mostly just have a setting? Lulua is not like that at all, featuring a much longer storyline than the other games, and most certainly the Arland Trilogy. Lulua takes place over the course of 12 chapters, from a prologue chapter up to the final one, Chapter 11. After Chapter 11 is cleared, the player is allowed a plot-free free roam to accomplish whatever their heart desires before choosing an unlocked ending. Like with every mainline Atelier since Shallie, there is no time limit (small exception with Firis, but that's another story) and players are free to progress the game at their leisure. It does feature a Bad Ending at one point that ends the game prematurely but it's very obvious when that ending is available, has nothing to do with what you did or did not do earlier in the game (so you can't get locked into the Bad End), and it's intentionally easy to avoid. Each chapter of this game features a specific set of story goals that must be accomplished before the plot continues.
As far as this thread in particular, all storyline and extra content not related to the main story will be covered to my satisfaction, which includes all this game's challenging content in the form of endgame boss fights. If you're familiar with how dense my Arland thread was, or any and all of the Dusk threads on their own, expect more of that. I aim to please.
As a small technical note, every scene in this game is voiced on account of my being forced to use the original JP dub (no other language options for voiced content), but I have no intention of making videos out of every scene in the game, because otherwise there'd probably be dozens of videos per update, some only 20 seconds long or so. My presumption will be to make videos for all plot stuff. For additional content, as I feel appropriate depending on the particulars of any given scene. My criteria? Basically if the scene is too short will a video not be made for it.
Spoiler policy
Since there actually is a plot one can spoil this time, I would ask that anything not covered yet be in spoiler tags if you want to discuss it. If I mention anything in the progress of an update, feel free to assume that I don't consider it a spoiler. Usual spoiler stuff, to be sure.
As far as previous games go, I'll talk about previous Arland games as much as I please because this is the same universe, but Dusk and Mysterious I'll occasionally refer to but not spoil anything that can be spoiled in those games. Not only because it would almost certainly be off-topic but also because those are different worlds. No sense in spoiling games with no story relation to this one.
Table of Contents
Prologue: Chapter of Beginnings
I. Pages of First Steps
Chapter 1: Chapter of Encounters
II: Pages of New Challenges
III: Pages of Underwater Friends
Chapter 2: Chapter of Impetus
IV: Pages of a Big Adventure
V: Pages of Old Trails
Bonus Update 1
VI: Pages of Mutual Understandings
Chapter 3: Chapter of Succession
VII: Pages of the Big City
VIII: Pages of Rising Strength
Chapter 4: Chapter of Destiny
IX: Pages of Great Ambition
X: Pages of an Important Person
X-2: Pages of Growing Up
Bonus Update 2
Chapter 5: Chapter of Advice
XI: Pages of a Pirate Captain
XII: Pages of a Lost World
XIII: Pages of an Unrivaled Princess
Chapter 6: Chapter of Reunion
XIV: Pages of a Certain Homecoming
Chapter 7: Chapter of Bonds
XV: Pages of Pure Water
Bonus Update 3
XVI: Pages of Getting Closer
XVII: Pages of Snowy Mountains
Chapter 8: Chapter of Answers
XVIII: Pages of an Alchemist's Inspiration
XIX: Pages of Following Footsteps
Chapter 9: Chapter of Truth
XX: Pages of a Burning Land
Bonus Update 4
XXI: Pages of Deep Night
XXI-2: Pages of Wrapping Up
XXII: Pages of Inescapable Fate, Part 1
Chapter 10: Chapter of Decisions
XXIII: Pages of Inescapable Fate, Part 2
XXIV: Pages of a Way Forward
XXV: Pages of Close Companions
Bonus Update 5
XXVI: Pages of Great Accomplishment
XXVII: Pages of Changed Destiny
Final Chapter: Chapter of Blank Pages
XXVIII: Pages of an Otherworldly Visit
XXIX: Pages of a Journey's End
Bonus Chapter: Chapter of ■■
XXX: Pages of Perilous Overtime
Bonus Update 6
Epilogue
Bad Ending - My Path
Normal Ending - Our Days
Eva Ending - Our Family
Aurel Ending - Our Strength
Piana Ending - Our Dream
Ficus Ending - Our Show
Niko Ending - Our Adventure
Rorona/Sterk Ending - Our Journey
Curry Ending - Our Food
True Ending - Our Path