Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny

The gameplay in Atelier Iris 2 is an improvement over its predecessor in many aspects. The game is unique in having two playable, switchable characters: Felt and Viese. A large portion of the game is played using Felt, who focuses on exploration and combat. Viese meanwhile, can perform Synthesis to create items and plays more of a support role. Switching between the two is essential to progression and can be done at any save point. Characters can travel to different regions and towns on the over-world map and enter them for field exploration.

Combat is turn based with a Time Gauge keeping track of player and enemy turns, with the Speed stat determining the order. Up to three active characters can be used in battle at a time with the ability to swap them with reserve members. In battle, the player characters can Charge Attack to gain skill points, Break Attack to delay enemy turns, use various items created through alchemy, defend or flee. The skill points gained can be used to activate powerful special abilities unique to each character. Delaying enemies and pushing their turns to a certain region of the time gauge will put them in a 'break' state, where they are slowed and an attack chain can be executed by the player which offers various perks. Attacks are further categorized into physical and magical types, with enemies being weak to one or the other. At the end of a battle, the party gains experience points and ability points to level up and learn new skills, respectively.

Being the series' defining feature, Atelier Iris 2 has an item-customization and -creation scheme known as alchemy. By obtaining a recipe and the necessary ingredients, items can be synthesized. These are divided into three categories: consumables, equipment, and field items required to progress in the game. Depending on the ingredients used, various traits can be applied to items to improve their effects. While only Viese can perform synthesis at her workshop, when a consumable item is synthesized, the player is given the choice to update the item recipe. By doing so, items of the same type retroactively gain the new traits and can then be made by either character at any time, provided the player has enough Mana Elements, which are obtained through exploration and battle. The player can find new item recipes throughout the game, many of which are required to progress through the story.

In Felt's party, every character can be equipped with two accessories and two alchemy items. In addition to providing stat boosts, alchemy items also provide an additional ability when equipped. Once enough ability points have been obtained through battles, the characters master the ability and gain it permanently. Weapons cannot be changed, however they can be improved with a system similar to item synthesis.

The game's main characters Felt and Viese, are alchemists-in-training on the tranquil floating continent of Eden, where alchemists and mana (element spirits) live together peacefully. While Viese is a hardworking student, Felt does not take his studies seriously and dreams of exploring regions beyond the Belkhyde Gate, a sealed gateway to another world. When Viese is promoted to a full-fledged alchemist, the two visit a forest so Viese can make a pact with a mana. While there, a massive earthquake shakes Eden, causinglarge chunks of the continent to vanish and monsters to appear. Fleeing from the monsters the two come across the Azure Azoth, a legendary Excaliber-like sword said to be the guardian of Eden, and Felt succeeds in pulling it out. He hears the voice of the Azoth and a mysterious woman telling him to journey to Altena Chruch in Belkhyde (now unsealed), in order to restore Eden and prevent further disaster. Before leaving for Belkhyde, Viese gives Felt a Share Ring.

On his arrival to the new world, he staggers across the Tatalian desert before collapsing and being found by a girl named Noin, who claims to be part of the Simsilt, a rebel army fighting to liberate Belkhyde from the Silvaresta Empire. Felt and Noin rescue Max, leader of the Simsilt, from the Empire's capital city Riesevelt and move to the Simsilt's base. Whilst helping the rebels, Felt and Viese learn about the Share Rings, which allow one wearer to communicate and send items to another, which they put to effect immediately. During his travels Felt meets the hunter Gray, a dragon humanoid who agrees to help him in his quest to restore Eden, and he is also ambushed by a girl named Fee who wants to destroy the Azoth.

On route to Altena Church, Felt finds Fee poisoned in a forest. After bringing her to Max's Camp, Viese develops a cure for the poison. It turns out that there are two Azoths. While Felt wields the Azure Azoth, the Imperial champion Chaos wields the Crimson Azoth, the one Fee intended to destroy. Joined by Fee, Felt and Gray make continue on towards Altena Church, while Noin stays with the Simsilts. Close to their destination they are confronted by Chaos, who easily defeats Felt and Fee, and is only forced to retreat by the timely intervention of Gray. At Altena Church, the purpose of the Azoths, Eden and Belkhyde are revealed and the party finds the Gardo Continental Drive which connects the two worlds. Eden is supported by workshops scattered around Belkhyde, which suddenly stopped operating and caused chunks of Eden to disappear. Viese finds a map of workshops, and Felt and his party have a new goal: to restore functionality to all the workshops, in turn restoring parts of Eden. Along the way they are joined by Poe, a fairy who accidentally crossed over to Belkhyde and rejoined by Noin.

Felt looks for Chaos, who was not present at the battle. He finds an Altena Nun on the bridge leading to the western continent who tells him that Chaos arrived at Altena Church. When Felt arrives, he finds Mother Eizlen frozen by the Crimson Azoth's spell (which killed Max earlier). Felt fights Chaos in the lower levels of Altena Church (where the Gardo Continental Drive is stored), and is fossilized with the Exzanosis spell. Viese begins to worry about Felt, and follows him to Belkhyde.

After the restoration of the Azure Azoth, Felt dissipates the mist which Palaxius spread over Eden. After chasing him to the Temple of Creation, Felt and his friends learn about Iris (the reincarnation of Lilith) and defeat Palaxius. Iris is freed, and everyone finds a place in the world.

Similar to its predecessor, Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny has several playable characters. Three characters can be in a battle party at once, with the player free to switch the others in and out at any time.

Its soundtrack, composed by Ken Nakagawa and Daisuke Achiwa, was released May 18, 2005 in Japan by TEAM Entertainment. The opening song is "Eternal Story" by Haruka Shimotsuki, and the ending song is "Tachidachi no Tobira" ("Door of Departure") by Mami Horie.

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40.

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny

• Zale Shine - Shrine to Fee
• Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny at MobyGames