Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland

About

Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland is a turn-based RPG focused on alchemy and kingdom-building. You play as Meruru, a determined princess who insists on training as an alchemist to revitalize her struggling northern kingdom. Gameplay mixes exploration, resource gathering, and crafting, with battles structured around Meruru commanding her team. Her allies act as support units, enabling combo attacks and boosting item effects when conditions align. Progress hinges on completing time-sensitive objectives to keep alchemy research alive while navigating political and personal conflicts. The game stands out for its layered alchemy system, which ties crafting to both story and combat. Players manage a growing roster of characters including a shrunken ally and a former teacher, each adding depth to interactions. While combat can feel repetitive, the bond between Meruru and her mentor drives the narrative forward. With a runtime of around 40-50 hours, it appeals to fans of slow-burn storytelling and methodical strategy.

Storyline

Meruru is the princess of Arls, a little kingdom situated in the far north of the Arland republic. After her father and Gio, the leader of Arland, discussed the merging of the two lands, she met Totori, the now-graduated alchemist. Dazzled by the power of alchemy, and with a desire to help her country prosper, she forced herself on Totori as her first student. Her father initially disapproves of this decision, but agrees following a suggestion from Rufus. He gives Meruru a directive to use her alchemy to improve the kingdom, with several intermediate goals which must be met within specific time periods in order to be allowed to continue her alchemy work. Later, Rorona joins the two, but she has been turned into a child by Astrid after drinking an experimental potion of youth.