Gust is already busy developing the sequel to Mana Khemia. The trailer doesn't reveal much in terms of gameplay, but you can get a first look at the two lead characters.
Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy carries on the series, turning the original title into a more manageable and balanced game than the original, thanks to its tweaks and better ease of use. The title is proof that quality Playstation 2 titles can still be made even though the industry's mindset is now focused on the next group of systems. An insane amount of play time is required to see everything the game has to offer and micromanagement fans and completionists will go nuts over what the game has to offer. When you place impressive visuals, wonderful sound and unique gameplay mechanics on top of that, you end up with a great RPG in Mana Khemia 2. The title plays nearly identical to the first, but thanks to number of tweaks stemming from player feedback, Gust remedied most of the huge, nagging issues with the game (while arguably changing a few things for the worse, to be fair). The story is much more interesting by ditching genre clichés and the mechanics are bit easier to surf through, debatably making the sequel the game the original should have been.
"Mana Khemia 2 is the consummate sequel, offering obligatory variation for fans of the original game, while also offering enough guidance to newcomers. The title comes highly recommended to JRPG aficionados, who are likely to lose themselves in the game's item refinement, formation of friendships, and intriguing battle system."
411mania talks about this week's game releases. Highlights include Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Cursed Mountain, and Harvest Moon: Magical Melody.
