There's something to be said about the cult following of RPG's and strategy RPG's alike from humble Japanese developers like Nippon Ichi here in the states. Those enthusiasts can notch one more to their list of must-plays, as today, NIS America has announced it has shipped Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana to retailers across North America. Although the Atelier series has been a hit out East since 1997 (due in no small part to the hard work of developer Gust, Co.), this is the franchise's first appearance in the states.

Atelier Iris casts players as Klein Kiesling, a young alchemist who's out to unveil the secrets of his craft throughout the world of Regallzine. The game puts a huge stress on creation, allowing players to make their own items and weapons, specialize them with specific powers and abilities, all with the help of the Mana spirits. Since, hey, materializing items from scratch is no easy task.

Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana is available now, so git it while it's hot.