Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland

• Get (or watch) the true ending of Totori before playing Meruru. You will be spoiled if you don't.

• Do note that gathering and alchemy are slightly different in terms of time and traits, but nothing you'll have to worry about too much.

• Quite a few useful items that were unlocked by adventurer rank are unlocked by raising alchemy levels. Try to make these as you unlock them to save you some time.

• The Uni Tree by the workshop and a bit later on, Hart Outpost, are pretty useful for getting some attacking items for Meruru early in the game. The Uni will only be useful for a really short time, but some of the things you'll be able to grab at the restored Hart Outpost will be useful for both battle and synthesis. Just like Totori, Meruru will be relying on items for damage - an dif you're having trouble with any bosses, giving Meruru some newer healing items and attacking items are better then synthesizing new equipment.

• After restoring an area back in town, don't forget to visit it later for a cutscene and to continue the development of that area.

• HOM HOM HOM. These make a return (from Atelier Rorona), and you can exploit them just like the Chims to get really good ingredients and save some effort with time-consuming synthesis items, just like before. While Chims in Totori duplicated items, Homs will actually synthesize them (and require no ingredients) they can normally get to higher quality items then you for a while. Can save you quite a bit of money for weapon and armour synthesis, for example.

• Likewise, don't worry too much about endings - you have a lot of time. The time saving travelling items are now unlocked via alchemy level, but I still wouldn't worry about it too much. There are endings only available on a new game plus in Meruru as well.

• I wouldn't worry about the order you make your buildings too much, although you can cater it to how you play. If you switch out your party a lot, for example, making sure people in town gain XP will be really useful for you. Expanding the Market would be useful if you tend to buy things from Hanna, but if you rely more on Pamela's shop, the expansions don't help there and it can probably wait.