There are things in life that are inevitable: one of these things is Ryza, also known as Rysalin Stout, receiving the third Atelier game in the role of the protagonist with Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key. Doing.
This is the first time this has happened in the Atelier series, and I don’t think anyone is particularly surprised.
Looking at sales alone, Ryza is certainly the most popular heroine in the Atelier series, and much of this is undoubtedly due to her eye-catching character designs by Toridamono.
It has evolved greatly from the original game and through the second. Ryza is now a full-fledged adult and leans a bit more towards the “oneson” (older sister) type, though she doesn’t fully reflect the stereotype and appears to have retained some of her endearing naivete. Her outfit shows that, and some fan-favorite elements are very similar to what they’ve always been. I’m sure you know what I mean.
It’s one of my favorite elements in a game series like this. As players grow and age, the characters they play allow them to see the kind of maturity that reflects themselves.
Image Source: Koei Tecmo
It’s not just shown by Ryza. Series veterans will remember Bose Brunon’s starting point as an annoying bully in the first game. He’s definitely the character who did the most, all the way, to ally, friend, and fully playable party member, all the while still retaining a rough edge. This kind of “redemption arc” is one of my favorites and I really can’t wait to see what the boss will do in this new game. I have some very radical theories and have high expectations from them, and we’ll see if they come to fruition.
While Atelier Ryza 3’s visuals didn’t develop radically compared to the second chapter, one major change is the “open-field” setup. Perhaps calling the game “open-world” would be overselling it, but you certainly have a lot more ground to cover than the usual small areas separated by loading screens which should definitely be a thing of the past nowadays.
It’s an innovation many Japanese developers often get cold feet about embracing, so it’s great to see Gust has made the leap.
The art style retains its “painting” nature that is familiar to Atelier fans, and is well suited to the series and its subjects. Personally, I enjoy it, and while there might be room for more experimentation on the shaders front, I think consistency isn’t a bad thing when paired with innovation on other fronts.
Image Source: Koei Tecmo
That being said, there have been improvements, and the characters look more expressive and alive, which is great in a game like this.
The game’s base mechanics remain similar in their essence to Atelier Ryza 2, including combat (which is as fascinating as ever), alchemy, and gathering.
Still, there’s a whole new element that has the potential to shake things up, and that’s Titanic Keys.
We’re not talking about some metaphysical element (though the true nature of the keys isn’t explained yet), but an actual keyring on which you can store the keys you’ve collected in a number of ways. For example, in the demo, you can get one simply by visiting a tower on one of the islands.
Each key has a different effect and can be applied to different mechanics, including combat, alchemy, and exploration. For example, they can do things like increase your attack speed in combat or change the attribute of a crafted item. Interestingly, at least the combat-oriented ones I was able to try seemed to be usable not only by Ryza but by all of his teammates at any time, which adds flexibility to the combat system.
Image Source: Koei Tecmo
Of course, there were only a few keys available in the demo and there was little time to find more, so it’s difficult to fully measure the scope of this system, but we’ve seen screenshots with full keyrings, so there’s definitely potential.
Ultimately, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key has the potential to be another great Atelier game that its protagonist grew up with. It may not seem like a revolution, but it certainly feels bigger and better, which is great for the trilogy’s third game.
It will be very pleasant to finally let Ryaza and her friends go, but I certainly look forward to another grand adventure in their company.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret was released on February 24, 2023 for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
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