Captured on Nintendo Change (Handheld/Undocked)In the case of the Atelier collection, selection is the spice of life. One would possibly assume that greater than 25 video games deep into developer Gust’s long-running RPG collection, the sheen of that trademark gameplay loop of accumulating supplies, studying recipes, and crafting gadgets by way of alchemy would begin to boring slightly. But, with the introduction of every new entry and corresponding sub-series, Atelier continually finds methods to reinvent itself and supply a novel spin on its tried-and-true gameplay techniques. From the darker and extra action-focused Atelier Yumia to the sprawling journey saga of the Atelier Ryza trilogy, every title has its personal distinct identification.
That’s why Atelier Resleriana: The Crimson Alchemist & the White Guardian, the twenty seventh mainline entry within the collection, is such an advanced recreation to elucidate. A lot of its identification is owed to what got here earlier than it. It’s concurrently a standalone sequel to a free-to-play gacha recreation, a serious crossover occasion that comes with characters from previous entries, and a self-proclaimed return to the collection’ turn-based roots. On the similar time, it’s additionally very a lot its personal factor, chronicling an authentic story with new leads and recent gameplay ideas.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Handheld/Undocked)
A lesser recreation may be crushed below the burden of all of the issues Atelier Resleriana is meant to be, but it manages to dovetail every duty right into a cohesive complete. The outcome is without doubt one of the stronger Atelier releases in recent times and, fortunately, an pleasant expertise that continues to be largely unfettered by Change 1’s ageing {hardware}.
Set after the occasions of 2023’s Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy & the Liberator of Polar Night time (a cell and PC-based gacha title that’s now not accessible to play outdoors of Japan), this strikes the main focus to 2 new playable protagonists: Rias and Slade. They hail from Hallfein, a once-bustling city that suffered a mysterious tragedy 12 years prior and has since fallen into disrepair. When the pair of adventurers meet and stumble throughout an deserted atelier, they resolve to make use of the ability of alchemy to revive their hometown to its former glory and uncover the thriller behind its downfall.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Handheld/Undocked)
In line with its narrative focus, Atelier Resleriana’s gameplay is outlined by three key areas: exploring the world and its dungeons whereas accumulating alchemy components and battling enemies; synthesising and strengthening new gadgets by way of alchemy recipes on the atelier; and bettering the standard of the city by promoting gadgets at Rias’ retailer or taking up extra quests and facet actions. Every strand is well-defined with its personal set of intricacies and techniques to study, and the best way all three interweave makes participating with every one key to development.
The sport’s refreshed alchemy system sees you combining components to supply gadgets and gear on your get together. Supplies possess two distinct color attributes that should be chained collectively to successfully cross on distinctive traits and results. It could appear to be a easy match-the-colour system on the floor, however there are a ton of wrinkles and extra mechanics that up the complexity of crafting significantly.
Having a pleasant quantity of depth within the alchemy system is an Atelier hallmark, although this iteration’s tutorials don’t at all times do the very best job of explaining all of the need-to-know ins and outs. This opaqueness will be irritating, particularly as a couple of battles within the mid-to-late recreation ramp up the problem to check your crafting mastery.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Docked)
You accumulate supplies by exploring places and progressing by means of a slew of floor-based dungeons with procedurally generated interiors that change upon every go to. The act of accumulating supplies primarily boils right down to hitting a button to immediately harvest helpful stuff with ease. You possibly can collect one handful of things after one other inside seconds, and having a continuing inflow of precious components added to your basket is pure dopamine.
For his or her half, battles have returned to a turn-based format from earlier Atelier titles. Right here, you management the actions of as much as three get together members in your frontline. Many of the style staples are current — every character has their very own stats and skillsets (which will be expanded and improved by way of a talent tree or levelling up), they usually can use their flip to carry out an element-based assault or use an merchandise. Enemies have elemental resistances and weaknesses that may be exploited to briefly stun them. Social gathering members who act in succession may comply with up one another’s actions with additional assaults.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Docked)
The fundamentals of fight could also be easy, however Atelier Resleriana additionally contains a number of key mechanics that preserve battles feeling dynamic and recent. Arguably the largest is the presence of a visual flip timeline à la Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which you should use to plan out your technique a number of strikes upfront, and even manipulate to vary flip timings and procure sure bonus results. Figuring out when to schedule an Interruption motion for a free merchandise use or deciding which goal to steal an impact from on their subsequent projected flip provides a complete extra layer to battles.
In the meantime, the Multi-Motion mechanic permits you to spend gathered Technical Factors to present an energetic combatant and two of your non-active get together members an opportunity to carry out an motion in a single fell swoop earlier than swapping out the primary fighter for somebody on the again line. This twist permits you to carry out some fairly devastating combos whereas holding all your get together members related and concerned.
There are extra battle mechanics to mess around with moreover these, however the level is that Atelier Resleriana’s fight is a pleasant mix between basic turn-based RPG fare and more energizing ideas that encourage additional technique and optimisation.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Docked)
Lastly, there’s the city enchancment system, which centres round administration of Rias’ store, Mistletoe Miscellaneous. Right here, you may inventory gadgets you’ve synthesised, rent fairies as workers, and customise the inside to your liking. Because the store sells wares, you may each flip a revenue and stage up varied elements of Hallfein.
It’s additionally potential to enhance the city by taking up non-compulsory facet quests and partaking in different actions round city. Sure outlets, gadgets, and customer characters grow to be accessible as Hallfein grows, however seeing the struggling locale’s situation visibly enhance over the course of the sport gives a rewarding sense of development in itself.
On that be aware, I fairly loved the restrained and laid-back nature of the story. Whereas it’s not with out its high-stakes moments and occasional twists to maintain issues fascinating, Rias and Slade’s journey feels refreshingly quaint with a larger emphasis on character dynamics. It helps that the primary solid is made up of supremely likeable and charming individuals who come alive due to fluid animation work and fully-voiced cutscenes.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Docked)
The individuals you meet are compassionate and keen to lend a serving to hand far as a rule, and it’s simple to root for the staff as they rally behind Hallfein’s restoration. It will not be everybody’s tonal cup of tea, however the entire thing simply comes off as very nice and earnestly candy with out falling into saccharine territory.
You will spend a complete lot of time with these characters, too, with an ample quantity of cutscenes each all through the primary story and inside non-compulsory character episodes and facet quests. These story segments are typically pleasant for the explanations described above, though there actually are a ton of them, and they are often moderately long-winded at instances.
Cutscenes are additionally simple to set off, even if you don’t intend to. Going to a sure space or chatting with a sure character may cause a number of cutscenes to stack, routinely taking part in out one after one other and bringing progress to a screeching halt. Suffice to say, there are many spans when all you are able to do is ready down the controller and watch issues play out.
Captured on Nintendo Change (Docked)
It’s additionally value mentioning that each the primary story and facet content material characteristic a bunch of returning characters from Atelier historical past who make up a lot of the major and supporting solid, together with the majority of your get together members. Fortunately, the sport doesn’t let this crossover ingredient overpower the core narrative and successfully introduces everybody with out a lot confusion. That mentioned, you’ll undoubtedly get way more out of all of the little nods and references embedded within the story when you’re conversant in earlier entries.
You will even be relieved to listen to that Atelier Resleriana seems on Change with out egregious efficiency concessions. The sport ran at what seemed to be a rock-solid 30 frames per second all through my playthrough, which feels fluid sufficient to suit its moment-to-moment gameplay.
Visuals have undoubtedly taken the best hit, as it may well get fairly blurry and jaggy in handheld mode. Fortunately, the stylised artwork course shines by means of even within the messier moments. Atelier Resleriana on Change will not be as sharp or as easy as it’s on different platforms, nevertheless it nonetheless performs simply effective and stands as a more-than-viable model.
Conclusion
Between a restrained scope and construction that harkens again to the Atelier video games of previous, a bevvy of recent gameplay twists to name its personal, and a metric ton of fanservice for veterans, Atelier Resleriana: The Crimson Alchemist & the White Guardian looks like a triumphant celebration of the whole collection’ legacy.
Extra importantly, it’s only a actually nice RPG expertise. Appropriately, it mixes collectively a bunch of high quality components — a heartwarming narrative, strategic and dynamic turn-based fight, complicated crafting techniques — and synthesises them right into a jolly little romp of an journey. There’s actually a bump within the highway or two, however the trip is simply too pleasant to linger on these for lengthy.
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