This is a fine addition to the world of the Atelier series, and perhaps even a good entry point for the lot coming into the Atelier world. I know a lot of people had said the same thing about Atelier Sophie, but I think it's more true for this game.

I really enjoyed the quality of life improvements like better travel management and intuitive gathering which is some of the most generous in the series. My favorite part of the game is the alchemy, which I feel is a much more polished and fun version of Lulua's. Creative minds can easily abuse the alchemy system and create overpowered builds, which I insist is the best part of any Atelier alchemy, and any way to reach that end game faster is, in my opinion, better.

The battle system is a radical shift from what I've played previously, and although it takes a bit of learning to understand what is happening at first, it's really just a junked up version of the turn based system that is familiar with the series. I can't really say if this is a good change or not, but it is refreshing to see something different done to the battle system.

I believe that characters are the most important part of any Atelier game, and the cast of Ryza are mostly grounded and full of personality, which makes them easily likable and easy to sympathize with. There are characters like the Brunnen family that seem a bit cheesy, but nothing wrong with a cliche. I felt that seeing each character grow from where they started to where they ended was quite rewarding and incredibly emotional. I truly felt connected and sympathetic to their growth, which hits the mark just right in a character-centric series like this.

The game isn't without its faults though; the most prominent of which I can think of is the grind. You may find yourself gathering for resources more often despite the generosity of this game, but I think that part is a give or take. There is also the interesting decision of no multiple endings; only a single ending and I say that as a negative because that is not something expected of an Atelier game. That decision, however, may ultimately be better as the series moves forward to more linear storytelling instead of the progression based system that was popular with the Arland series.

Ultimately, this is a wonderful addition to the series and I would really recommend this to anyone just looking to relax and enjoy themselves. Take it for a spin, you may find yourself enjoying the game more than you expected.

This is a fine addition to the world of the Atelier series, and perhaps even a good entry point for the lot coming into the Atelier world. I know a lot of people had said the same thing about Atelier Sophie, but I think it's more true for this game. I really enjoyed the quality of life improvements like better travel management and intuitive gathering which is some of the most generous in the series. My favorite part of the game is the alchemy, which I feel is a much more polished and fun version of Lulua's. Creative minds can easily abuse the alchemy system and create overpowered builds, which I insist is the best part of any Atelier alchemy, and any way to reach that end game faster is, in my opinion, better. The battle system is a radical shift from what I've played previously, and although it takes a bit of learning to understand what is happening at first, it's really just a junked up version of the turn based system that is familiar with the series. I can't really say if this is a good change or not, but it is refreshing to see something different done to the battle system. I believe that characters are the most important part of any Atelier game, and the cast of Ryza are mostly grounded and full of personality, which makes them easily likable and easy to sympathize with. There are characters like the Brunnen family that seem a bit cheesy, but nothing wrong with a cliche. I felt that seeing each character grow from where they started to where they ended was quite rewarding and incredibly emotional. I truly felt connected and sympathetic to their growth, which hits the mark just right in a character-centric series like this. The game isn't without its faults though; the most prominent of which I can think of is the grind. You may find yourself gathering for resources more often despite the generosity of this game, but I think that part is a give or take. There is also the interesting decision of [spoiler]no multiple endings; only a single ending[/spoiler] and I say that as a negative because that is not something expected of an Atelier game. That decision, however, may ultimately be better as the series moves forward to more linear storytelling instead of the progression based system that was popular with the Arland series. Ultimately, this is a wonderful addition to the series and I would really recommend this to anyone just looking to relax and enjoy themselves. Take it for a spin, you may find yourself enjoying the game more than you expected.