Atelier Ryza: An Enjoyable, Unfinished JRPG Love Story

Why my first cherished JRPG series will remained incomplete AND deeply loved.

The Atelier Ryza series captured my heart with its charming characters and idyllic summer adventures. Fresh off the (admittedly bumpy) experience with Atelier Lydie & Suelle, Ryza’s story felt like a breath of fresh air.

Ryza, our enthusiastic alchemist-in-training, embarks on a delightful coming-of-age journey with her friends. Each game follows a summer break filled with exploration, discovery, and of course, alchemy!

• Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout (2019): This first entry throws Ryza and her friends into a lighthearted adventure. They explore a forbidden island, encounter a mysterious light source, and learn the wonders of alchemy. This game was the top grossing video game in Koei Tecmo Gust’s Atelier series. It achieved this title by reaching over 420,000 units in total shipments and digital sales.
• Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy (2020): Three years later, Ryza’s curiosity leads her to investigate ancient ruins connected to alchemy. The journey expands beyond her island home to the bustling royal capital. The second installment’s credit song, “Hands” by Kotone, still evokes a wave of nostalgia. Highly recommend this game as a stand-alone game if you are interested in Ryza at all. This entry, with its charming cast of characters, remains my favorite.

Where, I feel, Ryza 3 Went Wrong

After being hyped for our heroine’s finale, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (2023), I was unfortunately disappointed in several ways:

• From Cozy to Colossal: While Ryza 1 and 2 thrived on intimate island adventures, Ryza 3 throws you into a sprawling world map. This ambitious approach felt overwhelming and lacked the focused exploration I cherished.
• New Systems, Less Comfort: The familiar alchemy and combat systems I mastered in the first two games were entirely overhauled in Ryza 3. Learning new mechanics can be fun, but here it felt excessive, hindering a smooth return to the gameplay I enjoyed.
• Open World, Empty Connections: The open world design felt vast and empty compared to the meticulously detailed areas of the previous games. This vastness also impacted character interactions. The high-stakes plot left little room for the lighthearted character bonding that drew me into the series.
• Lighthearted to Looming Threat: Ryza 1 and 2 balanced lighthearted humor with heartwarming friendship. Ryza 3’s dark and serious tone, including the unsettling mystery of Ryza’s internal voices, felt like a bunch of writing pieced together and overall missed the mark of being good and captivating.

Because of the combination of the above, I decided to put down the game and live with the eternal summer the previous games gave me. The Atelier Ryza series offered a delightful escape into adventures and the magic of alchemy. While Ryza 3 strayed from the formula I loved, the first two games will always hold a special place in my heart and will get a recommendation from me any time. Come for the story, stay for the light-hearted gameplay and loveable thighs.