Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy Reviews
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a great early entry for 2021 and an unmissable gem for JRPG fans.
Atelier Ryza 2 is a great addition to the Atelier series, bound to please long-time fans and hook in newcomers. Featuring a colourful cast of characters, an interesting mystery to unfold, and fun crafting features, it's a joy to sink hour upon hour into. While it does have its shortcomings, they are easily forgiven by how entrancing the rest of the game is.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy marks the very first direct sequel in Atelier's twenty-three years old history. Bringing back Reisalin Stout makes perfect sense and the game benefits from Reisalin and her cheery cast of compatriots. With a light-hearted story taking you on an adventure in a genuinely great-looking and enjoyable to explore environments, you'll also find yourself pulled in by an enhanced battle system, made even more tactical than before. The constantly returning alchemy is also joined by a system that I'm going to call memory archaeology, helping to develop the new main character as well as the history of the game's world. Either way, this is a very enjoyable outing and one that will no doubt keep Reisalin as a fan-favourite character in what is arguably one of, if not the best game in the Atelier series.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a worthy sequel with a cool cast of characters and an intersting story to boot, which is great for all the newcommers.
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Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a strong entry in the series and is an improvement on the previous game. It introduces new mechanics that fit well within the context of the story without feeling like they were forcibly implemented just for the sake of it, while also refining existing core gameplay elements. While I’m not entirely satisfied with a change, or lack thereof, here and there, this game is certainly worth your time, especially if you enjoyed Ryza’s first adventure.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy is a brilliant sequel that expands upon everything that made the original great, while forging a path forward that can be further expanded upon in the trilogy's final chapter.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy takes everything good about Gust's 2019 Atelier adventure and further refines it, resulting in the best entry in the long-running franchise to date. This may still be a relatively small-scale, old-fashioned JRPG experience, but it's one that's full of heart, great characters, slick combat and some excellent new ruin-based dungeons. Anyone looking for a relaxed and enchanting JRPG to sink their time into should definitely check this one out.
Anyone who loves the Atelier Ryza – or the Atelier series in general – is going to love this game. The slight tweaks that the sequel makes to the combat and alchemy improve upon the already solid fast-paced JRPG turn-based combat known to the series without changing what already worked. Combine that with the vast setting and all there is to do in it, and you’ve got a solid recipe for an Atelier title.
Overall, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is what you'd expect from a sequel. It builds on the base, continues Ryza's adventure, and holds true to what players love about the franchise. The performance boost found on the PlayStation 5 is welcome, as is the more dynamic gameplay, though it is still going to be an adventure that appeals to that specific demographic. If that is fine, odds are you'll have a blast seeing what the future holds for Ryza, whereas everyone else might want to sit this one out.
This sequel to an already-decent entry in the Atelier franchise makes improvements in just about every area, giving fans good reason to reunite with Ryza and pals for another alchemy-filled adventure
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy overshadows its monotonous alchemy system with a fitting combination of charm, exploration, and a dynamic, living world.
Although it occasionally gets bogged down under its own ambition, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy is consistently surprising and fun. It may lack the melodrama and heroics of most JRPGs, but it still offers a lengthy campaign full of compelling combat and exploration.
The slow beginning of the first Ryza game is remedied somewhat here, and the ability to fast-travel from anywhere to almost anywhere else is pure bliss. The story's lighter fare, doubly so for the side quests, won't appeal to everyone, but the solid battle system, intuitive but deep crafting system, and decent overall gameplay loop were all enough to hold my attention and then some. Even though the concoction might not have come out perfect, it absolutely Ryza's to the occasion.
While Atelier Ryza 2 won't set your world on fire, it does serve as comfort food for JRPG fans looking for a fix. However, those who aren't fans of the genre should stay far, far away.
Although I’ve picked apart several problems with Atelier Ryza 2, the bottom line is that they’re all minor issues. Rarely does anything detract from the joy of stepping into Ryza’s shoes and simply existing in this gorgeous world. There’s so much to do, and every element of the game – from exploring, to crafting, to combat – is immersive and rewarding. It’s a shame there’s no English voice acting, and a bit more direction would be helpful at times, but even with those faults, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy remains a delightful way to spend 40+ hours of your life.
While the question remains if Gust will stick with this formula when they eventually move away from titles staring Ryza, I personally hope they continue to revise and refine this model. If Ryza 1 caught my interest, then Ryza 2 definitely has my attention.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout was a great start, and Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy does an excellent job, for the most part, of building on what was already there. Is it perfect? No, it’s not. But that’s okay. Looking past the fact that this, plain and simple, is a fun game, Atelier Ryza 2 once again keeps my faith alive in GUST being on the mend. I don’t know if there’s going to be an Atelier Ryza 3, but I hope that there will be. And if there is, then I know that it will be even better than the two wonderful games that have made up the trilogy so far.
Ryza is back and, well, good news! If you liked her debut adventure, then you’re going to also love Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. It does a lot of what made the original game great. We have characters who are easy to love and face realistic problems. We have lots of materials to gather and things to make. There’s also more intrigue, since there are multiple ruins to explore. It’s also a lot more active than before though, with a new progression system for recipes, which might not be exactly what you’re looking for.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a great entry point for those unfamiliar with JRPGs but who would like to get acquainted with this perhaps mythical genre. At the same time, you also have to learn and put up with grinding, because now and then you will encounter bosses that are a bit too much for an under-leveled party. Thanks to the snappy combat, quick gameplay and easy traversal, you are back in the home base in no time for another go. Ryza’s bright attitude will rub on you and make it easier to go through chores and grinding of real life.
Atelier Ryza 2 is a fun game with a crafting system that easily ranks as one of the best among the series. It doesn't offer any major leap for a sequel and the story is rather lukewarm, but the engaging cast and addictive gameplay loop makes it easy to recommend to others.