Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key Reviews
Despite the simple combat and some story issues at times, Atelier Ryza 3 offers an engaging gameplay loop that never gets boring.
Atelier Ryza 3 feels like a generational leap due to the expanded world, refined battle mechanics, intensive alchemy system, and overall scope and direction.
Atelier Ryza 3: The Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key is the culmination of the entirety of Atelier Ryza. It is a fantastic conclusion and adds a lot of QoL mechanics that make it a great experience.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key doesn't completely rewrite the series' rules, so much as expand and improve on them. It's still a relaxing traipse with Ryza and friends, but evokes a sense of nostalgia and hope for the future.
Atelier Ryza 3 is a wonderfully cheerful celebration of everything there is to love about modern JRPGs. Its gorgeously realised world is filled to the brim with quirky characters, vibrant environments, and a whole lot of charm. While its many interlocking systems (which are taught through tutorials that prove simultaneously verbose and unhelpful) may prove a barrier for newer players, persistence and a sense of curiosity are rewarded with a rich and deeply satisfying level of mastery. The core gameplay features – exploration, combat, synthesis, and key creation – feed into each other in a delicious loop that is at once addictive and relaxing. Atelier Ryza 3 is a joyous, cosy romp that will delight any JRPG fan looking for something refreshing.
Atelier Ryza 3 doesn’t fix what’s most broken but compensates by presenting a vast world to explore. Newcomers and veterans alike will find a mountain of content to enjoy.
Compelling world-building and a great amount of freedom make Atelier Ryza 3 worth experiencing.
It will be interesting to see what will happen to the Atelier series going forward, now that Ryza's chapter comes to an end after this entry.
Atelier Ryza 3 certainly does have depth below its pretty surface – having said that, it is unfortunate that you'll be diving into that depth without adequate assistance on the gameplay side of things. It's funny how in some way, playing the game actually brought me right back to my uneducated thoughts about the series before experiencing it – the characters and aesthetics really are the best parts, or at least the easiest parts to like. For better and for worse, the backbone of the Atelier Ryza 3 experience is its complex crafting system – so if that sounds appealing, I think you'll have a good time with the game. Even when taking that away though, it's still a pretty decent JRPG with fun characters, a beautiful overworld to traverse and a good amount of content to keep you busy.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is the pinnacle of the series and possibly one of the best Atelier games ever made. Its revolutionary open-world changes not only greatly improve the core gameplay experience, but also fill in the previously empty spaces of the game. The alchemy system in this game has also gained greater freedom due to the open world and key system. If you are a veteran of the series, you can easily skip the early game tutorial. New players can also gradually experience the joy of progressing and becoming stronger through the alchemy process.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
The third chapter of Atelier Ryza is a pleasant adventure to say goodbye to Reisalin Stout and all her friends, until we figure out what the future of the gaming franchise will be.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Atelier Ryza 3 improves upon its predecessors in a warm sendoff to Ryza and friends.
So in closing, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key is a wonderful addition to an enjoyable franchise. The characters are fleshed out nicely and fully developed with long-lasting and strong relationships.
After spending several dozen hours in this world, I can say Atelier Ryza 3 is a fantastic send off for these characters. The world is more enjoyable to explore than ever, the alchemy systems are more refined and as deep as you want them to be, and the combat is satisfying even if it can be a bit daunting to learn at first.
In Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and The Secret Key, there's plenty of systems to min/max to your heart's content, and fans will enjoy getting to hang out with the cast one final time. While I wish things were perhaps a bit more compact, most will enjoy the expansive world and plethora of experiences to have, even if the text is more than a little hard to read. This finale to Ryza's summer adventures is nonetheless a worthwhile journey for fans to embark on.
Even though Atelier Ryza 3 hasn't changed much compared to the previous entries in the series, it is still an emotional experience that gives the fans a memorable ending.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Atelier Ryza 3 is a step towards the right direction and a solid conclusion to Ryza's story, they refined every aspect that made the series special and refined it to give us an exceptional expereince, but the quests design and the outdated crafting system is what's holding it back
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Atelier Ryza 3 should be the final chapter for Ryza, and it’s a fine send-off. It’s a game in which nostalgia plays a key thematic role, and has been made for nostalgic Atelier fans first and foremost. I know this probably sounds like faint praise, but Atelier is my favourite JRPG series and Ryza 3 is a perfectly fine game in that context. Hence the store. It’s just that, more than anything else, I dearly hope that after the next Marie remake, Gust settles down to give us new stories, new adorable alchemist girls, and some new ideas again.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is the natural and definitive evolution of this series, ending the journey of Ryza and her friends in a fantastic way. A comfortable and fun RPG in equal measure, it tweaks the formula enough to keep it distinct yet still familiar to longtime fans of the series that were waiting for the conclusion of the Secret trilogy.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is a comfy and cute game. It's one more trip with Ryza and her friends, with mostly familiar mechanics and locations, but there are enough new twists to make it a worthwhile revisit. The only real complaint I can give is that the Key mechanic is poorly implemented, but even that is a case of missed potential rather than anything that's actively bad. If you like Atelier, it's easy to like Atelier Ryza 3.