Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg Reviews
Gust and Koei Tecmo achieved a great remake of Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg. They faithfully adapted the features of the original 1997 game while adding modernized gameplay, quality of life improvements, better graphics, and an endearing art direction. The JRPG combat system remains, though it may become repetitive later in the adventure, but exploration benefits from new features.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a nostalgic look into the beginnings of the long-running franchise. It's a simple game, but you can see the elements that would be carried on to later games and inspire other series. If you enjoy simple simulation titles, there's quite a bit to enjoy in Atelier Marie Remake, as the basic gameplay loop is addictive and well executed. However, that same simplicity may cause it to fall a bit flat to fans of the newer Atelier games, and it is a poor choice for a "beginner" entry. It's easy to see why this franchise managed to grab so many fans' attention, and if nothing else, this is a neat way to experience gaming history.
Thankfully the colour and humour of Atelier Marie prevent it from becoming dry, despite the clear parallel to real-world work structures. While the jury’s out on how appealing this will be to the Ryza fanbase (in particular), Marie Remake has been an opportunity for me, a hardcore Atelier fan that came to the party in the middle and who loves the “classical” approach to the series, to catch up with the game that started it all. I can see the progression from Marie to Rorona and beyond, and Gust has definitely gotten better at executing the core idea over the years, but even right back then, at the genesis of the series, Atelier has really been the most wholesome comfort food.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is an exciting re-release of the first game of a RPG series that demonstrates that shows for both new and old fans that many of the elements that captivated them were present from the very beginning. Despite being limited by all its simplicity, the title is a lot of fun during its relatively short length.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Arland, Dusk, Mysterious, Ryza/Secret) is self-contained, so it's not necessary to play Marie before those other games. However, for fans of the series it's fun to see where it all started and how much Gust got right from the start, considering this is still a very fun, breezy JRPG to play. It makes me hope that other games in the series can be brought to modern platforms and that the Atelier series can continue to thrive!.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a charming game with a delightfully simple premise. Though the game suffers from some finicky controls and a lack of complexity, the world and characters make up for many accidentally skipped cutscenes or days!
Although it takes an understandably simplistic approach to the familiar gameplay, there's so much to love about Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg that any fan of the series will absolutely adore almost every second of playtime.
Understanding its limitations and the path this remake wanted to follow, Atelier Marie is an easy recommendation for old-school audiences, being a historical reparation in which players on this side of the globe will finally get their hands on it after 25 years stuck in Japan. For beginners, starting with it may be a good option, but with reservations. Now, for those who have only played the Secret saga, it is a little difficult to recommend it, as its simplicity and the fact that it is more of a simulation than an RPG contrasts with Ryza's games, which may be weird to some players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, I did have fun with Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg. However, the lack of an immersive story was a significant letdown, especially for an RPG. The gameplay, while basic was entertaining, especially in the beginning when I was immersed in optimizing my gameplay. However, since things are quite simple, the game does not provide anything particularly noteworthy or enticing. This title is by no means bad, but it did not leave a strong impact on me.
Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg Remake is a fantastic game, it faithfully recaptures the original in a modern style while offering players a fine tuned gameplay experience without sacrificing its identity. The new soundtrack is excellent and the game takes a super streamlined approach with the well established formula of the series. This title may just be the best game in the series with its perfectly pitched length and tremendously addictive gameplay loop.
Atelier Marie Remake is a fantastic way to experience the long-running Atelier series' origins. The brisk navigation, detailed presentation, quality of life features, and consistent feeling of progress create a meaningful roleplaying experience.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is technically flawless, but gameplay-wise shows its age. The stiff mechanics from 1997 are hard to digest today, especially after the advancements seen in the Ryza trilogy. With limited longevity focused on replayability, it's for die-hard fans and those curious about its origins. Others might want to pass.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Faithful to the original game where it should be, renewed where it can make a difference, using a 3D world compared to the 2D original and a new, more relaxed game mode, but keeping the mechanics intact and as close to the source as possible. Not only will this remake be heartwarming material for fans of the Atelier series, it will be a charming welcome for newcomers as well.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Although a little lacking in content, it is a good entry point for players who have never dared with the franchise and are looking for the simplest gameplay of this, in addition to having a spectacular renewed visual section.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
This refresher course on the game that started a decades-long series may not be sitting at the top of the class, but it still earns high marks.
It’s got a great appeal and at the same time, doesn’t require a huge time investment. In a very busy year of games (and backlog), that’s a huge boon in my books. I pray that it does well enough that Gust will consider doing the next 4 games that never came across the ocean.
It can be daunting to take on another RPG in a year that’s already seen a hefty number of popular releases, but Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg might be the perfect palate cleanser if you’re burned out on 40+ hour adventures at this point. It’s not the longest RPG in the world, nor the most complex, but it does offer a charming adventure that also serves as a new starting point for the long-running series from developer Gust.
Atelier Marie Remake is a true Cozy Game, you can even play it in Unlimited mode, so that you as a player do not have to experience any stress. It is a game for gamers who love to collect and puzzle. If you are looking for a little more action and challenge? Then this game is not for you.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
"Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg" is a success that stays true to the 1997 classic and stands on its own in the modern gaming landscape.