Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout Reviews
With its delightful novelties and visual improvements, Atelier Ryza would have been a must-have if only Gust had put more effort into its characters, story, and building a more interesting world in general.
Atelier Ryza is an excellent addition to the Atelier game series. A fresh new world, complex crafting system, and a new real-time battle system all work together creating a very compelling game. Combine that with the traditional Atelier heartwarming story as well as a magical setting and you have a JRPG that is well worth your time and money.
Even if you’ve never played an Atelier game before, Atelier Ryza is one worth jumping into.
Atelier Ryza is the best Atelier game to date, with some much-needed improvements that make for a more compelling package on the whole.
All in all, Atelier Ryza is a welcome breath of fresh air for the series with its overhauling of core mechanics, as well as its visuals – which look better than ever. This is yet another excellent game in the series, and makes me feel like Gust is thinking of ways to refine the formula even more.
Atelier Ryza is a great starting point for the series for those who have yet to bite the bullet. It kicks off a new saga and changes the formula enough to keep veterans of the series interested as well as attract a new crowd. If you're thinking of buying a relaxing JRPG on your console of choice to unwind after a long day, this is the title to pick up.
Big booties aside, the easiest way to sum up Atelier Ryza is: an absolutely great game framework, waiting for a game. The battles are interesting enough, the gathering okay, and the alchemy very good, but it all fails to connect on a purposeful or coherent level. With no driving narrative or reason, pretty rapidly the whole point becomes to simply battle, gather, alchemize, repeat; all of which fails to pull the player into something deep or meaningful. The is a great casual-friendly title, but it lacks any serious staying power.
Overall I came away from Atelier Ryza very impressed and I think longtime fans and newcomers will be very happy with this game. The change to a more real-time combat system is good choice to me as it made battles far more engaging. Likewise some of the changes to the alchemy system make it more approachable to series newcomers while still having depth for those who are into this franchise. The graphics are beautiful and the story was satisfying despite taking a bit to get going. A few things here and there can be improved but overall this is an excellent new entry in this long running JRPG series.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is a solid by-the-books Atelier title. It does everything pretty well, and its only real flaws are a somewhat lackluster story and an overall low difficulty level. If you like the Atelier titles, then you'll like this one, and if you're interested in getting into the franchise, this is a solid starting point. There's no lack of Atelier games to play, but Ryza is one of the more enjoyable ones available. Besides, who doesn't like crafting a bomb so powerful that it blows up a dragon?
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout bring plenty of changes to the series that make it an enjoyable experience for long time fans and newcomers alike.
Atelier Ryza is a journey about making the best of the here and now, and it is beautiful to behold for it. I felt incredibly engaged every step of the way, wanting to see the game through. I hope that this is the beginning of an engrossing new trilogy.
While keeping most of the series traditions, Atelier Ryza manages to stay fresh by making just enough changes to its gameplay that it doesn't outstay its welcome. This might not be the best game in the series, but it is one of the most enjoyable ones.
I didn't think it would be possible, but Gust really has managed to craft three completely different Atelier games through 2018 - one for the traditionalists, one pushing new ground, and one purely for the fans - and all three have, in their own way, been of the astoundingly high quality and spirit that has made Atelier my favourite JRPG franchise for quite a few years now.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout not only does enough to differentiate itself from the most recent games of the series, but also puts it firmly as one of - if not the best - titles in the 22 years of the franchise, using all of its strongest points to deliver a memorable experience.
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In the grand scheme of things, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hidout is just another entry in the series, which doesn't have what it takes to be declared the absolute best amongst its many siblings. That said, and although a little more emphasis in alchemy and storytelling, as well as a more open-ended structure would be more than welcome, this is definitely one of the best Atelier titles ever. It's an immersive, beautiful, and relaxing journey, which smells like summer and childhood adventure.
With so many JRPGs remaining stagnant or trying to appeal to the masses, Atelier Ryza stands tall amongst its peers as a truly amazing experience.
I don’t know how Gust managed to go from one style of Atelier game to another in the span of a year, but they managed to pull off quite the fun adventure, one that manages to refine the alchemy mechanics to make them more addicting, and being a perfect game that works great for getting back into no matter how long you take a break or get distracted from it!
When all is said and done, Atelier Ryza offers a magical, slow-paced, feast for the eyes that isn’t lacking in heart.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout changes quite a few mechanics around for the better and its charming protagonist help a slow starting story pull together.
A franchise with soul and innocence, along with heart and confidence; certainly to admire and cherish. It’s whimsically charming, while pushing certain boundaries of narrative and character development within its respective arc, all while doing its best to progress and tell a tale of this young girl that only wanted to take a trip to the mainland, but was met with the task of saving an entire universe from corruption. An alluring fairytale, and one I will no doubt appreciate for years to come.