REVIEW : Atelier Sophie 2 (PS5)
Because the Atelier games are a somewhat obscure Japanese RPG series, it may surprise people to learn that they’ve been around for 25 years, with 23 core titles plus a slew of upgraded ports and subsidiary games. To commemorate this remarkable feat, Gust has decided to revisit and continue the narrative of one of the game’s earlier alchemists, Sophie, who is always happy and pleasant.
Sophie is desperate to pass the alchemy test and also discover a means to restore Plachta to her natural form in Atelier Sophie 2, which begins shortly after the previous game. But nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and the two soon find themselves swept through a gateway into a dream realm.
This realm appears to have been established by the goddess Elvira, who has the capacity to peek into people’s dreams and welcomes them into her world if she likes what she sees. But something weird has happened: Sophie was not invited, and when she arrives, she discovers that Plachta has vanished, despite having fallen through the portal at the same moment. Thankfully, the locals were able to help.
While some of the plot twists are predictable, the narrative is handled with such flair that it’s difficult not to relax and enjoy the journey. Especially since everyone of your new acquaintances are so endearing, and getting to know them as well as assisting them with their own personal issues is a true delight.
Because the plot is so different from the original, you don’t need to have played the first game or any of the others in the Mysterious trilogy to enjoy it. There are some references to previous events and people, but it’s easy to catch up thanks to a helpful recap video available from the main menu. There’s also a helpful Guide that includes an encyclopedia-style index.
In the dream world, there’s a lot to see and do, and you’ll be spending a lot of your time gathering materials, fighting creatures, and, of course, practising alchemy.
Things have obviously improved since the original game, with more more detailed and bright environments to explore. They also adopt several gameplay features from Atelier Ryza, such as the requirement to create specialised instruments in order to harvest resources from certain locations, such as a fishing rod for gathering materials from water or a slingshot for gathering materials from trees.
There are also unique gathering areas that light and allow you to participate in a minigame. Each tool has a distinct minigame to play, but they all effectively allow you to try to create something new.
The alchemic system is identical to the original, in that each material has a unique shape and elemental type, which you must arrange on a grid. The finished object can have a wide range of effects and quality levels depending on how full the grid is and which pieces are employed. There are also additional complexity, such as the use of catalysts to modify the grid size or the linking of materials to magnify the effects.
Alchemy is a problem in which even the sequence in which components are placed may make a major impact in the eventual result. You’ll be able to make very strong armour and weapons as you get access to better raw materials and have a better knowledge of the system.
It’s a really versatile system, and trying to get the greatest metrics on everything you design can be rather addicting. If you don’t want to micromanage every step of the alchemy process, you can just go ahead and auto-add ingredients. The finished results will never be as excellent as doing it yourself, but it’s a good choice if you only need a few items to complete a task.
Alchemy may also be utilised to make unique stones that affect the weather while you’re out exploring. This has an effect on not just the appearance of the place, but also the items you may collect and the creatures you’ll meet.
It may also radically alter the environment’s layout; for example, if you activate the sunny effect, you may be able to dry out a river, allowing you to travel to the other side. Exploring the planet and seeing what new things you may find as you acquire access to additional weather effects is a genuine joy.
Of course, while you go about exploring, you’ll come upon a slew of creatures. Instead of the speedier, more aggressive combat system employed in Atelier Ryza, combat has returned to a more traditional turn-based approach. It’s a rather simple system, but there are a few fascinating elements, such as the ability to flip between a front and back row of characters.
You’ll be able to earn TP points, which will allow characters in the back to shield those in the front while also allowing them to team up to conduct powerful Twin Attacks. Even while the fighting isn’t very creative, most bouts are rather short, and it’s always entertaining to utilise your alchemic materials to blow up foes.
When you’re not investigating your friend’s disappearance or exploring the dream world, there are lots of other things to do. There’s always something fresh and intriguing to do, whether it’s studying new alchemy formulas, acquiring new abilities, gaining friendship levels, or taking on requests from the locals. Some of the side activities feel like busywork, such as “kill X amount of monsters” or “create Y item,” but most chores can be accomplished as you go through the tale, and you can simply skip anything that doesn’t appeal to you. Atelier Sophie 2 vastly improves upon the previous game in every way. It offers a far more engaging plot, several heartfelt character interactions, and a plethora of side activities to keep you occupied. It’s a terrific way to commemorate 25 years of Atelier games by becoming a master alchemist and exploring this colourful dream world.
Atelier Sophie 2 is a world apart from the first in terms of visuals, but it does appear a touch old in spots. There are certain components of the game that aren’t especially stunning, such as the blocky tree foliage and flat building texturing, but the character models are all really appealing.
