Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack: The Review of Ryza's Three JRPGs!

Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack: The Alchemist Triples Down!

The Atelier saga, developed by the Gust team, is one of the most prolific ever, to the point that if you start from the first Atelier Marie in 1997 and arrive to today, there are almost 30 JRPGs, all based on soft fantasy plots and settings, never too crude or violent, where alchemists, who give their names to the various episodes, are the protagonists. Alchemy is the focal point of this series that has continued, over the years, to offer a refined and elaborate crafting system made of collecting ingredients to combine for multiple results and objects of all kinds. The world of Atelier is divided into sagas linked to the various protagonists, and deluxe editions dedicated to individual narrative cycles have periodically been created, allowing players to catch up on all the adventures related to a specific alchemist in one go, in the most complete and improved version. The time has come to read our review of Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, which we tested for you on PlayStation 5, but is also available for PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. Naturally, we are talking about the three chapters dedicated to the alchemist Ryza: Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout (2019), Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy (2020), and Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (2023). 

These titles form a trilogy that follows the adventures of Ryza and her companions on a journey that, from a narrative point of view, evolves the protagonist's personality, who begins as an aspiring alchemist and undergoes a long growth process. At the same time, it sees a gameplay progression, where both the technical sector and the gameplay evolve until they reach their peak in the final chapter. The first question to ask concerns the novelties contained in these Deluxe editions, in order to understand how much they differ from the originals. Primarily, we are talking about generous content additions starting from all the DLC that the original games received during their editorial life: costumes, items, alchemical recipes, and even additional areas. There are also new playable characters in the party, and our companions receive side stories that are placed at the end of each of the three chapters, thus expanding the story and the depth of those who will help us in our adventure. We can play these additional chapters at any time, but it is strongly advisable to wait until the main plot of each Atelier is finished so as not to miss necessary pieces of the story to understand all events. There are also gameplay improvements, specifically on PS5 there are options related to the DualSense, and new graphical options are not lacking, but do not expect revolutions compared to the original products. 

Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack: Here's the Content

Each addition has a different weight, and while the available costumes are more aimed at fanservice or those who love to change their characters' looks, some narrative lines are particularly well-chosen, such as situations in the first episode that recall the third chapter, with a pleasant use of the plot. The addition of the ability to play with different zooms is also pleasant, allowing for a better enjoyment of the colorful visual impact. Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack presents itself as very interesting, but let's say right away that the main appeal is for those who have not yet laid hands on the original products, given that the additional content does not justify repeating a gameplay journey that, in its entirety, can range from 100/110 hours of play up to almost 200 for the most completionist gamers. Naturally, speaking of three games in one go, you must consider a large quantity of things to do, secondary quests, and optional activities that culminate in the possibility of creating real alchemy Ateliers in Ryza 3: you certainly won't get bored! I should point out that these DX versions replace the previous ones, so much so that upon their release, you will see the originals disappear from digital stores. There will not even be an upgrade package available to transform your old Atelier Ryza games into the Deluxe editions, so if you are madly in love with the saga and absolutely want to replay with Ryza, Tao, Klaudia, and company, you will have to pay the 89.99 euros requested for the complete package or 39.99 euros for the individual chapters. 

Furthermore, you won't even be able to import old save files, but if the game detects a save from an original title on your console, it will give you a certain number of resources to use in your alchemical sessions. In short, there are some limitations that could keep long-time fans away, while Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack is highly recommended for those who want to approach the world of Atelier through the main door thanks to one of its best sagas, with Atelier Ryza 3 representing one of the highest points of Gust's production. The evolution of Ryza's story is pleasant, starting from the beginnings of the protagonist's adventures and her approach to alchemy, up to increasingly mature themes and threats of ever-increasing magnitude to defeat, where the growth of the main character is also accompanied by an evolution of her companions. We are not talking about an unforgettable narrative, but the Atelier Ryza games are enjoyable to play, and despite the texts being in English (dubbing also in the original language), the complexity of the writing is accessible even to those who know the language at a slightly more than school level... of course, it would have been the perfect opportunity to add Italian, but once again we must surrender to the evidence: finding our language in a video game is increasingly rare..

Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack: How Does Gameplay Evolve?

Gameplay also undergoes an interesting evolution throughout the three games. The exploration phases are very similar, but as the episodes progress, the spaces expand, with Ryza 3 having a truly large, at times even sprawling, map. There are also mechanics that innovate, and while in Ryza 2 we can go underwater and climb, in Ryza 3 there is a very evolved fast travel system that makes longer journeys simpler compared to the fast travel of the first two episodes. Alchemy, the true heart of the game, is based on a crafting system where we will create recipes on diagrams that resemble chemical structures, where we insert raw materials and more or less valuable objects to create practically anything and always discover new formulas that will expand our knowledge of the subject. It starts from an already proven and satisfying base, but with Atelier Ryza 2 the system is further improved, with the addition of combinations between the various recipes. Arriving at Atelier Ryza 3, we witness what is most likely one of the best crafting systems in video games: recipe nodes multiply, there are options that streamline the creation process (even automatic, if desired), and some features like duplication, upgrading of already created items, and so on, are further improved. Among other things, the third chapter introduces the Secret Keys, special objects that, depending on their type, can facilitate the automatic movements mentioned above, help us in combat, or grant unique abilities in the alchemical phase.

Even the combat system undergoes a substantial evolution: it starts from an active turn-based system in Ryza 1 and arrives at an almost action mode in Ryza 3, with Ryza 2 acting as a bridge. Everything is based on the use of normal attacks that allow you to collect AP points which unlock special moves that can be combined to inflict more and more damage. If in the first episode everything is more linked to classic turns with pauses where it is possible to think about the move to make, in the third chapter the strategic foundation remains, but everything is more fluid and dynamic where you switch in real time from one party character to another, both for the three active ones and those "on the bench". Furthermore, by following the flow of combat and properly managing AP, you can land truly devastating and satisfying blows. Technically speaking, we must keep in mind that, although Ryza 3 comes extremely close to a triple-A production, the Atelier games continue to show some weaknesses from a graphical point of view which, despite a very pleasant character design, does not offer a flawless rendering, such as some stuttering or camera problems, and even the new graphical options fail to improve the situation. Of course, these are marginal flaws, but those looking for "top-tier graphics" will be disappointed, mainly with Ryza 1 which bears the weight of six years of age. The music grows with the protagonist, starting with light pieces up to the more epic soundtrack of the third chapter, where truly interesting tracks like "I'll Take You Down" or "Tear Cloud" stand out. 

Having reached the end of this long journey with Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, I can only reiterate how this is a golden opportunity to approach this fascinating world composed of three JRPGs suitable for those looking for more relaxed atmospheres compared to classic titles. It's a shame that little thought was given to long-time fans and more to newcomers, but the fact remains that if the Atelier universe has always intrigued you, you absolutely must not miss Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, keeping in mind that although the first and second episodes are a bit "aged," Atelier Ryza 3 alone is (almost) worth the price of admission.