Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream

[b] This was my first Atelier game! [/b] It's colourful & sweet, with charming characters, and funny moments throughout. [u] Story [/u] Unlike a lot of other JRPGs, you aren't a legendary god-hero on a grand quest to save the universe. You're just a girl who wants to craft stuff and help her friends. It's more low-key / gentle, while still very much fantasy. Despite the title, doesn't expect you to have played any earlier entries in the series. [u] Gameplay [/u] Between the exploration, gathering, alchemy, combat, and optimizing - There's honestly a surprising amount of depth in the gameplay. Personally, I quite enjoyed the little combinations and effects you can utilise in battles, and I enjoyed optimizing things during crafting to try and make the best items. A lot of the systems feed into each other and are relevant to each other, which is cool. The core loop is usually something like this, (but you don't really notice it when playing): -> Gather (explore, find materials) -> Discover (unlock new recipes) -> Synthesize (the alchemy puzzle!) -> Use (try out your new stuff during battles) [u] Summary [/u] I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a cosy game with a nice gameplay loop and a lovely little character-driven story!

Sophie 2 is the gold standard Atelier games should strive to be. It's only real flaw is that there is a bit to much of " Find issue > Go to the Atelier > make item > continue exploring" here. It's present in other games, but most of them either had these events happen at set intervals, like when you explore a ruin in ryza 2, or you had the Atelier accesible from the overworld map, making the issue feel less prevelant, even if these games had fast travel since Shallie. Aside from that, there really is nothing that annoys me in the slightest in this game. The cast is fun, and their designs are top notch. Synthesis here is probably at its best in the series. There is just the right amount of difficulty and control to make it fun. Side abbilities from partners are back, a feature we haven't seen since Mana Khemia 2, and that is fun. The story too is great here. It's a bit predictable, but that doesn't really matter. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that the game is a sequel, I'd say Sophie 2 is the best entry point into the Atelier franchice. There are a few games I'd say are better, but Sophie 2 is an easier game to get into. The game is also really fun to complete. The fact the encyclopedia is finally fully listed and scrollable is a gimmick I've been waiting for to return after only Iris 2 had it. All in all, a must play for any fan of the mysterious series, and a great game to start your chance with Atelier with. (Just be aware that there will be a few spoilers her for Sophie 1) 9/10

Alchemy part is fun and complex. The price is absurd as always. Get the game on discount if you want to