Since 2019, Ryza represented a new phase Workshop, giving a notable breath of fresh air to the franchise and bringing more and more unaccustomed people into what had been a niche saga starting from the original chapter (which will be re-proposed this summer with a remake ). We tried Ryza 3 studio preview and we’re here to tell you about his first hour of gameplay in anticipation of the release of the March 24th.
Already from its full title that is Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Keythis third episode of the adventures of Reisalin Stout is proposed as a conclusion of the vicissitudes begun with Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout and the next Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. The game is in fact set just one year after the second episode and immediately shows a certain dependence on the events of the previous chapters, with references to events or their implication. This factor, it should be specified, never completely prevents you from approaching the story, but it is good to keep it in mind in case you are completely new to Ryza.
To make a link to the events of the games that preceded it, will be the appearance of a series of named islands Kark, which seem to be connected to mysterious earthquakes that will begin to afflict the region. It will therefore be our task to get back on the road together with our trusted companions and discover the last secret of this trilogy.
Never change a winning team
Ryza 3 studio immediately presents itself with an aesthetic and a technical side not dissimilar from the second episode, with visual changes present mostly in facial animations and movements, as well as lighting that seemed to be at least improved and which enhances the game environments. The same goes for fights, whose only and significant changes are in the presentation of the interface and in a greater fluidity of movementsbut without upsetting the base: you cannot move in battle and all that must be done is to combine attacks, skills wisely and overwhelm the enemy by exploiting the moments in which our companions attack.
Speaking of companions: it will make many happy to know that, as always, there will be many well-known faces to accompany us on our travels, first of all Bos And Taofaithful friends of Ryza. Right from the start, the characters will be immersed in the center of the action and although there is the usual venal sin of Japanese games in introducing many (and too many) tutorials, it cannot be said that the game does not have a good pace, at least in the first hour where we played. In fact, almost immediately we will be left free to explore the island of Kurken with a certain autonomy and approach different ways to achieve the first objectives.
Reacclimate with the alchemical system (again, not too different from what we have seen in the past), the fights, the collection of ingredients and the exploration of an interesting but above all vast world with rare loading areas if you stay in the same place, gives the impression that Ryza 3 studio is more of a more of the same of the previous ones, or to put it in different words an enhanced version of the first two chaptersa choice perhaps made not only to differentiate it from other parallel games such as Sophie’s studio, which instead uses turn-based battles, but also to keep the identity of this trilogy intact. Therefore, those who expected a substantial change from the first two will perhaps be disappointed.
Bigger and more beautiful?
The expansion of the world and the greater ambition that has already transpired from this hour of play will hopefully then be reflected in the full title. In this case, the attention to detail and the improvement of many small aspects that speed up some steps are noteworthy: Ryza moves and collects ingredients slightly faster, transitions to battles are instantaneous and movements within them are also faster and smoother. Also in this case those who hoped for a graphic leap could turn up their noses since apart from the aforementioned tweaks there are no substantial changes. The game looks good, the world and the characters that inhabit it are colorful and alive, but there are some points that are less well-maintained than others or even more “empty”.
The version we tested on PC also had no notable frame drops, always remaining around 60. Even if there were any, any problems of this nature will in all probability be addressed and resolved at release, with dedicated patches. And that says it all, considering that this chapter has so far given the impression of being slightly larger than what we saw in the first and second and although to understand it with certainty it will be necessary to explore the whole game, at first glance we could say that Ryza 3 studio it really has the potential to be the definitive chapter in this trilogy.
The first hour also featured a greater balance between story, exploration, and combat crafting following the pacing issues encountered at certain points in previous games. Once again, it is too early to be able to say anything definitive, but the road taken seems to be the right one. Counting that at least eleven characters in the group have already been confirmed, we also expect to see some variety in the action and new ideas brought to the table. Quantity does not necessarily mean quality, but the effort of taste to add novelties is commendable, therefore it will remain to untie the knot on the genuineness of these additions.
Conclusions
This one hour game of Ryza 3 studio it gave us a rough idea of what we could expect in a month and if the promises will be kept we could find ourselves in front of the most interesting of the chapters that make up this trilogy. The fluidity of the action and the amount of things to do and explore were the things that struck the most, while they turn up their noses in a technical sector almost identical to the past and few innovations in general.
If instead all you wanted from this third chapter was a simple upgrade, but with a new story and familiar characters, then we feel you’ve probably come to the right place. Now we just have to wait for March 24 to discover the true colors of the final adventure of Ryza!
In Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, players will investigate a strange group of islands and explore various regions as they attempt to unravel a mysterious new threat in their hometown. During their adventure, they will be able to play randomly generated missions, but they will also be able to come across a new type of missions, the World Quests. By completing them, each specific to the regions they traverse, players will learn more about the territories and colorful characters they encounter along their way. The third game of the popular “Secret” trilogy is coming up Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC via Steam.
Buy Ryza 3 studio For Playstation 4 or Nintendo Switch following this link at the price of €59.99. Support Akiba Gamers by purchasing the game on Amazon through this box!
#Atelier #Ryza #Alchemist #Secret #Key #Tested