Atelier Ryza 3, Worth to Buy?

We recently played Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key, a game from Gust's long-running JRPG franchise. The Ryza sub-series has become widely renowned and successful in its own right, and we wanted to see how Ryza 3 fares in comparison to its predecessors and whether it's enjoyable without prior Atelier experience.

The game wastes no time setting up, and we highly recommend watching the short recap movie. Ryza 3 regularly makes references to how the characters have grown up and matured, and you'll more easily understand their touching interactions as they reminisce about the past. The scenario moves quickly, throwing players into combat right away. Ryza then hears a voice that tells her to craft a mysterious key, which takes her on a path of discovery and mystery as she strives to save her home alongside familiar faces and new friends.

Just like every other Atelier game, you'll traverse maps in order to reach objectives like meeting NPCs, reaching a landmark, or taking out an enemy. You still gather ingredients to craft items to complete quests or turn fights in your favor, but Ryza 3 truly takes this progression to the next level. Each area is expansive with interconnected subsections, which almost makes prior Atelier games feel constrained in comparison. Quests often require a fair amount of travel, and more importantly, you have plenty of freedom to explore off the beaten path.

Scene transitions are seamless, whether you're exiting a building or taking a boat to another region. Dialogue and cutscene transitions are particularly snappy. The game is visually breathtaking with plenty of luminous natural detail that stretches out into the horizon, and the characters are bold and expressive with more details than ever before. Ryza 3 feels like the first Atelier title to truly leverage the PlayStation 5's capabilities as the game runs smoothly at 4K 60.

Other aspects help the game feel smooth and briskly paced. Optional random requests frequently spawn, which allow you to earn rewards without digging into requests in town. When you need to craft an item for the next quest, it conveniently always shows up at the top of the alchemy list. On-screen hints are unobtrusive, and most importantly, Ryza gathers ingredients extremely quickly and can even do so while moving. There are also plenty of checkpoints, so you can easily warp as need be.

However, certain features feel a bit off. Navigating the world and area maps doesn't feel quite as seamless as it could be. The minimap size could feel a bit awkward, as it's either small or overlaps the entire middle of the screen. You'll need to reach landmarks to truly uncover sections of the area map, and although the waypoints point in the right direction, the areas are fairly intricate, which means you still may need to regularly check your map to avoid hitting a dead end or an impassable wall.

The game can make a daunting first impression as it introduces returning and new mechanics rather quickly. Everything is well-explained, and the game does provide an extensive help section, but series veterans will have a notably easier time. The real-time battles can feel chaotic, with tons of flashy effects on screen, and it can take a while to learn to manage your resources in order to deploy skills, use item chains, and tag out with party members. Furthermore, even normal battles can feel fairly involved as enemies can soak up a bunch of attacks, and some fights involve back-to-back encounters.

On top of everything, there's the brand new titular Secret Key mechanic, which acts as a sort of universal temporary buff. This helps us fine-tune our playstyle the way we want to, but it's really easy to stockpile keys with all sorts of effects. So if we're jumping right into Ryza 3 without playing prior games, there's a bit of a learning curve. However, exploration, battles, and Alchemy are still rewarding, and we don't necessarily have to thoroughly explore every aspect to enjoy the experience.

Overall, Atelier Ryza 3 feels more expansive and grand than any prior Atelier game. Despite its abundance of mechanics, Ryza 3 feels so brisk and beautiful that the journey feels worthwhile. It juxtaposes lively well-lit natural landscapes, multiple towns, and fantastical worlds. And of course, the music is also similarly captivating and enthralling with its rich layered harmonies and upbeat tracks. Atelier Ryza 3 truly feels like it takes advantage of the PS5, and it's a wonderful way to experience Atelier's unique brand