Atelier Sophie DX – Atelier Firis DX – Atelier Lydie & Suelle DX – with brand new content and various DLCs. The definitive edition of the “Myserious” series by Atlier is now available.
Atelier Sophie: Mysterious Book Alchemist DX PlayStation 4
Atelier Sophie is one of my favourite games in the franchise. I played it after a long break from the series and it was the first Atelier game that I reviewed. What makes it so special is the fact that it incorporates all the elements for which the franchise is known and also offers a sophisticated experience in a vibrant and memorable world. Plus, the joyous Oskar, the sophisticated Monika and who can forget the book-coming-to-life Plachta are its cast of characters? His gameplay is highly rewarding and smooth, his music is incredible, and sometimes it is truly funny. What shouldn’t love?
So, what’s new about this version of DX? Well, let me just say that these games essentially look and play the same thing as the original versions, and the only luxurious thing about them is content-oriented. In the case of Atelier Sophie DX, the alchemy system is slightly more robust with 3 additional coolers and Sophie’s brand new costume. You also have access to all of the previously available DLC which includes goodies such as costumes, items, music tracks, an extra gathering area, another difficulty setting, and an episode that ties in with Atelier Firis. This is a significant amount of additional content, especially if you don’t have the DLC already.
Although I like the series Atelier, I haven’t been playing enough. The PS2 trilogy was a cornerstone of my teenage years, but afterwards I was freestyled by all JRPGs. This year’s release Atelier Ryza 2 was my first foray into the series in around a decade, and I was beyond impressed. Fate then decided to catch up with some of the games that I missed, thanks to the mysterious trilogy pack Atelier Deluxe.
As the name suggests, in this bumper bundle you get three games. The Mysterious Trilogy was the latest in the series before Ryza appeared from 2015-2018 and was generally very well received by fans at the time. It’s a bit odd to play these games on the console they released, but you can’t argue with the 3 in 1 value.
Mysterious Trilogy Atelier: Old Vs. New
Back to previous Atelier games was certainly an interesting experience. After the rapid fight of the Ryza Games, the return to fighting on turn definitely became familiar. Battles are still very enjoyable, but much more by-the-numbers than the latest entries. As you go through the trilogy, the complexity certainly expands, with Atelier Lydie and Suelle adding an in-fighting synthesis to make your experience more interesting.
A screenshot of the mysterious trilogy of Atelier
I was pleased to see how tactful the alchemical system was during the mysterious trilogy. It’s clearly a staple of the series, but it hasn’t changed enough to be unacknowledged in recent installments. You will still add items to a grid to make another item, and the quality of the end result will be affected by using different ingredients. New mechanics also are added throughout the trilogy, so that you still have to think about creating items by the end of the trilogy
How old are the games?
Atelier Sophie: The Mysterious Book Alchemist is the first game in trilogy and the simplest in mechanical and historical terms. As the star Sophie, you will encounter the titular mysterious book (which obviously can speak) and embark upon a laid-back adventure to discover its origins. Atelier Sophie is the hardest of all games in this collection to go back to 2021. The surroundings are nice and the characters are not very detailed. It’s a fun game, certainly, but it shows its age.
Atelier Firis: My favorite of the bunch is the alchemist and the mysterious journey. Firis is a girl who grew up on the outside in mining town and is sick of her life in the style of Fallout. Fortunately, Sophie, the predecessor, blows the city’s door and teaches Firis about alchemy. Firis is the most unusual game in the trio with a mild stress system, alchemical tests and the first open world entry of the series. The time limit may be off for some, but eventually is raised so that you can explore the content of your heart.
A screenshot of a mysterious trilogy of Atelier
Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The alchemists and mysterious paintings will conclude the trilogy. These slightly annoying twin sisters are meant to make their alchemy laboratory the best in the realm, which takes you on a low stakes but entertaining quest (you guessed it). The open world and the time limit have been gone and the game feels closer to Sophie but with much more tolerable graphics.
Mysterious trilogy workshop: extra content
It wouldn’t be a Deluxe pack without some extras and there’s plenty in the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy. To start with the DLC, a lot of additional characters and outfits are included. For each of the games, you will also get access to digital art books and soundtracks full of amazing artworks. If you own the games already, it’s not worth doubling the light visual polish, but if these games are missed before you get a deal.
The Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack is undeniably full of content and many hours of JRPG goodness ahead of fans of the series who missed those three games. None of the games ever reach Ryza 2, but if you need to have a history of alchemy, don’t look any further.
Other Review
The big question that we have to answer here is whether it is worth another dip? If you have missed the Mysterious trilogy to date (maybe because of Ryza you’re a newer fan), then absolutely. If you’re an atelier fan, then it’s a nice deal to first have Firis and Sophie on the switch and especially photo mode and art books are a good thing to play with. These are all genuine five-star matches and we have to remember that they are all JRPGs, with time-consuming commitments, and these are flooded with this year. This is the only way to dampen what is otherwise a great collection of great games.
I’ve never been to a workshop game before and this is the best trilogy to begin. Sophie is such a charming and loving character, the fight is rotational and not real-time fighting like Ryza. Unlike previous workshop games, all three games have no time limit, and Sophie and Iris have English dub. Lyde & Suelle are dub only in Japanese. All games have additional content for each game including a stunning digital artbook and photo mode. It’s worth the price and on the switch it works really well. This is a must-purchase for beginners or workshop fans who want to visit these games again.
In a new brand console Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack brings the best of the franchise.
Atelier Sophie is an iconic piece with a brand new life lease. Atelier Firis has a unique exploration gameplay not tried in any other entry, and Atelier Lyde & Suelle’s new history content enjoys longtime fans.
These games have never looked better and for those interested in the Atelier series are a must-play.
Every three Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack games is a pleasure to immerse yourself in, whether you first explore them or revisit some unforgettable friends. The new additions contribute a great deal to the already enjoyable games that started and finally to all three games on Switch makes it easy to visit (or revisit) real gems. And hey, maybe Koei Tecmo will turn her eye on the PS2 games now that the Mysterious Trilogy is done? I’m sure I could go on my switch to some Atelier Iris…
Atelier Mysterious Trilogy offers a lot of fun, even if sometimes it is frustrating. I think it’s a nice game to play something at a time every day instead of all in one seat. No hard and fast time limit is definitely an advantage. But many small things still frustrate me sometimes as I plunge myself into the mysterious world of the mysterious trilogy of the Atelier.
In my view, with each installment the games in this trilogy get a little better, but fall into the same quality ballpark more or less. Maybe less accessible than Ryza, but for RPG fans it’s worth plunging in.
Is the Deluxe Pack Mysterious Trilogy for you? Probably. Each of these three games offers a rich history that should take you a couple of tens of hours to see. On the other hand, the slower-paced lifestyle isn’t for everybody and the game elements outside of a robust crafting system sometimes feel a bit simplistic. In whatever way, it’s hard to argue against the value on offer here, and if you don’t spring for the entire trilogy we would recommend at least trying one of these titles.
You probably won’t be disappointed by the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack if the crafting is your thing. Finally, although there are grinding issues, I still enjoy this series as a JRPG fan.
Latest: November 2024
