t1z4l

Koei Tecmo has revealed that it will set up a merchandise booth at Comic Market 105. The company will particularly sell merchandise themed after Fate/Samurai Remnant and Gust's Atelier series. Prices for the item will range from 800 yen (~$5.35) for individual domino-shaped keychains featuring Atelier Resleriana characters to 12,600 yen (~$84.50) for a full set of 14 acrylic magnets with Fate/Samurai Remnant characters.

The Atelier lineup will feature multiple titles from the long-running series. There will be specific focuses on Atelier Yumia, Atelier Sophie 2, the Atelier Ryza trilogy, and Atelier Resleriana. The latter will comprise both the ongoing mobile game Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator and the console game The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian.

Meanwhile, the Fate/Samurai Remnant segment will primarily focus on the seven primary Masters and Servants who appeared in the game's storyline. However, Koei Tecmo will also include acrylic stands showing Fate/Grand Order ascension stage forms of Servants who debuted in the console game, such as Yamato Takeru, Yui Shousetsu, and Minamoto-no-Raikou a.k.a. Ushi Gozen.

Comic Market 105 will take place at Tokyo Big Sight on December 29-30, 2024, and Koei Tecmo will set up its merchandise booth at No.1322 in the corporate booth area in the Western 3-4 Hall.

The post Koei Tecmo Comic Market 105 Merchandise Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

An Atelier Sophie 2 Nendoroid will come out next year and, while she's dealing with a "mysterious dream" in that game, the figure still comes with a small book. It will show up in June 2023 in Japan. After that, it will appear in North America in August 2023. It will cost ¥8,900/$61.99.

As is common for Nendoroids, Sophie comes with multiple accessories and face plates. You can portray her with a smiling face, a winking one, and an excited one with stars in her eyes. She can wield her Starguide Staff from the game. She also comes with an open book.

Here's a gallery of official Good Smile Company images of the Atelier Sophie 2 Nendoroid.
[gallery columns="5" size="full" ids="943829,943830,943831,943832,943833" link="file"]

This is one of two Atelier Sophie figures Good Smile Company has in the works. The other is a 1/7th scale figure. That one is based on her appearance in The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book. In it, she's holding a book and about to write in it with a quill.

The Atelier Sophie 2 Nendoroid will come to Japan in June 2023 and North America in August 2023. Pre-orders are open until January 26, 2023. Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Nendoroid Comes with a Not-so-Mysterious Book appeared first on Siliconera.

Gust and Koei Tecmo's Atelier franchise turned 25 years old this year, and the companies are getting ready to announce the next game in the venerable series. Before that happens, though, they're celebrating the games that came before. The Atelier 25th Anniversary trailer ed on Monday introduces fans to every game in the franchise to date, and ends with a small tease of what's to come.

Check it out below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8AoiyGButk

The Atelier 25th Anniversary trailer gives a quick glimpse at every Atelier title, from 1997's Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg to this year's Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (check out Siliconera's review!). At the end, a blank canvas on the wall of portraits lights up, transporting viewers to a new, brightly colored world. The environments include sun-drenched ruins, forests, and a mysterious castle. Koei Tecmo plans to announce a new Gust-developed title at this year's Tokyo Game Show, and this teaser is quite likely related to that title. Whether it will be an addition to an existing subseries or the beginning of an entirely new one is as yet unknown.

Here's a list of every Atelier game cited in the 25th Anniversary trailer, organized by subseries. It doesn't include side games, like 2009's Atelier Annie on the DS, or the mobile-based Atelier Online, which shut down in March 2022.

• Salburg Series
  • Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg (1997 , PS1)
  • Atelier Elie: The Alchemist of Salburg 2 (1998, PS1)
  • Atelier Lilie: The Alchemist of Salburg 3 (2001, PS2)
• Gramnad Series
  • Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad (2002, PS2)
  • Atelier Viorate: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 (2003, PS2)
• Iris Series
  • Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana (2004, Ps2)
  • Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny (2005, PS2)
  • Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (2006, PS2)
• Mana Khemia Series
  • Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis (2007, PS2)
  • Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy (2008, PS2)
• Arland Series
  • Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland (2009, PS3)
  • Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland (2010, PS3)
  • Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland (2011, PS3)
  • Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland (2019, Ps4, Switch, PC)
• Dusk Series
  • Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk (2012, PS3)
  • Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky (2013, PS3)
  • Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (2014, PS3)
• Mysterious Series
  • Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (2015, PS3, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey (2016, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings (2017, Switch, PS4, Vita, PC)
  • Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (2022, Switch, PS4, PC)
• Secret Series
  • Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout (2019, Switch, PS4, PC)
  • Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy (2020, Switch, PS4, PS5, PC)

The Atelier series is available across many platforms. The 2022 Tokyo Game Show will play host to a new announcement from Gust, and kicks off from September 15, 2022.

The post Atelier 25th Anniversary Trailer Celebrates the Series appeared first on Siliconera.

Life-size statues of Sophie Neuenmuller from Atelier Sophie 2 will appear in Japan and China. Parco will sell the statues at ¥4,290,000 (~$33,570), which will be made to order. Samples of the Atelier Sophie protagonist statue will appear on the 5th floor of Shibuya Parco from April 27 to July 18, 2022. In the regular edition, Sophie will pose on top of several books.

[gallery ids="925153,925154,925155" link="file"]

A limited version of the statue will also appear with an even higher price tag. At ¥6,050,000 (~$47,190), it will have a more elaborate background where Sophie poses in front of a ruins gate. Parco will hold a lottery to determine the sole winner who can purchase the one-off statue.

[gallery ids="925156,925157,925158" link="file"]

Parco will only ship the life-size Sophie statues to Japan and China. For the rest of the world, it will produce miniaturized 1/7 scale figures based on the same model. The smaller figures will be eligible for worldwide shipping with a more affordable price of ¥23,980 (~$187). Pre-orders for all items mentioned above will be available from April 27 to July 18, 2022.

[gallery ids="925159,925160,925161" link="file"]

Sophie will the list of Atelier characters who have had a life-size statue made in real life. In 2020, Gust produced 1/1 statues of Reisalin Stout—the protagonist of Atelier Ryza—and sold them at ¥2,750,000 (~$21,525).

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Koei Tecmo has sold over 200,000 units of the RPG on all platforms combined worldwide as of March 2022. The company also worked with Bandai Namco to release collaboration items for both Atelier Sophie 2 and Tales of Arise.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Life-Size Statue Will Cost Over $33,000 appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo is releasing free DLC for Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream that adds a new Boss Rush mode, as well as new cosmetics for Plachta. The Boss Rush battles will reward players with special items and resources upon completion. This third DLC pack will release on March 17, 2022.

As the name suggests, the Boss Rush battle mode will pit players against a medley of boss enemies. The bosses themselves will also be stronger versions of themselves and will require strategic planning to defeat. Before going into battle, players will be able to see the health, weaknesses, and other stats of the boss they're going to face.

Additionally, players will get bonus rewards depending on certain criteria. These include how quickly players were able to defeat the boss, whether they were able to win without using healing items, and how much damage they were able to do with certain characters. Once completed, players can also check their previous best record and damage spread per character.

https://twitter.com/GustAtelierPR/status/1504320081786187776?s=20&t=DcoyYRFwXZLhkhAppTa7fA

Beyond the Boss Rush mode, the free Atelier Sophie 2 DLC also adds two new cosmetics for Plachta. The two cosmetics are the "Mother Goddess Ball Bouquet" and "Geometric Pom Poms". Both cosmetics will appear in cutscenes as well as battles.

You can get a better look at the cosmetics and boss rush menu in the screenshots below:

[gallery columns="4" ids="920556,920557,920558,920559" link="file"]

The previous round of free DLC added 25th anniversary glasses and an animal ear headband. Koei Tecmo is also releasing a series of Tales of Arise collaboration items sometime before the end of April 2022. In a recent survey, Koei Tecmo asked fans whether they would like to have an English dub of the game.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Atelier Sophie 2 Boss Rush DLC will release for free on March 17, 2022.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Free DLC Adds Boss Rush Mode appeared first on Siliconera.

A new Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation Atelier Sophie 2 collaboration event is adding several new costumes based on the game's main characters. The event includes a banner featuring two SSR costumes resembling Sophie and Plachta. Additionally, the Atelier Ryza costumes are also returning to the game for a limited time. Both DOAXVV events will run until March 3, 2022, and are only confirmed for the Japanese version of the game.

Special daily events will allow players to acquire alchemy resources and Uni. Players can exchange the Uni at the shop to receive an SR Atelier Sophie 2-themed bikini costume. On the other hand, alchemy resources help craft upgrade materials such as baked waffles, refill bottles, and puni jelly. If participating characters are wearing the Atelier Sophie 2 costumes, the drop rate for these resources will increase. Each collaboration costume is available to wear for five different characters.

Players can also exchange the Uni for Gold Uni, which can purchase special collaboration furnishings such as posters and scale cut-outs. Notably, the Atelier Ryza furniture series is also making a return through the Gold Uni exchange. Other event-exclusive items include Deco Bromides and cosmetics such as Sophie's staff and Plachta's book.

Finally, the Atelier Ryza costume gacha is available once again. A total of 15 characters will have access to the costume, split between two different banners. SSR costume rates will be 3.3%, and a limited-time log-in bonus will give players up to 70 gacha tickets.

You can check out the official Atelier Sophie DOAXVV collaboration trailer below.

https://youtu.be/__5E1-C9M2I

Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation is available on PC via Steam, DMM, and Johren, and is region-locked to Japan and Asia. The DOAXVV Atelier Sophie 2 gacha event will run until March 3, 2022.

The post DOAXVV Atelier Sophie Collaboration Adds Sophie and Plachta Costumes appeared first on Siliconera.

Before Atelier Ryza stole everyone’s hearts, Sophie was Gust’s darling. Her entry in the Mysterious trilogy was the best-selling installment. As part of an anniversary project, she’s back again with a proper Atelier Sophie 2. You know, instead of her and Plachta hanging around in someone else's Atelier. The new entry clearly builds on the original game and on what Gust’s learned from the two Atelier Ryza installments. However, it also expects you to really love Sophie, Plachta, and Sophie and Plachta together.

Atelier Sophie 2 picks up where the first game left off. Sophie is still trying to become an alchemist as respected and talented as her grandmother. Plachta’s in her doll body, rather than trapped in a book, but would like a human body again. The two are traveling to accomplish their goals. However, Plachta had a dream about a strange tree, which the two decide to visit. When they do, an odd vortex sucks both of them to another world. Sophie wakes up in Erde Wiege’s town of Roytale alone. It’s a place where a goddess of dreams named Elvira pulls people from different places and times to accomplish their goals. While her Plachta is nowhere to be found, another alchemist named Plachta is there. So, Sophie, this new Plachta, and a number of additional allies her to figure out what is going on.

All of this means, well, Atelier Sophie 2’s story isn’t welcoming to beginners. While Atelier Ryza 2 started in a position where we are newcomers to a new region and adventure alongside Ryza, this sequel relies heavily on experience with the first game and its cast. Don’t know who Sophie and Plachta are? You may not care as much about Sophie’s mission and some of the cast. It relies heavily on a pre-existing appreciation and further building up Sophie and Plachta. Which would be fine if it also worked to establish the reason Plachta is so important in-game. But aside from Sophie telling a number of people that "she's family" and an option to see what happened before in the main menu, I feel there it could use more context. An unfamiliar player could be left as disconnected as the allies around Sophie who keep hearing how important Plachta is without being told why. Yes, eventually we do learn more, but I feel the original did a better job of building up people and relationships. It also did a better job of not being as blatant. (Especially when something obvious to the player isn't to Sophie.)

While the story does require some knowledge, the rest of the game is pretty easy to approach. Sophie and her party will explore areas around Erde Wiege. Gathering spots are highlighted. Approaching them shows what materials you’ll garner from them, as well as if you’ll need an extra tool to get those ingredients. (You must craft and equip said tools at the atelier.) Everything is clearly visible. You can fast travel at any time, and areas outside of town have additional waypoints you can unlock by interacting with special crystals.

Given that Erde Wiege is a dream world, this means there is an excuse for all sorts of biomes. But at the same time, that means things are thrown together. I also felt quite a few places came across as a bland. Roytale itself looks like any generic, medieval fantasy town. You don't get backstory or interesting lore implications for the spots like the forests, ruins, and swamps you'll explore. Few spaces are memorable. Given that this is a world with such fantastical origins, it seemed the perfect opportunity to go above and beyond.

The world map shows you which drops are found at locations, including during certain weather conditions. There’s both a mini-map and an option to overlay it across the screen. You can also set a quest as a guided objective, which will cause icons to appear on the map and symbols to appear over, say, the correct monsters. So you constantly have the information you need. Which is probably the best part about Atelier Sophie 2.

The option to overlay the map over the whole of the screen is one I found myself regularly. Finding out how to get where you need to go to progress might not be obvious. There were a few times in the first ten hours alone when I needed to find the exact place where Sophie could hop across makeshift, floating item bridges or get through spots to reach a designated area. It would also be handy to find the pillars for weather-changing gems. These determine the kinds of materials and monsters you will find, as well as how the landscape changes or mechanisms allow you new access to areas. Which means that, for some spots, you're frequently altering conditions to get around. (You will need to recharge said gems with alchemy.) It can be novel. But it can sometimes be a bit frustrating in certain areas.

As for enemies, they roam freely around on the map. Walking into or hitting one causes a turn-based battle, just like the original game. Atelier Sophie 2 returns the series to a more traditional turn-based battle system. You have three people active on the field at a time. (Sophie herself is mandatory.)

While there are a few systems designed to make things flashier, I found I only relied on them to take on bosses or fight enemies that put up auras you need to defeat so you can properly beat them up. The Guard function swaps in a person from the reserves to guard against an opponent’s attack in place of someone on the front lines. (You'll pull the target into the back line when this happens.) You can use a Twin Action, which lets two characters use a skill one after the other. There’s also a Dual Trigger for special attacks, but only if you used enough Guards and Twin Actions to fill its gauge. Also, like the original Atelier Sophie, you can see the turn order.

This is also a situation in which the Atelier Sophie alchemy system influenced the sequel. Alchemists learn via doing. This means collecting a new ingredient, synthesizing an item, fighting certain enemies, or using certain actions in battle all can unlock new recipes. (So can books.) I will it some frustration at finding I’d need to collect a specific kind of item again when there were over 20 already in storage or I’d already crafted a certain item. (You would think the alchemists would they already know ladybugs and wood chips exist.) Still, it works well enough.

As for creating items with alchemy, Atelier Sophie 2 adjusts the formula slightly. Each material features elemental building blocks associated with it. You place these on a grid. Your goal is to arrange blocks over their matching elements, while also making full lines horizontally and vertically for a chance to improve the quality. Also, placing a certain number of one kind of element can unlock certain traits for the final product. For example, placing enough lightning element items on the grid for a weapon you’re making could unlock an “attack+1” trait. When equipped, the person using that weapon would then hit twice whenever they would attack. It's very easy to grasp, which makes it feel rewarding. Even the Restricted version, which limits where material s can be placed, didn't feel too trying to me.

The basic gameplay loop involves searching for someone or something. This means heading to an area. There, you’ll mess with the local pillars to alter the environment and likely fight a boss. There will typically be at least one major recipe and resulting item associated with the whole quest chain. Once you finish, it’s on to the next one. Along the way, you could be building up friendships with allies or taking side quests involving gathered items, crafted items, or hunted monsters. You’ll also be earning ability points for all characters while exploring and performing certain actions. Which, in turn, can be invested to make them better fighters, let you carry more items when gathering, or become better at certain gathering methods.

As for the Nintendo Switch version of Atelier Sophie 2, I noticed a number of issues while playing. For example, Sophie’s running animation can sometimes look a bit choppy. Depending on where you are and the weather conditions, environmental objects can look a little blurry. (Even some locations in Roytale suffer from this.) Loading isn’t too egregious, but fast traveling a lot means you’ll first see loading on the world map, then again on a black screen before entering your next location. They’re all minor, but present. When I conducted the preview on PC, I noticed similar choppiness and rendering issues, but that was only due to the settings I needed to use to play.

I think whether or not someone will enjoy Atelier Sophie 2 comes down to how much they loved the original game and its characters. There are marked improvements from Atelier Sophie. It is clear Gust took what the team learned from more recent installments and applied it here. But it might not foster the same enthusiasm as other installments, due to its focus on certain characters. It might even leave you a bit frustrated when you need to perform certain actions to get needed recipes or run into inaccessible areas because you don’t have the correct "keys" to open those metaphorical doors. People who love Gust and Atelier Sophie will likely be all-in and satisfied to see Sophie and Plachta's relationship grow. Everyone else may want to wait for the next entirely new entry.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC in Japan on February 24, 2022 and worldwide on February 25, 2022.

The post Review: Atelier Sophie 2 Really Wants You to Love Sophie and Plachta appeared first on Siliconera.

Both Atelier Sophie 2 and Tales of Arise will be getting new collaboration items, such as weapon skins and accessories. Tales of Arise will receive three items from Atelier Sophie 2, and vice versa. The collaboration items will appear sometime before the end of April 2022 as part of a free update. Additionally, Koei Tecmo ed the opening theme song trailer for Atelier Sophie 2.

The free collaboration DLC for Tales of Arise will include two weapon skins and one accessory item. Once ed, players can equip a Hunting Rifle skin for Shionne and Sophie's magic staff for Dohalim. Sophie's flower hairpin will be available as an accessory item, but it's unconfirmed if all characters can equip it. Atelier Sophie 2 will then get three accessories referencing various characters from Tales of Arise. These include Alphen's mask, Shionne's tiara, and a large Owl King doll.

You can get a better look at how each item will look in-game in the screenshots below:

[gallery link="file" ids="917707,917705,917704,917702,917703,917701"]

Notably, Shionne's tiara and Sophie's hairpin were shown in an earlier collaboration illustration that featured characters from both titles. Koei Tecmo revealed the accessories during an Atelier Sophie 2 pre-launch live stream on February 22, 2022. The company also showed off the official theme song trailer for the game as well as other planned DLC, including swimsuit costumes, additional scenarios, and more.

Here is the official Atelier Sophie 2 theme song trailer:

https://youtu.be/UddksmaF9s8

The Atelier Sophie 2 Tales of Arise collaboration items will appear as free DLC sometime before the end of April 2022. Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 on February 25, 2022. Tales of Arise is immediately available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Tales of Arise Collaboration Items Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco and Koei Tecmo revealed a new illustration for a collaboration project between Gust and the Tales of series. Character designers from Tales of Arise, Atelier Sophie 2, and Blue Reflection: Second Light drew a new collaborative artwork featuring the titles' protagonists.

The new art features new drawings of Sophie Neuenmuller by NOCO, Plachta by Yuugen, Ao Hoshizaki by Mel Kishida, and Shionne by Minoru Iwamoto. The four illustrators also held a t interview session with several Japanese media outlets. However, Mel Kishida attended the interview remotely because he had just recovered from an illness.

Bandai Namco and Gust will also create crossover costumes for both Tales of Arise and Atelier Sophie 2. The new outfits will appear at the Japanese Atelier Sophie 2 pre-launch live stream on February 22, 2022, at 21:00 JST (7 AM ET). Koei Tecmo previously announced the crossover content in November 2021. It then confirmed that this crossover will go both ways, with Tales of Arise also set to receive Gust-themed costumes as free DLC.

Tales of Arise and Blue Reflection: Second Light are both available immediately on PlayStation 4 and PC. The new Blue Reflection game is also playable on the Switch, while Tales of Arise is available on the PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Koei Tecmo and Gust will release Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream for PS4, Switch, and PC worldwide on February 25, 2022.

The post Tales of X Gust Collaboration Kicks Off With a New Illustration appeared first on Siliconera.

Back when Gust first announced Atelier Sophie 2, Siliconera spoke with Producer Junzo Hosoi about its development. Now that its release date is drawing nearer, we again talked about what people can expect from the game. Since we know more about what to expect, this time we talked about some additional elements. For example, we talked about how Atelier Sophie 2 gameplay changed due to new additions and what people can expect from characters like Sophie, Plachta, and Ramizel.

Jenni Lada: Given the positioning of Atelier Sophie 2 in the series timeline, what kind of character development do you hope to show for both Sophie and Plachta in it?

Junzo Hosoi: Atelier Sophie 2 takes place between the stories of the Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book and Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey. Players will be able to see what kind of experiences Sophie had before meeting Firis and how she grew from those experiences, as well as see how Sophie and Plachta influence each other and how it benefits them both, so I hope everyone will look forward to seeing how these characters grow.

As usual, Sophie will have a number of allies on her side. Which one of the Atelier Sophie 2 characters do you feel is the most unique and why?

Hosoi: The most unique character in Atelier Sophie 2 is Ramizel. She is a leader-like presence in the town of Roytale, where the story takes place, and is like an older sister to Sophie and Plachta. I don’t want to spoil the story, but I will say that the game will be even more enjoyable if it is played while trying to imagine what kind of relationship Ramizel has to Sophie and her friends.

When developing a game for multiple platforms like Atelier Sophie 2, how do you ensure it is as enjoyable on the Switch as it is on the PS4?

Hosoi: Our concept for development is to aim for a higher level of quality of all graphics, including lighting and facial expressions, in addition to processing speed and loading times of course, and we developed the game aiming for the same level of high quality regardless of it being for the PS4 or the Switch.

One of the new gameplay elements in Atelier Sophie 2 is a Major Gathering Spot minigame. What led to its development and how does it affect the general quality of life and difficulty of the game?

Hosoi: The puzzle synthesis that is used in the Mysterious series has been well-received by many players, but in contrast we also received that it was difficult. So we decided to add mini-game elements that, depending on how the game is played, make it possible to create materials required for synthesis. It's a system that expands the degree of freedom in gameplay so that players can mull over puzzles using materials collected simply through gathering, or create materials they want by playing through Major Gathering Spot mini-games.

Depending on the Major Gathering Spot results, it is possible to create powerful equipment early on in the game, but it's not always necessary in order to clear the game. They can be played as a break from synthesis or battles, or as an attempt to be able to do more synthesis; we hope players will enjoy them in a way that matches their play style.

In Atelier Sophie 2, one new gameplay feature allows people to control the weather. How did this concept come up and did past Atelier games lead to it?

Hosoi: I wanted something that could showcase to the fullest extent the dream-like taste of the Mysterious series, while having the ability to greatly change the field in order to enjoy exploring, so weather control is something that we considered since the start of development. Also, the game setting of the dream world Erde Wiege itself being another world is also a major factor. Because it's a different world, we can incorporate many "mysterious" elements, so it is a system where the players can really feel like they're in the world of Atelier Sophie 2.

Could we see Atelier Sophie 2 DLC similar to the sorts included in past Atelier games, like BGM, costumes, additional playable characters, and events?

Hosoi: Yes, we are planning on various DLC including BGM and costumes! Look forward to them!

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC on February 25, 2022.

The post Interview: Learning About Atelier Sophie 2 Gameplay Changes appeared first on Siliconera.

It’s been over six years since the original Atelier Sophie debuted in Japan. Since then, four other mainline entries appeared. Simply put, a lot’s happened! Now Atelier Sophie 2 is about to appear and take things Gust’s learned to apply it to new and existing characters and a new world. The result is something in which the changes are evident, even though it might also feel a bit familiar.

As before, characters dreams from the original game are still building in Atelier Sophie 2. Sophie still wants to be as grand an alchemist of her grandmother. She wants to be licensed. Plachta, while now in a doll body due to the events of the first game, hopes for a human form again. While working toward this goal, Plachta dreamed about a mysterious tree. Sophie and her found their way to it. When they do, it looks different than it did in her mind. Upon investigating it, it pulls Plachta in. Sophie grabs her hand to save her, and the two get dragged into another realm. Said other realm being Erde Wiege. It is a dream world filled with unfamiliar characters. But it’s also one where perhaps both women could continue to work toward their goals.

Once people arrive in Erde Wiege, everything is a mystery! Alette and Pirka find Sophie. They take her to a shop to rest and recover. When she wakes up, they’re surprised she (and by extension the player) doesn’t know what’s going on. Turns out the Goddess of Dreams Elvira should have explained it all. But she didn’t. Fortunately, Sophie and Alette learn from Olias that a Plachta who is an alchemist did recently arrive there! But she seems to be “a” Plachta, rather than “the” Plachta. What follows is a test to prove Sophie is an actual alchemist, so you can share this Plachta’s atelier, look for your Plachta, and figure out what’s going on.

From the very beginning, it’s easy to see how Atelier Sophie 2 is influenced by the more recent Atelier Ryza entries. There are big, open areas. The early characters I met and places I explored were quite detailed. Roytale is a very large town, separated into different districts and with a lot to see. When you head into the fields outside of the residential district, there are a lot of accents around the landscape. It gives the impression that things are really alive, even given the nature of Erde Wiege. Given that gathering spots are highlighted with an accent, it’s also easy to pick them out from other environmental objects. Not to mention each one shows you what you can collect. It will even note that some ingredients might be locked. But while it is big, the Journey Stones mean you have the security of knowing you can fast travel to get around. Not to mention the world map also lets you know what potential materials each location holds.

But while the more care put into creating the world around Sophie and detail into characters might call Atelier Ryza 2 to mind, the other gameplay elements in Atelier Sophie 2 are more distinct. For example, whereas the Atelier Ryza games offered a more active battle system, Atelier Sophie 2 returns to the series’ more leisurely and slower-paced turn-based roots. When you run into a monster, you immediately fight them exactly where they’re encountered. There’s no break in the action. It immediately heads into a fight without loading, adding to the immersion. You manually dictate each person’s actions. Everyone can attack, defend, use skills, or flee. Looking at an enemy tells you if it is “vulnerable.” All of the turn-based JRPG and Atelier staples are there, right down to being able to use items you synthesized in a fight.

But the execution meant it felt little more thought out even in the first few hours I played. As though Plachta and Sophie are more thoughtful and tactical, whereas Ryza might have been a little more impetuous. Three people are with you and active at once. However, there are actually six people around. You could have three are in front and three in back. But even with smaller parties, you can take advantage of positioning. For example, swapping in a Back-up Team member to take a hit for someone in the current Attack Team. Using Twin Actions to have two people attacking at once as one enters the field and another leaves. Having some characters use a Dual Trigger attack when the gauge is full.

Alchemy also follows some familiar rules in Atelier Sophie 2, all while adding a few new elements. For example, you still need to get recipes. You have to have Sophie’s alchemy skills at a certain level to make certain items. You also have to get items from different categories to complete a synthesis. However, once you meet all those requirements, you’ll find yourself placing pieces on a grid in a manner not totally unlike the original Atelier Sophie. The first game involved a grid with colored spaces, and each ingredient would be a certain shape that you’d need to fit into place. We still have a grid in this entry! Items involve different elemental components, all tied to certain colors. Just like in the original game, you can see the elemental effect at the top of the synthesis and the current effect levels. Hitting certain plateaus in the synthesis can increase the effects, just as before.

It feels very familiar. You’re trying to match elements, fill s without overwriting them, and continue to unlock special traits. Doing all this also contributes to a Super Success Rate that might increase the product’s quality. Once you’re done, you choose three traits and make the item. It might sound daunting in writing, but it really clicks together easily in practice. Especially since it is building on the original Atelier Sophie alchemy system. And given the way things go early on, battling and gathering are all in the service of being able to perform more alchemy.

While going through my first few hours with Atelier Sophie 2, I definitely noticed growth between the original game and this, but the focus on its characters really struck me. There’s a marked effort to show how certain people developed, for one. Sophie starts out with an alchemy level of 50, to show her experience. She’s already recognized by Alette and Olias as an alchemist, and one that’s capable of protecting herself in battle. (Even though we, you know, do need to gather a lot of recipes again.) The other Plachta is even impressed with her first synthesis.

I also felt like this sequel early on tries to make characters who aren’t Sophie or Plachta engaging. Not that Atelier Sophie didn’t also pay attention to other cast . But perhaps in part because Sophie is trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Plachta, there is a chance for others to feel really important too! Not to mention some of the side characters are very important figures in their own right. (People who played Atelier Sophie will understand shortly after meeting them.) In my first few hours, I was interested in how these other folks ended up in Erde Wilde. I wanted to know who they were. And while I only went through a sample, I felt like some of the ing cast here made a very strong impression.

After only a short time, I felt like Atelier Sophie 2 is a game that really focuses on making sure its characters and strange new world are detailed. Erde Wiege is a detailed place. One that feels quite large. One where its battles keep you centered in place, rather than detached. It’s also filled with people who can sometimes feel as interesting as Sophie and Plachta because, well, one of the main heroines isn’t present. Since it isn’t focusing on that relationship between the two, I got the early impression that other folks get more of a chance to stand out. The early impressions it leaves are rather positive and show progress.

Atelier Sophie 2 will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC on February 25, 2022.

The post Preview: Atelier Sophie 2 Focuses on Its Characters and World appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo and Gust revealed new details regarding the Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream Digital Deluxe Editions, and the Season . Additionally, those who pre-order the digital version of Atelier Sophie 2 before February 23, 2022 will receive two special costumes. The Atelier Sophie 2 Digital Deluxe Edition will come with a total of six swimsuits, one for every character. It will cost 9,900 yen ($85). The Digital Deluxe Edition with the Season will cost 14,740 yen ($128). It will come with an extra costume for Sophie and Ramizel. It will also include future content scheduled to be released through the Season . [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

The two special costumes consumers will obtain by pre-ordering Atelier Sophie are the "Easy Breezy" and "Comfy and Casual" costumes. However, the "Comfy and Casual" costume may be available to purchase at a later date. And, as mentioned previously, a total of six swimsuits will come with the Digital Deluxe Edition of Atelier Sophie 2. Each major character will receive a special swimsuit.

You can take a look at the swimsuits below.

Additionally, consumers will also receive six weapons that will provide beneficial skills to each character. Players will also receive a special item set that will include items that increase the speed at which Sophie runs, and a charm that increases experience points earned.

Those who purchase the Atelier Sophie 2 Digital Deluxe Edition with Season will receive an additional six swimsuit costumes, meaning they will receive a total of twelve swimsuits. Consumers will also receive an the "Grandma's Outfit" for Sophie and Ramizel. Other costumes and recipe packs will be released through the Season through the months of April and May. Koei Tecmo and Gust state that these items will be available to purchase separately at a later date.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC via Steam on February 25, 2022.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Digital Deluxe Edition Will Come With Swimsuits appeared first on Siliconera.

New details regarding general gameplay and combat for Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream have appeared. A photomode will be available in Atelier Sophie 2, which will allow for players to position characters and monsters to take screenshots. Additionally, several gameplay features for Atelier Sophie 2 have been outlined in full. This includes the return of the "Multi-Link Turn Based Battle" system, and a break mechanic. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

Another gameplay and combat feature that will appear in Atelier Sophie 2 is the inclusion of "Dual Trigger" system. This will allow players to perform attacks involving special moves once the "Dual Trigger Gauge" has reached its max.

As mentioned previously, some monsters will also have special "auras" the player can break to gain additional turns. Players can break these auras by targeting an enemy's weakness. Additionally, certain monsters can appear on the field that are capable of changing the weather of an area.

In November 2021, Koei Tecmo provided a first-hand look at combat and gameplay features that will appear in the title. This included a look at how the game will perform on the Nintendo Switch.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC via Steam on February 25, 2022.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Gameplay and Combat Details Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo announced the Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream soundtrack (OST) will release on February 23, 2022 in Japan. It is immediately available to pre-order through the Gust online store. It will cost 3,960 yen, which is about $34. The Atelier Sophie 2 OST will feature over 60 songs. Those who purchase the album directly from the Gust online store will receive a special case for it. [Thanks, Gamer!]

To commemorate the announcement of the OST, Gust has ed a preview of several tracks that will appear in Atelier Sophie 2. The video is roughly 5 minutes long and features short snippets from 6 songs. You can listen to the preview of the album below.

[embed]https://youtu.be/8N-8cI5S-cI[/embed]

Leading up to the release of the game, Gust released several videos introducing key characters that will appear in Atelier Sophie 2. These included introduction videos for Sophie and Plachta. While the videos are relatively short, they provide a glimpse into the personality of each person. Additionally, environments that players can explore are shown throughout them.

Previously, a special broadcast detailed the various gameplay systems that will appear in Atelier Sophie 2. It looked at harvesting, crafting items, and combat.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC via Steam on February 25, 2022. The soundtrack will release on February 23, 2022 in Japan.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Soundtrack to Release in February 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo introduced two new Atelier Sophie 2 characters Kati and Pirka, along with details about the game's scenarios, quests, and reputation system. The two characters are both prominent store owners in the town of Roytale. Through Kati and Pirka's services, players will be able to increase their adventurer's grade, replicate items, and more.

After arriving in the town of Roytale, the two store owners introduce themselves to the protagonist Sophie. Pirka is the owner of Pirka's Emporium, where players can replenish and duplicate items. Kati is the owner of the Crystal Sparkle Pavilion, where players can take on requests from local townsfolk.

Atelier Sophie 2's reputation system seems to mirror previous iterations such as Atelier Ryza 2. Completing these requests will increase players' reputations. With enough reputation, players will also be able to take on special advancement quests. Completing advancement quests will increase players' Adventurer Grade, thereby unlocking newer and more difficult requests.

You can get a better look at what the request menu will look like in the screenshots below:

Furthermore, players can also develop friendships with other characters in Atelier Sophie 2, and unlock new skills. Each character has their own respective scenarios, dreams, and aspirations. The treasure hunter Alette, for example, wants to get rich quickly, while Ramizel is worried about what everyone expects of her. Other characters include Sophie's partner Plachta, who seems to be  different person after they were both transported to a mysterious world.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release for the PS4, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch on February 25, 2022.

The post Atelier Sophie 2 Roytale Characters and Reputation System Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.