Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key review - A magical adventure with friends and thrills

Koei Tecmo's Atelier series has never had a mainstream presence like its competitors, such as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. Nevertheless, Japanese publisher and developer Gust has gone all out with the latest Atelier Ryza installment to deliver a surprisingly ambitious experience.

Called Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, this final chapter in the Secret saga brings Ryza's adventures to a conclusive end. However, some questions remain. As a love letter to fans of the series, does this game impress on all fronts? How beginner-friendly is it? Let's find out.

Join Ryza and her friends for the final journey in Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key

This new story begins with more than a few questions (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

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The story takes place a year after the events of 2021's Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy.

After two full adventures, Reisalin Stout (also known as Ryza) spends her days on Kurken Island with the returning cast of past games. As an advanced alchemist, she is more than happy to help townsfolk with their ailments and problems. Interestingly, though, the narrative begins on a charged note as players are thrust into battle on the shores of the town island.

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For the record, I should mention that this is my very first Atelier experience. As such, I do not recommend that newcomers pick up this game as their debut.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key offers a brief intro recap that details what happened in Atelier Ryza 1 and 2. However, it is no substitute for the real thing. This is important because Ryza and her friends will often remark or reminisce about events from past games throughout the adventure.

This definitely diminishes the experience for newcomers, particularly since Ryza is all composed and mature now, thanks to her character growth over two installments.

Speaking of the story itself, it is a slow burn as the team explores two sizable regions brimming with discoveries. With monster encounters emboldened after the appearance of the Kark Isles and the curious Secret Key shrouded in mystery, the gang aims to strike two birds with one stone.

Tons to gather and much to explore

Where will you go first? (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is an open-world RPG, all things considered. The map features many biomes with vastly different tones, NPCs, materials, and monsters. Players can undertake simple requests from townsfolk as well as relationship side missions to enhance Ryza's bond with her friends.

However, the initial dozen or so hours will be spent going back and forth between Kurken Island and Pixie Forest, the latter of which features the Secret Hideout. This is where Ryza and others come to rest, and it is also an important venue from a gameplay perspective. It primarily features the Synthesizer cauldron, where players can brew various crafts, items, and tools to make their perilous journey more manageable.

But to do that, players must first brave the outdoors and gather ingredients. Gameplay takes place in the third person, as players control Ryza in the overworld. She can run, jump, swim, and interact with contextual elements in her exploration efforts.

The world is teeming with materials and resources to harvest. These range from logs and mushrooms to crystals and herbs. Everything players pick up can be used in potential recipes, so they are encouraged to gather materials and return home to see what they can create.

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However, explorers need tools for maximum efficiency, and there are picks for every purpose in Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key. The hammer, for instance, can break apart rocks and other hard objects. The fishing rod, meanwhile, allows the gathering of marine resources like fish.

What is important to note here is that depending on the tool used, players will obtain different resources from the same source. This allows them to acquire a wide variety of materials to craft different types of equipment and consumables.

To add to this, the titular Secret Key will also aid in exploration by unlocking secret doors and even more kinds of keys after interacting with new locales and areas.

Players should try to craft tools as early as possible to maximize their trips outdoors. That's right; players must also create tools from scratch, as they cannot be purchased from vendors in the game. This brings us to the first major mechanic of Atelier Ryza 3: crafting.

Craft away to your heart's content

There is no such thing as a useless ingredient (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

Known as Synthesis, this mechanic is what the Atelier franchise is known for. It is a deep crafting system that makes use of gathered materials to turn them into different useful items.

To keep things simple, players must add the appropriate ingredients to a recipe's Material Loops to create the desired item. A few other factors should also be noted:

Ingredient Type: The kind of ingredient accepted in the recipe (like crystal or flower).
Element: Fire, Ice, Bolt, and Air. Each ingredient can have one or more Elements.
Element Value: Ranges from 0 to 3. Ingredients with 0 value are near worthless.
Band Shapes: Material Loops can have different Band shapes, each representing different things: Increased Quality, new Trait slots, and more.

The better and rarer the ingredients used, the higher the quality of the item will be. Players can also add Traits to make items more effective (like Bombs with debuff traits).

Ryza will eventually also be able to use different Secret Keys in crafting, allowing players to add powerful effects to items.

Mold your item the way you see fit (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

All of this is just scratching the surface, but that is all players need to know with regard to crafting basics. However, running around for materials can get tiring, even more so if the player's basket becomes full.

As mentioned before, Element Value plays a big role in crafting, and 0 value ingredients are basically junk. Sifting through the catalog to discard waste items can add to the frustration of harvesting.

Players earn SP for each item they craft, which can be invested into learning new recipes and improving Ryza's abilities via the Skill tree.

The bottom line is that Synthesis is the heart of the game, as everything is reliant on it. This even includes armor and weapons because players will need to stay in top shape to face the array of monsters encountered in the wild.

Battle together as a team

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The second highlight of Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is combat, which is a surprisingly straightforward affair.

Players will assign the cast of 11 total characters into a party of five — three in front and two in the back. The Equipment screen will allow them to manage the weapons, armor, and items they carry. The latter is key as they can aid in both bolstering damage and enhancing survivability. Encounters start after roaming enemies bump into Ryza, or she strikes at them with tools.

Battles occur in an arena as a mix of real-time and turn-based tactics. It is reminiscent of the Final Fantasy ATB system but a lot more hectic. Players can use standard attacks to rack up AP, which can then be spent on more powerful and flashy skills. Each character can be switched on the fly, which is important as enemies can freely target anyone.

Foes are governed by a Wait gauge, which, when full, will dish out an attack at one or more party members. This, in turn, can be mitigated with a well-timed Defend, which reduces incoming damage.

Furthermore, successful attacks can build up CC, which is needed to use items in battle. Players can also input prompted actions with a specific character to initiate powerful Order combos as well as switch party members to and from the front line.

Enemies, both cute and terrifying, lurk around every corner (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

Secret Keys are later also thrown into the mix, as they can grant powerful bonuses to turn the tide in the player's favor. They will be fundamental in facing off against powerful bosses encountered throughout the story.

Winning battles rewards players with EXP, which can level characters up to increase their stats. Furthermore, an assortment of items and materials will be dropped by defeated foes. Given how eager the game is to throw players into battle, it can take a while to get used to the pace and mechanics.

All of this boils down to micromanaging each member while also keeping an eye on foes. Unfortunately, this can quickly become annoying in battles against multiple enemies, as things can get a bit difficult to track with close-up attacks and flashy combos. As a result, it is not always possible to switch to a desired party member in time to reduce damage.

Graphics, performance, and sound

The vibrant graphics are surprisingly appealing (Screenshot from Atelier Ryza 3)

On a technical level, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is not going to blow anyone away. It falls in line with typical JRPGs, thanks to static environments and hallways dotted with monsters and pickups.

However, it is the artistic flourish that manages to impress. The game brings to life its beautifully detailed characters with a familiar, celshaded aesthetic that anime games are known for. It is not a strong departure from the previous installment in that regard.

The performance is solid across the board, with no crashes, bugs, or other technical faults to hamper gameplay. However, keen-eyed users could find themselves bothered by the occasional pop-in at times, especially around the open areas.

The sound is also well-rounded. The voiceovers are in Japanese only with English subtitles. The music is a cheery orchestral score that captures the sense of awe triggered by adventure and adrenaline.

In conclusion

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Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is a wonderful JRPG that is a must-play for fans of the genre, doubly so for longtime fans of the series. It is a memorable journey through magical worlds that will excite players despite the narrative's reliance on slice-of-life tropes. The memorable cast of vibrant characters is the star of the show, resulting in a journey that's both full of adventure and friendship.

Of course, like me, many will find the gameplay fairly daunting to get into initially. This is, in no small part, thanks to the overwhelming combat and nuanced crafting systems. The lack of proper explanation beyond the basics can also leave players scratching their heads. However, those who aren't afraid to stick around and try their hand will be sure to find a rewarding and challenging game awaiting them behind a web of complexity.