Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack

My favourite arc of one of my most adored RPG series just got a DX upgrade so let's have fun with Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack.

I’m rarely one to replay a game, so with how often new entries in the Atelier series come out, I usually only manage a single playthrough before it’s time to move on to the next. I’ll happily make an exception to that trend for the Atelier Ryza trilogy, though. I’m a huge fan of Ryza as an Atelier protagonist, and getting to watch her grow and mature across a full trilogy was a beautiful shake up to the usual Atelier formula of new protagonists in each game. I also loved what this trilogy did with combat, turning it into a unique hybrid of turn-based battles and fast-paced real time action. Ne...

Here at Shacknews, I’ve talked about Atelier a few times. GUST and Koei Tecmo’s item synthesis and cozy vibes RPG series has had a lot of ups and downs over the past few decades. If you’ve read my previous reviews, you might have a skewed perspective, as the most recent outing was a big down, and the one before was, excuse the cliche, a mixed bag. But dial the clock back just a bit more, and you have the current peak of Atelier mountain: Ryza. This time, we get to talk about Ryza.

From depression to alcoholism to the horrors that once tore down an alchemy-using civilization, Ryza’s world has a lot going on. That Ryza and her friends try to greet each day with a smile despite this is a sign of strength. Ryza’s development from a stubborn teenager to a burnt-out adult to a pillar of her town is delightful to watch.

Atelier Ryza is an amazing trilogy within Gust’s Atelier series. Even still, this repackaging isn’t something you should rush to get unless you’re a fan or newcomer, as the new content, much like previous DX versions of Atelier games, doesn’t bring much that’s new to the table. There are just some nice extras that I wouldn’t consider integral to the overall experience.