The Atelier series has been around for a long time. Long enough that it can feel a little intimidating from the outside. We’re talking more than two decades of games, spin offs, sub series, and different protagonists, all tied together by a shared focus on alchemy and character driven stories. For years, it felt like a niche franchise that quietly did its own thing while other JRPGs grabbed the spotlight. Then Atelier Ryza happened. Suddenly the series was everywhere, and for many people, it became the entry point that finally pushed Atelier into the mainstream.
I count myself among those people, even if I’m arriving a little late. I’d never played a single Atelier game before picking up the Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack. Three full RPGs bundled together, complete with extra content, felt like the perfect excuse to finally see what all the fuss was about. After spending dozens of hours with Reisalin Stout and her friends across all three games, I can safely say I get it now. This trilogy pulled me in completely, and it ended up being one of the most consistently enjoyable JRPG experiences I’ve had in quite some time.
At the heart of the trilogy is Reisalin “Ryza” Stout, a restless girl from a small, quiet island village. When we first meet her in Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, she’s bored with her everyday life. She doesn’t want to follow the safe, predictable path laid out for her, and she dreams of adventure beyond the boundaries of her home. Ryza isn’t a chosen hero or a legendary figure. She’s impulsive, curious, and sometimes a little selfish, which makes her instantly relatable.
The inciting moment of the story is small in the grand scheme of things. Ryza and her friends sneak off the island, stumble into danger, and meet an alchemist named Empel and his warrior companion Lila. This chance encounter opens the door to alchemy, a craft that becomes the foundation of Ryza’s journey. What starts as a simple desire for freedom gradually grows into something much bigger as Ryza begins to understand the responsibilities that come with her abilities.
One of the most impressive things about the Ryza trilogy is how naturally the story expands over time. Each game follows chronologically, tracking Ryza’s growth over roughly five years. The first game is intimate and grounded, focused on Ryza’s hometown and the nearby regions. The second game broadens the scope, sending her to larger cities and introducing more complex conflicts. By the time you reach Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, the scale is much grander, with wide open regions, ancient mysteries, and a sense that Ryza’s actions truly matter on a larger stage.
Despite this growth in scope, the trilogy never loses sight of its characters. Ryza matures across the games, becoming more confident and thoughtful, but she never loses the warmth and curiosity that define her. Watching her relationships evolve over time is one of the most rewarding aspects of playing these games back to back.
As a newcomer, I was also relieved by how approachable the trilogy is. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the Atelier series to jump into Ryza’s story. The first game does a great job easing you into its systems and world without overwhelming you. That said, the trilogy itself should absolutely be played in order. Each entry builds directly on the last, both narratively and mechanically, and jumping ahead would rob the story of much of its impact.
The core gameplay loop revolves around three main pillars: exploration, combat, and alchemy. Each system feeds into the others in a way that feels deliberate and satisfying. Exploration is all about venturing into colorful environments, gathering materials, and uncovering new areas. You’re constantly picking up plants, minerals, monster parts, and strange relics, all of which serve a purpose back at the atelier.
Alchemy is the soul of the series, and it’s easily the deepest system in the game. At first, synthesising items seems straightforward. You select a recipe, add ingredients, and get a result. But as the game opens up, it becomes clear just how much control you have. Ingredients carry different elemental values and traits, and how you place them affects the final item’s quality, effects, and even its usefulness in combat.
There’s a definite learning curve here. Early on, I made plenty of mediocre items simply because I didn’t fully understand the system. But once the fundamentals clicked, alchemy became incredibly addictive. Crafting the perfect item feels genuinely rewarding, especially when you see the direct impact it has in battle. It’s not just busywork between fights. It’s a system that encourages experimentation and mastery.
Combat in the Ryza trilogy is a real time system with a tactical edge. Battles unfold quickly, but there’s more strategy here than it might first appear. You can perform normal attacks to build Action Points, spend those points on powerful skills, guard to reduce damage, and use items you’ve crafted through alchemy. Timing and resource management are key, especially during tougher encounters.
Like alchemy, combat takes some time to fully understand. The flow of building AP, switching between characters, and choosing when to go on the offensive or play defensively can feel chaotic early on. But once it clicks, battles become fast paced and engaging. There’s a great sense of momentum when everything comes together, and it’s deeply satisfying to execute a well planned sequence of attacks.
This Deluxe Pack includes a huge amount of additional content across all three games. New party members, extra locations, additional story episodes, and a massive collection of cosmetic DLC are all bundled in. Since I never played the original releases, I can’t compare how these additions change the experience, but I never once felt short on content. If anything, the sheer volume on offer is a little overwhelming in the best possible way.
The cast of characters deserves special mention. Ryza’s friends, mentors, and allies are more than just combat roles. They have their own motivations, insecurities, and personal arcs that unfold naturally throughout the trilogy. The dialogue is charming and often surprisingly heartfelt, and it does a great job of making the world feel lived in. The bonds between characters are a major driving force behind the story, and they’re a big reason I stayed invested all the way through.
Visually, the trilogy is consistently appealing. The environments are vibrant, lush, and varied, ranging from peaceful countryside areas to ancient ruins and expansive regions filled with secrets. Each new location feels distinct, and exploration never got old for me. There’s a warmth to the art direction that perfectly matches the tone of the story.
If there’s one thing I really wished for, it’s an English voice option. The Japanese voice acting is strong, and the performances fit the characters well, but having an English dub would have made the experience even more immersive for me. Many similar games in the genre offer this now, and it feels like a missed opportunity to elevate an already excellent cast.
Final Thoughts
By the time I finished the Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to these characters. What started as a curiosity turned into a journey I was completely absorbed in. The trilogy tells a complete, satisfying story while offering deep systems, memorable characters, and an enormous amount of content.
If you’re an existing player of these games, you’ll need to judge for yourself if the newly added content is worth a new purchase, as the DX versions of the games don’t come with an upgrade path and require a whole new purchase. But for newcomers like me, this Deluxe Pack is an ideal entry point. It showcases what makes the Atelier series special while delivering a cohesive, well paced experience from start to finish. Ryza’s journey is one of growth, friendship, and discovery, and it’s absolutely worth taking.
A review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
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9
- + A great JRPG trilogy filled with interesting characters
- + A lot of new content and quality of life changes included
- + Appealing art direction and vibrant environments
- + Deep and complex systems that complement the story
- - Would have loved an English dub
