Review for Atelier Firis: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Journey. Game for PC, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 02/11/2016 The version for PC came out on 07/03/2017
The return of Gust with the Atelier series marks the arrival on the videogame market of Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey, second chapter of the trilogy that began with Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book. In this new title, the Japanese software house refines some basic mechanics, improving a product that had already achieved excellent results.
Outside Ertona
The protagonist of the video game, Firis Mistlud, grew up in the village of Ertona. In the lonely town, she works to look for precious metals thanks to her ability that allows her to find them easily even without using the research objects. His desire is to get out of the country to explore the outside world. However, leaving Ertona is not easy: a door, in fact, blocks the entrance and exit; only those who have proven themselves strong enough can obtain the consent of the wise elder to embark on his journey.
One day, however, Sophie Neunmuller, whom we had met as the protagonist of the first chapter, arrives in Ertona. Firis learns of the newcomer's alchemical ability and decides to become his apprentice. Learning the basic arts of alchemy is the right way to prove that you are strong enough to leave the village.
In the long prologue that serves as an introduction to the basic mechanics of the game, Firis will learn how to use alchemy and be able to obtain permission to leave the village.
Exploration…
The story of Atelier Firis: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Journey is divided into two arcs: in the first, lasting one year within the title, Firis will travel the world with the aim of taking the final alchemist exam. During his adventure he will have to obtain the certificates of the established alchemists; only when he has collected them all will he actually be able to reach the final town and take the exam.
During the trip, as usual, we will meet numerous characters, some of whom will join the party. Each fighter has different characteristics, between those who make magic their strong point and those who prefer physical attack. During the adventure we will be accompanied by the usual splendid music. Indeed, we will have the possibility to choose to alternate between the soundtrack of Atelier Firis and that of Atelier Sophie.
Once the alchemist exam is completed, the second part of the video game will begin, dedicated to the exploration and completion of the remaining quests. Unlike the first chapter, the quests will not be given to us by an innkeeper but by the NPCs we will meet during the explorations.
Another substantial difference lies in the mechanics of exploration. If our base in Atelier Sophie was our Atelier in Kirchen Bell, and after each exploration we were forced to return to recover energy, in Atelier Firis we will have a portable Atelier, given to us by Sophie. In the vast maps we will find fireplaces that will be used precisely to build around our Atelier. Again, if in Atelier Sophie it was enough to return to Kirchen Bell to recover the LPs - which, as in the prequel, are used to perform actions and are consumed by collecting objects or fighting an enemy - in Atelier Firis we will recover them by creating objects with the alchemy or sleeping in the Atelier.
… Fights and alchemy
The combat system remained essentially unchanged. Each battle will follow the turn-based attack pattern, in which we can decide whether to attack the enemy or upgrade the party. We will have physical attacks, magical attacks and items available. Each attack will increase the hit bar, which, once filled, will allow us to unleash powerful combos. At the end of the battle we will get experience points with which to level up. Character growth will allow us not only to improve our skills, but also to learn new ones, both passive and active. Defeated enemies will sometimes be able to drop chests, some of which contain rare items.
As in any Atelier, even in Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey whenever we are not busy exploring or fighting enemies, we will have to try our hand at creating objects using alchemy. In this new chapter the alchemical system has undergone some changes: if in Atelier Sophie, advancing in the course of the adventure, new cauldrons were unlocked, in Atelier Firis the cauldron will be unique; what will change will be the level of the object that we will create: each object, in fact, will level up every time we create one with alchemy. The bonuses that we can apply to the object will therefore be linked to the level of the same and not to the type of cauldron. Among the possible creations we include equipable weapons, items usable during battle or with passive skills useful during explorations. Crafting items will increase our ability with alchemy allowing us to craft ever more powerful items.
The new chapter of the latest Guts trilogy, Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey, confirms the good things done with Atelier Sophie. If you have played the first chapter and found it fun, do not miss this new sequel, in view of the final episode of the cycle.
► Atelier Firis: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Journey is a JRPG type game developed by Gust Co. Ltd. and published by Koei Tecmo for PC, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 02/11/2016 The version for PC came out on 07/03/2017
