People have been able to see Reisalin “Ryza” Stout grow up in Atelier Ryza and Atelier Ryza 2 since 2019. The first game broke the series’ sales record with over 500,000 copies sold, and the sequel is off to a solid start as well. Now that anyone, anyone may play, speaking with Producer Junzo Hosoi about the first two games and whether or not an Atelier Ryza 3 is in the works.
Atelier Ryza was all about setting objectives, but Atelier Ryza 2 is about about getting them. How did you prepare to convey it for each character, particularly those who were only recently introduced?
Gust, Junzo Hosoi: Ryza is introduced to city life for the first time in this game. And, obviously, Ryza has a lot of new experiences as a result of the change in setting, so the new characters in this game are there to represent that. Ryza learns about other cultures and beliefs by introducing characters that live in a metropolis where many people come and go, rather than remaining in the confined environment of an island, and we wanted to depict how Ryza herself is able to move forward by doing so.
What steps did you take to ensure that newcomers like Patty and Serri blended in with the rest of the characters in Atelier Ryza 2?
Ryza is a highly outgoing character, thus the new characters had no trouble fitting in. However, we made changes to ensure that the prior game’s cast was included by providing them with a connection to the current cast. (Tao, for instance, is Patty’s tutor.)
Which of the new characters from Atelier Ryza 2 is your favourite, and why?
All of the characters are my faves, but I think Patty is particularly awesome and adorable while she is fighting!
The recipe system allows you to experiment with the basic Atelier Ryza alchemy formula while also tying it to discoveries. What prompted you to pursue this in-game progression? And what do you think Gust will do with it in future Atelier games?
Until the previous game, recipe acquisition was related to the story’s progression, and it was set up in such a way that everyone may get the same recipe at the same time. We intended to make adjustments in the “Secret” series to broaden the degree of freedom in the Atelier series, therefore we implemented the skill tree system in this game. This system’s inclusion in future games is still under consideration, so we’ll think about it while keeping user feedback in mind.
Now that spoilers are no longer a concern, what would you like to accomplish with Atelier Ryza 2 that you weren’t able to incorporate into the game?
Hosoi: I think we could have done a lot more with the characters’ expressions.
Atelier Ryza 2, like Atelier Ryza, left a lot of loose ends for a sequel. Will there be a third instalment of Atelier Ryza?
It all hinges on everyone’s help! Personally, I’d like to produce a third game, and if we’re lucky enough to get the chance to do so, I’d like to be successful in expanding it even further.
Will we finally get to see more of Bos if a third game happens?
Bos is a character who stood out in both games in some way, thus I’d like to give him a more active role in one of them. I’m hoping to execute it in a way that meets the expectations of the gamers.
What do you think the influence of Atelier Ryza 2 will be on future Atelier games?
The “Secret” series, in my opinion, is the one in the Atelier series that pushes you to try new things. And those difficulties are being met with enthusiasm. On the other hand, trying new things doesn’t always mean everything is perfect, and we’ve gotten feedback from gamers who preferred the old way of doing things. Negative feedback, in my opinion, is also quite significant. As a result, it will inspire me to consider how I may effectively include both perspectives in the Atelier series.
What are your thoughts on the PlayStation 5 and its unique features? Is it possible that the DualSense’s haptic feedback may be used in a future Atelier game?
When I first tested out the PS5 controller, I was blown away by the number of capabilities it offers. It would be fantastic if we could figure out how to incorporate them into our future games. We may use it, for example, to demonstrate how the alchemy cauldron reacts during synthesis or to manage the strength when mixing in the cauldron. We intend to figure out how to make the most of it.
