Get your bubbling cauldrons ready for winter as Koei Tecmo will release Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream in North America on February 25, 2022 for PlayStation 4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.
This new entry in the Atelier series (which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year) is a sequel to Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book, first released in Japan in 2015 but more recently ported to the Nintendo Switch.
You can check out an exclusive look at the introduction to the game below:
In her first adventure, young alchemist Sophie Neuenmuller ran her own business in the town of Kirchen Bell but struggled with her craft. She discovered a floating, talking book of alchemic recipes named Plactha. This book shared her extensive knowledge with Sophie in exchange for help in regaining her memories and original form. Sophie also partnered with non-book friends as she gathered materials for her alchemy and they collectively fought monsters in the wild using Sophie's handiwork. As players learned how to master the in-game alchemy systems, Sophie gained experience as an alchemist, gaining access to more complex creations.
For the upcoming sequel, Sophie and Plachta will continue their friendship and journey outside of Kirchen Bell to a new realm called Erde Weige. There she discovers a young alchemist also named Plachta, but this one doesn't seem to know Sophie at all. In Atelier Sophie 2's new world, up to six party members form two teams and battle monsters in "multi-linked turn-based battles". Switching from exploration to combat is now instant, with no more loading or transition screens between the two gameplay modes.
It's not all fighting though, as Sophie still needs to use her alchemy talents to combine materials into new substances. The panel synthesis system from the previous game will return, offering players a choice on how they wish to create their concoctions. Regular panels allow for easier creations, but "restricted" panels can produce stronger stuff — if players know how to use them.
The very first Atelier game debuted in May of 1997 exclusively in Japan, originally for the Sony PlayStation but later ported to many other consoles. Sequels and spinoffs followed soon after, but it took years before an Atelier game was officially localized. Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana, released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2, would be the first title to see an international release, but recently Koei Tecmo has taken a more global, multi-platform approach with the series (including releasing on Steam).
To celebrate the franchise's upcoming 25th anniversary, a website is already up to highlight the latest news surrounding the event. Koei Tecmo America is also offering a Limited Edition version of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream exclusively through the NIS America online store, with an art book, deluxe fabric poster, keychain, bonus soundtrack CD, and an exclusive DLC costume.
Diamond Feit is a writer/podcaster in Osaka, Japan who uses Twitter & Twitch as feitclub.