Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
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  1. GameCritics
    May 14, 2018
    90
    The map aside, this is yet another great title in the Atelier series. The stakes are high, the characters are likeable, and the gameplay is as good as it’s ever been. Every year I approach the newest Atelier game with a little trepidation – will this be the year they screw it up? Will the streak finally end? But for at least one more year, the answer is no. Gust has again delivered another fantastic JRPG that does the series proud.
  2. Everyeye.it
    Apr 16, 2018
    78
    Here's wishing that the next episode will reintroduce the open-world component.
  3. PSX Extreme
    Apr 12, 2018
    78
    While it lacks the visual depth of a modern day PS4 game, it definitely fills that void with beautiful art and gameplay that deserves more respect than I had originally given it. It is one of the most charming and easy going JRPG games this console generation has seen, and I will certainly be crafting cute items for days to come.
  5. Meristation
    Apr 5, 2018
    82
    Being the third and final installment on the "Mysterious" trilogy, this game offers a title which takes the best from the recent games and mix it with some features from the "Arland" trilogy, making a game which improves in graphic, playability and content.
  6. COGconnected
    Apr 3, 2018
    76
    Old fans of the series will most likely enjoy this entry just as much as the previous ones and any newcomers will be able to pick this up quite quickly and will have a good understanding of what the series is about.
  7. GameSpew
    Apr 2, 2018
    80
    There’s a charming story and intricate systems that help make it one of the best entries to date. I can’t think of a better way to help celebrate 20 years of this long-running series.
  8. Attack of the Fanboy
    Mar 28, 2018
    80
    Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings has allowed me to rediscover why I fell in love with the series in the first place. And though I did find the lack of characters and inconsistent translation frustrating, just about everything else blew me away.
  9. Video Chums
    Mar 27, 2018
    87
    As someone who's played every game in the trilogy, I must say that Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings ties it all together in a masterful way. I'm excited to see what Gust has in store for their next trilogy of delightful adventures.
  10. Hardcore Gamer
    Mar 27, 2018
    80
    Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings is the kind of game that’s best played when one just wants to sit back and relax for a while. Its lack of urgency combined with its liberal use of bright colors, upbeat musical tones and exceedingly optimistic characters make for an experience that can’t help but inspire a faint smile.
  11. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Mar 27, 2018
    75
    Those looking for style and substance will only find the former in abundance, but there’s just enough of the latter to keep Lydie and Suelle’s adventure interesting enough to explore deeper.
  12. Vandal
    Mar 27, 2018
    75
    This new adventure doesn't bring new changes. It's still fun and enjoyable, but the combat and exploration need to be revisited.
  13. Digitally Downloaded
    Mar 27, 2018
    100
    Go into this game with an open mind, and allow the game’s pleasant charm, sweet characters and storytelling, and light, graceful approach to JRPG action to wash over you, and you may just find yourself as in love with the utterly refreshing and pure experience that Atelier Lydie & Suelle has to offer you.
  14. IGN Japan
    Jan 16, 2018
    79
    This game is true to the Atelier series, and while including plenty of fan service, the game makes sure that newcomers have an idea of what's going on. While it lacks in many departments, the great finale of the trilogy more than makes up for it.

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 39
  3. Negative: 10 out of 39
  1. 17_jrpg
    Mar 27, 2018
    9
    Now that Atelier Lydie & Suelle is finally released, I'll share my review for Mysterious series (Atelier Sophie, Atelier Firis and AtelierNow that Atelier Lydie & Suelle is finally released, I'll share my review for Mysterious series (Atelier Sophie, Atelier Firis and Atelier Lydie & Suelle).

    Each game in the Mysterious series have their goal: in Atelier Sophie you must restore the book's memories and its former human form, in Atelier Firis you must pass the alchemist certification exam in one year so you can become a full fledged alchemist and earn the right to keep exploring the world indefinitely, and in Atelier Lydie & Suelle you must explore the worlds within paintings and raise the Atelier Rank in order to have the best atelier in the kingdom. To achieve goals, you have to do certain tasks, and you solve these tasks with alchemy (this is the core of all Atelier games).

    The core system of alchemy is the same in all Atelier games: you need a recipe and ingredients to make a new item. To get a new recipe you have to buy, earn or find them, at least that's how was in previous games. In the Mysterious series they presented a new way to get a recipes: now you can get an idea for new recipes through various types of activities such as fighting, meeting characters, gathering material, and the act of synthesis itself. This new way to get a recipes is interesting, and actually gives the feeling that the protagonists learns alchemy. Also, the synthesis system has been changed in the Mysterious series, and this new system is a bit harder for reason because you have to solve the puzzle so you can get the better effects on the items. In previous games it was easier, for example in the Arland series you can get a different effects based on the quality of the items (better quality, better effect), or in the Dusk series you can get a different effects based on element level (higher level, better effect). In each game of the Mysterious series, they add some new elements to the synthesis system to improve it (for example Catalyst system and Enhancing Agent). Maybe the new synthesis system is a bit harder, but it adds the challenge and the ability to experiment with the items. If you want to make a better item, then you need to find the best ingredient. Each ingredient is of different quality and contains different traits. To find the best ingredients then you have to explore the world and fight different monsters.

    The battle system through the Mysterious series also has changed a lot (just like in the Dusk series). In Atelier Sophie they put a traditional turn-based battle system with support system (four characters in battle). In Atelier Firis they put a battle system which is a combination of battle systems from Atelier (support system and Chain Burst) and Ar Tonelico (three vanguarts in the front and alchemist in the back). In Atelier Lydie & Suelle they put a new battle system which is known as Collaboration Battles. In battle there are three pairs (six characters in battle), and in each pair, one takes the role of the main attacker, while their partner provides the support. Also, in battle you can use a special command to synthesize items (similar to Atelier Iris). This new battle system is much better than battle systems in Atelier Sophie and Atelier Firis, because it is faster and more active.

    In the end I can conclude that from Atelier Sophie to Atelier Lydie & Suelle, certain aspects of gameplay are improving. In order to gain a full experience of the Mysterious series, I recommend that you first play Atelier Sophie and Atelier Firis (in case you didn't), then Atelier Lydie & Suelle. I have rated all three games in the Mysterious series with 9 out of 10 because I like them all, they have a very interesting story and gameplay. I can say that the Mysterious series is one of the best in the Atelier series. Also, I gave a score of 9 out of 10 because there is still a place to improve the Atelier games, so I hope the next series will be even better.    … Full Review »
  2. the_ed_85
    Mar 27, 2018
    3
    My wife and I played this game for a few hours and I can't say that this game was worth the $100 that we paid to get the collector's edition.My wife and I played this game for a few hours and I can't say that this game was worth the $100 that we paid to get the collector's edition. The packaging was nice, with the well-done art book, the pins, fabric poster, audio CD, and collectible box, but the packaging can't make up for a very lacking game. After playing through Atelier Sophie and Firis, I had very high hopes Lydie and Suelle. Unfortunately, those hopes took a giant belly flop into a giant pool of burning lava.

    The first thing that you notice is that the game lacks a very badly needed English dub. Hearing the characters sound like idiots saying "barrel, barrel" whenever you investigated one was a comedic and entertaining way to break the usual very grindy-feeling gameplay of alchemy games. In Sophie and later in Firis, I would go and gather materials for a few hours and then go and see a barrel just for a quick laugh and refresher from the gathering. I know it sounds stupid and it really is, but it was a classic quality that this game doesn't have. The lack of an English dub is not only a letdown, it’s flat out painful. The Japanese voice actors that Gust used are so bad that I would rather take a motorized cheese grater to my ears than hear their voices. These actresses make the Japanese actress for Taokaka in Blazblue seem like a goddess.

    The next thing that I noticed is that the graphics engine breaks the character models. There’s nothing like seeing your character slide in from the right or left and say “hold on, I left my boob over there” and then having it snap back into place like a rubber band. While this is amusing for first few times it happens, it is most definitely a base system of the game not working properly. Honestly, how did the game get through QA testing with such an obvious problem?

    After getting through the obvious graphics problems that the game has, we come to the soundtrack. The songs available in the beginning of the game are flat out bad. There’s no sugar coating it, because the infectious pus that it excretes would make it dissolve away. The DLC soundtrack that you get for preordering the game only includes songs from Atelier Firis. It does not include any of the truly awesome songs that come from earlier games. This is a massive setback for this game since the default soundtrack is not good to listen to.

    Overall, I honestly can’t recommend people buying this game right now. There are just to many things that the game misses on and great packaging does not fix a bad game, the collector’s edition is a whopping $100 that really is not worth it. If I had known that this game would come out this way, I wouldn’t have bought it at all.    … Full Review »
  3. Inuhanyou
    Mar 27, 2018
    10
    I have not played an Atelier game since Escha and Logy, but i have to say this one was really great. It feels like Gust are really reachingI have not played an Atelier game since Escha and Logy, but i have to say this one was really great. It feels like Gust are really reaching toward the penultimate combination of slice of life elements and chemical crafting and traditional turn based RPG combat. And the art style has really survived the transition from last gen to current gen.

    I just hope some day Koei Tecmo gives Gust more of a budget to really expand their formula to even greater heights    … Full Review »
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