Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian

Between a restrained scope and structure that harkens back to the Atelier games of old, a bevvy of fresh gameplay twists to call its own, and a metric ton of fanservice for veterans, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian feels like a triumphant celebration of the entire series’ legacy. More importantly, it’s just a really great RPG experience. Appropriately, it mixes together a bunch of quality ingredients — a heartwarming narrative, strategic and dynamic turn-based combat, complex crafting systems — and synthesises them into a jolly little romp of an adventure. There’s certainly a bump in the road or two, but the ride is too enjoyable to linger on those for long.

Overall I loved Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian. As a first time player I was so impressed and enjoyed my time with Risa, Slade, and all the friends they made along the way. Whether you enjoy combat, crafting, exploration or story-focused games, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian has something for you. You’ll be intrigued by the mystery of the town's destruction and all those who come together to save it, repair it, or destroy it, while an incredible soundtrack and beautiful visuals help immerse you in the rich world The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian has to offer.

Atelier Resleriana makes up for its uneven storytelling with surprisingly deep gameplay and strong audiovisuals. But it’s also clear the game cut a few corners to cram in so many returning protagonists, and that comes at the cost of building a new world that feels fresh. What you get instead is a story that leans heavily on nostalgia, which can feel flat if you’re not here for the reunion tour.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian is a decent game that is good for short bursts of gameplay. If you're a longtime Atelier fan, this likely has more meaning for you, seeing your favourite characters come together for another adventure. For people not familiar with the series, there's not a lot here to hook you.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian probably shouldn’t be anyone’s first entry in the series, and the loading times on the original Nintendo Switch can get pretty annoying over time. The charming characters and breezy set-up are points in its favor, however, and longtime fans of the Atelier games will likely enjoy both the cameos and classic style. It’s also a rather decent choice in general if you’re looking for an RPG to zone out on and don’t mind if you can’t pick up on all the references. Of the three Atelier releases this year, it’s probably the one I’d recommend least, but in the end? I’d still recommend it. Good comfort food.

Part dungeon crawler, part economy sim, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian has a lot going on without being too complicated. The graphics and overworld controls land somewhere between nostalgic for PS2-era JRPGs and perhaps underwhelming for a modern game, but more attention has been placed on characters and enemies, which pop with energy and are given extra life by enthusiastic actors. The story and characters have a charm that reflects the laid-back but never underwhelming gameplay, which offers many different subsystems or metagames players can often choose how much or how little to focus on. Performing alchemy is a minigame itself, as is running the shop, and combining it all means The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian offers hours of content, carried by charming characters who have believable motives, often driven by their own care for each other, and making this a no-brainer for anyone who wants a dense JRPG they can pour hours into on the go.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is a series callback not just with its familiar characters, but in the simplified exploration, synthesis, and turn-based combat, too. Fans of older Atelier games may welcome the change, but it may have simplified too much for those seeking a challenge worthy of its price tag.