Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is the direct sequel to the previous 2016 adventure by Koei Tecmo and Gust. The protagonists, also in this case, it’s the lovely, young Sophie and Platcha and the story that is told by the product is set between The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book And Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey. In case you have not already tried one of the two titles, or both, do not be afraid: at least you will have the possibility to click on Story so far to see an intense and explanatory summary of everything you need to know before approaching the title.
Obviously, after leaving Kirchen Bell, the girls end up having to face a new adventure – or rather misadventure – from the moment they are both swallowed and teleported by a mysterious vortex, in the middle of the forest. Koei Tecmo and Gust propose a new (adorable) journey to discover new worlds and new realities: a simple but entertaining experience as well as extremely user friendly, like most of the titles also previously proposed. Now we will explain in detail what convinced us and what did not, during our run.
A new adventure for Sophie and Platcha
Let’s start from the beginning, that is from the beginning of the plot, which corresponds more or less to an hour, an hour and a half of play, between the discovery of the portal, the arrival in new lands to be discovered and the knowledge of some of the characters that they will accompany us for the course of everything Sophie Atelier 2. Sophie Neuenmuller is a very young alchemistto who is trying to follow the same great feats of her grandmother, flanked by Platcha, her travel companion in the prequel. The latter is an alchemist whose soul was found by the protagonist, inside a book, during the previous chapter: for everything Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book, he decides to become his assistant and to pass all his experience to her in order to make her more and more powerful. And this is how, side by side, they find themselves in the vicinity of a vortex which – absurd but true – will end up dividing them as soon as we have picked up the joystick.
Sophie literally finds herself catapulted in the world of Erde Wiege, alone, without Platcha around. In the first quick search for her, a girl with the same name is named, who owns an atelier in the city center, but unfortunately, despite being the same as “his of hers” and her friend, the alchemist does not seem to know her. The questions crowd the protagonist’s mind: if that place combines past, present and future versions of the same person, where can you find it? beyond this, we will not tell you anything, but we will let you discover the interesting story of the game, albeit simple and not so original. On the plots and atmospheres, however, we can tell you more, while avoiding spoilers.
As for Gust and Koei Tecmo we have already had the opportunity to try many different titles, including the recent one Blue Refelction: Second Lightand we must say that the absolutely intriguing, delicate and engaging atmospheres they always make themselves heard. There is something in the places that are represented in these products, something extremely pleasant to see and experience alongside the protagonists, while noting how much they all look a little alike in the end. Partly because the developers have made it part of their signature, partly because “it works, it’s not worth changing that much”. Sophie Atelier 2 it does not shine with originality in the plot, but the truth is that this is not expected from these video games, but we hope to rediscover the emotions and the type of adventures to which we are fond of previously.
This is why working alongside Sophie was not a revolutionary experience but it really amused us. Also thanks to the evolution undergone by the element synthesis system, the panel through which components, collected along the map, can be placed to create or enhance objects that are very useful in combat. Getting carried away, even if you are not already used to it, is quite simple since, as you probably already know, these games do not shine for the level of grueling challenge. They are within reach for anyone and perhaps are difficult to enjoy by those looking for a real challenge. For this, learning the synthesis will be quite easy but, as always, the development team has found a way to be as user friendly as possible.
In case you find yourself in difficulty, you can choose to use the Auto Fill which will enhance or create the necessary in a few seconds. Obviously you will not be able to achieve maximum efficiency, but you will still have received the necessary in the equipment. A valid move, which underlines the importance of living your run serenely, without pressure and without judgments. Among other interesting activities, an extremely extensive exploration and lots of mini games to obtain new materials useful in alchemy and climate management around you, thanks to the Dreamscape Stones. Among the most important upgrades is the turn-based combat which is free from any loading screen, making the experience incredibly smoother and more enjoyable. This is the first chapter of the series and to enjoy this change and we must say that we have greatly appreciated it and that, although we did not notice it at the beginning, we realized how much it facilitates the scrolling of your run.
Bottom line: sweet, exciting but simple
By and large Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream he kept the atmospheres that convince fans so much and managed to raise the quality of the gameplay a step up, adding some features and making the combat even more “quick”, without the uploads we mentioned above. The extreme ease, even in this case, remains evident, so if you were hoping for a change from that point of view, the characteristics have not changed. The gaming experience is absolutely enjoyable and lasting: based on your attention to detail, side stories and secondary missions, you can decide to extend Atelier Sophie 2 by dozens and dozens of hours, but it mainly depends on you. In general, a recommended experience if you want to try an RPG that is based on achievements already achieved and proven over the years and, of course, if you want to discover Sophie’s new stories.
