I'm a first time Atelier player, and this is definitely a series I'm coming back to, as Ryza was a fantastic introduction to the eccentricity of those games. It is certainly not the usual kind of JRPG, and it differs not only because of its gameplay conventions, but also because of the way it employs its story telling. It reminds me of a summertime adventure type of story, where the stakes are low but the events that unfold signify a very big change for the characters, and memories that will last a lifetime. It was nice to see a story about a bunch of kids solving a mystery on the island they grew up on, rather than fighting gods to save the entire world. Atelier Ryza is a coming of age story that despite its fantastical setting, it manages to feel both quite personal and relatable, and each character embodies feelings that most of us have in such a turbulent transition from a child to an adult, like the need for independence or the need for recognition. Suffice it to say, I was very pleased with the core cast of the game, and Ryza herself proved to be an exceptional protagonist with a lot of charm. It's really not surprising that she gave the series a significant popularity boost.

Regarding the gameplay of the game, the focus is entirely on alchemy, which consists of gathering materials and crafting items. Combat and exploration certainly exist, and are important to the game for sure, but they're also secondary compared to the alchemy loop, and act more supportive to it, rather than being the main driving forces of the game. I was surprised for example that before the endgame, it was really light in boss encounters, but your progress can easily stall if you ignore alchemy. That said, while I often find gathering and crafting obnoxious and kind of grindy, a game built around them like Atelier Ryza was relaxing more than anything. The drop rates aren't obnoxious like in many other games, and you can generally create everything you want without much hassle, as long as you're somewhat diligent with the collection of materials when you visit a new area. It's a system that doesn't feel like an afterthought at all, as the game is built around it. Of course, some aspects of alchemy go much deeper, to get the most out of a new creation you might need to be attentive with the quality or the traits and skills you pass down to it. This won't be an issue for most of the game, but if anyone plans to tackle the optional super bosses, it is certainly something they'll have to delve into, and honestly, it's quite fun on its own.

The rest of the game feels much more standard, though that's not really a bad thing. The combat is turn based but fast paced and relies on the synergy between the characters, the fights usually end by performing special moves after certain actions. Alchemy obviously is also a significant benefit during them, as it allows the creation of really powerful items, in addition to better weapons or equipment. Ryza has a slow start, and a lot of options are locked, but once it gets going you get access to quite a few QoL additions. The ease of fast travel and the need for resources combine quite well, though the constant jumping from area to area, often felt quite disorienting.

Overall, Ryza was a really neat experience, and a very wholesome one at that. A nice story, some really fine gameplay mechanics and a very relaxing and chill tone, if you're in the mood for something somewhat different, it's certainly a game worth playing, and a series worth getting into.