This review contains spoilers
When I play JRPGs, I love to lose myself in the amazing worlds that are created & connect with the characters. There truly is no greater feeling than getting so invested in this genre & finding a game which ticks all your boxes in the best way possible.
Sophie 2 is one of those games & so much more. Words cannot do justice how I TREASURED my experience with this game. This game does so so much right & it’s the best Atelier game I’ve played for absolute definite. Like Ryza 2 was to Ryza 1, Sophie 2 takes everything that worked from the first & just improved upon it majorly. What makes Sophie 2 so fantastic is that you really don’t need to have played Sophie 1 to follow along with what’s going on. It’s very beginner friendly in its approach unlike Ryza 2 which imo you couldn’t really jump into without prior knowledge of the first game to really appreciate it. However for the best experience, I’d recommend playing Sophie 1 first.
The alchemy system in this game is amazing. It really made me think about what I was doing & like a lot of Atelier games I sometimes found myself synthesising stuff for ages as it just breezed by with how addicted I was. Knowing which materials to use & the different catalysts for different effects made it the most interesting alchemy in the series that I’ve played thus far.
The combat in Sophie 2 is absolutely fantastic. One of the best turn based systems I’ve seen in recent memory & a huge leap over Sophie 1’s battle system. Using twin attacks in battle was incredible & gave the combat a really nice flow. Each character felt important to the group & pulling off their ultimate attacks was really satisfying as you unlock them across the story.
Speaking of the story, Sophie 2’s narrative is really really solid. It’s not going to blow you away or anything but that’s just the charm of this series. While I definitely love a story that explores deep themes, sometimes something as simple as the theme of dreams is what I really need. It was really funny & light hearted as a lot of Atelier games are but also surprisingly emotional in parts though never felt like it was just throwing stuff at me for the sake of it which I saw as a problem in the latter parts of Sophie 1 after a pretty directionless but comforting adventure.
Some of the worlds in Sophie 2 were just absolutely gorgeous. A big mechanic of this game is changing the weather & just seeing how much each area changes thanks to that is really really amazing. While I definitely think some of them went on arguably a little too long, each were diverse enough to never get boring which I find a lot of dungeons in this genre often do. The difference in the look with rain, sun, snow etc helps keep things looking fresh & I appreciate that.
The characters in this game are excellent. Tropey? Yes. But I’d say they were tropes done right. And like a lot of Gust games I’ve played so far, the characters really shine. Each has their own individual story & they all stand out from one another, admittedly some more than others. Though the personal highlights for me in this game were Sophie, Rami, Plachta & Elvira.
Sophie herself is the same loveable ray of sunshine that she was in the first game & honestly I found the bond between Sophie & Ramizel incredibly wholesome. I really enjoyed just how much Rami was influenced by her granddaughter’s success & it also showed just how much Sophie’s grandmother meant to her & the way their relationship progresses throughout the game it was hard not to feel attached. I admit there were scenes that made me emotional & their interactions were far & away my favourite. I also really liked how young Plachta was written & seeing just how big the contrast is between her & doll Plachta was really interesting. As for Elvira…I was really not sure of her at first however what a character she turned out to be. Her arc was really solid & I found her writing to be incredibly impactful & I was incredibly captivated by her story. The theme of dreams runs through Elvira & seeing how she grows to care for the people of Erde Weige was an incredibly satisfying payoff in the ending. The character writing in this game is nothing short of brilliant & some of the best in the series & I’m sure that will remain as I go further into this franchise.
I could go on & on about everything this game does amazingly but we’d be here for days. All you need to know is that Atelier Sophie 2 is a masterclass of the JRPG genre & undoubtedly will remain as one of my favourite games I’ve played this entire year. It truly was so charming & even better than I ever could’ve expected.
Atelier has quickly become a favourite franchise of mine from the games I’ve played so far & while I definitely will return to the other two titles in the mysterious trilogy at a later date, I truly feel like I’ve reached the peak of this franchise…until Ryza 3 that is but we’ll see. If you enjoy JRPGs, this game should absolutely not be slept on. What an absolutely wonderful time I had.
Now Gust…WHERE IS ATELIER RAMIZEL??? Cause after this masterpiece I NEED it in my life.
Sophie 2 is one of those games & so much more. Words cannot do justice how I TREASURED my experience with this game. This game does so so much right & it’s the best Atelier game I’ve played for absolute definite. Like Ryza 2 was to Ryza 1, Sophie 2 takes everything that worked from the first & just improved upon it majorly. What makes Sophie 2 so fantastic is that you really don’t need to have played Sophie 1 to follow along with what’s going on. It’s very beginner friendly in its approach unlike Ryza 2 which imo you couldn’t really jump into without prior knowledge of the first game to really appreciate it. However for the best experience, I’d recommend playing Sophie 1 first.
The alchemy system in this game is amazing. It really made me think about what I was doing & like a lot of Atelier games I sometimes found myself synthesising stuff for ages as it just breezed by with how addicted I was. Knowing which materials to use & the different catalysts for different effects made it the most interesting alchemy in the series that I’ve played thus far.
The combat in Sophie 2 is absolutely fantastic. One of the best turn based systems I’ve seen in recent memory & a huge leap over Sophie 1’s battle system. Using twin attacks in battle was incredible & gave the combat a really nice flow. Each character felt important to the group & pulling off their ultimate attacks was really satisfying as you unlock them across the story.
Speaking of the story, Sophie 2’s narrative is really really solid. It’s not going to blow you away or anything but that’s just the charm of this series. While I definitely love a story that explores deep themes, sometimes something as simple as the theme of dreams is what I really need. It was really funny & light hearted as a lot of Atelier games are but also surprisingly emotional in parts though never felt like it was just throwing stuff at me for the sake of it which I saw as a problem in the latter parts of Sophie 1 after a pretty directionless but comforting adventure.
Some of the worlds in Sophie 2 were just absolutely gorgeous. A big mechanic of this game is changing the weather & just seeing how much each area changes thanks to that is really really amazing. While I definitely think some of them went on arguably a little too long, each were diverse enough to never get boring which I find a lot of dungeons in this genre often do. The difference in the look with rain, sun, snow etc helps keep things looking fresh & I appreciate that.
The characters in this game are excellent. Tropey? Yes. But I’d say they were tropes done right. And like a lot of Gust games I’ve played so far, the characters really shine. Each has their own individual story & they all stand out from one another, admittedly some more than others. Though the personal highlights for me in this game were Sophie, Rami, Plachta & Elvira.
Sophie herself is the same loveable ray of sunshine that she was in the first game & honestly I found the bond between Sophie & Ramizel incredibly wholesome. I really enjoyed just how much Rami was influenced by her granddaughter’s success & it also showed just how much Sophie’s grandmother meant to her & the way their relationship progresses throughout the game it was hard not to feel attached. I admit there were scenes that made me emotional & their interactions were far & away my favourite. I also really liked how young Plachta was written & seeing just how big the contrast is between her & doll Plachta was really interesting. As for Elvira…I was really not sure of her at first however what a character she turned out to be. Her arc was really solid & I found her writing to be incredibly impactful & I was incredibly captivated by her story. The theme of dreams runs through Elvira & seeing how she grows to care for the people of Erde Weige was an incredibly satisfying payoff in the ending. The character writing in this game is nothing short of brilliant & some of the best in the series & I’m sure that will remain as I go further into this franchise.
I could go on & on about everything this game does amazingly but we’d be here for days. All you need to know is that Atelier Sophie 2 is a masterclass of the JRPG genre & undoubtedly will remain as one of my favourite games I’ve played this entire year. It truly was so charming & even better than I ever could’ve expected.
Atelier has quickly become a favourite franchise of mine from the games I’ve played so far & while I definitely will return to the other two titles in the mysterious trilogy at a later date, I truly feel like I’ve reached the peak of this franchise…until Ryza 3 that is but we’ll see. If you enjoy JRPGs, this game should absolutely not be slept on. What an absolutely wonderful time I had.
Now Gust…WHERE IS ATELIER RAMIZEL??? Cause after this masterpiece I NEED it in my life.