Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,135 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator Game Cover
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A new entry of the Atelier series makes it way to mobile and PC! Venture into the lands of Lantana and experience the story of Resna crafted by renowned writer Takahiro. The project is being overseen by Atelier series supervisor, Shinichi Yoshiike, while the character designs have been created by Umiugeso and tokki.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,135 reviews
story147 positive mentions
grinding49 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful graphics and animations, making it visually appealing.
  • The story is engaging and includes many beloved characters from the Atelier series.
  • The game is relatively F2P friendly, offering daily free pulls and a reasonable pity system.
  • The gacha rates are low, making it difficult to obtain desired characters without spending money.
  • Gameplay is overly simplified, lacking the depth and exploration found in traditional Atelier games.
  • The game is plagued by excessive loading screens and a convoluted UI, making navigation tedious.
  • story512 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its cute characters, engaging animations, and overall charm, likening it to a visual novel experience. While some find the narrative enjoyable and well-voiced, others criticize it for being shallow or repetitive, often feeling like a vehicle for gacha mechanics rather than a compelling tale. Overall, it seems to resonate well with fans of the Atelier series, offering a nostalgic blend of familiar characters and light-hearted storytelling, though it may not satisfy those seeking a deep or innovative plot.

    • “The story is very good, light-hearted with fully animated cutscenes.”
    • “The main story is good and has a lot of likable characters.”
    • “The story is enjoyable (not too good, not too bad).”
    • “The story is shallow (love Resna though, she deserved better), the gacha is extremely expensive and not F2P friendly, and there's no exploration.”
    • “The pacing of the story can also be a bit boring sometimes, but that's kind of par for the course in the Atelier series.”
    • “The story is vapid and I really wish I had more control in battles.”
  • gameplay251 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic and repetitive, often comparing it unfavorably to traditional Atelier titles. While some appreciate the alchemy mechanics and character interactions, others criticize the heavy reliance on gacha mechanics, auto-battles, and a lack of meaningful exploration, leading to a feeling of tedium. Overall, the game is seen as a casual experience that may appeal to gacha fans but disappoints those seeking the depth and engagement typical of the Atelier series.

    • “The gameplay mechanics around alchemy are well-crafted and engaging.”
    • “I particularly appreciated the diversity of tasks, which kept gameplay feeling fresh and engaging from start to finish.”
    • “It offers a rich, immersive world filled with captivating characters, innovative gameplay mechanics, and an enchanting narrative.”
    • “Gameplay is repetitive and made me bored quickly after an hour playing it.”
    • “The gameplay is notably lacking and the app fails to capture the magic of the atelier gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is really boring because there isn't any real exploration and the battles are really boring as well.”
  • graphics131 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, character designs, and animations, often describing them as top-notch for a gacha title. The art style is noted for its whimsical and intricate qualities, effectively enhancing the game's atmosphere and storytelling. While some critiques mention performance issues and a lack of depth in gameplay, the overall consensus highlights the graphics as the standout feature, making it visually appealing and immersive.

    • “From the moment I launched the game, I was captivated by its art style, which beautifully blends whimsy and intricacy, immersing players in a vibrant and magical realm.”
    • “The graphics are the best I've seen in a gacha game; also, the characters look far more appealing than in the original games.”
    • “Amazing story, turn-based gameplay is fun and multi-layered, synthesis system encourages using different items with different characters, and the visuals are stunning!”
    • “Drawing parallels to similar titles in the genre, Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator excels in storytelling and atmosphere, yet falls slightly short in graphical fidelity.”
    • “This game has nothing to offer besides its pretty graphics.”
    • “Pretty graphics unfortunately cannot offset the extremely boring and repetitive loop content.”
  • music78 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality, with many reviewers highlighting its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall experience. Fans of the Atelier series particularly appreciate the soundtrack, describing it as beautiful and immersive, although some note issues with cutscene lag affecting the music playback. Overall, the game's music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.

    • “The music is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the visuals and storyline, and it adds a layer of immersion that enhances the overall experience.”
    • “You can't help but love this game's music; from the menu, the gacha pull, the battle music, to the story, everything is top tier.”
    • “The music is amazing, the graphics are in their full quality, and the camera work is entrancing.”
    • “Cutscenes are lagging during download and music is cutting as well, barely playable :(”
    • “The music is, for an Atelier game, boring.”
    • “Decent enough intro song, but you have to listen to it when downloading the update, so had to listen to this song 3-4 times before it was done updating.... so there goes that hype of a good intro...”
  • grinding49 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game is heavily grind-oriented, with many players finding the repetitive farming for materials and character upgrades tedious and unengaging. While some appreciate the cute visuals and nostalgic elements, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the grind, stamina limitations, and a lack of meaningful gameplay, making it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Despite some players managing to progress as free-to-play, the grind is often seen as excessive and detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Quit playing because the endless treadmill becomes apparent and tedious very fast; it's a really paint-by-numbers gacha.”
    • “All I can say is that regardless of whether I continue to play this game (which I will probably not), I am currently not having fun and feel blocked due to the lack of freedom in battle unlike their previous games and therefore caution others who like this series into the harsh reality that is a lot of grinding (for subpar items) and little reward in return.”
    • “It's beautiful and all, but it's really a dumbed-down version of the full Atelier series with its main purpose to make you pay to play its gacha for powerful characters to advance the storyline, and endless grinding bottlenecked by stamina that gives minimal progress, worse than a JRPG/KRPG MMO.”
  • monetization48 mentions

    The monetization in this game is widely criticized as aggressive and predatory, with many players feeling it prioritizes profit over player experience. While it offers some free options like watching ads for in-game currency, the overall sentiment is that the microtransactions are stingy and exploitative, leading to a perception of the game as a cash grab rather than a genuine addition to the franchise. Despite some players finding it manageable, the overwhelming consensus is that the monetization tactics detract significantly from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “For a gacha, the microtransactions are treated lightly and kept to a minimum. There aren't many options, no overpriced costumes, no instant win packs, and most of the aforementioned bundles are buyable with free gems too.”
    • “As for the monetization, I think it's more of a mixed bag than a wholly predatory or negative implementation - at least in comparison to its competition.”
    • “If you love gacha or want to try gacha, this definitely is a great choice; solid gameplay, great story, friendly monetization.”
    • “Monetization is too aggressive and gacha doesn't fit Atelier very well.”
    • “Incredibly greedy with their microtransactions.”
    • “This game is a high effort cash grab.”
  • character development23 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally perceived as shallow, with many reviewers noting that while the character designs and visuals are exceptional, the story lacks depth and engagement. The gameplay mechanics, particularly the gacha system, detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to fully appreciate character growth. Despite these criticisms, the art and character designs are frequently praised as standout features, contributing to a visually appealing experience.

    • “The character designs and superior to past games and hopefully will be in future installments.”
    • “I think its presentation is top notch, its soundtrack is super catchy, and it has some genuinely adorable and endearing character designs.”
    • “The plot is serious and the character development is great.”
    • “The character development system is pretty shallow; the synthesis system is particularly bad, especially the need to have specific characters if you want to have certain traits (which you need to roll). The gacha rate is terrible, and they combine memoria and characters in a single banner, with no guaranteed SR for every 10 pulls. Imagine getting R rarity characters or memoria in 10 pulls with your hard-earned lodestar. Lodestar is super scarce, and while you can buy it, it's quite expensive. They also differentiate between paid and free lodestar.”
    • “Gameplay is boring, and while the character designs and the idea of the game—where previous heroines from earlier games join the new heroine—are interesting, it's unfortunately in a game where combat and story are dull.”
    • “This game clearly had a lot of work put into it regarding animations, character designs, and UI, but the story was as threadbare as it gets. Cutscenes mostly consisted of close-ups of girls' butts, boobs, and then faces (in that exact order every time).”
  • optimization21 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with users reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly on PC, despite some praise for its graphics. While mobile performance is noted to be better, many players experience lag, loading pauses, and network-related problems that detract from the gameplay experience. Improvements in optimization are needed to enhance overall performance and reduce frustrations during gameplay.

    • “The optimization is very good since it's on both mobile and PC; the settings and graphics are very good, reminding me of a game like Heaven Burn Red JP.”
    • “This game is actually optimized very well in the PC version compared to mobile.”
    • “In terms of standalone performance, the game has all the standard features of gacha games, including skip functions, character growth, party building, and stamina.”
    • “Unfortunately terrible PC optimization and stutter.”
    • “Optimization needs to be worked on since it stutters a lot, especially audio-wise, even on lower settings.”
    • “Game performance while serviceable is kind of bad with visible loading pauses when switching between characters in a menu, or the game slowly lagging more and more on each transition the longer the app is open.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming narrative, featuring endearing characters with unique backstories that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the emotional depth and development of the characters, which keeps them engaged and invested in the story. Despite some critiques regarding over-sexualization, the game is largely celebrated for its cute aesthetics and positive themes, making it a charming addition to the series.

    • “Each has a unique personality and backstory that enriches the narrative and adds emotional depth to the gameplay.”
    • “The main characters themselves undergo emotional development and without going into the spoilers, the story itself is well written enough to make you invested in these characters.”
    • “The story is heartwarming and full of likeable and very expressive characters, especially the main duo.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by well-written dialogue and charming character interactions that often elicit chuckles, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere. While some elements, like character designs and quirky mechanics, add to the comedic experience, there are mixed opinions on the overall effectiveness of the humor, with some feeling it lacks the depth traditionally associated with the series. Overall, the blend of cute storytelling and amusing moments creates an enjoyable, if not consistently hilarious, experience.

    • “The dialogue is well-written and often humorous, making interactions feel natural and enjoyable.”
    • “I feel like they honestly put a lot of thought into the world, lore, and the laws that govern alchemy. Every character's introduction and interactions with others are charming, cute, and got me to chuckle a few times with how funny things got.”
    • “Resna is also sweet and funny, and Valeria is a great character too.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its cozy, wholesome qualities reminiscent of the Atelier series, with a charming polar night setting and engaging storytelling. While some players appreciate the lighthearted vibe and character interactions, others feel that the experience can become repetitive, especially for those familiar with the genre. Overall, the game successfully creates a likable and immersive environment, though it may not satisfy everyone’s expectations in terms of graphical fidelity.

    • “The polar night setting lends a unique atmosphere to the game.”
    • “The story's fun, the characters are lovable, and the cozy atmosphere reminds me of the ateliers that I've played.”
    • “Cute gacha game with a very wholesome atelier atmosphere.”
    • “I personally liked the light atmosphere of the game, but for me it was short-lived as I got bored quite fast having played enough gachas like this. I also understand that for someone new to gachas, it might be a nice game to stick with.”
    • “As someone who only plays atelier games for the character interactions, fluffy atmosphere, and cute girls doing cute things, this game barely passed my minimum standard.”
    • “The cozy atmosphere reminds me of the ateliers that I've played, but it lacks the depth I was hoping for.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers express disappointment in the game's replayability, noting that the linear structure and lack of free-roaming elements limit opportunities for exploration and varied experiences. Additionally, the inability to replay certain cutscenes further detracts from the overall replay value.

    • “So instead of free-roaming, you are set on rails. Even a few 3D walking cutscenes are not replayable! Why?!”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game generally runs well on the deck, but users report encountering several bugs that affect overall stability.

    • “Runs great on the deck.”
    • “The game is riddled with bugs that disrupt gameplay.”
    • “I frequently encounter crashes that make it unplayable.”
    • “There are numerous stability issues that need to be addressed.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

11hMedian play time
27hAverage play time
5-57hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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