Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy

About

"Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy" continues the story of Ryza, the series' first protagonist to become the lead in two consecutive games. Set three years after the previous entry, Ryza embarks on a new journey to the Royal Capital of Ashra-am Baird to uncover the truth about ancient ruins and lost legends. This dynamic RPG features exciting exploration and crafting gameplay with enhanced graphics and new characters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy screenshot

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 765 reviews

story102 positive mentions

grinding50 negative mentions

Significant improvements in combat mechanics and overall gameplay compared to the first game.
Engaging character interactions and development, with a charming cast that feels relatable.
The alchemy system is deep and addictive, allowing for creative crafting and item customization.

The story is weaker and less engaging than the first game, with a predictable plot and lack of character growth.
Repetitive exploration mechanics and tedious side quests that can feel like a grind.
Performance issues on PC, including stuttering and poor optimization, detracting from the overall experience.

story
484 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The story in "Atelier Ryza 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it feels less engaging and memorable compared to its predecessor. While the character interactions and side quests are praised for their depth and charm, the main plot is often described as predictable and lacking in substance, leading to a more slice-of-life experience rather than a compelling narrative. Overall, while the game improves on gameplay mechanics and character development, the story is seen as a weaker aspect, with some players expressing a desire for a more cohesive and impactful plot.
- “The story is light-hearted, charming, and fun.”
- “The story is significantly more interesting as a whole; I was paying attention the whole way through this time, unlike in Ryza 1.”
- “The story is nice, the gameplay becomes more functional and fun, and good character design.”
- “The story felt very lacking compared to the first game and just seemed as though it had no purpose or reason to exist, which only until after 40-50 hours did the story start to pick up and become interesting and more so near the end.”
- “The story is obviously nothing to write home about—you can't really go in expecting Disco Elysium or Grand Theft Auto IV or something like that—but the characters are surprisingly expressive, the voice actors add a lot of energy into their performances, and the writing and structure both see significant improvements from the first game.”
- “The overarching story was very, very bland.”
gameplay
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The gameplay in Atelier Ryza 2 has been widely praised for its significant improvements over the first game, particularly in combat mechanics, crafting systems, and exploration features. Players appreciate the engaging gameplay loop that combines alchemy, battles, and exploration, although some find the abundance of mechanics overwhelming. Overall, the game offers a satisfying and addictive experience, making it a strong sequel for fans of the series.
- “On the gameplay side of things, it's an improvement over Ryza 1 in pretty much every way.”
- “The actual alchemy mechanics were the best they've ever been, and I would be satisfied if it stayed that way through Ryza 3.”
- “Gameplay wise, it's a vast improvement over Ryza 1, which I already enjoyed.”
- “I got irritated plenty with that mechanic.”
- “Although it struggles to properly tutorialize a lot of its systems, some may find it a little difficult to grasp its many mechanics if they decide to forgo it entirely.”
- “The repetitiveness of the 6 dungeons, looking for clues, is a bit boring and gives the episode a gameplay that feels too constant.”
music
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many praising its enjoyable and memorable soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the intense boss themes and emotional crafting music, noting improvements over the previous installment while maintaining the series' signature charm. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and immersion.
- “The music is delightful, which is a staple in Atelier games at this point.”
- “Intense boss music, peaceful exploration music, and mood music for each zone of the game that fit with the design of those maps.”
- “The soundtrack is still amazing and somehow even better than the one in the first game!”
- “The music is somewhat similar, so no songs really stand out, and they even reuse some of the original storyline, which makes this story boring and predictable.”
- “The style change can also be found in the music, which has devolved into generic RPG music, especially the boss themes.”
- “Not that the music is bad, but it misses a main part that personally attracted me to the series.”
graphics
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
55%
6%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their vibrant art style and character design, showcasing a significant improvement over the previous installment with more detailed environments and a pleasing anime aesthetic. However, some players noted technical issues, such as low-resolution textures and graphical glitches, which detracted from the overall experience. While the visuals are considered beautiful and engaging, they are not without flaws, leading to mixed opinions on their quality compared to other titles in the genre.
- “The visuals are lively and vibrant.”
- “The graphics are better, the combat is better, the systems are better, the environments are better, the controls are better.”
- “Atelier Ryza 2, in my opinion, is very good in terms of world-building, graphics that are pleasing to the eye, simple mechanics, relaxed gameplay, and good character design.”
- “There are also some graphical issues I noticed, and the art seemed to be worse than the first game.”
- “If you're expecting an original story, top-notch visuals, or anything like that, give it a pass.”
- “Seriously, despite the stylish design and more or less amusing visuals, the game is horrible in every technical aspect of its realization: the game kept dropping resolution to something HD-like until I locked the config file; absolutely horrible controls - all those menus/submenus/confirmation windows pop up on one another making it hard to navigate; skill tree and crafting menu are even harder to navigate and select; sometimes it's unclear whether I've pressed the right or wrong button - I had to figure it out experimentally; overall, the game looks like a guest from 2010 - those sloppy animations, flickering textures, abrupt dialog sequences... - it all reminds me of Agarest: Generations of War, yet the interface of that game despite being unintuitive served its purpose pretty well.”
grinding
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The grinding aspect in Ryza 2 is a mixed bag, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the reliance on gem farming and backtracking for crafting materials. While some appreciate the balance between grinding and crafting, others feel that the game could have streamlined these processes to enhance enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a rewarding experience for those who enjoy item farming and synthesis, but it can become monotonous for players seeking a more dynamic gameplay loop.
- “I don't really play Atelier games for the combat, so as long as it's not too tedious or difficult, I'm good with it.”
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but that's part of the experience.”
- “This is an alchemy-focused game, not an action role-playing game, so the grinding feels more purposeful.”
- “As usual with the Ryza games, they are tedious and mostly basic and boring... but this one also adds the annoyance of stupid puzzles and 'stick the lore to the lore points' type of things, making it an incredibly annoying task to gather all the pieces... until you find out that some pieces are blocked, with no indication on the map or minimap about it... often needing more progress for you to get that sweet dopamine of having 100% written on the place.”
- “The synthesis system barely evolved since Ryza 1 and got more confusing. The combat has been nerfed as they expect you to quickly go to 999 quality, and, as such, grinding gems is the best way to progress (which is very frustrating, especially if you do not know the good spots).”
- “Just be prepared for 80 hours of grinding for materials so you can one-shot every boss by emulating Gilgamesh.”
emotional
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming character interactions and touching storylines, particularly the reunions after a three-year gap, which resonate deeply with players. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain narratives, many find the overall experience to be wholesome and comforting, evoking genuine emotional responses, especially during key moments and character developments. The game's charm lies in its cute aesthetics and the endearing relationships among characters, making it a memorable and relaxing adventure for fans of the genre.
- “I can give no spoilers and would never do that, but I do have to offer a warning by way of experience; I cried for about an hour after I beat this and struggled not to immediately start a new save.”
- “Seeing Ryza reunite with her old friends – especially Klaudia – was just heartwarming, and their relationship dynamic is shining brighter here than ever before.”
- “The fully voice acted character interaction events are really charming and heartwarming.”
- “They gave her the most bland and boring story compared to the other Atelier games.”
- “From what I noticed so far, the game should've focused a lot more on bringing the sub quests and bounty hunting into the actual main quest, rather than its boring story. I'm having a lot more fun trying my luck against area bosses than engaging with the plot.”
optimization
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
36%
42%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant stuttering and performance drops, particularly on PC, where the game struggles to maintain consistent frame rates even on high-end hardware. While some users found workarounds, such as using a controller or adjusting settings, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, especially for mouse and keyboard users. Despite improvements in engine performance, the game still leaves much to be desired in terms of stability and efficiency.
- “Use the atelier sync fix; your FPS will hardlock to 60 on Steam Deck after the initial loading of areas, and it's insane why they left so much performance on the table.”
- “Set resolution to native, graphics level to low, and then work out what you can increase from there. I recommend a general order of texture/geometry quality to high, then render distances long, then shadows/bloom/AA/DOF/SSAO on for the greatest visual to performance gain.”
- “Seamless performance, beautiful graphics and cutscenes, no frames lost, no crashes encountered.”
- “I have massive stuttering issues with and without a controller.”
- “The game is badly optimized, so expect to use high TDP to hit consistent FPS even on low settings.”
- “The issue with the PC port is that the game maxes out your GPU each frame, which is terrible for performance and battery.”
character development
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
52%
10%
Character development in "Atelier Ryza 2" is generally viewed as an improvement over its predecessor, with many players appreciating the growth of original characters and the engaging side stories that enhance their depth. While some reviews note that not all characters receive extensive development, the overall narrative and character arcs are considered more fleshed out, making the experience more rewarding for those familiar with the first game. The art style and character designs are also praised, contributing to a visually appealing and immersive world.
- “If you played and enjoyed Atelier Ryza 1, this is more of the same but with better character development and some slight twists to progression.”
- “Not only do I love how Atelier Ryza 2 shows a great growth of character development for the original cast of characters, it also has a large amount of stories waiting for you to discover – making the character content very engaging.”
- “I certainly think the story and character development of the sequel hits a lot harder if you've seen these characters grow through the first game.”
- “There are a few instances of character development here and there, but it's not fleshed out for most of them.”
- “All the original characters return, but offer no interesting dialogue and no character development.”
- “Character development: nothing too outrageous and definitely nothing new.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The atmosphere of Ar2 is characterized by a chill and uplifting vibe, enhanced by a vibrant art direction and a relaxing soundtrack. While the game successfully creates a positive environment, some players feel that the cheerful melodies clash with the more serious themes of the story, particularly in moments involving ancient ruins. Overall, the game is praised for its lighthearted approach and ability to evoke a sense of happiness akin to enjoying a favorite meal.
- “The art direction is designed to run on lighter handhelds like Nintendo Switch; the game is very atmospheric in place of realism.”
- “This series, in general, is a divergence from many other game series in the fact that it has a chill and uplifting atmosphere with a story that doesn't take itself, or its characters, too seriously—a definite plus for me.”
- “I love the colorful artistic design, which gives the game a positive, upbeat atmosphere.”
- “The mysterious atmosphere of ancient ruins with tragic history is completely ruined by an overcheerful melody and Ryza's annoying victory pose after combat.”
- “This series, in general, is a divergence from many other game series in the fact that it has a chill and uplifting atmosphere with a story that doesn't take itself, or its characters, too seriously.”
- “I love the colorful artistic design which gives the game a positive upbeat atmosphere.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
83%
Overall, stability for the game varies significantly across platforms. While some users report a relatively stable experience on PC with no major issues, others, particularly Steam Deck users, encounter frequent freezes, especially during loading screens. Additionally, graphical glitches have been noted, detracting from the overall experience for some players.
- “Runs great on PC, providing a stable experience throughout gameplay.”
- “The game maintains a consistent frame rate, ensuring smooth performance.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or major bugs, which adds to the overall stability.”
- “I have found that ProtonGE 9-15 seems to be the most stable with the fewest freezes, but it still happens enough to be annoying.”
- “Steam Deck users: this game freezes every once in a while at loading screens.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but it is plagued by graphical glitches which can be seen in any gameplay video on YouTube.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is highlighted by its playful interactions, such as calling players out for neglecting side quests and the amusing visuals of over-leveled characters. Players find the combat system's reliance on stunlocking bosses to be a source of comedy, contributing to an overall funny and cozy gaming experience.
- “The game does call you out if you don't do enough side quests, though, which was hilarious when it happened to me.”
- “That until you get over leveled and they start scurrying away and it looks hilarious!”
- “The drawbacks of this combat system are clearly seen during the battles with bosses - the only option to stay alive (if the boss is of higher level than your party) is to try to stunlock it, which is hilarious.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
While a recent update has improved the game's overall playability, some users find that the repetitive nature of the monsters limits its replayability, making it less engaging for multiple playthroughs.
- “The recent update makes this game much more playable and an easier recommendation.”
- “The monsters are still very repetitive, which makes Ryza a less replayable game.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as feeling like a cash grab, with many players expressing disappointment in the reliance on DLC that primarily serves fan service rather than adding substantial value. Overall, the approach has left users feeling underwhelmed and dissatisfied, even during sales.
- “A lot of the cut corners make this feel like a cash grab, along with the DLC, which is mostly just fan service and filler.”
- “I was hoping for a better sequel to the first, but it was honestly really disappointing from the get-go and kind of seems like a cash grab, even when it's on sale.”