Royal Alchemist

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Intrigue, betrayal, deaths! A survival stats-raising Otome / BxB Dating Sim in a high-fantasy royal court setting with RPG elements.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 219 reviews

story123 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with unexpected twists and well-developed characters, making it engaging and immersive.
The art and music are beautiful, enhancing the overall experience and atmosphere of the game.
The protagonist is well-written, displaying intelligence and wit, which sets them apart from typical otome game characters.

The stat-raising mechanics can be frustrating, requiring frequent saves and reloads to achieve desired outcomes, which may detract from the enjoyment of the story.
Some players may find the romance underdeveloped, as the relationships can feel rushed or secondary to the main plot.
There are occasional bugs and inconsistencies, such as misgendering the protagonist, which can disrupt immersion.

story
327 mentions
38 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The story in "Royal Alchemist" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, unexpected plot twists, and well-developed characters, making it a standout feature of the game. Players appreciate the intricate balance between gameplay mechanics and storytelling, although some express frustration with the stat-raising system that can detract from the overall experience. While the romance elements may feel secondary to the main plot, the rich lore and character arcs keep players invested throughout their journey.
- “The story is interesting, with a few twists that I have not expected.”
- “The plot is so very well written and is the perfect combination of a good general storyline and well thought out plot twists that I couldn't see coming yet fit into the story perfectly!”
- “The story is captivating, the writing and universe are excellent, the art and background art are beautiful.”
- “Unfortunately, your actions don’t affect the story.”
- “The main plot is, in my opinion, the weakest part of the story.”
- “The storyline doesn't significantly change from route to route - so you only get a small portion of unique storyline for your prince per route completion, almost the entire route will be a re-run.”
gameplay
45 mentions
42 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of stat management and narrative choices, which some players find engaging while others consider it tedious due to its randomness and the need for strategic planning. Many appreciate the refreshing mechanics that enhance immersion and replayability, though some desire a simpler experience or a visual novel mode without stat management. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art, compelling story, and interesting character interactions, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
- “Came for the cute princes and stayed for the absolutely riveting plot and fun little mechanics of the game.”
- “Engaging gameplay and interesting storyline which kept me hooked throughout.”
- “The production values of this game are fantastic: gorgeous art, strong writing, and well-thought-out gameplay (something that is often an afterthought in this genre).”
- “The core gameplay mechanic of classes and points can get a bit tedious considering its randomness.”
- “Moreover, if I failed at something, I could've been sent 5-30 minutes back in gameplay.”
- “Gameplay and choice: this is going to frustrate a lot of players; even in story mode, you will constantly save and load to get RNG for the best stat, because if not, you will not be able to get to the ending that you want.”
graphics
30 mentions
60 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful and stunning artwork, with many players appreciating the unique art style and character designs. While some users noted a desire for more character artwork and CG scenes, the overall visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and immersive storytelling. The clean and intuitive interface further enhances the visual experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “I was hooked from the moment I saw the visuals and read the brief plot description, so coughing up the $20 was something I was more than willing to do.”
- “The visuals are beautiful and the story is interesting.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, and the writing is delightful--I found myself smiling or outright giggling through many scenes.”
- “The main critique I really have is there isn't enough CG/artwork in the game for the male leads, or really in general.”
- “However, I can understand why there isn't as much artwork, seeing as how quickly they were able to make this game.”
- “Tldr: love the writing, game, and characters, but wish there was more artwork and CG.”
music
27 mentions
59 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the emotional depth of scenes, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as excellent and atmospheric. While some found certain tracks repetitive or less memorable, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience. However, there is a common desire among players for the soundtrack to be more accessible on streaming platforms.
- “The soundtrack is excellent.”
- “The soundtrack and sound design add a great mood and atmosphere to the game's many scenes and complement its characters and settings well.”
- “The art and music are all beautiful, and the story is very expansive.”
- “The music wasn't very special.”
- “The general waltzy music they play otherwise got on my nerves by my 3rd playthrough.”
- “I'm not going to say all the music was good, but it is excellent where it matters.”
humor
15 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highly praised for its clever writing and engaging banter, which balances funny and bittersweet moments effectively. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and character interactions, particularly between the main character and the princes, which often elicit genuine laughter. The humor is described as refreshing and sarcastic, setting it apart from typical tropes in the genre.
- “The story's extremely well-written and hits a lot of good beats, funny and bittersweet and everything in between.”
- “Moreover, they are very funny and sarcastic, which is refreshing and changes from the usual always smiling, gullible, and easily flustered main character you find in otomes.”
- “While each romance route and ending stood out for its own unique reasons, I want to particularly call out the strength of the banter between characters - many conversations are absolutely sparkling with wit, and made me laugh by being truly funny rather than just surprising.”
replayability
14 mentions
57 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its branching storylines, multiple romance options, and a stat-raising system that unlocks new scenes and dialogue. Players appreciate the variety of paths and challenges, including achievements and different outcomes based on choices, which encourage multiple playthroughs. While some users noted potential repetition across routes, the fast-forward feature and engaging mechanics contribute to a solid replay value.
- “The story itself is great, the art is good, the mechanics are good, overall a super solid choice with lots of replayability.”
- “Replayability: main plot events can change depending on your romance choice which adds a bit more fun to playing multiple times.”
- “Highly replayable with a great story, decisions that have consequences, many ways to die, and a prince to snuggle at the end of it all if you manage to survive.”
- “Replay value could be underwhelming.”
- “Missions were nice to read, though you can’t really do much of them in one playthrough since you need to raise your stats - I guess that’s where the replayability value comes in.”
- “Not sure how much is repeated from route to route yet, so I can't speak to replayability.”
character development
13 mentions
69 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game is highly praised, with players appreciating the depth and growth of characters throughout the story. Many reviewers noted that the character designs are visually stunning and align well with their personalities, enhancing the emotional engagement. While the narrative may not be deeply complex, the well-written character arcs and relatable transformations keep players invested and often lead to a newfound appreciation for initially unlikable characters.
- “The game has a really thrilling story and extremely likeable characters (for the most part lol) and the character development of the main characters is so on point.”
- “The character development is great; all the characters are more than one note.”
- “As it gives me character development choices every week, it still disturbs me because I don't know when and how much I must prepare for the points check, or I will receive a death ending.”
- “I ended up loving characters that I didn't really like at first because the character development is so well written!”
- “The character designs are very pretty, the backgrounds are nice looking, and the CGs are beautiful.”
grinding
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and excessive, particularly due to its randomness and the pressure to meet combat stat requirements early on. While some appreciate the skill-building and milestones that add depth to the gameplay, many feel that the grinding can detract from the overall experience, especially after multiple playthroughs.
- “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
- “Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
- “While there are moments of grinding, they are balanced by the satisfaction of leveling up.”
- “Not to mention the grinding to get anywhere. I get it, we all loved 'Long Live the Queen', but not every visual novel needs this much stat grinding. If you want it to have this much insane grinding, scatter it out a little, let the player know what they're getting into before throwing them into an event and berating them for not having enough combat stats two weeks into the game!”
- “Endless, endless grinding.”
- “I would say the stat-raising aspect is a tad tedious after the first playthrough.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game evokes a strong emotional response, featuring heart-wrenching moments and meaningful dialogue that balances angst with humor. Players report feeling deeply moved, even to the point of tears, while also enjoying lighthearted romantic scenes that elicit joy and excitement. Overall, it offers a compelling adventure filled with laughter and heartfelt experiences.
- “Heart-wrenching, truly.”
- “The dialogue is angsty, meaningful, funny, and heartwarming.”
- “This game will make you think and will take you on a great adventure full of banter, laughs, and heart-warming moments.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The Royal Alchemist" is highly praised for its likeable characters and their interactions, complemented by beautiful artwork and a fitting soundtrack. The music and sound design effectively enhance the mood of various scenes, creating an immersive experience that aligns well with the game's settings.
- “The soundtrack and sound design add a great mood and atmosphere to the game's many scenes and complement its characters and settings well.”
- “Beautiful artwork and atmospheric music.”
- “The music was fitting for the game's atmosphere.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling mobile games that require waiting and ad-watching, despite players having already paid for the game. Additionally, the bundling of the guide with the art book is seen as a cash grab, particularly given the high price point in Australia.
- “If I had to compare this game with anything else, I would probably compare it to mobile games where you have to wait a certain amount of time, play menial games to proceed with a plot, watch 10-second ads, etc. Except here, you paid for all this headache.”
- “My only real gripe is that the guide is attached to the art book... feels like such a cash grab, as here in Australia the game is $28.95 and the art book + guide is $35.95!”