Ryza Games toned down the fan service and refocused to give the series a much needed boost. Combat used to be an afterthought, but has become an integral part of modern Atelier adventures, providing players with deep and engaging battles that blend beautifully with the alchemical side of things. It’s a vastly improved experience that’s led to us issuing some grand old scores for Ryza, with the latest entry, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key scoring a very impressive 9/10 in our review.
Buoyed by the success of these latest releases, Gust has now returned to the genesis of its 26-year-old series to bring us a remake of the original Atelier adventure, in which Atelier Marie gets an official English release for the first time ever.
In anticipation of its July 12 release, we spoke with Gust host Junzo Hosoi to find out more about the upcoming Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist Of Salburg.
Nintendo Life: With this remake, you go straight back to the beginning of the Atelier franchise, to the original Atelier Marie adventure from 1997. Is there a specific reason why you decided to revisit this particular story, and now?
Junzo Hosoi, head of Gust: Well, thanks to the Secret (Ryza) series and other titles released between 2019 and 2023, the number of people interested in the Atelier series itself has increased significantly. We decided to rework Atelier Marie to convey the origins of the series for those who are not very familiar with Atelier Marie.
Does this remake signal an intention to return to several key points in the series’ history? Atelier Marie? Cwill we see remakes of some of the more popular entries from the franchise in the near future?
Well, there’s always a possibility. One of our goals is to have the entire Atelier series, starting with Atelier Marie and the latest title, available in digital stores. We believe that the next “Ateliers” will be created based on some of the comments we get from those who play both the past and the newer titles.
The visual style of the original has undergone a rather radical overhaul judging by the game’s trailers. Can you go into detail about what exactly has changed and how the graphics differ from the 1997 version?
Characters and stages have been newly redesigned from 2D to 3D. Battle scenes are now also in 3D, which allows for a dynamic presentation with plenty of effects.
On the other hand, 2D character illustrations are used in dialogue events to maintain the atmosphere of the original game. Key elements that have evolved from the original are that the character illustrations are now animated, allowing the characters to be portrayed even more vividly.
Aside from the graphical improvements, has the narrative seen any additions or cuts compared to what fans will know from the original experience?
On top of the original script, an amount roughly equivalent to 30-40% of the original story are additional scripts. Content includes the opportunity to learn new aspects of the characters and teacher feedback on Marie’s work. The purpose of the add-ons is to enhance character representations and increase immersion in the world.
There are no deleted scenarios, but we have adjusted some of the expressions that do not fit modern values.
Can you tell us a bit about how the tutorial and navigation systems in Atelier Marie Remake have been expanded and improved to modernize it for a new audience? What are the biggest changes in this regard?
“Professor Ingrid’s Task” is a big change compared to the original. In the original version, players had to pass graduation exams with almost no hints, however, this game is designed so that players can get hints on what to do as they progress through the game by completing the tasks given to them by Professor Ingrid on a regular basis.
We already know that a new “Unlimited Mode” has been added to the adventure, but what other brand new elements, if any, have you brought to this remastered version of the game?
I think that the ability to pass through the gathering space is the element that changes the playing experience the most. Players could not walk through the gathering area in the original game, instead, they only had to choose whether to collect materials or not, so in this version, players can walk around the gathering area like in recent Atelier series games, and can pick up items to access materials on the ground.
Battles are now fought using symbols and players can choose to avoid encountering enemies, so the balance has been adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, for those who want to enjoy the game in the same way as in the original, we have also prepared a “simplified collection” feature that allows collecting by choosing from certain choices.
A few other fun elements were also added, such as the ability to redecorate the atelier and the addition of a photo mode, which was popular in the more recent Atelier games.
Are there any significant differences between the Switch version of the game and the versions on other platforms? How does performance on Switch hold up or compare to other versions?
We have optimized the game for each platform, including the visuals, so that the game can be played comfortably on any platform.
For new fans who may have just started their Atelier journey with the ultimate Ryza trilogy, what are the main differences they’ll notice stylistically, thematically, or in terms of core gameplay loops compared to this game?
Compared to Atelier Marie, the Secret series, where Ryza is the main protagonist, is more of an RPG-oriented title. The game progresses through the story, and the player naturally continues along the story until the end.
In contrast, Atelier Marie is more like a simulation game. The game is played in a way that allows players to manage their schedules and coins to achieve success and aim for a good ending. However, the game design may be less familiar to those who are used to the recent Atelier games, so we have added additional features for them such as “Ultimate Mode” and “Professor Ingrid’s Task”.
However, some things remain the same. For example, the three main components of the game, “synthesis”, “battle” and “gathering”, remained unchanged from Marie to Ryza.
How is Marie different from Ryza as a main character?
I believe that both Marie and Ryza are real protagonists that many people can relate to, as both characters start out in a state of inexperience and grow as they struggle with their concerns.
The only difference is that Marie can seem a bit passive compared to Ryza, who is always active and in charge. The reason for this is the difference in the way each title plays. In Ryza, the main protagonist acts independently to advance the story, while in Marie, the player must choose the main protagonist’s actions.
There is no physical version of Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg announced in the West. Is this something that is likely to change, or will fans here have to settle for the digital versions that have been announced?
There are no plans for a physical release.
This interview has been slightly edited for clarity.
Thanks to Hosoi-san for telling us about this beautiful remake.
Looking forward to discovering the origins of the Atelier franchise when Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg releases on July 12th? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
