Atelier Ryza 3 Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (Switch) Review

A Fitting Conclusion to the Ryza Trilogy

After a short delay, it’s finally here—the latest installment in the long-running Atelier series of RPGs. In Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, we once again join the notoriously pure-of-heart and thick-of-thigh Reisalin “Ryza” Stout on an alchemical adventure across Kurken Island and beyond. With her tomboyish charm, Ryza has proven to be a fan favorite for many, myself included. This game will be the last of the Secret trilogy focusing on Ryza and her friends, and I’ve been quite eager to see the final outing of one of my most-loved alchemists.

In this third and final entry to Ryza’s story, players find themselves back on Kurken Island for another summer with Ryza and her pals. Mysterious islands have started popping up all over the place, and solving the mystery falls to none other than the local alchemist, who has made quite the name for herself in the past several years.

For players who might be new to the Atelier universe or those who want to brush up on the details of the previous two games, the main menu helpfully offers a clip detailing the events preceding this game. I do however recommend that players check out the first two Atelier Ryza games before starting this third installment, as the vibe here is very much “getting the gang back together for one last ride.” In this bittersweet coming-of-age tale, the party revisits locations from their previous adventures on and around Kurken Island, wistfully sharing memories and pondering how far they’ve all come since the events of the first game. Players will see a lot of familiar faces and places as the party reflects on how much they’ve experienced since the beginning of the arc.

As this is the continuation of a trilogy, the game mechanics are generally quite familiar. While Atelier Ryza 3 retains overall similar mechanics to the rest of the arc, the introduction of “Secret Keys” adds a new layer of complexity to a familiar setup. Keys can be created from landmarks or enemies and used to unlock barriers, buff party members, aid in battle, or boost synthesis in multiple ways. Getting the right key for the job can be a little fiddly, but they are extremely useful when you need an extra push to synthesize that perfect item or turn the tide in a tough fight. The game gradually adds new synthesis and battle features as the game progresses, so don’t feel the need to master all the various mechanics at once.

Ryza 3 is a fairly hefty game in the context of the Atelier series. The map is substantial, with multiple familiar and new regions to explore. It feels almost unnecessarily large at some points, but being turned loose in such a big world feels appropriate given how Ryza and company are finally flying the nest. Plus, the game helpfully supplies players with fast travel points and recipes for some items that make trekking across the world a bit less taxing. Ryza also builds her own Ateliers across the regions she explores, ensuring that players always have somewhere nearby to drop off all the crafting ingredients they’ve been hoarding.

You can also ride a dolphin, because why not?

With this vast world comes a proportionally large party to fill it—there are a total of 11 party members to befriend and join in fast-paced, active-time-battle fights. Excessive? Maybe. But I like the idea of getting the full gang back together, plus the addition of some friends for Ryza to take with her at the end of her journey. These companions can be sent into battle five at a time: three frontline party members and two ready to swap in with a Switch Skill at a moment’s notice. Party members will also periodically make suggestions on what the player character should do during the fray, unleashing Order Skills upon foes once satisfied. The combat itself is probably not as flashy as it could have been, but it’s versatile and the simple combat style is easy to get used to.

The alchemy system is similar to the other games in the Ryza arc, featuring a “loop” style synthesis model rather than the grid style used in many of the previous games. This Material Loop style of synthesis is my favorite used throughout the games. It’s an incredibly fun mechanic you can really get lost in; I could (and certainly do) spend hours up past my usual bedtime crafting the perfect synthesis ingredients and using them to build my party’s gear to my exact specifications. Crafting is absolutely a top focus of these games, and it shows in the care taken to ensure the alchemy system remains engaging and fun throughout the whole game rather than becoming a chore.

The crafting system will be familiar to those who have played the other Ryza installments, but there have been a couple of updates that push the customizability aspect of the system just a bit further. First up, the aforementioned Secret Keys can be used to improve various characteristics of an item, such as its quality, element level, or stats. The second big change made to Ryza’s alchemy is the new “Link Morph” ability. By using a Link Morph, players can swap out certain core ingredients in an item to imbue it with effects that veer wildly off the main recipe path. This can be helpful when creating super strong items and modifying gear to fit a specific need. I’ve also found that it works wonders in a pinch where you’re low on the recipe’s standard ingredients!

Despite its ability to also handle a serious theme or moment, Atelier really is all about the cheeriness and whimsy at its core: the running gag about main characters being obsessed with barrels, the cheesy cutscenes, the silly back-and-forth of the party banter, declarations about the power of friendship. In addition to simply being fun to play, Atelier Ryza 3 did a fantastic job of making sure that this levity was ever-present during the sentimental closing of Ryza’s stint as the star alchemist of the Atelier series. While I’ve grown fond of Ryza and her companions over the course of the past few games, I’m pleased to consider Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key a proper send-off for the characters we’ve come to know and love.

Thankfully, if you get too sad about saying goodbye, you can always pet the dog.SCORES

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

VISUALS - 9/10

SOUND - 8/10

CONTROLS - 7/10

REPLAY VALUE - 7/10

OVERALL - 8/10

Learn more about Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key on the official website. Screenshots were captured using the native features of the Nintendo Switch. A digital copy was provided for the purpose of review.