Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian: Review of New Alchemical Adventures

This cult series of Japanese RPGs about girls obsessed with alchemy packs such an intense dose of cuteness — sometimes bordering on absurdity — amplified by oversized eyes and distinctive Japanese voice acting, that at times you might imagine a hardcore parody set to Slipknot. Yet behind the seemingly carefree heroines, some of whom are half-naked, there lies real tragedy and a serious mission: they aim to rebuild a city that has been almost completely destroyed. So, what has become of this world, and how far can the new game truly be considered light and casual?

All the cuteness in the world…

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is the second instalment in the renowned series this year. In spring, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land was released. Both games feature big-eyed girls in lacy dresses, reliving tragedies from their past and linked to mysterious disasters that destroyed entire cities. Yumia’s story is particularly somber — her mother died, and her fascination with forbidden alchemy made her almost an outcast.

By contrast, Rias, the heroine of the new game, feels more light-hearted and carefree. While she occasionally recalls unpleasant memories from her childhood, she spends her present days running a small shop with her cute flying assistants and greeting guests from other worlds with cheerful cries of “Oh, how lovely!”

This lighter tone may partly stem from the mobile origins of this sub-series. Two years ago, the freemium gacha game Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy & the Liberator of Polar Night launched on smartphones and Steam, only to shut down quickly. Although it allowed players to collect characters from almost three dozen previous games (dating back to 1997), its design was hampered by frustrating mechanics such as stamina-limited synthesis, which restricted one of the series’ core gameplay systems.

Now, the game has returned in a new incarnation with fresh characters, no gacha mechanics, and the same opportunity to reunite with fan-favourites from across the series. Characters include Reese from Mana Khemia 2, Totori from Atelier Totori, Aisha and Wilbell from Atelier Ayesha, and my personal favourite, Ryza from Atelier Ryza. They all arrive from other worlds to help Rias and her allies restore Hallfein, a once-prosperous trading city nearly abandoned after a mysterious catastrophe.

Alongside Rias, the main character is Slade, the titular guardian. He meets Rias by chance while exploring a dungeon, and they quickly team up. Both had been expelled from Hallfein at different times and suffered losses during the disaster. Together, they aim to rebuild the city, now led by Rias’ sister.

Gameplay begins with gathering materials and recruiting residents, establishing trade, and attracting new citizens who open shops and expand the city. Yet, the game is not solely about management. Eventually, the protagonists must uncover the truth behind the catastrophe and confront those responsible. Slade’s mysterious past and recurring mentions of hidden artefacts add further intrigue.

Fans of the series will also enjoy nostalgic encounters with familiar characters. Some play major roles in the story, while others appear episodically. Interaction with them often includes chatting, completing quests, or sourcing rare ingredients — like helping Mu, who debuted in Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg, acquire warm clothing.

These character interactions lend weight to a plot that might otherwise feel lightweight. While the constant smiles, wide-eyed expressions, and cheerful squeals initially evoke cringeworthy moments, the details of their daily lives and personal struggles give these interactions depth and meaning. It may not reach the narrative heights of The Legend of Heroes, but it is engaging in its own right.

El, with her notable ears — a feature that draws much attention in the game — stands out as one of the most colourful and memorable characters.

A return to the roots or a step backwards?

It’s been barely six months since the release of Atelier Yumia, and the game received a lot of mixed reviews. Now, much to the delight of fans, a new series entry is out — this time, without flirting with open-world mechanics, and with battles happening in a more traditional, almost turn-based style.

I don’t share the excitement about the return to closed locations and the older method of world exploration. Atelier Yumia offered more dynamism, varied challenges, puzzles, and interesting discoveries — from exploring new settlements to interacting with their quirky inhabitants. Its locations were more engaging too, with multi-level designs that allowed swimming in some areas and aiming or shooting at resources or obstacles in others.

By contrast, in Atelier Resleriana, everything feels more predictable and traditional. You run from the entrance to the exit or to the boss, clearing monsters and collecting resources along the way. For grinding or farming, you can revisit the same locations on higher difficulty levels. That said, curious explorers still have things to discover. While searching for chests, you might need a grappling hook or find areas you can’t access yet, much like in Metroidvania games, requiring a return later. Special story paths also take you to new regions with different climates and thematic zones.

Alchemy has also become a point of debate. The game feels less casual: you can’t craft consumables on the fly as in Atelier Yumia, and you need specialised tools to gather certain ingredients. However, this restriction seems minor — as soon as you acquire a sickle or a woodcutter’s axe, you can harvest everything in the area, so the limitation doesn’t feel punitive.

The alchemical synthesis now uses Gift Colour Synthesis mechanics, where matching ingredient colours enhances the resulting items. You can also add up to three extra materials to transfer selected properties, and apply Recipe Morph (which changes the type of item created) or Catalyst Ingredients (which modify recipe categories and colours).

Yet even on the penultimate difficulty level, most battles are straightforward enough that these mechanics feel optional. I mostly focused on improving equipment and consumables using standard recipes, clicking through everything automatically. So it begs the question — why remove the simpler, automatic crafting mode that made alchemy more accessible?

Farm combat simulator

The same applies to managing your alchemy workshop, running a shop, and even investing in the city’s development. In some moments, it looks genuinely charming — the shop is staffed by fairy-like helpers (I’m not sure what else to call them), which gives Rias plenty of reasons to squeal and faint over how cute everything is.

We assign the little assistants to tasks — some manage the shop, others handle storage — decide which goods to sell, and then open the shop to see how much we earn. This fills our wallet, levels up the shop, and improves the abilities of our tiny employees — a bit like using a Slotozen Casino promo code to boost your starting rewards in a new casino adventure. Essentially, it’s a more sophisticated and complicated alternative to regular shopping. Simple shops aren’t profitable anymore; you’re encouraged to use your own shop with these adorable assistants. And if the fun doesn’t hit you immediately, the game forces you to realise it — first by raising the shop’s level, and then enjoying the results.

From a broader perspective, investing in city development feels more meaningful and logical. Investments boost Hallfein’s craftsmen and districts, expand the city, and attract new shops. More citizens appear, new quests emerge — from defeating monsters to delivering materials — and the city comes to life. While investments are initially costly, they are vital for progression, especially for creating replicas and improving equipment. At the same time, dealing with your flying assistants in the shop is immediately profitable, which balances things out.

The expansion of these farm-simulator-like mechanics can be seen in different ways: in some places, it feels artificial, but in others, it fits naturally with the storyline and atmosphere.

The return to turn-based battles, however, is unquestionably a positive. Atelier Yumia’s flirtation with real-time combat added chaos, whereas Atelier Resleriana feels more familiar and controlled. Yet, it retains some dynamism: you can block to reduce damage, execute joint and combined attacks, position fighters strategically, interrupt enemy actions, and call in allies for additional moves. Elemental weaknesses remain crucial, and experience points are awarded as usual, which you can invest at any time in passive skills for your characters.

Boss fights remain challenging. Even with strong levels, not every boss can be defeated on the first try — some overwhelm with sheer health rather than tactical difficulty. These battles break the cosy, anime-like masquerade and remind you that danger is real in this world.

Both 2024 releases leave mixed impressions. Atelier Yumia felt revolutionary in parts, or perhaps a misstep, while Atelier Resleriana can be seen as a course correction — a return to the roots — or as a cautious regression, spiced up with cosy shop and city management mechanics. Regardless, the series endures, bringing us the familiar pleasures: beautiful girls, wide eyes, cheerful smiles, and, admittedly, my own hands gripping the controller in impatience.

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