Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is the latest RPG in the Atelier series. It will also be the first Atelier game to come to the PlayStation 4. This new installment features a refined crafting system for alchemy and two new features that greatly affect gameplay. First off, we have the time and weather dynamic. Players will want to plan their excursions carefully as the time of day and current weather can affect what monsters appear (what loot you can get) and what items are available for harvest (essential to alchemy). This particular game mechanic is one that most players will be used to since long time series like Pokémon have utilized them for ages now. What will be different (and possibly frustrating) is the Life Point system. If you are a grinder like myself, you have a tendency to stay out until you are damn near at death’s door before you go heal your characters back at the nearest town. You can still do that, but the life point system will weaken attacks of characters suffering from exhaustion. To be a little more realistic, your battle stamina is reduced if you are in need of rest. The Atelier series has always featured likeable and light-hearted characters that rise to face the challenges before them. In this story, young alchemist Sophie has a book that has a soul residing inside. The soul is of a similarly-aged girl named Plachta, who has amnesia but is skilled in alchemy. She slowly regains her memories as the story progresses and mentors Sophie in her study of alchemy. Togehter, the two will discover the secret of why Plachta is in the book. Atelier Sophie The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book will hit the PS4 physically and digitally on June 7. It will also release the same day for the PS Vita as a digital-only title.
