The Atelier series has enjoyed much success despite catering to a very niche audience. This alchemy-centric series of JRPGs from Koei Tecmo has seen dozens of entries at this point. However, fans have missed out on many Japan-exclusive entries that never made it overseas. The series debut title Atelier Marie was one such example.
But now, that has changed with the arrival of a brand new remake. Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg reimagines the original 1997 PS1 JRPG for modern platforms. Interestingly, it is a very different beast compared to the more modern entries in the series. Here’s why it’s worth checking out for fans of the long-running JRPG franchise.
Work hard towards proving your worth as a successful alchemist in Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg
Take a tour of the Atelier and learn the fundamentals of Alchemy and experience what Atelier Marie has to offer!
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is available digitally on PS5/PS4/Switch/PC Steam on July 13, 2023! #KTfamily #AtelierMarieRemake #AtelierMarieRE pic.twitter.com/rW6ic7vNdQ
— KOEI TECMO AMERICA (@KoeiTecmoUS) July 3, 2023
In this series’ origin chapter, players control the titular Marie. She is a young girl living in the quaint city of Salburg. Attending the Royal Academy of Magic, she finds herself almost failing her studies. As a final saving grace, Professor Ingrid schedules a graduation exam for her.
In other words, Marie is given a deadline of five years to come up with a high-rarity alchemy item. Her creation will be judged at the end of the period by her teacher. If satisfactory enough, she will pass and become a fellow alchemist among her peers. If not, this spells doom for her career.
To do so, she is handed an Atelier – a studio where she can spend time experimenting and creating new things. The ultimate goal is to diligently practice alchemy, research the art of synthesis, explore the overworld, and fight threats, all in the pursuit of knowledge. Here onwards is also where this game sets itself apart from modern entries like Atelier Ryza.
Not a hero
While many JRPGs, including the newer series entries, are about saving the world from evil threats, Marie wants none of that. She is just a busy student who would rather catch up with friends and become a better alchemist. And that core premise is what sets the tone for this journey. This remake is marketed as a cozy RPG journey for both fans and newcomers to indulge in.
In fact, those who are familiar with entries in the Arland trilogy, such as Atelier Rorona will feel perfectly at home here. Salburg is not a big area and only has a few locations that can also be traveled to by a list menu. These include the Academy, the Sky Tavern, and more.
Each has a different purpose. Marie can purchase books, items, and upgrades from the Academy or visit the Sky Tavern to hire party members and learn Rumors that enhance her Knowledge stat. Since players have five years at their disposal, they are free to tackle objectives to help Marie improve her alchemy skills.
Bear in mind there is still a story in place with set events that trigger as time goes on. Alternately, players will also progress as they hit certain milestones, like triggering companion requests and cutscenes. Speaking of which, Atelier Marie Remake boasts a varied cast of colorful characters.
These range from Marie’s soft-spoken best friend Schea to the strong-willed Kugel, an ex-Royal Knight member. Each has unique and refreshing personalities and players are encouraged to get close to all of them. All have distinct backstories and will learn to open up to Marie as time progresses. But let’s take a look at the fundamental aspects first.
Crafting, exploration, and fighting
Much of the time will be spent doing alchemy, harvesting, and combat in Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg Let’s dissect each:
Alchemy: Performed at the Atelier. Since this is a remake of the first game, the alchemy is very simple. You only need to add the required ingredients to the cauldron. Yes, there are different recipes under different elements, and each creation also ties into more complex products. But the basics are easy to grasp.
No Synthesis Loops or Grids are to be found here. Many creations can be sold, turned in for quests, or used in combat. Do note that crafting and even using items consumes MP. The latter also increases Fatigue (FTG) so you cannot abuse the alchemy as much as you want. Fatigue lowers as days go on.
Harvesting: This is done while exploring various locations. These range from the dimly lit Elfin Cave to the haunting Medea Forest. Each houses different raw materials in addition to unique enemies to fight. Note that certain materials are only available at certain times of the year.
Combat: Atelier Marie Remake is a turn-based JRPG where party members are hired around Salberg. The battle system is fairly simplistic with nothing to write home about. Players will encounter monsters and bandits when exploring various overworld areas. Pick between attack, defend/guard, special attack, and items to use. The goal, as expected, is to reduce enemy HP to zero.
At the same time, managing your own party via front or backline positioning is key to victory. The same is true of foes. Use consumables strategically to gain the upper hand. Defeating foes earns EXP and item/material drops. There are challenging bosses to tackle as well so be sure to level up adequately. Also, note that HP and MP (for using Special Attacks) are naturally replenished over time as well as by resting.
You should also invest in new weapons and armor for their party as well as stack up on healing and support items when possible. This is especially if you wish to brave higher-level areas that have tougher monsters to face. However, you must think two steps ahead as no action is without consequence.
Manage time and money to navigate the treacherous corridor of seasons
As the saying goes “Time is money”, and boy is that true for this game. Nearly every action consumes time. Taking up quests? Be sure to turn them in before the deadline or face failure. Traveling to a new area outside of Salburg? It Consumes several days depending on how far it is. Concocting alchemy items? Yep, takes up time.
Merely exiting and entering the Atelier passes time. In fact, even harvesting one material in the exploration areas will pass one in-game day. It will seem pretty ridiculous at first at how fast time slips by. But that is how the game works and players will quickly realize that the five-year limit is not as long as it sounds on paper. However, this often can and will backfire on players unless they keep track of everything in advance.
Case in point, I needed to procure an item that is only found in the wild in Winter. By the time I reached the designated location where it is found, Spring had arrived and I had no choice but to fail that side mission. So you must bear these intricacies in mind as you progress through the game.
Of course, there are also funds to manage. Money is needed to buy upgrades for the Atelier to make new alchemy materials possible. Furthermore, you must also pay wages to NPCs hired as party members. Higher-level characters have higher wages although as their Friendship increases, the wage costs are lowered. This is often done via personal Events where they open up to Marie.
Still, this can be a hassle to manage at the start under the pressure of time unless players have a steady flow of mission rewards to reap. Furthermore, the simplicity of both crafting and combat makes the game feel like a slog in the long run due to repetition. At the end of the day, however, how things turn out for you by the end of the year will determine the ending you get.
This game has new additions to ease players in, such as the Unlimited Mode. This allows you to keep enjoying the experience past the fifth year. However, do note that days will still pass as time still goes on. So set expectations accordingly.
Graphics, sound, and performance
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a 3D RPG with beautiful cel-shaded visuals. It is presented in an overhead perspective, akin to the original – which used 2D artwork and sprites. Key cutscenes and introductions however utilize hand-drawn 2D artwork, not unlike visual novels, to communicate conversations between characters.
The game boasts a laid-back fantasy soundtrack that captures the fantasy vibe well. You have various BGM tracks to pick from, and can be changed via the Diary in the Atelier which also allows saving progress, Since this is a heavily time-influenced game, manually saving progress often is recommended.
Last but not least, performance is expectedly solid. This game is not a technical powerhouse by any means but makes good use of its art style to present a charming aesthetic. You should have no issues running it at 1080p 60 FPS at max settings on even lower-end rigs.
On the miscellaneous end, there is a photo mode called Hall of Memories where you can set up backgrounds, filters, NPCs, and more for cute picture sessions. You can also indulge in various minigames via the Extras menu, like a sidescrolling runner game where Marie has to avoid incoming slimes.
In conclusion
＼『#マリーリメイク』発売まであと11日／
カウントダウンイラスト2人目を公開！🎶
マリー、ルーウェン、シュワルベを
描き下ろしていただいたのは…
ボダックス さん（@Bodaxdesu）フォロー＆ #マリーリメイク発売カウントダウン と感想を入れて引用RTでブロマイドセットが当たる🎁 pic.twitter.com/68CWNG0Scj
— 「アトリエ」シリーズ公式@ライザ3 発売中&マリーリメイク7/13発売！ (@GustAtelierPR) July 2, 2023
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg presents a charming premise that is easy to digest and is a nice change of pace. Not just compared to newer series entries but also modern JRPGs as a whole. Its chibi aesthetic captures the wonder of the magical world it takes place in. However, it is admittedly not a game for everyone. The time-limit mechanic will likely turn off newer players, even those using the Unlimited Mode.
This can be due to surprise setbacks for first playthroughs unless you are super cautious at every turn. The combat and alchemy also lack much depth compared to other entries and delve into being repetitive over the course of months. This is in spite of varied events and missions to spice things up. However, this is not entirely unexpected since this is a faithful remake of the PS1 original.
Still, for those who love keeping track of numbers and spreadsheets, this game’s core loop just might do it for them. Fans looking to return to the series’ roots should not miss this one.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg
Reviewed on: PC
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5. Nintendo Switch
Developer(s): Gust/KOEI TECMO GAMES
Publishers(s): KOEI TECMO GAMES
Release date: July 13, 2023
Leave a Reply