Koei Tecmo has revealed more about Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, which is coming to Nintendo Switch early next year.
This next chapter from GUST Studios will star returning alchemist Sophie Neuenmuller and is set “shortly after” her adventure in 2016’s Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book.
After leaving her hometown of Kirchen Bell, Sophie and Plachta discover a huge tree identical to one that Plachta had seen in an earlier dream. As they step closer to it, a mysterious vortex pulls them inside.
Awakening beneath The Dream Tree to find herself in a peculiar dream-like world called Erde Wiege, Sophie is saved by an unfamiliar face – Alette Claretie, who dreams of one day discovering a treasure that can only be located in Erde Wiege. However, Sophie realises that Plachta is nowhere to be found.
When Sophie and Alette return to Roytale – the only town in Erde Wiege – Olias Enders approaches them and claims to know a girl called Plachta, offering to guide them to her atelier on the outskirts of town. Once they arrive, Sophie claims not to know this new girl. Who is this new Plachta, and what is her relationship with Sophie’s best friend?
As you search for answers on your adventure, you will have to fight the many monsters that call the lands of Erde Wiege home. As soon as you encounter an enemy in the field, the battle will start instantly without any load times or separate screens, which is a first for the Atelier series.
Your battle party will also now consist of six members – three in the front and three in the back – forming two teams that can “co-operate in multi-linked turn-based battles.” The developer hopes that the new battle system will open up “a wide range of exciting combat strategies that players can utilise to take out their foes.”
Alchemy will also continue to play a huge role in Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, building upon the panel synthesis system seen in the Mysterious sub-series, where materials are placed into the panel slots to create new items.
Sophie and Plachta will also be able to unlock the Assist Skill, letting them help one another with synthesis. There will be some recipes that are exclusively for Sophie and others only for Plachta, which will include important items required to progress in the game. That will require you to raise your Alchemy Level, balancing the use of each character to increase their levels to advance the storyline and unlock the mysteries behind the dream.
Out in the world, each area of Erde Wiege has pre-determined weather but Sophie and her friends will be able to change it through using Dreamscape Stones which “can drastically change the environment.” That could see the water level of a once-flooded location lowered, for example, revealing new gathering spots to access for unique materials.
You may also discover a Major Gathering Spot, which will let you “obtain better materials than those found in traditional gathering spots.” If you equip the correct gathering tool, a mini-game will start and the quality and number of materials gathered will increase according to how successful you are. These mini-games range from a fishing rod-style game where a certain number of fish must be caught to a slingshot game where players have to shatter various targets within the time limit.
Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream will release at retail and on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 25th February 2022.
