Ready to delve into alchemy? On 20th February 2023, Gust and Koei Tecmo announced the Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg during Japanese Nintendo Direct.
This remake of the first-ever Japanese Exclusive in the entire Atelier Game Series from 1997 was available on the PS1.
Thankfully the new and bubblier version launches worldwide on 12th July 2023 and will be available on Steam, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch!
As for the old fans and new, get ready for a revamped, refined, and expanded version, as this game comes with new 3D models, efficient turn-based JRPG combat, and a new Unlimited Mode for more relaxed gaming sessions!
An Introduction to Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg
The Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is the re-fashioned 1997 Atelier game by Koei Tecmo and Gust. It’s revamped, re-imagined, and an upgraded version with more ease-of-play and unforgettable adventures!
There are 2 physical versions available exclusively for Japan. And they are:
- Special Collection Box
- Premium Box
There is also a Digital Deluxe Edition soon to be available for you!
Since this classic is based on the first Japanese Exclusive, you better believe the expectations are high.
The Story of Marie: Struggles of an Alchemy Student
Marlone (or Marie for short) is a student of the prestigious Royal Academy of Magic at Salburg, the capital of the Schigsal Kingdom. The Academy is known for training and churning out the best alchemists.
However, Marie became the odd one out due to her consistently low scores, the lowest in the entire Academy. Her incompetency was her worst nightmare, given that it could expel her.
So as she was edging towards a catastrophic failure, she was given an Atilier to perfect her craft, train herself in alchemy, and use it to create a high-grade tool within 5 years to impress Ingrid, her mentor a teacher at the Academy.
For this, she must recruit a party for adventures, forage ingredients, defeat monsters, and complete objectives to become a certified alchemist with flying colors!
Quests for Success!
While the main goal is difficult, the quests for it are filled with adventures, discovery, friendships, and more! To achieve her rightful spot in the Academy, Marie must master her craft, work with her adventuring party, and complete main and side quests to achieve her dreams!
The side quests in this game are not to be trifled with or ignored. They offer you a plethora of information on the gameplay, the story arc, etc. Also, quests have a set time limit or a deadline.
If you delay the quest submission, it will reduce your quest rewards which are crucial for Marie’s story progression.
Now in the old-school Atelier, this was a source of stress for some players.
The controversial time limit for a casual game is not everyone’s cup of tea, while some of us might even be up for that challenge! To satisfy the entire player base, the developers have introduced the Unlimited mode.
In the normal version, each time Marie returns to her Atelier, it completes one day of the 5-year deadline. Thankfully in the Unlimited mode, there is no graduation deadline. So you can play while relaxing without rushing about to complete quests.
This way, no rewards are lost, and you can enjoy the gameplay more efficiently.
Key Features to Keep You Hooked
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist is a blend of seamless and efficient gameplay. And these key features are-
More Playability
Given that the original version was launched back in 1997, we can expect some clunky gameplay on it. Thankfully, the new and improved remake is perfection personified.
The gameplay is more flexible and immersive, thanks to navigation and general tutorial at all initial steps. And these expansions are immensely helpful for new players.
The turn-based JRPG combat continues seamlessly with ease of play on all platforms. The4 steps are quick to learn as the game teaches you about the right moments to defend, attack, and heal.
Improved Graphics
Prepare to see Marie and her friends with revamped graphic technology. The designs are spot-on and give you a better look at all characters’ personalities. The classic 2D animations have been reworked on making each scene more vivid and picturesque.
But that’s not all, as the illustrious 3D modeling for characters, monsters, and stages makes the game come to life.
Not to forget, the characters are cute and mini, with large heads and adorable fashions that suit their personalities best. These little features are much enhanced by the special animations added to the characters.
For example, when Marie wins a battle, her lovable victory dance adds so much warmth to her success! These charming add-ons to characters, environments, objects, and icons make Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist a heartfelt bow to the classic 1997 Atelier video game.
Additionally, the short cutscenes summarize all details beautifully, while the large expanse of greenery with fields, dungeons, and forests is breathtaking to behold.
What We Learnt from the Gameplay Preview
As we now know in Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg, the alchemist-to-be Marie goes on unforgettable adventures with her party of adventurers/travel companions.
Thanks to the preview gameplay, we can conclude a few pointers for you to expect from the game once it releases for everyone!
For many, the overwhelming stress of completing multiple quests within a limited time is a turn-off. Many of us play games to decompress from our daily stressful life. And for that, the Unlimited Mode is perfect as it does not have limited time for the quests, allowing you to wander and venture awhile while completing our objectives.
Completing quests gives us coin awards which you can use to hear “rumors” from different NPCs. These details are vital when put together, giving you tonnes of information on the game’s lore, gameplay, game mechanics, and more.
Sometimes, NPCS can visit you to interact and offer you a quest. These give you various useful rewards to progress your main in-game goal!
The academy cycles through a list of items you can sell there. The list changes every 10 days, allowing you to sell various items you foraged or discovered during your adventures and quests.
Lastly, acquire recipes to synthesize them, and invent new creations in your Atelier. And whenever you create something in your Atelier, it consumes your MP for energy. Low MP leads to fatigue, and fatigue can lower your success rate of synthesis. So make sure to rest up before your next discovery and adventure.
The Takeaway
We are excited for the Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg launch on 12th July 2023! Its revamp from the classic 1997 Atelier game makes it all the more exciting.
And you don’t have to play the previous games in the series to grasp the game’s overall story and playability. You can treat Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg as a separate game that took its impressions from a long-standing old-time favorite among many gamers.
So are you ready to learn and experience the best of alchemy? Happy gaming!
