I recently got my hands on a review code from the folks over at Koei Tecmo for the third installment in the Mysterious series, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Paintings. The story tells the tale of twin alchemists Lydie and Suelle Marlen as they try to become the best alchemists in the land. While living with their father and working with him, they discover a mysterious painting in the basement of their home. Usually their father doesn’t let them go into the basement but he had gone out so it was time to explore and thus the discovery of the mysterious painting. Before they knew what had happened the girls found themselves transported into a mysterious land that had all kinds of materials that would be perfect for alchemy.
The key to all this is that their shop doesn’t do great business but if they can get items and rare artifacts that no one else has, then the twins might just be able to become the best alchemy shop in the land. You’ll run into all kinds of characters like the owner of the other, better alchemy shop in town and you’ll have to try everything you can think of to better them and it starts by becoming better alchemists. The town “mandates” that alchemy shops be accredited and they have to take an exam and the only way you can pass the exam is by honing your skills and crafting better items.
You also find another character in town to become your teacher and she gives you all kinds of tips and tricks because she is a great alchemist at such a young age. The better you get a crafting, the better your items effects will be. For example, if you craft a revival item and it isn’t that good, it won’t heal that much health but if it uses good ingredients and is crafted well, it could fully heal you or have other side effects. Other items like this are bombs that you can make that will do more damage in battle as well as other battle items!
While in the mysterious lands you will have to defend yourself and each of the twins has different attack styles and you’ll be able to grow your party as the game progresses. Lydie has more defensive attacks and uses a wand/rod and Suelle has more of an offensive style and attacks with guns. You’ll be able to purchase different items, equipment, and weapons from the shop in town but for the most part the twins use the same style of weapon from the start. There is another way to get items during gameplay and that’s the job listing board in town. Requests could range from collecting a certain number of items or defeating a certain number of a certain enemy.
You will be rewarded for your trouble so doing all kinds of jobs is another way you can get a certain item if you need it and don’t feel like looking for it or trying to create it. You have to know going in that the style of play might get stale but I never had that feeling. Role playing games sometimes have that sneak into the game. However, the deeper portion of crafting does feel over complicated at times and in my opinion it didn’t need to be.
One thing I don’t like about the game is that there isn’t an English dialogue choice, the dialogue is only spoken in Japanese. If you have read my reviews, I have mentioned that I feel that I’m in the minority on this subject that I would like an English dialogue selection but it doesn’t ruin the game that there isn’t one. It would make the game even better for me if there were one.
To sum up, Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Paintings is the third installment of the Mysterious series and looks lovely on the Nintendo Switch. The game has its ups and downs and you’ll be able to take it anywhere thanks to the Switch. It’s these reasons that I’m giving Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Paintings for the Nintendo Switch an 8/10. I would like to thanks Koei Tecmo for the review code.