Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX

Gust Co. Ltd.

Rank: #7 / 17
Released: 2021
Studio: Gust Co. Ltd.
Genre: role-playing video game

At a glance

Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX is a role-playing game developed by Gust Co. Ltd. Sophie, a fledgling alchemist, meets Plachta, a sentient book who has lost her memories. Together they explore, gather materials and synthesize items, learning recipes as Sophie develops her alchemy skills and Plachta’s memories return. This DX edition adds episodes about Sophie’s growth, a costume tied to following her grandmother’s path, three cauldrons, a sprint option and a battle fast-forward feature. It also includes previously released downloadable content and a photo mode. The story follows Sophie and Plachta’s journey to regain the book’s memories and deepen their knowledge of alchemy. The game is single-player and includes Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud and Family Sharing; gamepad use is recommended, with partial controller support. It released for Windows on April 21, 2021. English voice is included, though some events do not have English voice. The game is also available in a trilogy pack with two other Atelier DX titles, so avoid a redundant purchase if considering both.

Who it is for

Suits players looking for a single-player RPG centered on alchemy, exploration and a story about recovering a companion’s memories. Windows players should note the partial controller support and gamepad recommendation.

What is good

Three additional cauldrons
Photo mode for capturing images
Includes previously released DLC
Steam Cloud and Family Sharing

What to know first

Windows is the only listed Steam platform
Some events lack English voice
Controller support is partial

Verdict

This edition adds several ways to move through and engage with Sophie’s alchemy journey, including sprinting, battle fast-forward and photo mode. Check the trilogy pack contents before buying to avoid purchasing the same game twice.