Atelier Sophie 2 Review (PS4, Switch, PC) | 54 Hours Later | Backlog Battle
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- Опубликовано: 23 фев 2022
- Thanks to Koei Tecmo for providing this game code!
Atelier Sophie 2 is one of the best Atelier games released in recent memory, combining the best elements of the series' past and present, while bringing back one of the most beloved protagonists in its 25 year history! Here's my review!
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My backlog is forever growing. This is gonna be another one added and I havent even played through Ryza 2 yet! With Elden Ring out and Triangle Strategy coming in March it will truly be a battle out there!
Tell me about it! Now it’s time for me to check out Forsaken Maiden!
Im already sweating
true myself stil has legend arceus stuff , bravely default 2 to finish before i can start this one then there is kirby comming out on my birtday too so many good games these days
i have like 50 unopened games
Just bought this one for 25 euro, what a steal!
Expectations were high for this sequel to Sophie, the most popular protagonist of the Atelier series, but Sophie 2 is a masterpiece RPG that has greatly exceeded expectations and is receiving great acclaim in Japan. Reviews in Japan are overflowing, but I am happy as a fan that there are overseas users who have reviewed it with such careful videos.
Thank you so much! Sophie 2 really won me over with its incredible design and memorable story!
@@BacklogBattle i wanted to try an atelier game because im a rpg fan. Ive started with the newest game atelier sophie 2 and after 50 hrs I can tell its amazing. But I think theres isnt a better atelier game. After watching Ryza 2, Sophie 2 looks too good.
Gust has been really putting their stamp on the gaming world for me with these types of jrpgs. Atelier Sophie 2 looks really good and I love the locales and all the colors! It looks so much fun! Thanks for an amazing review.
You’re very welcome! Hope you enjoy the game!
Amazing review Alex! I was going to wait on this one, but after hearing all the high praise you gave it I’m going to pick it up on release!
Yes! Awesome!
Thanks to your review and after playing and enjoying Ryza 1 + 2, I decided 2 days ago to buy this game to play on my steam deck, since then I’ve put 12 hours into this game and I have to say this game is just the perfect Atelier game for me. Amazing world design (thanks to the dream premise), the synthesis system is insane and incredibly rewarding. I love it so much and it became my fav system so far in any Atelier game. The music especially in the atelier is just mindblowing and I keep humming the tunes all the time. Definitely the best Atelier game for me. So happy to have gotten it all thanks to you!!! Keep up the great work!
Great review! I just finished Sophie 1 a couple of days ago and I'm getting my copy of Sophie 2 in the mail tomorrow! The game looks really good and I'm glad that they are incorporating the auto-synthesis feature from Ryza in this game, it is a time saver for items that you don't care about too much.
It certainly is! But my OCD side is telling me to have to craft everything meticulously! Was really difficult to pull myself away from that mindset!
@@BacklogBattle haha I feel you!
Bro turn based combat is really satisfying in this game. It can be complicated but easy to learn and i like the front and back mechanics it’s different and fun to try different strategies.
As you said, it's amazing how Gust can consistently make such great and beautiful games every year. I can't wait to play Sophie 2. Thanks for the review.
You’re welcome! Now I wonder what Gust’s next game is going to be!
Great review. Looking forward to this tomorrow.
I have all preview Atelier titles on PS4 but will get this on Switch.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it on the Switch! It’s perfect for that!
I never clicked faster on a backlog video than now, this is going to be a joy of a view.
I hope it’s everything you hoped it would be!
After watching your review, I decided to purchase my first atelier with Sophie 2. Your review was very helpful and informative, thank you! This game looks absolutely delightful 😊
Thanks for the review!
I'm a simple man, I see Takahashi Rie, I buy straight (got the ultimate edition, but still koei tecmo's pricing is really something else)
Thanks for the review tbh, very well made, subs deserved
Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy the game!
@@BacklogBattle Based on your comment as a veteran to the series (i've only did half ryza and half sophie, intend to finish sophie before i dive in)
Not sure if this will be a weird question but if this is such a great game, do you think my experience will be tampered if i play this before Firis / Lydie & suelle?
@@JackLim927 as someone who's playing it sophie 2 rn, no it will not
While I'm still working through, and loving, the original Sophie, I'm super excited for this one, too! I don't know how the team at Gust craft so many wonderful games so quickly. I guess they're the real alchemists? XD
Maybe they are! Who knows!
Was waiting for this one!
Thank you for your patience! Hope you like it!
I really like your content, very detailed. Subed!
Thank you so much!
Alex! You sold me on this game in the first minute! I just need to play some of the earlier Atelier games first…among other games. The backlog continues.
You don’t need to play the other games to play this one😉
I’m playing through this now, really enjoying the combat and love how you’ll be using all the characters. I only prefer the synthesis from Ryza 2. Everything else is a good upgrade.
Really great review
Dude awesome review, loved it! I’ve been debating wether I should buy a switch these days, it has so much cool Jrpgs, this game looks gorgeous!
Thank you so much! Someone asked me about Switch performance here and unfortunately, I was never given a Switch key. However, I will say based off of my experience with previous games that it should be ok to get it on Switch!
Great Review!
Nice review. I planned to play Sophie2 after finish Ryza2 and waiting for Ryza3! ❤❤❤
Awesome! I think you’re gonna love it!
Finally caught up with the atelier series after finishing the games from atelier iris til atelier ryza in roughly 2 years. I have seen the vast improvement in the series in terms of the quality of art direction, story, combat, synthesis and character development. I especially love the facial expressions of the characters and vibrant landscapes. I'm still in the early parts of the game and i just can't wait to go home and play again. Hopefully they do more atelier games in the future with maybe a revisit or remake to some of the older 5 games.
I’m hoping that’s what they’ll do! In fact I’m hoping for a new Dusk game!
Alex I thank you for this review alone just for saying it's turn-based combat system like before Ryza just makes me happy
oh one more question, did you have the opportunity to see differences between switch and ps4 version?
Sadly I did not 🙁. But I’d wager the Switch version performs much like other games before it!
This review is what made me decide to buy it. So we shall see!
Just bought the game now im really excited to play it tnx to ur review
I hope you enjoy! It’s one of my favorite Atelier games !
Good to know that you don’t have to play the first game to enjoy this one. I was a little hesitant to give this a try, but I may give it a go now. Thanks for the review!
It’s a really good one to start with! Loved every minute of it!
The way you described the battle and alchemy systems practically has me ready to throw my money at the screen lol. This game is looking like a must buy for me now
It's so good! One of my favorite Atelier games of recent memory!
Definitely trying it ❤️
I can't help but wonder how much better these games would be if Gust simply took their time to polish them more. The myriad of invisible walls over areas you should clearly be able to jump to and the harshness of the animation work, especially between stances (say running to walking) are very sudden with characters showing no sense of inertia. I love these titles, they're colourful and a joy to play without any nitty gritty doom and gloom like a lot of titles now. I do feel though that the almost rushed feeling they give off at times holds the series back from being a true big hitter, people expect high quality animation work especially now with the new gen of consoles and full mocap.
It sounds awesome! I was wondering if I should buy, and this looks like a resounding yes!
Im just scared I won't like the other Atelier games as much if I play this XD
Thank you Alex! Not sure if these games are for me, however you seem to make them appeal to me when I normally wouldn’t think about them.
Haha no problem! I hope you saw your question pop up!
@@BacklogBattle I did thank you very much
When I played Ryza for the first time, not knowing whether I was going to like the game or not, It ended up becoming one my favorite games and now series of all time. Everything they release post ryza 2 will be on my radar 100% so I’ll be definitely picking this one up for sure 👍
What do you think of it? Did you beat it?
@@BacklogBattle sure did, I got the platinum trophy for it. The game was definitely a step back in terms of exploration compared to Ryza 2 (no swimming, swinging, riding, etc.) and it felt less smooth because I believe Ryza 2 on ps5 ran at 60 fps (no ps5 version for this game 😔) but it made up for it in every other aspect. I actually ended up loving this cast of characters more than Ryza’s (even though I still like them), Ramizel’s character for example was done perfectly she was my favorite outta the bunch. The ending dialogue with ramizel literally broke my heart I actually teared up, it was so emotional 😭. the crafting system I would take it or leave it, I think Ryza had a better system in place in my opinion but I did enjoy the Tetris mini game for it. Music was top notch as always. Combat took a more traditional approach which was nice, honestly I hope they keep this combat style moving forward because while I dig the real time combat style in Ryza, I’ve always preferred the traditional turn base style. Overall, the game was stellar 9/10 from me definitely would recommend it 👍
Yesss i cant wait! Im breaking my hold on game buying to buy this.
It’s gonna be an incredible adventure!
Thank you for your review. I recently started to play loads of Japan RPG games on my Nintendo Switch and this one will be next after Rune Factory 5 ☺️☺️☺️
Have you played Atelier before? If not, you’re gonna love this!
Thank you for this very informative video. I just got into Atelier series from Ryza and was wondering if I could play this without having to go through the first game due to lack of time.
You’re welcome!
Great video! I really want to play this game, but the whole idea of synthesis seems difficult. Would you recommend Sophie 2 for someone who struggled with the synthesis in Atelier Ryza?
Absolutely! Synthesis in Sophie 2 is a lot easier than Ryza!
Thanks!
Thanks for giving this series the time and respect it deserves, as always. Great review!! It warms my heart to see so many high-profile reviewers loving this game as much as I did. 💗🔥
Edit: Very, very in-depth and well-written! Great job, again
Atelier is a series that I absolutely adore, so I will always do my best to give this series the love it deserves!
Now let’s get those English dubs back!
@@BacklogBattle Indeed!! 😭
Probably won’t get this game yet since I didn’t play the 1st sophie game. But that aside, I genuinely like Sophie’s design, probably just a sucker for red hair waifu’s, lol.
And even through the side events of Lydie & suelle. I liked Sophie’s personality, She was my favorite throughout that game.
I've never played An Atelier Game but thanks to your review I'd like to give it a try
It’s worth checking out! Sophie 2 does a really good job of keeping you interested I think!
do you know if the level cap is still level 50?
I just purchased this on steam during the sale. Atelier is one of those franchises that I feel doesn't get enough respect. It's so unapologetically jrpg with a brilliant crafting system
I seriously wish I could play this, either way, the Atelier series is absolutely amazing, thank you for the review!
You’re very welcome! Why wouldn’t you be able to play this though?
@@BacklogBattle Unfortunately Just don't have the money, been a huge fan of the atelier series for ages but those prices make it difficult to purchase, but I'll get to them one day.
@@shawnofthedead4174 hey, jhst saw your comment and this game is currently on sale, hopefully you can get it now, its pretty much half price right now.
@@joewhan11 I got lucky a few months ago, things were tough but much better now so I was able to pick it up, been playing ever since thanks bro!
I never played the original Sophie, but this seems like a must play
It really is!
love it so far. just got to the first meeting with elvira and game mechanics are still unlocking. i'm a bit insane in the membrane with trying to do things early, so i already have maxed out quality 999 bombs with the max destruction and critical traits, but hey that's my playstyle. i also one-shotted the first dragon in ryza on hard mode on my first playthru. :-P
i'm still gonna recommend people play sophie 1 first tho. the meaningful relationship sophie has with plachta is very important to the plotline, as is her struggle to understand and learn about her grandmother and her legacy. it just wouldn't be the same to skip that and jump, imho. they even went thru the trouble to add more content in dx to set up the grandmother relationship.
it kind of disheartens me that they encourage people to skip the story and move on the the sequel and i can't help thinking it's just a cynical need to show sales numbers for the new release. i particularly hated how their pr campaign literally lies and says that every relationship is new and there's no connection to previous characters (and therefore is a good starting point), and then in the next breath says all the connections are explained in the previous game review movie. there's no need for this - they can just plain claim it's fine to start here (whether i agree or not) without making things up like that.
I do think that there's a lot of merit to what you said, though I want to be clear that we need to be open to different ways people can get into a series. For one, we can't convince someone to invest in something else and dissuade them from playing something they're genuinely interested in. Trying to do so invalidates their interest in said game, therefore delaying them from trying any of the games out even more. I've had countless people ask me about sequels of other games across the 40+ years I've been gaming, and every time I try to convince them to play the game "that came out before" or "the first one," that entire series either goes into the backlog never to be played, or never considered at all for said person.
Yes, Sophie's relationship with Plachta and her grandmother is very important. But we need to remember that the interested party doesn't care about that - even if you tell them - unless they actually become a fan of the games they're interested in playing. In this situation, I've no doubt that someone will play Sophie 2, decide that they liked Sophie 2 so much that they'll go back to 1, play through the first game again, then play through Sophie 2 with a whole new perspective.
@@BacklogBattle my experience has been the opposite. when people ask me if they should start from the first one before a sequel comes out, assuming the first one is on a modern console and easily available, they've almost universally enjoyed the first game and appreciated not jumping into it midway.
In your opinion, what would be the "perfect" starting point for someone who never played an Atelier game before? I just finished Disco Elysium and now I'm after a more "soft" experience so to say, and the Atelier series design and world building got my atention recently.
This one! I wasn’t kidding when I said that in the video!
Wow, that's so weird - I've just finished Disco elysium, and am now gonna buy AS2 next, lol :)
Does this Atelier Sophie has the old time-gated events? Or is it like Ryza and Lulua where there is no need to be afraid to do any activity because the time feature is not really a part of it?
No time limits! Not even a calendar!
@@BacklogBattle Perfect! I shall watch the story on youtube from the first game and go for the second to play. Thank you!
@@amolsol you didn’t even watch the review if you’re saying that! Go watch it and find out why you don’t even have to do that!
I’ve never heard of this game or series till now, I’m genuinely looking forward to dive into the world. Also great review
Thanks a ton! Hope you enjoy it if you do check it out!
this game is beautiful, playing on my ps5
Sophie is my fav girl. She seems more matured and wholesome than the others atelier girls.
Her relationship with grandma makes my eyes water, I love her
I have all the games in this series on my Steam Wish List... I've wanted to play one for a couple years. $60 though...... Looks awesome.
The game is worth it!
@@BacklogBattle Should I get Ryza 2 or Sophia 2??
@@littlealchemistolympics2884 Sophie 2!
So, rts is ryza exclusive battle system for now. I'm kinda want it to bcm permanent but I don't mind old system and Sophie 2 deliver a good battle system compared to past games
There's still Ryza 3 coming!
Sophie is adorable
i do hope employees in gust studio is getting some rest, considering they've been making game like every half of year and the quality of the game keep improving
also unrelated:before i was playing sophie 2 i was confused on why there were 2 sophies, i thought the 2 on the title weren't just to emphasize that its a sequel
lol I've been in that position before, but with another game!
Can I enter into the atelier series with this not having EVER played another atelier game or spinoff but having played basically EVERYTHING else in this genre out there that exists??? I know he says yes, absolutely, in the video but just want a few more opinions, the game is on sale on Amazon atm, THANKS!!
I think you can! Go for it!
@@BacklogBattle I did!! I figured I would love it if you do as I almost ALWAYS do! Thank You Tons!
I adore this game
I just finished it! 57 hours. Best Atelier Game I have played! So addicting!
Congratulations! I love Sophie 2! What was your favorite part of the game?
@@BacklogBattle I enjoyed the crafting a bit more this time. And the weather changing elements was really good. Overall, the game was just more fun.
Great review shared it on Resetera! Well done 👏
Thank you for doing that! That’s awesome!
Never played an Atelier before…this, triangle strategy, or SMT V?
It all depends on what you’re in the mood for! The two games you mentioned are much, much darker than Atelier. But all are great games!
Alex, what is this month doing to us? I'm currently working through Horizon: Forbidden West. Elden Ring is coming out. I still need to finish Atelier Ryza 2. Now this is coming out. And all of this while I am continuing to play Trails from Zero (90 hours in and still nowhere near done).
Send help!
I also have Voice of Cards: Forsaken Maiden here! So many games!
As a trophy hunter, I’m very disappointed that one of the trophies on the otherwise straightforward list for the platinum is to beat a boss on very hard difficulty. :( oh well. Maybe I’ll actually be able to pull it off. Great review as always Alex!
I haven’t tried it, but I think you can toggle the difficulty on the fly?
@@BacklogBattle like play most of the fight on normal and then switch to very hard right at the end, mid battle?
I meant outside of battle, change the difficulty to Very Hard before the fight. Is there a specific boss that you need to kill on Very Hard or any boss?
@@BacklogBattle ah yeah, I’m just worried about being able to kill the boss on very hard. I will probably play the game on normal and set the game to very hard to try to kill the boss on for the trophy but I doubt I’ll be able to do it, I’m not great at JRPGs despite how much I love them lol. The trophy requires you to kill “Frenzied Elvira” on Very Hard. I’m assuming that’s the final boss or an endgame boss
It's on my want list but I haven't finished any of the atelier games I already have, lol.
Gotta get through that backlog!
i started atlier series with mystrious trilogy ... that being said ... sophie is good but, the amount i had to grind for best equepments and mixing traits made me tear up just to have all trophies and beat it after 3 years of shelfing it now i preordered this when it came out ... i just hope the system is better in this one .. i hated the 2015 game system cause i finished it and cant understand how it works ... firis is just a sore and lydie and suelle is pretty solid
This one is pretty easy to get into! I hadn’t played Sophie in a while so I shared the same concerns. But it didn’t take long!
@@BacklogBattle thank you i can start this one without worring about how to finish it
Should I play Atelier Shopee 1 if I want to play this game?
You don’t have to
I never played any atelier games..guess I'll start with this.
It’s a good one to start with for sure!
I'm waiting on the LE to ship from NISA, but I'm conflicted about my feelings for the game. The game looks fun and enjoyable and relaxing etc.. but in the end Firis and L&S still happen after it and it can't really change anything, so it feels pointless. and i'm not certain at all about this part but it being only after sophie probably means opportunities for returning chars or fun references to other mysterious trilogy stuff is almost non-existent.
What are your thoughts on it? Curious if you finished it!
I partly blame Alex for my ever growing switch backlog (in part understandable if you look at the channel's name :)) )
Thank you for your support over the years!
This or ryza 2 to start?
I think this one!
@@BacklogBattle thanks!
It might feel weird but I am currently debating to buy this instead of Elden Ring right now.
I don't think it's weird at all! Much like movies and TV, we get games that we want to play based on how we feel. Sophie 2 is perfect if you want a chill experience that's not expecting you to be the hero of the entire world or have too big of a responsibility!
@@BacklogBattle "Sophie 2 is perfect if you want a chill experience". Biggest reason I bought it. Thanks for an awesome review.
Currently playing through Ryza 2,my first Atelier game and REALLY enjoying it. The music is amazing and I listen to it while I work. Was unsure about this one because, quite frankly, the really young one with her boobs out made me feel super uncomfortable but I hear you can change outfits and I didn't want to miss out on a game I enjoy just because of that. Long story short, I have ordered the game for switch today!
I'm a bit late to reply, but I hope you're enjoying it a lot!
I feel the same way honestly. I don't like seeing that chick's tits stick out like that. Once I get the game for Christmas, I'll definitely change her outfit. Thank you for sharing that information.
I just wish they would give us HD remasters of Atelier Iris 1-3 and Mana Khemia 1-2.
What if they’re coming? 👀
Is it me or is this game looking even better than Rysa 2?, hope this game helps Ryza 3 to be even better.
It does! I was surprised how good it looked when I put in Ryza 2 footage in the video!
Can't wait for English dubs. Because I'll be waiting for English dubs.
You're going to be waiting for a very, very, very long time, if at all...
I wasn't aware Sophie was that popular. On the contrary, I often heard and red that Sophie 1 was one of the least favorite Atelier games. Since I've played and enjoyed Ryza 1+2 and Blue Reflection 2, I will give this a try...after Monark, Elden Ring, Trianangle Strategy...
Might be one of those "depends on who you talk to" kinds of things, but I found that Sophie - at least today - is one of the more beloved protagonists. And yea, that backlog from February alone is killer...
sophie is without doubt the most loved character in the series, she won many times the oficial popular poll of the series
Gotta stop watching your vids man. You make me wanna buy these games so bad. Thanks for the video!
You *could* still watch them and not have to buy anything you know! LOL
Female character design disgustingly sexist - otherwise game looks great...not sure I can get past the character design though - very offensive.
Understandable
Agreed. I liked how moderate Sophie and Monika looked in Sophie 1, it didn't feel like they were pushing it. Doll Placta was more cute than sexy.
On the other hand, while I can somewhat overlook Young Placta and Rami (since their outfits are somewhat fitting for their age and personality), Alette and Elvira feel like they're trying REALLY hard. It looks like Ryza gave Gust a few wrong ideas of how character designs sell.
@@hagahong3327 I actually noticed that the art style changed from the original to that of Ryza's artist. I'm not sure if that's 100% why it changed nor the style of the artist, but that's the only thing I can think of.
You meant to say design is pretty and not disgustingly ugly
After Ryza 3 I hope we get another Sophie game. Sophie is my favorite