Gust has shared the first details and screenshots from its newly announced Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book, coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita in Japan on September 25.
Get the information below.
■ Introduction
The sparse, but full-leaf trees rustle and the birds sing as the morning sun rises and the light illuminates the flowers on the street.
On the outskirts of a town with such a warm atmosphere, where the sunlight filters through the trees and a carpet of yin and yang is laid out, lives a girl alone.
She is a cheerful, yet somehow overlooked, ordinary girl who’s anywhere. But she has a special power the town’s people do not possess.
She possesses the mysterious power of “Alchemy,” which lets her synthesize materials to create something entirely different.
However, she continues to fail at the most crucial of mixing—as is the limits of a girl who learned from a book rather than from a teacher.
But one day, the girl encounters a strange book that can talk and possesses knowledge of alchemy, beginning a new story.
■ Characters
Sophie Neuenmuller (voiced by Yuuka Aisaka, designed by Noco)
16 years old. 154cm. Alchemist.
The protagonist of the story. She runs an alchemy business and lives on the outskirts of the town Kirhen Bell.
She is a cheerful girl who calms her those around her. But she can also be sloppy at times.
She loves alchemy and feels great joy when using it to help people. She puts in more effort and curiosity than others, but doesn’t do any housework out of principle. She’d rather leave it to other people.
Plachta (voiced by Yuka Iguchi, designed by Yuugen)
16 years old. 152cm. She’s a book.
She’s an old book given to Sophie by her grandmother and put away on the atelier bookshelf. Sophie awakens her through the recipes written in the book, and she becomes Sophie’s teacher.
In the wake of a certain event, she takes the appearance of a person. But with this new form her character does not change, and she becomes Sophie’s advisor.
But she doesn’t know much outside of alchemy, so when she strolls about town, she is troubled by the incomprehensible remarks of those around her.
She has a calm personality, but can sometimes be surprisingly daring. By regaining her human form, she is trying to remember a certain mission she needs to fulfill.
■ A Journey to Regain the Memory of Alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy means inclining one’s ear to a substance, listening to that voice, making dreams come true, and shaping things.
In this game, Sophie is an Alchemist whose aim it is to restore Plachta’s lost memory. As Sophie uses alchemy freely, she writes new recipes in Plachta. That’s the method to restore Plachta’s lost memory.
Before long, Plachta understands why she was once human and is able to give Sophie a sign. This is called “returning Plachta to her human form.” Thus begins the story of the novice alchemist Sophie.
■ Alchemy that Starts from an Idea
In this game, the objective is to restore Plachta’s memory. In that sense, players will deepen their knowledge of alchemy by conceptualizing recipes. All of Sophie’s actions, such as fighting monsters and mixing items, serve the purpose of conceptualizing recipes that will become provisions.
The keyword is “idea.”
In this game, the “knowledge, inspiration, and experience” obtained through your actions will become elements for your recipe ideas.
Mastering Alchemy
Use the recipes you come up with to mix your ingredients, and use the items you create in battle.
■ Doll Make
Through the power of “Doll Make,” you’ll be able able to customize Plachta using items you’ve synthesized. The deeper you advance your alchemy, the more you’ll be able to customize Plachta. Each of her appearances has different abilities, but how will if affect Sophie?
■ Day and Night
In the world of Atelier Sophie, time will move and the world will change from day to night.
Some materials can only be found at certain times (morning, evening, etc.)
Depending on the time you go out, you’ll meet people who you don’t usually encounter, or you may see changes in the town shops.
When it becomes nighttime, the monsters of the night will come out, which may be stronger than those you encounter during the day.
■ Pricing and Editions
First-Print Run
First-print run copies of the game will include a download code for a Plachta Doll Make costume.
Premium Box
PlayStation 4 and PS3 – 9,800 yen
PS Vita – 8,800 yen
- A copy of the game
- Atelier Sophie visual book
- Atelier Sophie sound archives
- Special B3 fabric poster
- Character clear marker set
- Product code to download a five-kinds item set for use in the game
Collection Box
PlayStation 4 and PS3 – 15,800 yen
PS Vita – 14,800 yen
- A copy of the game
- Extra-large crystal paperweight
- Special crystal key chain
- Atelier Sophie visual book
- Atelier Sophie sound archives
- Special B3 fabric poster
- Character clear marker set
- Product code to download a five-kinds item set for use in the game
View the screenshots at the gallery.