On the occasion of the imminent release of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dreamand more generally for the 25th anniversary of the franchise, we were able to interview its producer again, Junzo Hosoi, for him to provide us with more details about this intriguing sequel. You can find our previous interview in addition to this one.
Some details on the new features of Atelier Sophie 2
- Hello and thank you for this new interview! We had already spoken a bit before the official announcement of Atelier Sophie 2. How have you been since then?
Junzo Hosoi : Thank you very much for this interview. While the development of theSophia 2 workshop is now over, we are always very busy. Expect to find out what we’re working on in a future announcement.
- Atelier Sophie 2 is quite special with its universe built around dreams. Can you give us the reasons behind this choice?
Junzo Hosoi : Because the flow of time and the timeline itself differ from the real world, many different characters can appear in the game, and we have a lot of freedom in how we can craft the story. There is only one timeline in the real world and it is irreversible, however, by setting the game in the dream world, it is not impossible for different people, places and time periods to play a part in the story. In the world ofSophie’s workshop, given what happened to Sophie and the other characters in the story, it is possible that other events will occur in the past and future of the “Mysterious” series. A story as vast as this can only be achieved by setting the game in a dream world.
- Both Sophie and Plachta can use alchemy and learn different recipes. Why isn’t Sophie the only one who can practice alchemy this time?
Junzo Hosoi : The reason is that one of the important factors in this story is not only the growth of Sophie, but also that of Plachta. Things that Sophie cannot create can be created by Plachta. The reverse is also true so the story can only progress as they help each other by synthesizing things made from recipes that only they can create. Of course, there are recipes they can both use, so players can choose their favorite character for those.
- The lack of transition between exploration and combat gives us a much smoother experience. Do you plan to keep this feature for future titles?
Junzo Hosoi : It was a lot of work for the development team, but we received a lot of positive feedback on this feature, so I would really like to use it again if it fits the concept of the next title.
Surprises for the 25th anniversary of the Atelier saga
- The franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. As a producer, what is your most memorable memory of the Atelier series?
Junzo Hosoi : I think working with the different illustrators had the biggest impact on me, I have many fond memories of our work together.
- From Atelier Marie to Mana Khemia, the series is still standing. How do you explain this longevity? Aren’t you afraid you’ve explored all the possibilities?
Junzo Hosoi : Thanks for the compliment, I’m really glad the series has been so well received all these years. I think why people like the show varies from person to person. Some players enjoy the characters, synthesis system, and battles, while others enjoy a special world in which they can overcome any obstacle. What we really focus on is including a lot of elements in the game that will make people feel comforted and happy.
- Can we expect events or other surprises this year for this anniversary after the release of Atelier Sophie 2?
Junzo Hosoi : We are working on several new projects to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Atelier series, starting with Atelier Sophie 2, so expect more information soon!
- You recently announced a collaboration with Tales of Arise, can you tell us more about the form it will take in Atelier Sophie 2?
Junzo Hosoi : Expect more details on this in a future announcement.
- Who is your favorite character, personally, in the whole Atelier series? And why ? And your favorite episode, as a player?
Junzo Hosoi : There are so many great characters in the Atelier series that it’s really hard to choose just one. In Atelier Sophie 2, my favorite character would have to be Ramizel. She’s a ruler in the town of Roytale, where the story takes place, and she kind of acts like a big sister to Sophie and Plachta. She also has a secret which is revealed during the adventure, so if you look at her relationship with Sophie and her friends during the story, I think you can enjoy the game even more.
We thank Mr. Junzo Hosoi for answering our questions. Even if with us the franchise still has this status of “niche game”, it has charmed many players thanks to its unique mechanics in terms of alchemy and the good humor that emerges from each opus thanks to the different characters. .
An element rightly underlined by the producer in this exchange and which stands out from other J-RPGs where we often find the same codes in terms of fan-service. We can also remember that indeed, the many illustrators who have succeeded have also made it possible to renew the visual identity of the series which remains glued to its anime/manga universe.
Waiting for the release of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream scheduled for February 25 on PC, PS4 and Switch, you can find our latest preview of the title.