Atelier Ryza Shows Off New Revamped Battle System

KoeiTecmo dropped a new trailer showing off the new mechanics for the upcoming Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout. The new battle system looks reminiscent to games like Grandia and Final Fantasy X. I’m glad they finally decided to try something new because the Atelier series has gotten a little stagnant in my opinion. The narrative and characterization has always been pretty solid. Check out the latest battle trailer below:

Inhabiting these breathtaking locations are creatures and enemies Ryza and her friends will need to fight. Using a newly revamped Real-Time Tactical Battle system, battles will now progress even while character actions are being chosen. In Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, performing skills, critical attacks, or using abilities outside of the player’s turn through the Quick Actions technique will drain the player’s Action Points. These points are shared between all party members, so it is extremely important to use them strategically in battle to gain the upper hand. As the AP gauge is filled, players will also increase their in-battle level known as Tactics Level. The higher the Tactics Level a party gains, the more powerful attacks they can use; also enabling special combos to be performed. Throughout battle, party members will also be able to give Action Orders to other members of their party. These orders will ask the player to perform specific actions such as “perform a physical attack.” If the order is followed, the character which gave it will perform a follow-up attack with a powerful skill – and this ability does not consume any AP; allowing players to use them at will to deliver strong blows to help defeat even the most ruthless of enemies.