Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy hits Japanese gamers’ hands on December 3, over a month before eventually making its way to Western platforms on January 21, 2021. However, Atelier Ryza 2 certainly falls in line with the saying of “good things are worth waiting for”, as our hands-on preview of the upcoming title hit all the right notes as an outstanding JRPG. This isn’t surprising given that Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy will be the second game in the Ryza subseries of the franchise, which boasts 22 main games in the series, not to mention the fact that Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is praised by both fans and critics alike.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Gust Brand Manager and Atelier Ryza Producer, Junzo Hosoi, who said that Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret will continue to build off of the previous game with its character focus, which takes place three years after the events of Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout.

“In Atelier Ryza 2, we have prepared scenarios that dig deeper than the previous game into the personalities and stories of the characters. And by proceeding through the game, players can learn what the characters experienced over the past three years, and how they have grown. Players can feel that the characters are alive, even more than in the previous game.”

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout features a narrative that is a bit more grounded in nature compared to the cosmic threats and world-ending stakes of other JRPGs. According to Hosoi, it seems as though players can expect the same type of character-driven story.

“Since the main character, Ryza, is the same as the previous game, I think players can feel the passing of time and growth. Also, for those who haven’t played the previous game, by seeing the new adventure and daily lives of Ryza and her friends, I think they can emphasize and feel touched by the story.”

Although you don’t need to have played the original game, Hosoi suggests that you’ll have a more impactful playthrough experience of Atelier Ryza 2 if you play Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout first.

“This is a continuation of the previous game, so I think that playing through the previous Ryza game first will provide a deeper emotional experience when playing this game.”

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout allows players to progress through the game at their own pace in terms of both progression and storyline - a feature that will be taken further in Atelier Ryza 2.

“In this game, we have structured it so that players have freedom in choosing how to advance in the game by, for example, being able to select the order of exploring certain ruins. Also, by adding an alchemy Skill Tree, there is a higher degree of freedom in synthesis than in the previous game.”

My final question for Hosoi may have been the most important one of all: Will adorning my desk with the Ryza statue make my playthrough of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy the best experience that it can possibly be?

“Of course! It’s the ultimate experience to be able to have the Ryza statue next to you there to enjoy with you the experiences of Ryza beyond the screen!”

(Ok… I might have just asked that in an attempt to rationalize my purchasing of the figurine, but I stand by it.)

A big thank you to Junzo Hosoi for taking the time to answer some questions! Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy will be available on December 3 in Japan, and will release on January 26, 2021 in North America for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

NEXT: Atelier Ryza Producer Discusses The Possibility Of Ryza’s Smash Ultimate Debut