I love this game it quickly became one of my favorite. I had played Long Live The Queen before so when you released this one i didnt even hesitate ^^ I do have a question though : Could you give give me some indications on how to obtain Serin Bad Ending ? It's the last one i'm missing and despite replaying multiple times Serin's route i just can't manage to get it and nothing is written in the guide. Thanks again for this wonderful game, i'll be waiting the next one :)
Hello! Thank you so much :D Super happy you enjoyed the game.
For Serin's Bad Ending, you'll have to go on Serin's Romance Route and increase his affection as much as possible (can be easily achieved with Beauty & Charisma). For Week 60, keep Serin's Light AND Wood magic under 170! And tadaaa :D Bad Ending ahoy!
(If you have a save file from his romance route from before maxing out his stats, you can probably use it.)
Hi Nifty Visuals, I have carefully read the whole description of your game and there's a huge job of writing and creation process. Have you considered to make it global? I am a video game localizer and I would relish to add this game to my work experience. If you need a project manager for the localization of this titlte I'm the person you need!
Hi! Had a quick question (not sure to pose here or Steam). Is it normal or is it a glitch to get a negative item quantity? On the colorful cloth item, it says I have -1. I have not crafted this item yet on this save (though I did load back to a previous save and crafted it for a mission to see if I'd liked the outcome. I didn't and decided to just re-load back to my original save so that was in the future. Not sure if this is some sort of save glitch in that case? Can't see how that'd be possible in renpy's python engine.)
I am not sure if this is something intentional or not, but was a little confused.
Hello! This is definitely not intentional and should be a glitch. We haven't encountered it before though. Hopefully, you can continue playing without any problems?
I noticed that if i have a mission requiring items and dont do them I will end up with a -1 to the items afterwards. Made it difficult to complete requests because i'd need to make 2 of that item.
I love the game so far but I've reached week 14, trying to make the truth serum and it absolutely won't let me. I have everything I need to make it but it tells me no one can craft it and won't give me the synth. button.
I just want to say to those playing for first time, even though tutorial gives you a hint on how you should focus on certain skills since you can't pass everything, just know there are skills you are going to need improve regardless of the route you are going after. I am not going to say which ones since that will be a spoiler, but when playing pay attention to what is happening in game and judge what you think may be important to improve.
Haha i am giving this little advice because it is pain having to restart tons of times due to deaths xD I playing on adventure mode for first time btw, so I expected this anyway :p
and just as another hint if I wasn't already clear, every skill for both main character and princes all have uses. This game was very well designed , especially for an otome type game. unlike certain other games i rather not mention and rant about here, your skills and decisions actually make a meaningful impact in what happens in the story. I won't say like it will turn the whole story around, i don't think anything thaat dramatic, but without spoiling too much, your choices have purpose. This is not one of the visual novel type games where you choose something and it barely impacts the narrative of the story.
Long Live the Queen was, I think, the first skill raiser with multiple endings that I played (years ago now!) and it was fun. I hadn't really enjoyed that mechanic in another game since, until Royal Alchemist. Which is great because I still have many endings to collect, hah. Just finished my first play-through. The game is very pretty, of course, but also: the pacing of the skill checks were just right, and the writing made it so enjoyable even during all of my backtracking to re-stat. :D The main character's personality really shone through in mission logs and their funny asides--those were some of my favorite lines. Congrats on the release!
I posted this on an otome game forum and have pasted it here. This is spoiler free!
Here are some of the things that stood out to me:
-The writing is really beautiful. Even though with visual novels there is repetitive dialogue and scenes, often times I read the same scenes three times (on my multiple playthroughs) to appreciate the word choices and pick up on hints for plot twists. The world-building around the magic was natural and intriguing.
-The MC is a strong (but not overpowered) magic-user. They’re really witty and made me laugh out loud several times. You can pick pronouns and a masculine/feminine portrait, which also affects the CGs. I also came to really care for the side characters.
-There are three princes you can romance. Needless to say they each have their distinct personalities and ways of showing affection. I think all the routes have their shining moments, and are equal in quality. I appreciated the fact that if you pick one route, the other princes are still relevant and show up often to interact with the MC.
-This is a stat-raising game. I know a lot of people don’t enjoy stat-raising, but I think this game does it justice. The MC is an alchemy tutor to the princes, so the stats also fit in with the story. The stats actually affect the MC’s interactions with other characters, and you can even die if you don’t have enough points. There’s an easy mode and stat bonuses you can turn on for less pressure. Completing “stat checks” felt very rewarding and I liked the planning aspect.
-In addition to the stats, there is a missions and crafting system. You get very short side stories, coins, and potential stat boosts by successfully completing missions. The items you craft can have an effect on the story and may be needed in missions or requested by side characters. For me this was a fun gameplay element and immersed me in the tutor/alchemist role of the MC.
-The art, backgrounds, and CGs are gorgeous. The music is standard for a visual novel but still great and worked to set the tone for each scene.
Some things that others might not like:
-There is not much romance until the latter part of the game. It’s more of a slow burn, with the plot coming first. I personally prefer this type of story (Reminds me of Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds).
-There are some plot twists. The good part is that they are unpredictable and had me fooled. However, I felt that there were still some questions left unresolved and a few unconvincing aspects. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story.
-The stats system might feel tedious when doing multiple playthroughs. There are stats that the princes prefer if you pay attention, but there’s not really a way to predict which stats you’ll need and when (unless you buy the art/guide book... which is more expensive than the game). There are a few hints in the game, but sometimes they come too late. Fortunately, many times the only consequence is embarrassing yourself. Or occasionally dying.
With some intense save reloading on easy mode, the perfectionist in me managed to pass all stat checks and requests in my third playthrough.
-There are male/female variations of the CGs, so to unlock them all you would have to complete a route with both the female and male portrait.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by Royal Alchemist and it is now one of my top otome games, though I may be biased because I love the fantasy/magic genre. I still have the non-romance endings, missions, and deaths to unlock, but I’m already looking forward to more work by the developers!
If I absolutely had to pick a favorite route, it would be Aurelius. But Serin and Nazir are so sweet <3
Hello! Thank you :D We're super happy to hear you like the game!
We definitely have more stats-raising titles of different sizes coming up! The first previews have been unlocked on Patreon, but we'll also post public announcements soon :D
Though I have yet to purchase it, I feel like I should say this here. After finishing (and surviving, I'm proud to say!) the demo, I had to stare at my screen in silence. With beautiful dialogue, characters, setting, story line, and magic, this was already the game of my dreams.
After reading (too many) reviews, I'm definitely saving up but, to anyone who hasn't played the demo before, just the demo is worth the 20$. This game is a blessing :)))
since i always buy games on itch bc i only use paypal
if i buy this game here and use the steam key to my steam account, does that mean i buy the game on steam ? cuz i never buy any games on steam and they ( steam ) ask me to buy games so i can add friend and more . or i must buy it on steam ?
Hello! If you redeem your Steam key with your purchase, the game will be automatically added to your library :) So you don't have to buy it again on Steam.
Thank you! The game will only get more polishing / bug fixing updates. For now, it's finished, since we're not sure about extra episodes and / or sequels yet >w<
wewow. i've been playing for several hours so far, and this game is totally worth the wait!! So far, i'm loving this a lot. I like how the MC is capable of saving themselves in many situations, the beautiful artworks, and the surprising amount of side characters!
I'd love to have more variety of "flavoring" for the MC's response, though. But overall, this is such a nice, enjoyable game, and i like it a lot <3
I finally bought it and played my first paythrough (Serin best boi)! I had to come back to leave my review here as well (I posted a similar one on steam ^^).
I have to say, I really loved it!
I like that the game really makes you think through your decisions strategically in order to succeed in each stage. The stat system is a bit trial and error at first until you get the hang of it. Overall, it's fun, and I like the use of your skills to craft specific items.
The story is engaging, the characters well design and written, and the art is beautiful! The game offers plenty of hours of gameplay (I spent over 20 hours on just my first playthrough). All in all, It's a memorable and fun game. I'd totally recommend it!
I'm looking forward to your next project!! Royal Alchemist was so worth the wait ;-; <3
Hello! Thank you so much for taking your time and leaving us your review! :D
We're super glad you enjoyed the game and the system, after all trials and errors ;) More Serin lovers yay! Thank you for your support and we'll continue doing our best!
And that was an AMAZING demo, I'm so happy I got to play such a generous amount of the game, it definitely got me interested and I even went back to make different choices to see what happens. I totally failed the first time but when I went back, I understood the skills a bit better and knew what to focus on.
The characters were intriguing, each in their own way and I like the mysteries that were going around, right from the start and especially how the kingdom was created and all, hm-hm, I'd like to learn more. The art was great, I especially liked the CGs, the one for casting magic - sooo pretty! The fights were nicely handled too and I also liked the difference the skills made to various scenes. I'd have to keep the game on a wishlist for when I clear my backlog a bit because seeing all those locked endings and also possible deaths- I'd be curious to unlock all~
I've also already written this review on steam, but I wanted to post it here as well in case some people exclusively view itch.io and I wanted more people to know about this amazing game.
This is my review:
"Royal Alchemist is a game that is better than how it looks and that is already saying a lot considering how amazing it looks like. It’s unique, special, full of good content, and just a joy to play.
I usually hate stat raising in visual novels; I find them unnecessary. Sometimes it even feels like the developers use it as a cheap way to distract us from the lack of actual content in the story. So it was surprising to see how much I actually enjoyed – and not tolerated, but genuinely enjoyed – the stat raising aspect of this game. The dialogue changed based on the stats, your lives depended on those stats, and how much you knew and figure out also depended on those stats. That added a great replay value to the game. They made complete sense and were essential. However, precisely because they make so much sense, I recommend for everyone to save often in the game, because if you raise the wrong stats, you really can die. Luckily though, you get stronger after that. There is a story mode and adventure mode. I’ve played with story-mode first and died about 2 times, but depending on your choices, you can have more chances to die.
Anyway, I mentioned before how I thought that developers sometimes uses stats to cover up lack of content. That was NOT the case with Royal Alchemist. In fact, it had a rich story with plot twists, lovable love interests, smart main character, and likable side characters. After playing through all the routes, I was able to learn new things about events that took place in another characters’ route and see different sides of the story. I’ve spent about 25-30 hours playing the game so it is definitely worth its price."
Also, I wanted to thank the developers for making this wonderful game. I’m on the discord too so I’ve already said this there, but Royal Alchemist has become one of my favorite visual novels. 😊
this is simply a gorgeous game! the money was well spent, and i've fallen in love with all the characters (especially neri & sala.) i love the concept of gaining points. everyone is depicted so well, with their own specified reasons behind the way they guide themselves. (minor spoiler if u would count it) however, i wish there was more of a thorough analysis of the characters in the end, for nazir was a difficult person to understand if you had been in another route other than his.
nonetheless, the plot is very engaging. it captivated me at first glance in the demo and continued to amaze me with its detailed artwork. the romance is also very subtle at first, it slowly eases the main mc into it and does not rush the love. i can see the effort that goes into the game. i'm certainly grateful for having the opportunity to experience this! thank you for your hard work! <3
The game is amazing. I really love it, yet there's one frustrating thing about it for me.
!Warning. Might be spoilers ahead!
Well, I played Aurelius route and I find MC attitude is being not quite satisfying. I mean, MC seems to be too passive and unemotional about his own (I played as a male) heart and love experience. Aurelius is a cold person himself and it's adorable he has a type, yet MC is not the same at all so why he acts as one? He is much more open and emotional, yet his attitude towards Aurelius is pretty distant even at the end of the game. I wonder why so? MC hardly acts as being in love, he doesn't seem as a person who truly loves his darling, sometimes he's seemed to be more interested in and caring about everyone else except his LI. His feelings' evolution has a bit lack of logic for my taste. It's like: "Oh, this grumpy guy gets on my nerves. He is a real jerk, hate him. Ok, then kiss him, kiss him with all the passion I have (o_O) and...well, I can't forget this kiss and feel awkward, thus I think I like him. Wanna marry him? Alright, maybe so". That was pretty weird relations development, Aurelius himself seems to show more feelings toward MC :) I mean it would be nice to see more MC thoughts about his beloved, something more emotional and warm, something that makes to believe he is deeply in love, his feelings are strong and he really cares. Some more romantic as an ideal. But still VN is nice and exciting, I like twists.They were really unexpected. Thank you for great job :)
I tried getting Survive IV but the achievement didn't unlock did i do something wrong and Investigator but ill do that one last i can get that one either.
So, finally a novel where mc has logic in actions and thoughts). I really like your game even considering that I didn't finish it yet. But a small question: is there a way to delete saves? I just have too many of them (I bought game on steam)
And you should be able to delete a save by hovering the save, then press the Delete key. Alternatively, you can delete them from the folder "%APPDATA%/RenPy/RoyalAlchemist" :D
I already posted this review on Steam, but i thought it would be okay to copy and paste it here for those who are looking trough reviews on here deciding if playing this game or not. So for those who need it, here's a spoiler free review :)
I finally finished everyone's routes so -since all i need to unlock now is the bonus stuff and different endings- i can safely say this: This game is incredible. I loved the first version of the demo when i encountered this game for the first time, and it didn't let me down in the least with the full release. It helped me cheering up and distract myself these last few days thanks to it's interesting story, well written characters, and funny moments. I extremely liked the MC, as well, making them probably my favourite main character of any visual novel i ever played. I also wasn't able to call quite a few of the plot twists, if not almost every single one. The art style, too, it's just stunning. This game is worth it's money. I have couple warnings tho:
1) This game is a stat raising. As someone who sucks at those, having a mini guide (t'was a pre-order gift) was a life saver. The developers sell a guide and i highly suggest you buy it - although the game is probably also enjoyable without it, the guide helps SO MUCH.
2) Even though It's a really well made game, i did find some minor errors and bugs of course. But the creators are always quick to answer and give help tho those who contact them, and they promise the next patch of the game will be more polished of this few minor issues.
Moral of the story: this game is a masterpiece, i'm extremely happy i buyed it, and i suggest you all do it as well!
I hope that my warning about the bugs didn't appear rude, i didn't mean them in a ''this game has bugs so it's something really bad'' but just a warning that there are small bugs sometimes but not for long and that -in case there were problems- you guys are quick to help in any way to fix them :)
Thank you for all your work, have a great week and stay safe! :)
hi nifty i was think of drawing one of character i want to suggestion which one you like the character i will try my best to draw it you that is if you want =3
So I've been wondering - does you-know-what still happen to Nazir in the other boys' routes? If it does, how come Alexis isn't aware that anything happened at all? And if it doesn't, why not?
now that I think about it, he came back in the other routes but wasn't he forbidden to, because a you-know-who is not supposed to join political affairs?
Oh my, she's so cute!! We love this :D -pokes her round cheeks- (And she's got big round shoujo protag eyes too *thumbs up* ) Is that you in the background? :D
You've spent so much time capturing her design details! Good job :D Thank you so much for this!!
This game is amazing but also it made me sad. Do you realize how sad this game is. T_T
So, I did Nazir's route and then I did Aurelius's. First off I loved Nazir's route. He kept going off on adventures and I kept going along with him, and we were like in our own little world. It was fun and cute and I liked watching him grow along the way. Anyways I LOVE HIM.
And when I do Aurelius's route, I can't help but see that Nazir ends up having to do a lot of things alone. He ends up going through /that/ alone, presumably, since his (SPOILERS) disappearance still happens and he just sends word to the castle and eventually, in the ending summary of characters' lives, eventually he comes back and is a more responsible person. I want to think he went off to certain people but he also lacks a connection that I would have - it pains me that he was alone, not showing up to the trial (which I can fully understand why) and also during /that reveal/ and ever after. Of course he will still grow up as a stronger person but. MY HEART HURTS.
Okay, that aside, it's a really good game. Well balanced stat raising system and story, with twists and plenty of replayability because some things are hidden in each route and the more I play the more things get revealed. I still want to do Serin's! But also, justice for Nazir T___T
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed Nazir's route. His scenes were (mostly) just little balls of sunshine within all the intrigue!
We suppose in this game, if you end up with someone, you may feel sad for the others since the other princes will be left to deal with certain things on their own...
...As the devs, we will give the characters a few pats on the back! They'll grow up healthy and strong to survive all of it :'D
Okay, I finally found some time to write a few words about my experience with this game so far.
Let me start by just saying that the game is, in one word, FANTASTIC, honestly one of the best Visual Novels I have played (and I've played a lot of them). Actually it's one of the most enjoyable games I have recently played across the board period. The art, the characters, the plot, the writing .. everything is simply incredible. You guys created something truly amazing here.
(Spoilers ahead! I mean I keep things rather vague but in case you don't wanna know anything consider .. not reading any further from here on out)
I played Serin's route first because he honestly was my fave ever since I first played the demo and going through his entire romance route just made me fall even more in love with him. At this point he has my entire heart, I think. Yes the romance is slow burn but I don't mind at all. It just makes everything feel so real in a way? The relationship between Alexis and Serin just develops so naturally and goes from them getting to know each other and bonding over mutual interests. Their scenes in the library were some of my faves, especially the one where they look at the maps and plan journeys together even though it made my heart ache for Serin alongside Alexis (although in my mind Serin gets to go on all those adventures he dreams of somehow at one point because he DESERVES that damn it) I also loved the evolution of Serin calling Alexis by their last name and then slowly starting to call them by their first name more and more and Alexis reminding him to do that when he doesn't :') I sometimes found myself saying "It's Alexis remember?" when he slipped back into it before Alexis even did, lol. All of the banter and teasing in his route was delightful actually and made me laugh a lot (and sometimes giggle like a schoolgirl because he just blushes so prettily :D) but you also managed to make me quite emotional a lot of the time, so it was a good balance and made everything flow nicely and, again, made it all just feel so natural to me. And when they finally, uh, take things to the next level, all that build up just made it so much better. Also the illustration of Serin in the epilogue? Nice. Very nice. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
So I could probably write a 10k words long love letter just about Serin that's how utterly in love with him I am but I think I will not annoy everyone with all that, lol. I'm about halfway done with Aurelius' route and have played a bit of Nazir's but so far they just can't hold a candle to Serin. At all. It might honestly been a mistake to play his route first because now nothing can compare, lol.
Outside the romances, I really loved the relationships not only our dear Alexis had with other characters (which also made certain plot twists and betrayals later on in the game hurt that much more) but also these characters all had with each other. The princes' relationship with each other is something I enjoyed a lot - I am especially loving the dynamic between Serin and Aurelius. Nazir feels a bit disconnected to me here, maybe because I have yet to play his full route and haven't payed that much attention to him and all that but Serin and Aurelius? I loved what I saw of them, maybe also because there's just so many people in-game that want to pit them against each other and claim to see a rivalry and hate that isn't there. So to then actually see how wrong they are, how Serin values Aurelius' ideas and advice and trusts him and how much Aurelius trusts and loves him in return (him saying something like that Serin is the most important and trustworthy person in his life really made me emotional) and how protective they are of each other and just .. how much love is there, idk it just gets to me and is something I really loved :')
I really enjoyed the antagonists/villains in this game as well because they're rather tragic and sympathetic in a way. Obviously it doesn't excuse everything they've done - "Cool motive, still murder" and all that, but then again that could also be said about certain "good guys" in this game and their actions if we're being honest, so I just really enjoyed those shades of grey when it comes to morality and the actions taken by all sides involved.
It was also really great finding out that some of the thoughts I had after the demo about Alexis and the Rosenkreuz family and their powers went kind of in the right direction but then it also was something else entirely and then certain plot revelations later on in the game somewhat connected to that I did not see coming at all but I really didn't mind that at all! I love me some twisty twists, hehe :D
Long story short: the game is amazing, you guys are amazing and I am so grateful you blessed us all with this gem. I cannot wait to see what you will come up in the future, be it for this game and world, or something else, I know that I will be here waiting for anything and everything you create.
And now I will go and devote some more time to play through all the routes and get all the ending except for that one titled "Serin's BAD ending" because I do not wanna live in a world where that boy gets anything but a happy end so thanks but no thanks, lol. And maybe somewhere along the way I will even manage to actually balance out my stats raising so I don't die time and time again and ALWAYS because of the damn combat stat because I keep thinking Alexis can just outsmart everyone and doesn't need to know how to fight .. until they get eaten by wolves or stabbed in the back that is, lol. xD
Hello! We remember reading your speculations with a "You'll know soon ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)". Some points were very close to the truth! :D
Super happy you love Serin so much! He deserves it. In our minds, we're always replaying possibilities to let him go on adventures as well! Even if not for long, perhaps there will be opportunities. We're super happy you saw the brother's relationship as well! Even though all three of them are quite different in personalities, and thus may not seem too close at first, they share a family bond of absolute trust and care! That's something we wanted to portray ;D
For most of the time, you can survive on intelligence but... we suppose there is no reasoning when it comes to beasts that want to turn you into food. Good luck on exploring the other endings! We suppose Serin's bad ending is a pile of misery but eh... the others are candy (we hope)!
I played this game with my sister. After we got all of the endings, I thought that this is the otome game I've been looking foryears. I've been playing lots of otome game for years and this is the best of it. I really enjoy the MC's personality because they're really intelligent. They understand most of the situation, which is very rare I find in other otome games. And the pacing... oh let me talk about the relationship progress pacing. I don't know if it's just me but... I love how the story flows. Usually, I often found a lot's of otome English game pacing that didn't click me. I know that passing the time by raising stats and mission could be the thing... But I'm sure that this isn't the reason that make the relationship into a rush. I was wondering how do you guys manage to keep the story progress stable? Any advice maybe?
Hello! Thank you so much. We're happy you enjoyed the pacing and relationship flow of the game.
We have to admit, everyone on the team is a lover of slow-burn romances xD We spent a lot of time thinking about the character's relationship dynamics; which of the character's traits would clash against each other, and how the main story events could help the characters get closer. In a way, we just put the characters next to their story and wondered how they'd react to them, and how they can grow from that point :D
Hi there! I've been looking out for this game since the demo and I was so excited to finally play it. I just finished my first route which was Aurelius and gosh dillidy darn was it so goooood! I love the story so much as well as the stats part of the game which made it so much more challenging but the countless reload was so worth it after getting the ending. Now I'm planning to play Serin's route but gosh I still can't get over Aurelius, this game is so worth it. I had so much fun playing it. can't wait to here more games from you guys!
So the game is amazing and beautiful. I just finished my first route (Aurelius) and my heart hurts. I always fall for the bad guys. I found myself wishing certain ones had routes. But I love the whole thing. The art, the writing, all of it. Two things though- 1) a system to review the romantic scenes or at least endings would be great so that you don't have to replay everything and 2) I bought the guide and the art book because you had to buy both to get the guide (I think, hopefully I'm not mistaken and I apologize if I am) but what I really wanted was just the guide. I likely would have bought the art book later after I'd played a route or two but I would have liked to just by the guide at first. That being said, these are really minor concerns. Keep up with the good work!
Hello! Thank you very much for the support. We hope you had fun with Aurelius :D
Thank you for your suggestions too! A system to review the scenes is something we'll keep considering how to implement. For our future titles, we'll also release the guide / artbook separately!
I'm glad to help! Aurelius was delightful (in his own way)! Starting Serin's route now and he's so quiet and kind that I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Again, the game is amazing!
It is always a pleasure to see good game projects completed! I have always been afraid to play visual novels with this status enhancement system. Because, well, usually when there is this kind of gameplay the story is weak. It is a good thing that this is not the case with Royal Alchemist. With it I was able to enjoy a fun gameplay system, while following a very well made plot. I fell in love with Aurelius, Serin, Nazir and, of course, Alexis. The game was fantastic!
Suggestion: it would be useful to include a space to "keep memories", that is, the romantic scenes with the characters. This would avoid having to replay the game just to review a scene.
Hello! Thank you so much, we're super happy you enjoyed the game :D
Regarding your suggestion, we'll think hard about how to implement something like a memory gallery. As many of our scenes are either affected by stats or previous events, we couldn't think of a good way to do this. But we'll keep considering it for the future! :D
First of all I would like to say that I made an account on this site just to leave a review of this game. Yeah. I just really had to get my thoughts out there on this quality game.
I followed this game since last year. The demo told me right away that I wanted to keep an eye out for this one. Really, it’s such a rare thing nowadays you know?The game hits the mark on everything: the interesting plot, the characters (the princes, the mc who is dynamic and most importantly, not a doormat and even the side characters). The person who did the CG’s, I just want to shake their hand man. These are some quality visuals and I won’t lie: this is what initially lured me in last year.
The rpg aspect of the game was certainly a nice challenge as well. It also made me feel more engaged compared to the regular vn, where, bless them but all you usually have to do is click and click. You really feel like you have control over your destiny. As the devs said in the comments there, if you put emphasis on certain stats (Etiquette/Combat – Aurelius, Leadership – Nazir and Charisma/Beauty/Etiquette/ – Serin, and after playing once I realised you kinda want that Intelligence up there as well regardless of playthrough, because it makes you feel like a god, being able to predict some… cough things about the plot) you will be fine. This would be the perfect time to mention that I played on Easy (yes I know, truly a disgrace, but this one time I was like you know that, it is story time) and with +5 to my stats from 2 deaths. Honestly, if you’re not a fool like me and click Overwrite Save again and again like I did on my first playthrough you will be fine lol. Just try to be prepared with a save on a new slot every couple of hours, should things go terribly wrong. If you want full completion however, may god have mercy on you, I shall think of you fondly.
I achieved all 3 romance endings, with Serin being my favorite. He was my first choice, he’s had me since he helped me at the gate to be honest. His personality lured me in from the beginning. He truly is best boy, doing his best and the teasing in his route is precious af. Even if I picked Serin, I knew I wanted to give Aurelius a try as well. Cheeky boy lol. He’s basically the Defrosting Ice Queen trope (and I love that trope a lot) so I really liked his route as well. No spoilers, but some moments in his route make it really worth it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).
Now Nazir. I’ll just come out and say it: since I tackled the other princes before him I was already coming in like “Okay so this mother f’er goes frolicking god knows where every time, oh I’m sorry Nazir it’s just that we are in mortal danger here.” If only I knew. No spoilers, but the plot twist really is top tier. It’s my favorite moment in the route and I love how you act as MC as well, reliable and gentle. My apologies dear Nazir, should have kept a close eye on you lol. After having completed 3 playthrougs of the same game (something I didn’t even intend to do, but I just had to know what was up with Nazir) I can safely say that all princes are deserving of your time and you will definitely find something to like.
Tl;dr: Solid plot with compelling twists. Good characters. Interesting MC. At least pick up the demo if you’re on the fence, it’s quite long and it will tell you everything you need to know. So much heart went into this game and I can’t think of a negative even if I try. My congratulations to the devs, whatever you guys come up with in the future I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks for your hard work!
Hello! First of all, thank you so much for the detailed review! :D We're super happy you created an account to leave us your thoughts and really appreciate it!
We spent a lot of time balancing the gameplay system, the story and the characters with each other. Thus, we're really glad that you ended up enjoying them all! Even Nazir's route :D (Honestly, that boy of ours is drawing so much grudge since some people train him just to synthesize certain items, and he ends up ditching them all xD)
Thank you very much for your support! We'll continue doing our best :D
In my last playthrough and in my current playthrough, I get no stats bonus from the daily deaths, even though I have it turned 'on'. Is it because I'm playing easy mode or is it a bug?
Hello. The stats bonus aren't actively displayed. They will only be considered whenever you're at a check.
They work fine for us on the latest build. If they don't for you, could you perhaps describe the problem, or how you know they don't work a bit more? Thanks!
i've gotten the romance ending for nazir and am currently on aurelius' route-- been playing almost non stop since i got it!! the story is super engaging and i love all of the characters, and the game is extensive with high replay value without feeling tedious
I really do love this game and the characters i beat all the main routes romances, am curious will there be a sequel or an addon sequel. I want to find out what happens next so badly.
is there a special ending if you beat all endings. most visual novels i played require you to finish all endings then it unlocks a canon end or something. This isn't what this game does right?
Devs... You outdid the game... I have spent 15 hours dying like 10 times! I was so close on getting an ending too (I was on Week 59 when I died)!! This game is so hard but it's so good AAAA (Playing this normally without a guide is enjoyable ehehe)
After I finish all endings, I will come back and hopefully write another review :D
We wish you the best of luck surviving Week 59 and reach the ending! :D Playing without guide may be hard but also very rewarding. That's what we usually recommend to at first and we're glad you rose to the challenge ;D
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I love this game it quickly became one of my favorite. I had played Long Live The Queen before so when you released this one i didnt even hesitate ^^ I do have a question though : Could you give give me some indications on how to obtain Serin Bad Ending ? It's the last one i'm missing and despite replaying multiple times Serin's route i just can't manage to get it and nothing is written in the guide. Thanks again for this wonderful game, i'll be waiting the next one :)
Hello! Thank you so much :D Super happy you enjoyed the game.
For Serin's Bad Ending, you'll have to go on Serin's Romance Route and increase his affection as much as possible (can be easily achieved with Beauty & Charisma). For Week 60, keep Serin's Light AND Wood magic under 170! And tadaaa :D Bad Ending ahoy!
(If you have a save file from his romance route from before maxing out his stats, you can probably use it.)
Oh wow it was much simpler that i thought ^^ Thanks a lot for the quick answer !
Hi Nifty Visuals, I have carefully read the whole description of your game and there's a huge job of writing and creation process. Have you considered to make it global? I am a video game localizer and I would relish to add this game to my work experience. If you need a project manager for the localization of this titlte I'm the person you need!
Tell me your view about it. Take care.
Hi! Had a quick question (not sure to pose here or Steam). Is it normal or is it a glitch to get a negative item quantity? On the colorful cloth item, it says I have -1. I have not crafted this item yet on this save (though I did load back to a previous save and crafted it for a mission to see if I'd liked the outcome. I didn't and decided to just re-load back to my original save so that was in the future. Not sure if this is some sort of save glitch in that case? Can't see how that'd be possible in renpy's python engine.)
I am not sure if this is something intentional or not, but was a little confused.
Hello! This is definitely not intentional and should be a glitch. We haven't encountered it before though. Hopefully, you can continue playing without any problems?
I noticed that if i have a mission requiring items and dont do them I will end up with a -1 to the items afterwards. Made it difficult to complete requests because i'd need to make 2 of that item.
I love the game so far but I've reached week 14, trying to make the truth serum and it absolutely won't let me. I have everything I need to make it but it tells me no one can craft it and won't give me the synth. button.
Hello! You have to make sure one of the princes has all three magic stats required to make it, not all three separately.
I just want to say to those playing for first time, even though tutorial gives you a hint on how you should focus on certain skills since you can't pass everything, just know there are skills you are going to need improve regardless of the route you are going after. I am not going to say which ones since that will be a spoiler, but when playing pay attention to what is happening in game and judge what you think may be important to improve.
Haha i am giving this little advice because it is pain having to restart tons of times due to deaths xD I playing on adventure mode for first time btw, so I expected this anyway :p
and just as another hint if I wasn't already clear, every skill for both main character and princes all have uses. This game was very well designed , especially for an otome type game. unlike certain other games i rather not mention and rant about here, your skills and decisions actually make a meaningful impact in what happens in the story. I won't say like it will turn the whole story around, i don't think anything thaat dramatic, but without spoiling too much, your choices have purpose. This is not one of the visual novel type games where you choose something and it barely impacts the narrative of the story.
I am loving the demo so far and plan to buy the game soon.Would my demo progress transfer to the full game?
Glad you liked it :D And yes, the progress should transfer over.
Long Live the Queen was, I think, the first skill raiser with multiple endings that I played (years ago now!) and it was fun. I hadn't really enjoyed that mechanic in another game since, until Royal Alchemist. Which is great because I still have many endings to collect, hah. Just finished my first play-through. The game is very pretty, of course, but also: the pacing of the skill checks were just right, and the writing made it so enjoyable even during all of my backtracking to re-stat. :D The main character's personality really shone through in mission logs and their funny asides--those were some of my favorite lines. Congrats on the release!
Thank you so much!! :D We're super happy you enjoyed the game and the characters!
(LLtQ was one of our inspirations. We have a lot of love for it :D )
I posted this on an otome game forum and have pasted it here. This is spoiler free!
Here are some of the things that stood out to me:
-The writing is really beautiful. Even though with visual novels there is repetitive dialogue and scenes, often times I read the same scenes three times (on my multiple playthroughs) to appreciate the word choices and pick up on hints for plot twists. The world-building around the magic was natural and intriguing.
-The MC is a strong (but not overpowered) magic-user. They’re really witty and made me laugh out loud several times. You can pick pronouns and a masculine/feminine portrait, which also affects the CGs. I also came to really care for the side characters.
-There are three princes you can romance. Needless to say they each have their distinct personalities and ways of showing affection. I think all the routes have their shining moments, and are equal in quality. I appreciated the fact that if you pick one route, the other princes are still relevant and show up often to interact with the MC.
-This is a stat-raising game. I know a lot of people don’t enjoy stat-raising, but I think this game does it justice. The MC is an alchemy tutor to the princes, so the stats also fit in with the story. The stats actually affect the MC’s interactions with other characters, and you can even die if you don’t have enough points. There’s an easy mode and stat bonuses you can turn on for less pressure. Completing “stat checks” felt very rewarding and I liked the planning aspect.
-In addition to the stats, there is a missions and crafting system. You get very short side stories, coins, and potential stat boosts by successfully completing missions. The items you craft can have an effect on the story and may be needed in missions or requested by side characters. For me this was a fun gameplay element and immersed me in the tutor/alchemist role of the MC.
-The art, backgrounds, and CGs are gorgeous. The music is standard for a visual novel but still great and worked to set the tone for each scene.
Some things that others might not like:
-There is not much romance until the latter part of the game. It’s more of a slow burn, with the plot coming first. I personally prefer this type of story (Reminds me of Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds).
-There are some plot twists. The good part is that they are unpredictable and had me fooled. However, I felt that there were still some questions left unresolved and a few unconvincing aspects. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story.
-The stats system might feel tedious when doing multiple playthroughs. There are stats that the princes prefer if you pay attention, but there’s not really a way to predict which stats you’ll need and when (unless you buy the art/guide book... which is more expensive than the game). There are a few hints in the game, but sometimes they come too late. Fortunately, many times the only consequence is embarrassing yourself. Or occasionally dying.
With some intense save reloading on easy mode, the perfectionist in me managed to pass all stat checks and requests in my third playthrough.
-There are male/female variations of the CGs, so to unlock them all you would have to complete a route with both the female and male portrait.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by Royal Alchemist and it is now one of my top otome games, though I may be biased because I love the fantasy/magic genre. I still have the non-romance endings, missions, and deaths to unlock, but I’m already looking forward to more work by the developers!
If I absolutely had to pick a favorite route, it would be Aurelius. But Serin and Nazir are so sweet <3
Hello! We really appreciate reading about your thoughts. Each point helps us a lot planning and considering designs for the future!
Thank you for taking your time to leave us this detailed review! :D
Would it ever be possible for the game to be released on Nintendo Switch?
It's certainly not impossible. If the game does well and there's enough interest, we'll port it :D
Also, to the creators, do you have any concepts similar to this game coming soon? (I know you've only finished but I'm anxious haha)
Hello! Thank you :D We're super happy to hear you like the game!
We definitely have more stats-raising titles of different sizes coming up! The first previews have been unlocked on Patreon, but we'll also post public announcements soon :D
I await ur news, then :)))
Though I have yet to purchase it, I feel like I should say this here. After finishing (and surviving, I'm proud to say!) the demo, I had to stare at my screen in silence. With beautiful dialogue, characters, setting, story line, and magic, this was already the game of my dreams.
After reading (too many) reviews, I'm definitely saving up but, to anyone who hasn't played the demo before, just the demo is worth the 20$. This game is a blessing :)))
sorry for the stupid question
since i always buy games on itch bc i only use paypal
if i buy this game here and use the steam key to my steam account, does that mean i buy the game on steam ? cuz i never buy any games on steam and they ( steam ) ask me to buy games so i can add friend and more . or i must buy it on steam ?
Hello! If you redeem your Steam key with your purchase, the game will be automatically added to your library :) So you don't have to buy it again on Steam.
ok i am going to buy the game here and thanks for answering
btw do you guys gonna make more games like this ??
cuz this game is so good
Thank you so much! Yes, we will have more games following similar themes in the future :D !
omg i can't wait and good luck you guys ( really this game is good so good work to the team ) :3
btw is this game still has more updates or it already finished??
Thank you! The game will only get more polishing / bug fixing updates. For now, it's finished, since we're not sure about extra episodes and / or sequels yet >w<
wewow. i've been playing for several hours so far, and this game is totally worth the wait!! So far, i'm loving this a lot. I like how the MC is capable of saving themselves in many situations, the beautiful artworks, and the surprising amount of side characters!
I'd love to have more variety of "flavoring" for the MC's response, though. But overall, this is such a nice, enjoyable game, and i like it a lot <3
Thank you very much! :D We're happy you enjoy the game so far!
I finally bought it and played my first paythrough (Serin best boi)! I had to come back to leave my review here as well (I posted a similar one on steam ^^).
I have to say, I really loved it!
I like that the game really makes you think through your decisions strategically in order to succeed in each stage. The stat system is a bit trial and error at first until you get the hang of it. Overall, it's fun, and I like the use of your skills to craft specific items.
The story is engaging, the characters well design and written, and the art is beautiful!
The game offers plenty of hours of gameplay (I spent over 20 hours on just my first playthrough).
All in all, It's a memorable and fun game. I'd totally recommend it!
I'm looking forward to your next project!! Royal Alchemist was so worth the wait ;-; <3
Hello! Thank you so much for taking your time and leaving us your review! :D
We're super glad you enjoyed the game and the system, after all trials and errors ;) More Serin lovers yay! Thank you for your support and we'll continue doing our best!
I survived the demo, yay!
And that was an AMAZING demo, I'm so happy I got to play such a generous amount of the game, it definitely got me interested and I even went back to make different choices to see what happens. I totally failed the first time but when I went back, I understood the skills a bit better and knew what to focus on.
The characters were intriguing, each in their own way and I like the mysteries that were going around, right from the start and especially how the kingdom was created and all, hm-hm, I'd like to learn more. The art was great, I especially liked the CGs, the one for casting magic - sooo pretty! The fights were nicely handled too and I also liked the difference the skills made to various scenes. I'd have to keep the game on a wishlist for when I clear my backlog a bit because seeing all those locked endings and also possible deaths- I'd be curious to unlock all~
Hi Alera! Congrats on surviving the demo and we're very glad you liked it :D We wish you fun clearing your backlog and thank you for the wishlist!
What is the age rating for this game? Are there naughty scenes for the dates?
This game is 12+ / SFW.
I've also already written this review on steam, but I wanted to post it here as well in case some people exclusively view itch.io and I wanted more people to know about this amazing game.
This is my review:
"Royal Alchemist is a game that is better than how it looks and that is already saying a lot considering how amazing it looks like. It’s unique, special, full of good content, and just a joy to play.
I usually hate stat raising in visual novels; I find them unnecessary. Sometimes it even feels like the developers use it as a cheap way to distract us from the lack of actual content in the story. So it was surprising to see how much I actually enjoyed – and not tolerated, but genuinely enjoyed – the stat raising aspect of this game. The dialogue changed based on the stats, your lives depended on those stats, and how much you knew and figure out also depended on those stats. That added a great replay value to the game. They made complete sense and were essential. However, precisely because they make so much sense, I recommend for everyone to save often in the game, because if you raise the wrong stats, you really can die. Luckily though, you get stronger after that. There is a story mode and adventure mode. I’ve played with story-mode first and died about 2 times, but depending on your choices, you can have more chances to die.
Anyway, I mentioned before how I thought that developers sometimes uses stats to cover up lack of content. That was NOT the case with Royal Alchemist. In fact, it had a rich story with plot twists, lovable love interests, smart main character, and likable side characters. After playing through all the routes, I was able to learn new things about events that took place in another characters’ route and see different sides of the story. I’ve spent about 25-30 hours playing the game so it is definitely worth its price."
Also, I wanted to thank the developers for making this wonderful game. I’m on the discord too so I’ve already said this there, but Royal Alchemist has become one of my favorite visual novels. 😊
Hello! Thank you for taking your time to leave us your review! :D (And we can actually reply to you on here, yay!)
We're super glad you've enjoyed the game! Thank you so much for your support!
this is simply a gorgeous game! the money was well spent, and i've fallen in love with all the characters (especially neri & sala.) i love the concept of gaining points. everyone is depicted so well, with their own specified reasons behind the way they guide themselves. (minor spoiler if u would count it) however, i wish there was more of a thorough analysis of the characters in the end, for nazir was a difficult person to understand if you had been in another route other than his.
nonetheless, the plot is very engaging. it captivated me at first glance in the demo and continued to amaze me with its detailed artwork. the romance is also very subtle at first, it slowly eases the main mc into it and does not rush the love. i can see the effort that goes into the game. i'm certainly grateful for having the opportunity to experience this! thank you for your hard work! <3
Thank you so much for the feedback! :D We're really glad you enjoyed the experience <3
The game is amazing. I really love it, yet there's one frustrating thing about it for me.
!Warning. Might be spoilers ahead!
Well, I played Aurelius route and I find MC attitude is being not quite satisfying. I mean, MC seems to be too passive and unemotional about his own (I played as a male) heart and love experience. Aurelius is a cold person himself and it's adorable he has a type, yet MC is not the same at all so why he acts as one? He is much more open and emotional, yet his attitude towards Aurelius is pretty distant even at the end of the game. I wonder why so? MC hardly acts as being in love, he doesn't seem as a person who truly loves his darling, sometimes he's seemed to be more interested in and caring about everyone else except his LI. His feelings' evolution has a bit lack of logic for my taste. It's like: "Oh, this grumpy guy gets on my nerves. He is a real jerk, hate him. Ok, then kiss him, kiss him with all the passion I have (o_O) and...well, I can't forget this kiss and feel awkward, thus I think I like him. Wanna marry him? Alright, maybe so". That was pretty weird relations development, Aurelius himself seems to show more feelings toward MC :) I mean it would be nice to see more MC thoughts about his beloved, something more emotional and warm, something that makes to believe he is deeply in love, his feelings are strong and he really cares. Some more romantic as an ideal. But still VN is nice and exciting, I like twists.They were really unexpected. Thank you for great job :)
Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! It leaves room for consideration if we ever extend the story.
We're glad you still enjoyed the game :D
i love the game but I wish Neri had a route. He is amazing! Also, is it possible to make Aurelius king?
Thank you so much! We're glad Neri is so well loved xD
For this game, it's not possible to make Aurelius king, due to Aurelius reasons!
Thank you again for making this gem! great work :D
I tried getting Survive IV but the achievement didn't unlock did i do something wrong and Investigator but ill do that one last i can get that one either.
Hello! Have you survived Week 39 on Aurelius' route by choosing the "Don't kiss" option?
For Investigator, you need to:
So, finally a novel where mc has logic in actions and thoughts). I really like your game even considering that I didn't finish it yet.
But a small question: is there a way to delete saves? I just have too many of them (I bought game on steam)
Thank you very much!
And you should be able to delete a save by hovering the save, then press the Delete key. Alternatively, you can delete them from the folder "%APPDATA%/RenPy/RoyalAlchemist" :D
I already posted this review on Steam, but i thought it would be okay to copy and paste it here for those who are looking trough reviews on here deciding if playing this game or not. So for those who need it, here's a spoiler free review :)
I finally finished everyone's routes so -since all i need to unlock now is the bonus stuff and different endings- i can safely say this: This game is incredible. I loved the first version of the demo when i encountered this game for the first time, and it didn't let me down in the least with the full release.
It helped me cheering up and distract myself these last few days thanks to it's interesting story, well written characters, and funny moments. I extremely liked the MC, as well, making them probably my favourite main character of any visual novel i ever played. I also wasn't able to call quite a few of the plot twists, if not almost every single one. The art style, too, it's just stunning. This game is worth it's money. I have couple warnings tho:
1) This game is a stat raising. As someone who sucks at those, having a mini guide (t'was a pre-order gift) was a life saver. The developers sell a guide and i highly suggest you buy it - although the game is probably also enjoyable without it, the guide helps SO MUCH.
2) Even though It's a really well made game, i did find some minor errors and bugs of course. But the creators are always quick to answer and give help tho those who contact them, and they promise the next patch of the game will be more polished of this few minor issues.
Moral of the story: this game is a masterpiece, i'm extremely happy i buyed it, and i suggest you all do it as well!
Thank you so much for the review! :D (We can actually reply to you here!)
We're still working hard on fixing all the typos and minor stuffs that slipped through!
I hope that my warning about the bugs didn't appear rude, i didn't mean them in a ''this game has bugs so it's something really bad'' but just a warning that there are small bugs sometimes but not for long and that -in case there were problems- you guys are quick to help in any way to fix them :)
Thank you for all your work, have a great week and stay safe! :)
No problem at all! :D We thank you guys for reporting bugs and typos to us!
A great week to you as well! Take care :D
tada !! it prince nazir i hope it look like him
It totally does!! :D You've captured his essentials well. Thank you so much <3 This is lovely and Nazir deserves love!
We totally understand the problem with roses. Our artists sometimes want to slap him for the complex patterns too xD
hi nifty i was think of drawing one of character i want to suggestion which one you like the character i will try my best to draw it you that is if you want =3
That is a hard question! Since we love all of our characters xD
How about you? Who is your favourite prince? :D You could draw him!
So I've been wondering - does you-know-what still happen to Nazir in the other boys' routes? If it does, how come Alexis isn't aware that anything happened at all? And if it doesn't, why not?
Slightly spoilery response to Nazir we suppose? XD
It happens in all routes. The reason Alexis became aware in Nazir's route is because Nazir trusts them and reaches out to tell them.
Thus, in any other routes, he keeps quiet because he didn't want to bother anyone with it.
reading this comment makes my heart ache again :'(
Have a soft pat from all of us :'D -pats pats-
now that I think about it, he came back in the other routes but wasn't he forbidden to, because a you-know-who is not supposed to join political affairs?
i hope you like i tried to draw the female mc it kinda hard but i pulled off can wait to do the other always loved a challenge =3
Oh my, she's so cute!! We love this :D -pokes her round cheeks- (And she's got big round shoujo protag eyes too *thumbs up* ) Is that you in the background? :D
You've spent so much time capturing her design details! Good job :D Thank you so much for this!!
This game is amazing but also it made me sad. Do you realize how sad this game is. T_T
So, I did Nazir's route and then I did Aurelius's.
First off I loved Nazir's route. He kept going off on adventures and I kept going along with him, and we were like in our own little world. It was fun and cute and I liked watching him grow along the way. Anyways I LOVE HIM.
And when I do Aurelius's route, I can't help but see that Nazir ends up having to do a lot of things alone. He ends up going through /that/ alone, presumably, since his (SPOILERS) disappearance still happens and he just sends word to the castle and eventually, in the ending summary of characters' lives, eventually he comes back and is a more responsible person.
I want to think he went off to certain people but he also lacks a connection that I would have - it pains me that he was alone, not showing up to the trial (which I can fully understand why) and also during /that reveal/ and ever after. Of course he will still grow up as a stronger person but. MY HEART HURTS.
Okay, that aside, it's a really good game. Well balanced stat raising system and story, with twists and plenty of replayability because some things are hidden in each route and the more I play the more things get revealed. I still want to do Serin's! But also, justice for Nazir T___T
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed Nazir's route. His scenes were (mostly) just little balls of sunshine within all the intrigue!
We suppose in this game, if you end up with someone, you may feel sad for the others since the other princes will be left to deal with certain things on their own...
...As the devs, we will give the characters a few pats on the back! They'll grow up healthy and strong to survive all of it :'D
Okay, I finally found some time to write a few words about my experience with this game so far.
Let me start by just saying that the game is, in one word, FANTASTIC, honestly one of the best Visual Novels I have played (and I've played a lot of them). Actually it's one of the most enjoyable games I have recently played across the board period. The art, the characters, the plot, the writing .. everything is simply incredible. You guys created something truly amazing here.
(Spoilers ahead! I mean I keep things rather vague but in case you don't wanna know anything consider .. not reading any further from here on out)
I played Serin's route first because he honestly was my fave ever since I first played the demo and going through his entire romance route just made me fall even more in love with him. At this point he has my entire heart, I think. Yes the romance is slow burn but I don't mind at all. It just makes everything feel so real in a way? The relationship between Alexis and Serin just develops so naturally and goes from them getting to know each other and bonding over mutual interests. Their scenes in the library were some of my faves, especially the one where they look at the maps and plan journeys together even though it made my heart ache for Serin alongside Alexis (although in my mind Serin gets to go on all those adventures he dreams of somehow at one point because he DESERVES that damn it) I also loved the evolution of Serin calling Alexis by their last name and then slowly starting to call them by their first name more and more and Alexis reminding him to do that when he doesn't :') I sometimes found myself saying "It's Alexis remember?" when he slipped back into it before Alexis even did, lol. All of the banter and teasing in his route was delightful actually and made me laugh a lot (and sometimes giggle like a schoolgirl because he just blushes so prettily :D) but you also managed to make me quite emotional a lot of the time, so it was a good balance and made everything flow nicely and, again, made it all just feel so natural to me. And when they finally, uh, take things to the next level, all that build up just made it so much better. Also the illustration of Serin in the epilogue? Nice. Very nice. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
So I could probably write a 10k words long love letter just about Serin that's how utterly in love with him I am but I think I will not annoy everyone with all that, lol. I'm about halfway done with Aurelius' route and have played a bit of Nazir's but so far they just can't hold a candle to Serin. At all. It might honestly been a mistake to play his route first because now nothing can compare, lol.
Outside the romances, I really loved the relationships not only our dear Alexis had with other characters (which also made certain plot twists and betrayals later on in the game hurt that much more) but also these characters all had with each other. The princes' relationship with each other is something I enjoyed a lot - I am especially loving the dynamic between Serin and Aurelius. Nazir feels a bit disconnected to me here, maybe because I have yet to play his full route and haven't payed that much attention to him and all that but Serin and Aurelius? I loved what I saw of them, maybe also because there's just so many people in-game that want to pit them against each other and claim to see a rivalry and hate that isn't there. So to then actually see how wrong they are, how Serin values Aurelius' ideas and advice and trusts him and how much Aurelius trusts and loves him in return (him saying something like that Serin is the most important and trustworthy person in his life really made me emotional) and how protective they are of each other and just .. how much love is there, idk it just gets to me and is something I really loved :')
I really enjoyed the antagonists/villains in this game as well because they're rather tragic and sympathetic in a way. Obviously it doesn't excuse everything they've done - "Cool motive, still murder" and all that, but then again that could also be said about certain "good guys" in this game and their actions if we're being honest, so I just really enjoyed those shades of grey when it comes to morality and the actions taken by all sides involved.
It was also really great finding out that some of the thoughts I had after the demo about Alexis and the Rosenkreuz family and their powers went kind of in the right direction but then it also was something else entirely and then certain plot revelations later on in the game somewhat connected to that I did not see coming at all but I really didn't mind that at all! I love me some twisty twists, hehe :D
Long story short: the game is amazing, you guys are amazing and I am so grateful you blessed us all with this gem. I cannot wait to see what you will come up in the future, be it for this game and world, or something else, I know that I will be here waiting for anything and everything you create. And now I will go and devote some more time to play through all the routes and get all the ending except for that one titled "Serin's BAD ending" because I do not wanna live in a world where that boy gets anything but a happy end so thanks but no thanks, lol. And maybe somewhere along the way I will even manage to actually balance out my stats raising so I don't die time and time again and ALWAYS because of the damn combat stat because I keep thinking Alexis can just outsmart everyone and doesn't need to know how to fight .. until they get eaten by wolves or stabbed in the back that is, lol. xD
Hello! We remember reading your speculations with a "You'll know soon ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)". Some points were very close to the truth! :D
Super happy you love Serin so much! He deserves it. In our minds, we're always replaying possibilities to let him go on adventures as well! Even if not for long, perhaps there will be opportunities.
We're super happy you saw the brother's relationship as well! Even though all three of them are quite different in personalities, and thus may not seem too close at first, they share a family bond of absolute trust and care! That's something we wanted to portray ;D
For most of the time, you can survive on intelligence but... we suppose there is no reasoning when it comes to beasts that want to turn you into food.
Good luck on exploring the other endings! We suppose Serin's bad ending is a pile of misery but eh... the others are candy (we hope)!
I played this game with my sister. After we got all of the endings, I thought that this is the otome game I've been looking for years. I've been playing lots of otome game for years and this is the best of it. I really enjoy the MC's personality because they're really intelligent. They understand most of the situation, which is very rare I find in other otome games. And the pacing... oh let me talk about the relationship progress pacing. I don't know if it's just me but... I love how the story flows. Usually, I often found a lot's of otome English game pacing that didn't click me. I know that passing the time by raising stats and mission could be the thing... But I'm sure that this isn't the reason that make the relationship into a rush. I was wondering how do you guys manage to keep the story progress stable? Any advice maybe?
Hello! Thank you so much. We're happy you enjoyed the pacing and relationship flow of the game.
We have to admit, everyone on the team is a lover of slow-burn romances xD We spent a lot of time thinking about the character's relationship dynamics; which of the character's traits would clash against each other, and how the main story events could help the characters get closer. In a way, we just put the characters next to their story and wondered how they'd react to them, and how they can grow from that point :D
Glad it seems to have worked out in the end!
Hi there! I've been looking out for this game since the demo and I was so excited to finally play it. I just finished my first route which was Aurelius and gosh dillidy darn was it so goooood! I love the story so much as well as the stats part of the game which made it so much more challenging but the countless reload was so worth it after getting the ending. Now I'm planning to play Serin's route but gosh I still can't get over Aurelius, this game is so worth it. I had so much fun playing it. can't wait to here more games from you guys!
Hello! Thank you very much and we're glad you enjoyed Aurelius' route! We wish you much fun with the remaining ones!
So the game is amazing and beautiful. I just finished my first route (Aurelius) and my heart hurts. I always fall for the bad guys. I found myself wishing certain ones had routes. But I love the whole thing. The art, the writing, all of it. Two things though- 1) a system to review the romantic scenes or at least endings would be great so that you don't have to replay everything and 2) I bought the guide and the art book because you had to buy both to get the guide (I think, hopefully I'm not mistaken and I apologize if I am) but what I really wanted was just the guide. I likely would have bought the art book later after I'd played a route or two but I would have liked to just by the guide at first. That being said, these are really minor concerns. Keep up with the good work!
Hello! Thank you very much for the support. We hope you had fun with Aurelius :D
Thank you for your suggestions too! A system to review the scenes is something we'll keep considering how to implement. For our future titles, we'll also release the guide / artbook separately!
I'm glad to help! Aurelius was delightful (in his own way)! Starting Serin's route now and he's so quiet and kind that I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Again, the game is amazing!
I love your game so much!
My favorite, favorite prince is Serin! He's so cute, handsome, and beautiful! He's also a gentleman and prince charming!😊😚🤗
The protagonist is so adorable, too. I just want to pinch the protagonist's cheeks. I like how we tease the princes, especially Prince Serin. 😗😃😄
Hello! Thank you so much :D Glad you enjoy the game. Please do continue teasing Serin, we're sure he actually is very happy about it ;D
It is always a pleasure to see good game projects completed!
I have always been afraid to play visual novels with this status enhancement system. Because, well, usually when there is this kind of gameplay the story is weak.
It is a good thing that this is not the case with Royal Alchemist. With it I was able to enjoy a fun gameplay system, while following a very well made plot. I fell in love with Aurelius, Serin, Nazir and, of course, Alexis.
The game was fantastic!
Suggestion: it would be useful to include a space to "keep memories", that is, the romantic scenes with the characters. This would avoid having to replay the game just to review a scene.
Hello! Thank you so much, we're super happy you enjoyed the game :D
Regarding your suggestion, we'll think hard about how to implement something like a memory gallery. As many of our scenes are either affected by stats or previous events, we couldn't think of a good way to do this. But we'll keep considering it for the future! :D
First of all I would like to say that I made an account on this site just to leave a review of this game. Yeah. I just really had to get my thoughts out there on this quality game.
I followed this game since last year. The demo told me right away that I wanted to keep an eye out for this one. Really, it’s such a rare thing nowadays you know?The game hits the mark on everything: the interesting plot, the characters (the princes, the mc who is dynamic and most importantly, not a doormat and even the side characters). The person who did the CG’s, I just want to shake their hand man. These are some quality visuals and I won’t lie: this is what initially lured me in last year.
The rpg aspect of the game was certainly a nice challenge as well. It also made me feel more engaged compared to the regular vn, where, bless them but all you usually have to do is click and click. You really feel like you have control over your destiny. As the devs said in the comments there, if you put emphasis on certain stats (Etiquette/Combat – Aurelius, Leadership – Nazir and Charisma/Beauty/Etiquette/ – Serin, and after playing once I realised you kinda want that Intelligence up there as well regardless of playthrough, because it makes you feel like a god, being able to predict some… cough things about the plot) you will be fine. This would be the perfect time to mention that I played on Easy (yes I know, truly a disgrace, but this one time I was like you know that, it is story time) and with +5 to my stats from 2 deaths. Honestly, if you’re not a fool like me and click Overwrite Save again and again like I did on my first playthrough you will be fine lol. Just try to be prepared with a save on a new slot every couple of hours, should things go terribly wrong. If you want full completion however, may god have mercy on you, I shall think of you fondly.
I achieved all 3 romance endings, with Serin being my favorite. He was my first choice, he’s had me since he helped me at the gate to be honest. His personality lured me in from the beginning. He truly is best boy, doing his best and the teasing in his route is precious af. Even if I picked Serin, I knew I wanted to give Aurelius a try as well. Cheeky boy lol. He’s basically the Defrosting Ice Queen trope (and I love that trope a lot) so I really liked his route as well. No spoilers, but some moments in his route make it really worth it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).
Now Nazir. I’ll just come out and say it: since I tackled the other princes before him I was already coming in like “Okay so this mother f’er goes frolicking god knows where every time, oh I’m sorry Nazir it’s just that we are in mortal danger here.” If only I knew. No spoilers, but the plot twist really is top tier. It’s my favorite moment in the route and I love how you act as MC as well, reliable and gentle. My apologies dear Nazir, should have kept a close eye on you lol. After having completed 3 playthrougs of the same game (something I didn’t even intend to do, but I just had to know what was up with Nazir) I can safely say that all princes are deserving of your time and you will definitely find something to like.
Tl;dr: Solid plot with compelling twists. Good characters. Interesting MC. At least pick up the demo if you’re on the fence, it’s quite long and it will tell you everything you need to know. So much heart went into this game and I can’t think of a negative even if I try. My congratulations to the devs, whatever you guys come up with in the future I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks for your hard work!
Hello! First of all, thank you so much for the detailed review! :D We're super happy you created an account to leave us your thoughts and really appreciate it!
We spent a lot of time balancing the gameplay system, the story and the characters with each other. Thus, we're really glad that you ended up enjoying them all! Even Nazir's route :D (Honestly, that boy of ours is drawing so much grudge since some people train him just to synthesize certain items, and he ends up ditching them all xD)
Thank you very much for your support! We'll continue doing our best :D
In my last playthrough and in my current playthrough, I get no stats bonus from the daily deaths, even though I have it turned 'on'. Is it because I'm playing easy mode or is it a bug?
Hello. The stats bonus aren't actively displayed. They will only be considered whenever you're at a check.
They work fine for us on the latest build. If they don't for you, could you perhaps describe the problem, or how you know they don't work a bit more? Thanks!
I don't have steam, but is there any way I can buy the game on here and get the game guide?
Hello!
We have released the game and the artbook/guide separately on here :D You can purchase the game from this page, and the artbook or guide here:
https://nifty-visuals.itch.io/royal-alchemist-official-guide
The guide includes the full content of the artbook. Thank you very much for your interest :D
i've gotten the romance ending for nazir and am currently on aurelius' route-- been playing almost non stop since i got it!! the story is super engaging and i love all of the characters, and the game is extensive with high replay value without feeling tedious
Thank you so much!! :D
Good luck and we wish you fun with Aurelius' route!
I really do love this game and the characters i beat all the main routes romances, am curious will there be a sequel or an addon sequel. I want to find out what happens next so badly.
Hello! Glad you enjoyed the game and congratulations on beating the main routes!
Whether we will create an expansion or a sequel is still in discussion. But, we will make sure to post an announcement once we decide! :D
is there a special ending if you beat all endings. most visual novels i played require you to finish all endings then it unlocks a canon end or something. This isn't what this game does right?
No, it's not in this one :D For us, every ending can be as canon as the other.
awesome, glad to know :)
Devs... You outdid the game... I have spent 15 hours dying like 10 times! I was so close on getting an ending too (I was on Week 59 when I died)!! This game is so hard but it's so good AAAA (Playing this normally without a guide is enjoyable ehehe)
After I finish all endings, I will come back and hopefully write another review :D
Thank you so much!!
We wish you the best of luck surviving Week 59 and reach the ending! :D Playing without guide may be hard but also very rewarding. That's what we usually recommend to at first and we're glad you rose to the challenge ;D