Review: Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian (Switch) – Moving Forward By Looking Back

Not to be alche-missed.

When it comes to the Atelier series, variety is the spice of life. One might think that more than 25 games deep into developer Gust’s long-running RPG series, the sheen of that trademark gameplay loop of collecting materials, learning recipes, and crafting items via alchemy would start to dull a little. Yet, with the introduction of each new entry and corresponding sub-series, Atelier constantly finds ways to reinvent itself and offer a unique spin on its tried-and-true gameplay systems. From the darker and more action-focused Atelier Yumia to the sprawling adventure saga of the Atelier Ryza trilogy, each title has its own distinct identity.

That’s why Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian, the 27th mainline entry in the series, is such a complicated game to explain. So much of its identity is owed to what came before it. It’s simultaneously a standalone sequel to a free-to-play gacha game, a major crossover event that incorporates characters from past entries, and a self-proclaimed return to the series’ turn-based roots. At the same time, it’s also very much its own thing, chronicling an original story with new leads and fresh gameplay concepts.

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Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th October)

Get tactical, marines!

Hello hello, yes, it’s the weekend once again! But before we dive into what we’re playing over the next couple of days, let’s just look back at some of the recent news highlights.

The big talking point this week was undoubtedly the debut video(s) from Nintendo Pictures. While there was a lot of mystery surrounding the first release, most had assumed that it would be Pikmin-related, and this was indeed confirmed just one day later. It’s a lovely release, so do check it out if you haven’t already.

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Hand-Drawn Platformer ‘Ruffy And The Riverside’ Gets 60fps Update On Switch 2

It’s also got an fps boost on Switch.

When the 3D hand-drawn platformer Ruffy and the Riverside made its debut on Nintendo platforms in June, we noted how there were some performance issues across both the Switch and Switch 2.

It seems the developers have now acknowledged these issues in the latest game update by addressing the frame rate on both hybrid systems. On the Switch 2, you can now look forward to 60fps, and on the original device, you can generally expect “higher fps” than before.

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Pokémon Legends: Z-A Switch 2 And Switch Pre-Order Bonuses Revealed (US)

“While supplies last”.

The latest Pokémon Presents broadcast earlier this week gave trainers all-new details about the upcoming Switch and Switch 2 release Pokémon Legends Z-A.

This included the news about a new Switch 2 bundle and details about pre-order bonuses. Now, retailers in the US have shared some bonuses you can get if you decide to pre-order the physical copy ahead of the full release this October.

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Plants Vs. Zombies: Replanted Supports Local Co-Op And PvP Via GameShare

Return to the garden later this month.

PopCap’s highly addictive tower defence series Plants vs. Zombies is making a return on the Switch and Switch 2 later this month.

Before you return to the garden in Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, there’s a new gameplay trailer you might want to check out. It showcases the Switch 2 GameShare feature, which allows you and a friend to enjoy Local Co-Op or PvP together.

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Prepare For Even More Pokémon This Month, As New Horizons Series Lands UK Release Date

From Z-A and beyond.

Not content with only releasing a new mainline game and tickets to the upcoming pop-up store in October, The Pokémon Company is bringing even more monster-catching content to the UK in the coming weeks with a new series of the Pokémon Horizons anime.

Part one of the third season, subtitled ‘Rising Hope’, will arrive on BBC iPlayer on 27th October, with more episodes following in the future. Those in the US will have to wait a little longer before it makes its regional debut on Netflix on 6th January 2026.

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Xenotilt, The Eye-Melting Sequel To Demon’s Tilt, Is Out Now On Switch

Nudge nudge.

If you’re a fan of the stylish pinball game Demon’s Tilt, then we have good news. The cyberpunk-esque sequel, Xenotilt: Hostile Pinball Action, is out now on the Switch eShop.

Once again developed by WIZNWAR and published by FLARB, Xenotilt is absolutely bursting at the seams with neon colours, nightmarish boss characters, and big numbers that go up, up, and up. In short, it’s a game that will undoubtedly hook its claws in you and refuse to let go.

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Review: Shujinkou (Switch) – Words Whup Sticks & Stones In This Innovative Dungeon Crawler

School is in session.

In all the world, few things are as powerful as language. We use it to communicate all our hopes and fears and inner thoughts to each other. Words have a power all their own, which is why Shujinkou struck me as such an interesting concept; a JRPG that aims to teach players the fundamentals of Japanese. While I applaud the ambition behind that lofty goal, the Switch port of Rice’s dungeon-crawling-focused RPG held some technical missteps that keep it from truly shining.

Like many JRPG fans who don’t speak Japanese, I’ve always had an ambition to learn. After two years of lessons, I could count myself as conversational; I was able to make my way around Japan on multiple trips without embarrassing myself, but couldn’t call myself anywhere near fluent. Shujinkou doesn’t seem like it is going to help anyone reach fluency — the lack of voice acting so you can hear the words and symbols you are learning prevents that — but the aim here is to hammer home the basics, and that is something the game does remarkably well.

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Switch 2 Bundles Get A Surprise Price Drop At Select French Retailers

Well that’s… unexpected.

Yes, you read that headline correctly, rather than pushing the prices up to match what we’ve seen everywhere else in the industry of late, select EU retailers appear to be cutting the cost of Switch 2 consoles and bundles (thanks for the heads up, My Nintendo News).

Amazon France was the first retailer brought to our attention to be implementing such a cut, with the Mario Kart World Switch 2 bundle and pre-orders for the Pokémon Legends: Z-A option now down to €469 (a 6% drop from the previous €499,99). Standard Switch 2 purchases are currently sold out on the online storefront, but French outlet Nintendo Town reports that it has seen the same discount and is now listed at €419.

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Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter Update Adding “Image Quality / Performance Settings” On Switch 2

A first-person perspective, too.

Following last month’s release, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is now getting updated to Version 1.05 on the Switch and Switch 2.

Perhaps, most notably, the Switch 2 update will add “image quality and performance settings”. Additionally, there is also a first-person perspective mode. Here’s the translation from the official Falcom website (via Gematsu):

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