Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust have released new information, video, and screenshots of Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout introducing battle strategies.

Get the details below.

■ Battle System

Action Points

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’s extremely important to use them strategically in battle to gain the upper hand.

—In battle, your party members will act in real time. Will they provide support, or will they attack? Analyze the situation to determine the best course of action.

—By spending Action Points, you can use skills and special moves. There are also convenient commands called “Quick Actions,” which allow you to use skills and items outside of the your turn.

Tactics Level

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, which also enables special combos to be performed.

Switch Between Characters at Any Time

You can switch between characters in battle at any time, so if there is a skill you want a party member to use, you can switch to that character. Also, special moves can only be used once per battle for each character, so use them when the time is right.

Since battles progress in real time, if you are not used to controlling multiple characters at once, you can just focus on a single character. If you find battles difficult, the game also offers difficulty settings ranging from easy to hard.

Action Orders

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 doesn’t consume any AP; allowing players to use them at will to deliver strong blows to help defeat even the most ruthless of enemies.

■ Gathering Synthesis

Throughout their search for adventure, Ryza and her party will discover exotic new locations—including those they’ve made themselves. In Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout players can obtain special bottles, which can be combined with other items in the game’s synthesis system to create an abundance of new gathering locations overflowing with raw materials. Depending on which ingredients are used in the synthesis process, the environment can drastically change. For example: Plant Essence can create a fantastical forest area; while a Bomb can create a dangerous volcanic field overflowing with lava. Once the environment is created, a unique four-character password is attached to the area, which can then be shown off and shared with friends or across social media—enabling other gamers to explore the exact same area.