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