Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land Review

In the realm of role-playing games, it’s truly astonishing how Gust’s Atelier series has consistently evolved and adapted over the years. The pivotal moment was undoubtedly Atelier Ryza, and even its sequels displayed remarkable progress, transitioning from cozy exploration to a vast interconnected world by the third installment. This leads us to Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land, a fresh tale in the franchise that embraces an entirely open-world design with intriguing outcomes.

In the style of one of its numerous alchemical concoctions, it has fragments that echo other game titles. The game’s item notifications and tranquil ambiance are similar to those found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Its menu wheel is reminiscent of Genshin Impact (but thankfully without the gacha element). Yet, the spirit of adventure bears a striking resemblance to that of an Atelier game, while it also delves into the vastness of open-world exploration.

In this context, the relationships that are forming within the game seem more engaging compared to those in Ryza, although some of the characters may appear stereotypical at first glance.

As a gamer, I find myself embarking on an adventure reminiscent of a “Trails” game with the enchanting title, “Atelier Yumia.” Right off the bat, my character, Yumia Leissfeldt, and our band of companions are climbing this colossal tower. After a brief interlude to learn the ropes and reunite with my comrades, we cross paths with one of many enigmatic adversaries. The narrative then takes a step back to fill us in on how we arrived at this point.

In the wake of a catastrophic mana disaster in Duerer, Yumia embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of alchemy. To do so, she journeys to the once-mighty Aladissian Empire’s territory.

In this fascinating field, the empire prospered, yet experienced both miraculous wonders and sudden downfall, leaving it shrouded in taboo. As part of a research group delving into alchemy, hoping to unravel the mystery behind the empire’s collapse, she encounters resistance and skepticism from her peers due to her interest in alchemy. Yet, there are bright spots as she is accompanied by Viktor and Isla von Duerer, later joined by Rutger – the arrogant one, Nina – the enigmatic, and Lenja – the apprehensive. Of course, this isn’t all negative.

While the initial concept is captivating, Atelier Yumia begins to shine later on. It’s a journey of discovering and organizing her workshop, meeting Viktor and Isla, and gradually grasping the nuances of alchemy and combat. The story seems to progress slowly at first, giving the impression that it might take some time before it really picks up pace. However, the evolving relationships within the party are more engaging here compared to Ryza, despite the characters initially appearing a bit stereotypical.

All things considered, they exhibit a good dynamic, and watching Yumia immerse herself in her thoughts is quite entertaining, though their open-world conversations with Flammi, an enigmatic floating data collector, can sometimes feel redundant. The voice acting is consistently well-executed, and there are plenty of amusing dialogue moments. For instance, Nina boasts about her ability to fall asleep anywhere within five seconds, Rutger changes his focus when it comes to assisting others, or Flammi displays a touch of sassiness.

In simpler terms, “Atelier Yumia” sometimes seems less like a traditional game and more like a survival crafting playground where you make bandages, gloves, ammunition, camping gear, and even construct entire bases.

Initially, just one region is accessible, but as time goes by, more regions unfold, including the Welleks’ native lands and the ancient empire’s former capital. These areas are vast indeed, covering expansive hills, towering mountains, and dense forests, all dotted with intriguing ruins to discover. Additionally, there are Manabound Areas, places where mana energy is disrupted and potentially harmful if you stay too long. Yumia’s goal of clearing these toxic zones will significantly aid the research team’s advancement and further connects to the new base-building system.

Although you’re not entirely free to roam without restrictions, venturing out on your own can provide an exhilarating sense of freedom at first. Yumia is designed for exploration, with her wall-jumping ability, and the terrain often seems more vertically oriented (complete with fall damage). Interestingly, her staff serves a dual purpose as both a tool for leaping off walls and a rifle for firing objects, such as ore, from a distance.

In Atelier Yumia, resource collection is smoother than ever, as you no longer require various gathering tools. However, your toolkit for adventuring has grown substantially. From creating basic items such as bandages, zipline gloves, bullets, and camping supplies to constructing entire bases using a building tab, the game occasionally resembles a survival crafting sandbox. All this is before delving into the intricate alchemy process.

You’ll uncover hidden caches that need keys to access, which are found in ruins containing puzzles; Items, that often involve activating multiple spots; and peculiar crystals, which must be cleansed by defeating numerous enemies to earn rewards. Sometimes, you might encounter crystals that can be fired and triggered for Skill Points, which can be used to unlock passive abilities like enhanced EXP from battles, more resources, rarer loot and so on. Although they can initially captivate and reward, they don’t develop significantly as you advance.

As we’re on the topic, let me tell you about the incredible combat system! Now, instead of just button-mashing, you’ll need to strategize and use various attacks to temporarily stun your enemies. Each character in this game has a distinct playstyle and different types of attacks – some are physical, others magical. It’s going to be an exciting adventure discovering them all!

After hours upon hours, I’m still finding myself pulling the trigger on enigmatic switches, activating nodes by solving repetitive puzzles, and so forth – it can all start to feel a bit tedious. However, the side quests, while not exactly breaking new ground with their “kill this” or “make that,” at least provide some variety through the discovery of fresh landscapes teeming with novel resources, making the experience less monotonous.

The alchemy process is explained thoroughly and becomes more complex as you advance. Creating items requires discovering a recipe, often by obtaining Memory Vials or achieving milestones in exploration. For each component – quality, trait slots, etc. – you need to allocate cores. By using ingredients, you can strengthen the item’s passive abilities and raise its level. The quality of your raw materials, their passive effects, compatibility areas, and elemental properties are essential factors in improving the overall item.

Enhancing a recipe with various types of Mana Particles will lead to better quality, extra stats, or additional slots. Refurbishing gear enables you to adjust existing items and introduce Trait Slots (obtained from chests and in-world activities). Crafting new items and refurbishing your current inventory may seem monotonous when you’re stuck needing to quickly upgrade all your gear. However, the entire experience can be enjoyable, particularly as abilities become involved.

Apart from weapons and defensive gear, Yumia has the ability to create diverse elemental items that can be distributed among party members to leverage opponents’ vulnerabilities. By the way, combat is now more engaging than before, featuring various attacks to momentarily incapacitate enemies. Each character in your team showcases a unique gameplay style and attack category, whether it’s physical or magical.

Despite a few bumps along the way and some characteristics that aren’t quite as charming as others, it’s an immersive, robust role-playing journey brimming with captivating elements. (Written from a fan’s perspective)

As a gamer, when an opponent is stunned, I can boost the damage by using an elemental item, but this action will deplete all charges of that specific item. In return, it triggers Friend Actions, allowing for double-team assaults that hit even harder. During battle, I can swiftly switch between characters, and at times, create some distance to unleash long-range attacks. These distant strikes not only pack a punch but also serve as an effective strategy to dodge certain enemy attacks.

When tackling scattered adversaries, there’s a certain discomfort due to party members tending to separate and tackle individual threats (which can be risky against more formidable foes). At first, combat may seem repetitive as levels are gained swiftly and weaker adversaries are encountered frequently. However, as exploration continues into uncharted territories, the difficulty escalates. Not only must your equipment be kept in top shape, but also keen attention should be paid to enemy behavior for timely dodges and strategic repositioning.

In Atelier Yumia, while I didn’t delve deeply into creating bases myself, it should be noted that the game provides numerous pre-set options for quick setup. However, there is an extensive range of customization available too, allowing you to choose from different roofs, walls, doors, and decorations to personalize your base. Enhancing the comfort level of a base offers advantages, and it can be enjoyable to modify these presets, despite the room for improvement in terms of snapping mechanics and user interface navigation.

Despite appreciating the appealing design and smooth operation of Atelier Yumia, there are several minor issues that persist. For instance, some textures and shadows appear blurry when viewed closely, while the lighting can seem excessively bright at certain moments, only to be too dark at others. Additionally, although the music aligns well with the game’s serene ambiance, it doesn’t leave a lasting impact, particularly during combat scenes.

Once more, “Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land” marks a significant advancement for the series. It delivers an engaging new journey filled with appealing characters and high-stakes situations, all while preserving the comforting elements that have become synonymous with the franchise. Despite certain challenges and aspects less charming than the overall package, it offers a substantial role-playing experience with numerous attractions.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

2025-03-14 21:48

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Enlightened Land Review – New World Blues

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