For a role-playing sport collection that existed for many years, it’s spectacular how Gust’s Atelier has frequently modified and tailored. Atelier Ryza was the turning level, after all, and even its titles noticed huge strides from cozy adventuring to a big seamless world by its third entry. This brings us to Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences and the Enlightened Land, a brand new story within the franchise which works totally open-world with fascinating outcomes.
Like one in every of its many alchemical options, there are bits and items paying homage to different titles. The merchandise notifications and quiet ambiance of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The menu wheel of Genshin Impression (although fortunately not one of the gacha). Nonetheless, the sense of journey is distinctly Atelier, even because it dips into open-world meandering.
“The creating bonds between the social gathering really feel extra fascinating right here than in Ryza, even when the characters can really feel a little bit too cliched initially. “
Like a Trails title, Atelier Yumia begins in media res with protagonist Yumia Leissfeldt and her companions ascending this huge tower. After getting separated for a fast tutorial and reuniting with the group to satisfy with one of many many mysterious antagonists, the story goes again to the start to elucidate the way it obtained there. Following a mana catastrophe in Duerer, Yumia ventures to the previous nation of the Aladissian Empire to research alchemy.
The empire thrived within the miraculous observe but additionally confronted tragedy and seemingly collapsed in a single day, resulting in it turning into taboo. Although a part of a analysis group to research alchemy and hopefully discover some solutions for the tragedy in Duerer, she additionally has to beat the bias and wariness of her teammates because of practising alchemy. It’s not all horrible, after all, as she’s joined by siblings Viktor and Isla von Duerer, and finally, the likes of the boastful Rutger, the mysterious Nina and the anxious Lenja.
As intriguing because the premise is, Atelier Yumia takes a little bit of time earlier than it actually will get going. From discovering and establishing her Atelier to attending to know Viktor and Isla after which getting used to the varied mechanics of alchemy and fight, it will probably really feel like some time earlier than the story actually will get transferring. The creating bonds between the social gathering really feel extra fascinating right here than in Ryza, even when the characters can really feel a little bit too cliched initially.
For what it’s price, they’ve some first rate chemistry, and it’s enjoyable to see Yumia get misplaced in her musings, even when her open-world exchanges with Flammi, a mysterious floating survey system, can get repetitive. The voice appearing is constantly on level, and there are some humorous bits of writing, whether or not it’s Nina bragging about how she will be able to go to sleep anyplace in 5 seconds, Rutger’s shifting priorities on the subject of serving to out, or Flammi’s sassiness.
“Between easy synthesis to craft bandages, zipline gloves, bullets, and tenting provides, and a constructing tab for establishing whole bases, Atelier Yumia can sometimes really feel extra like a survival crafting sandbox.”
Although just one area is initially accessible, issues finally open up, encompassing locations just like the Welleks’ house territory and the previous capital of the empire. And make no mistake, these are completely huge, spanning in depth hills, mountains, and forests with numerous ruins to discover. There are additionally Manabound Areas, places the place the mana stream is disrupted and outright toxic for those who linger for too lengthy. Clearing these areas is a significant aim for Yumia to assist the analysis group’s progress and ties additional into the brand new base-building mechanic.
Whilst you don’t have full abject freedom to go in every single place, being let free like this could really feel liberating initially. Yumia is constructed for traversal along with her wall-jumping, and the structure of the land can really feel distinctly extra vertical (full with fall injury). Her employees additionally doubles up as a rifle for taking pictures objects, together with ore, from afar.
Useful resource gathering is extra seamless than ever with out the necessity for a number of gathering instruments, however your adventuring instruments have expanded considerably. Between easy synthesis to craft bandages, zipline gloves, bullets, and tenting provides, and a constructing tab for establishing whole bases, Atelier Yumia can sometimes really feel extra like a survival crafting sandbox. And that’s earlier than stepping into the precise alchemy course of.
You’ll uncover Treasure Troves which require keys to open, the latter acquired from ruins with puzzles; Objects, which normally contain activating a few totally different factors; and unusual crystals, which should be purified a la thrashing a number of monsters to assert rewards. Every now and then, you could come throughout crystals that may be shot and activated for Talent Factors, which might be spent to unlock passive expertise like elevated EXP from battles, extra supplies, rarer drops and so forth. As distracting and rewarding as they are often initially, they don’t actually evolve a lot as you progress.
“Talking of which, fight is extra dynamic than ever. You’ll use totally different assaults to stun an enemy, every character having a singular playstyle and assault kind (bodily or magical). “
Even a number of hours in, you’ll nonetheless be taking pictures mysterious buttons, activating node factors by fixing the identical puzzles, and so forth, which may really feel monotonous. The facet quests additionally don’t enterprise an excessive amount of past the standard “kill this” or “make that,” however at the very least the exploration of latest environments rife with new supplies livens issues up.
The alchemy course of can also be lovingly detailed and opens up considerably as you progress. Synthesizing objects includes unlocking a recipe, normally by accessing Reminiscence Vials or finishing pioneering aims. You should assign cores for every facet – High quality, Trait Slots, and so forth – whereas utilizing elements to bolster the merchandise’s passives and stage it up. The standard of your sources, their passive results, resonance areas, and elemental affinities additionally play an element in enhancing the general merchandise.
You may enhance a recipe with totally different sorts of Mana Particles, thus guaranteeing higher high quality, extra stats or extra slots. Rebuilding objects enable for modifying current items of substances to enhance their stats and add Trait Slots (which you’ll uncover from chests and open-world actions). Synthesizing new objects and rebuilding your present arsenal can really feel tedious whenever you’ve hit a snag and have to urgently improve all of your gear. Nonetheless, your complete course of is fairly enjoyable, particularly as expertise come into play.
Alongside weapons and armor, Yumia may also synthesize totally different elemental objects and assign them to social gathering members to use enemy weaknesses. Talking of which, fight is extra dynamic than ever. You’ll use totally different assaults to stun an enemy, every character having a singular playstyle and assault kind (bodily or magical).
“Even with some hurdles and facets which are distinctly much less endearing than the entire, it’s a meaty role-playing journey with loads to supply.”
After they’re surprised, utilizing an elemental merchandise can deal additional injury however you’ll additionally unlock Good friend Actions for double-team assaults that hit even tougher (at the price of consuming all fees for that merchandise). You may change between totally different characters throughout fight and even get a long way from an enemy to provoke long-range assaults, which can be helpful for avoiding sure assaults.
There may be some awkwardness when going through a number of spread-out targets since social gathering members can break up off and try and solo their targets (which may turn into harmful in opposition to more durable enemies). And whereas fight can really feel initially repetitive because you’re gaining ranges shortly and preventing comparatively simpler enemies, it does kick up a notch as you enterprise deeper into the land. Not solely will it’s important to guarantee your gear is as much as snuff, but additionally fastidiously observe the enemy to dodge their assaults and reposition as obligatory.
I didn’t dabble an excessive amount of with the base-building and to Atelier Yumia‘s credit score, it presents numerous presets in case you need to save time. There may be a formidable array of customization although, with a number of roofs, partitions, doorways, and decorations for sprucing up bases. Rising the consolation stage of a base supplies advantages, and it may be enjoyable to construct upon presets, even when the snapping and UI navigation leaves a bit to be desired.
Although I like the general aesthetic and visuals of Atelier Yumia, coupled with its strong efficiency, it does have just a few nagging points. Some textures and shadows don’t look practically as crisp up shut, and the lighting can really feel over-exposed at occasions when it’s not freaking out at others. And as a lot because the music befits the quiet ambiance, it doesn’t actually make a lot of a long-lasting impression, particularly in fight.
As soon as once more, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences and the Enlightened Land is a giant step ahead for the franchise. It presents a compelling new journey with likeable characters and excessive stakes whereas sustaining lots of the cosier facets that outlined the collection. Even with some hurdles and facets which are distinctly much less endearing than the entire, it’s a meaty role-playing journey with loads to supply.
This sport was reviewed on PlayStation 5.
