I approached Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. As my inaugural experience with Gust’s Atelier series, I had primarily associated it with RPGs centered around crafting and a laid-back atmosphere. However, Yumia presents a refreshing interpretation of the series, allowing both the game and myself to explore new territories.
While I initially anticipated an adventure filled with roleplaying elements, I found myself captivated by a different aspect of the game: the thrill of gathering resources. My character scurried back to the atelier, laden with treasures, reminiscent of a small creature returning to its nest. The crafting process became an engaging cycle of collecting and creating, as I emptied my bag to start anew.
Innovative Gameplay Mechanics
Atelier Yumia introduces intriguing tools for interacting with the environment. For instance, the staff doubles as a gun, enabling players to synthesize bullets from basic materials. This allows for creative gameplay, such as shooting fruit from trees—an activity that never seems to lose its charm. The game encourages exploration, with each new biome offering fresh discoveries and collectibles. Notifications pop up when players find new items, signaling new recipes and advancements waiting back at base.
Upon returning to the atelier, the crafting system reveals itself to be more intricate than I had anticipated. One of the standout features is the ability to deconstruct items into their components and rebuild them, enhancing their strength and quality in the process. For example, my initial gunstaff required an upgrade, prompting me to gather ingots. I could either hastily assemble them or invest time in selecting specific nodes and ingredients to infuse, ultimately improving the gunstaff’s performance.
Returning from a lengthy expedition, my inventory brimming with plants, rocks, and wildlife, I found immense satisfaction in transforming these resources into new alchemical weapons or components. This rewarding loop of exploration and crafting is a hallmark of the Atelier series, and it shines brightly in Yumia. The open-world design invites players to uncover hidden fauna, which can be transformed into powerful tools, enhancing the overall experience.
Building and Expanding
The game also introduces base-building mechanics, allowing players to create dream outposts as they delve deeper into the continent. Campsites provide brief respites, while larger bases emerge as players clear the manabound fog and expand the map. Although the construction process can be somewhat finicky—often hindered by random obstacles like rocks—the joy of establishing a new outpost and witnessing the happiness meter rise is gratifying. Adding furniture and amenities not only enhances the base but also encourages interactions among NPCs and party members, creating a cozy atmosphere akin to a home away from home.
The Pioneering Effort system ties these elements together, presenting a checklist of tasks across combat, gathering, and crafting. Each completed task contributes to the area’s completion percentage, unlocking new tools and features, such as greenhouses and decorative items.
As I navigated through the game, I found myself frequently distracted from the main quest. The narrative, while slow to unfold even after 15 hours, is enriched by enjoyable characters, particularly Yumia, who grapples with her legacy and the public’s skepticism toward alchemy. This narrative framework complements the survival-genre pursuits, encouraging players to explore, gather resources, and build new camps, often venturing into areas intended for later in the story simply to discover new treasures.
As a newcomer to the series, I cannot comment on how well Atelier Yumia carries forward nearly three decades of legacy. However, I can confidently state that if you seek a cozy, single-player crafting and gathering experience set in an RPG world filled with checklist items, Atelier Yumia delivers abundantly. The game is set to release on March 20, with a demo currently available on Steam.
