Whilst the Atelier sequence has been incessantly evolving and tweaking its profitable JRPG/craft-’em-up system throughout 30 years and 20-plus video games, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Recollections & the Envisioned Land most likely represents essentially the most radical shift but. However that does not imply current fanatics must be nervous: for all the adjustments, Yumia continues to be an Atelier sport at center, best larger, extra action-focused, and a bit darker than earlier than.
Atelier Yumia takes position in a land ravaged by means of a previous cataclysm. The arena used to be just about ended a few years in the past by means of the powers of alchemy, and so now the observe is deemed taboo, reviled by means of many, and outright outlawed in some puts. Yumia is a candy younger alchemist carrying killer — actually — prime heels and wielding a mystical group of workers that doubles up as a rifle. She realized alchemy from her past due mom, and lives in seclusion atop a hill with best her floating, speaking lamp Flammi for corporate.
When she’s approached by means of a analysis crew to lend a hand examine the ruins of the Aladissian Empire she sees a possibility to be informed extra about why the empire fell, whether or not alchemy used to be actually liable for the calamity way back, and to most likely rehabilitate the picture of her craft. To start with, she’s met with scepticism by means of a few of her new comrades and the folks she meets, however through the years hearts are warmed, courses are realized, and the facility of friendship trumps prejudice.
It is a darker tale, and has upper stakes than is conventional for an Atelier sport. However you should not cross into this anticipating one thing like Metaphor: ReFantazio. There is a little bit of brand name calling and side-eyeing in opposition to Yumia and her craft, but it surely does not get a lot nastier than that. The tone of the sport is most commonly fascinating and constructive, with the darker components of the tale performing as seasoning for the narrative somewhat than the dominating flavour of it.
Right through the journey you can discover an expansive open global. There are 4 huge spaces within the sport which are unlocked by means of following the primary questline, however each and every locale is filled with a plethora of facet quests, treasures to seek out, monsters to slay, and pieces to assemble. Facet quests are in large part throwaway fare: cross over there, kill a factor, come again, and many others. However the open global is amusing to discover, with secrets and techniques lurking in each and every corner and cranny of the map.
We incessantly took day without work between tale beats to peruse the map, heading to each and every query mark in flip simply to look what used to be there and most commonly felt rewarded by means of what we discovered. It is helping that Yumia is an agile protagonist being able to triple soar up partitions making getting over hindrances more uncomplicated than it has any appropriate to be. Later she will get a sleek bike to additional accelerate the lawsuits. There may be additionally an array of ziplines strewn right through the arena that after discovered and repaired could make getting around the map a breeze.
Whilst traversing the arena of Atelier Yumia you can run afoul of all means of nasty beasties to do wrestle with. Struggle is extra action-focused than in earlier Atelier titles, and whilst it is most likely a bit at the simple facet, some good design choices quit it from changing into tedious around the 40 or 50 hours it is going to take to complete the primary storyline of the sport.
All through wrestle you keep watch over one personality — Yumia by means of default — and her assaults are mapped to the 4 face buttons. Every assault has a collection choice of makes use of and a cooldown connected to it and so the theory is to make use of a ability after which as soon as it is recharging use other ones. You’ll additionally freely strafe Yumia from right-to-left all the way through battle, and when an enemy telegraphs an upcoming assault you’ll be able to modify your place to stick out of the highlighted house at the flooring to keep away from harm.
Tapping down at the d-pad strikes Yumia clear of her opponent, and as soon as at vary all of her assaults exchange to lengthy distance magical abilities. Enemies are vulnerable to both magical or bodily assaults, and so you want to transport between the entrance and the again rows to take advantage of that weak point, stun your foe, after which unharness giant harm. As you move throughout the sport you can liberate dodges, tag-team assaults with a squad-mate, and the extremely tough Mana Surge talents that may flip the tide of wrestle straight away.
On commonplace issue battle in opposition to the rank and record enemies is usually simple and battles are regularly over in a heartbeat with only a few faucets of a face button so it by no means turns into frustrating scuffling with monsters both for revel in or when farming for assets. Boss encounters are the place the battle shines, with extra difficult assault patterns out of your enemies, and a few mid-battle cut-scenes so as to add to the drama. Plus, some of the bosses is voiced by means of Takaya Kuroda, well-known for voicing the best guy that ever lived Kiryu Kazuma from the Yakuza sequence. In order that’s great.
You’ll farm as a lot revel in as you prefer in battle however that’ll best get you up to now. Despite the fact that you have got hit the extent cap of 100 you’ll be able to briefly in finding your self outmatched by means of decrease degree foes in case your apparatus isn’t as much as snuff and that is the reason the place alchemy is available in. At Yumia’s workshop you’ll be able to liberate the recipes you have got discovered to your adventures so long as you have got the needful pieces to take action, after which you can synthesize a recipe the use of accumulated assets for your backpack.
Higher high quality assets within the pot yield higher rewards, usually, however whenever you get the grasp of the method you’ll be able to regulate the recipe to provide pieces that may well be of upper high quality, or ones that include further results. So you have to make a sword that is were given upper base stats, or person who specialises in elevating one stat particularly, or person who does extra harm in opposition to a particular form of enemy. It is a little daunting in the beginning however slightly directly ahead as soon as you have got performed it a couple of instances, and you’ll be able to at all times automate the entire procedure if recipe micromanagement will not be your factor.
You’ll additionally create development fabrics comparable to partitions, rooves, ground, and decorations. If you are exploring the arena of Atelier Yumia you’ll be able to in finding development websites to arrange secondary bases of operations and design them how you spot are compatible. It is a slightly rudimentary set of establishing choices, however welcome nevertheless. A few tents and a snoozing bag simply may not lower the mustard when you’ll be able to knock up a small cottage with cherry blossom bushes within the lawn for a pit-stop between missions.
Conclusion
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Recollections & the Envisioned Land is a superbly fascinating addition to the long-running JRPG sequence. It is an out of this world leaping in level to the franchise for brand spanking new avid gamers, and has sufficient tweaks to the established system to offer a breath of unpolluted air for current fanatics. The tale is a bit slight, however the interesting characters, streamlined but tough crafting machine, and rewarding exploration make this a recipe for a great time.
