There’s one thing each thrilling and terrifying a few new recreation in a cherished franchise. As an enormous fan of the Atelier sequence, I felt either one of those emotions going into Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences & the Envisioned Land, particularly because the preliminary trailers gave the look to be one thing of a departure. Would Yumia reside as much as my hopes for the Atelier sequence?
Atelier Yumia is the newest addition to the Atelier franchise and the primary major recreation within the sequence for the reason that finish of the Atelier Ryza trilogy, which introduced a wave of recent consideration to the decades-spanning sequence (now not together with the unfastened to play gacha recreation Atelier Resleriana, which is finishing provider on the finish of this month). On account of the brand new eyes that have been on Ryza, Yumia has so much using on it as the way forward for the franchise.
For many who are simply coming into Atelier, the franchise is divided up into a number of sequence that experience their very own tale and continuity, and Yumia is the beginning of the brand new Envisioned subseries. Which means that Yumia is in some ways designed as an access level to the Atelier sequence. You wish to have no earlier wisdom of Atelier to play this. All of that is to mention that, in case you are any person who’s curious in regards to the sequence, this may well be a excellent access level, as a result of Yumia is a wonderful recreation each for beginners and present fanatics alike.
Atelier Yumia is about in an international the place alchemy is taboo, the reason for earlier calamity on the planet and, a pressure of destruction. Yumia, an alchemist, has joined a analysis workforce to research the fallen Aladissian empire. Alongside the best way she meets different characters who’ve ties to alchemy, explores the land and learns extra in regards to the previous of the empire and the characters themselves. Up to now this tale is cast – the darker tone of alchemy and its dating with the arena jogs my memory a little bit of the Nightfall subseries. As of writing I’ve put a number of hours on this recreation however I think like I haven’t come on the subject of finding its secrets and techniques. The actual pleasure, just like different Atelier video games, is within the characters. Yumia is a compelling persona, who has to navigate alchemy as a forbidden artwork with the folks round her. She’s very other to Ryza, which I believe used to be on goal, to steer clear of comparability, however she’s a lovely persona to apply round. I additionally actually benefit from the interactions with Yumia, the analysis workforce, and her birthday party of persona. Yumia, in contrast to many different Atelier protagonists, doesn’t know any birthday party contributors forward of time, so you are feeling the characters develop in combination. This can be a amusing dynamic, and I love simply how other Yumia’s instances really feel from the everyday Atelier protagonist.
The arena of Atelier Yumia is an open global and a large number of center of attention is put into the exploration, which is a pleasure in Atelier Yumia. All the way through your revel in with the analysis workforce a large center of attention is on pioneering targets, as they determine themselves on this area. Along with major and aspect quests you’ve gotten other targets which release extra in every of the sport’s spaces. The extra you discover, the extra elements you in finding, which results in the vintage Atelier gameplay loop of exploring to seek out elements, going again on your atelier to make use of alchemy to make new pieces, and the use of the ones pieces in struggle to get additional and discover extra. It’s a actually nice loop that works in Yumia neatly.
There also are new techniques at play in Atelier Yumia. For the primary time you’ll make some staple items at the fly within the box. Fundamental bandages for therapeutic, bullets in your gun team of workers (sure, your major weapon is a team of workers that also is a gun, whoever got here up with this merits a lift), and gear for exploring. There’s additionally a complete development gadget the place, in explicit spaces that let for development, you’ll do base development. Whilst I haven’t gotten into the beauty aspect of this a lot but, there’s something great about having the ability to make necessarily a 2nd Atelier in several portions of the arena through development an area for alchemy, a container for elements, and the opposite issues you wish to have. The pieces you craft for development use the decrease high quality elements you pick out up, which could also be great as a result of this provides a goal to each merchandise you pick out up, even supposing you wouldn’t normally use it on your alchemy.
The struggle could also be actually stress-free. Reasonably than returning to the flip primarily based struggle of earlier titles, Yumia expands upon the motion struggle of Ryza and improves upon it, making you apply enemy assault patterns, dodge assaults and use struggle abilities in addition to pieces you crafted with alchemy. It’s now not rather a complete motion RPG nevertheless it appears like a pleasant steadiness – the struggle flows properly and feels tactile, but in addition strategic.
In spite of some of these adjustments and additions, some of the issues I wish to tension maximum is simply how a lot Atelier Yumia appears like an Atelier recreation, which is one thing I in finding to be beautiful exceptional. This recreation is attempting for a large number of various things and is obviously the Atelier workforce’s try to make bigger what the franchise can seem like, however there are such a large amount of little moments that simply really feel like Atelier. The core gameplay loop is similar, the characters really feel like Atelier characters, however additionally they do such a lot new. I believe this moves a super steadiness of making an attempt new issues however nonetheless in the long run making an Atelier recreation.
Sadly, there’s one giant caveat to this revel in, and that’s the visuals and function on Transfer. Whilst a large number of the artwork designs glance nice and there are lots of moments the place the sport seems to be gorgeous, it’s very transparent that the revel in used to be now not adapted to the Transfer’s {hardware}. Once I first began the sport, the positioning for the academic made my center sink, with textures that appeared, frankly, dangerous. Whenever you get to the primary open global house it seems to be much better, which is excellent, nevertheless it nonetheless wasn’t a really perfect first impact. The framerate, whilst most often strong, could also be now not the most efficient. All of this has resulted in a recreation that, whilst very playable on Transfer, is obviously now not optimized for Transfer. I’m wondering how Atelier Yumia will play on Transfer 2 or different consoles. In case you simplest have a Transfer or (like me) revel in enjoying Atelier video games on Transfer then this shouldn’t forestall you, simply know that there are a number of moments that really feel irritating primarily based off of the sport’s efficiency.
That each one being stated, Atelier Yumia is a recreation I believe you must revel in, both in case you are an skilled Atelier fan or are on the lookout for a brand new access level into the sequence. Whilst I’ve but to complete the sport (therefore why it is a evaluate in development)I’m completely taking part in the whole thing new and outdated that Atelier Yumia has to provide. If that is the way forward for the Atelier sequence, the long run is taking a look brilliant for Atelier fanatics.
EDIT: After completing the sport I think relaxed giving this a ranking of 8/10. Whilst the technical problems endured to be unlucky all the way through, I actually loved the tale, and really feel like Atelier Yumia is thematically fascinating in some way that I preferred. I appreciated the characters so much, and prefer how the topics of the sport carried over throughout the characters, together with the villains. Atelier Yumia is incorrect, however a actually fascinating transfer for the sequence.
