Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

The Atelier series has been consistently known for its charming alchemist protagonists, light-hearted storytelling, and unique blend of crafting and RPG mechanics. It kept things simple and safe, with returning players always having a good idea of what they were getting with each new release. However, with Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land, Koei Tecmo and Gust have REALLY pushed the formula forward. It brings with it one of the biggest shifts that the franchise has seen, offering a more expansive world, frantic action-driven combat, and a deeper narrative to watch unfold. And you know what? It has made it instantly stand out as a stellar RPG experience that both returning fans and newcomers to the series are sure to love.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Set in a land scarred by a catastrophic event, Atelier Yumia (yeah, we’re shortening the name for the rest of this review) introduces a world where alchemy is feared rather than celebrated. Yumia, this game’s protagonist, is one of the last known alchemists, having learned the craft from her late mother. Her journey begins when a research expedition begrudgingly requests her expertise in deciphering the ruins of the old empire. Whilst initially met with distrust, Yumia slowly earns the respect of her companions through her skills, determination, and kindness, whilst also dealing with others that she meets across the adventure who might fear alchemy, seek to control its power, or who wish to erase its existence entirely. The more she uncovers of the lost history of the world, the more she realizes that the truth behind the calamity is far more complex than the myths would have people believe, leading her into a voyage where she will determine the path forward for alchemy across the world.

While the narrative carries more weight than previous Atelier titles, it never becomes overly grim. Yumia faces scepticism and distrust due to her abilities, but the game remains light-hearted at its core, with friendship, discovery, and the power of good ultimately shaping her journey. Watching her slowly win people over and change perceptions about alchemy adds emotional depth to the tale, whilst the fact that she’s just so damn likable from the get-go makes her easy to resonate with as a player. And sure, there are larger conflicts involving forgotten civilizations and hidden dangers to find across the world that up the ante of the journey, but ultimately, the game shines through its more intimate moments where the cast’s personalities shine through. It’s really, really nice, and whilst there’s certainly a tonal shift from previous entries in the series, Atelier Yumia still maintains that lightness that made the series so beloved to begin with.

One of the most significant changes Atelier Yumia brings to the table is its open-world design. Instead of a collection of smaller zones for the player to venture through, the game instead offers larger interconnected regions filled with the likes of ruins, caves, and villages to explore. Whether climbing cliffs, ploughing through tunnels, or simply traversing vast landscapes, there’s always something new to see, with the world full of dungeons to scavenge and delightful sights to discover. The gorgeous visuals help everything stand out too, with Atelier Yumia certainly a looker on the PlayStation 5.

Traversal feels fluid and fun thanks to Yumia’s nimble manoeuvrability, whilst getting to speed across the land on an alchemy-powered motorcycle stood out as a personal highlight as the game progressed (I’ll ALWAYS love a good vehicle in an RPG). This ease of traversal complements the larger scale of the world and makes exploration feel both dynamic and fun, ensuring wandering off the beaten path in search of hidden treasures and rare crafting materials always feels as satisfying as it does rewarding. The abundance of side quests adds to the world’s sense of adventure – even if they are pretty simple in design and won’t push players too much. They provide reasons to revisit old locations, strengthen relationships, and gather useful resources, and whilst not every task is particularly groundbreaking, they do help flesh out the world and its story.

“Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land successfully revitalizes the long-running series while maintaining the heart and charm that fans have come to love.“

Combat in Atelier Yumia takes a step away from the turn-based systems of past entries, embracing a more action-driven approach while still retaining elements of strategic depth. Battles take place in a circular arena, with enemies in the centre and the player’s party surrounding them in a ring. Players can then freely unleash attacks, strafe around foes, and dodge incoming danger, whilst also being able to move further out to focus on range-based abilities when needed.

At first, combat can feel a bit manic thanks to its multiple attack options, cooldowns to manage, and constant shifting of positioning. However, as you adapt to the mechanics, it’s easier to appreciate the finer intricacies and the freedom that they offer to the player. Learning to exploit enemy weaknesses, swap characters mid-fight, and time dodges correctly adds satisfying layers of strategy to each showdown, whilst the likes of the powerful team-based manoeuvres and ultimate abilities ensure combat has enough cool ideas to remain both engaging and exciting throughout – especially in boss fights, which feel more intricate, complex, and cinematic in style. It all helps combat stand out as one of the finest aspect of the game and arguably the most substantial evolution made to the series.

Alchemy has always been the backbone of the Atelier series, and Atelier Yumia keeps it at the forefront whilst streamlining certain elements to make it more accessible. Instead of a traditional cauldron, Yumia synthesizes items using a system that involves blending special crystals. Whilst the fundamentals remain the same – you know, combining materials to craft potions, weapons, and tools, and ensuring your ingredients are of a high quality and utilise specific traits – the process has been made more intuitive and attractive without sacrificing any of the depth.

Alchemy isn’t just limited to equipment and consumables – players can also craft building materials to establish outposts throughout the world. These secondary bases provide resting spots whilst exploring, and while the customization options aren’t as deep as a full-fledged building system, they add a satisfying sense of personalization that’s fun to embrace. And for those who prefer a more hands-off approach, the game offers an automation feature that speeds up synthesis by selecting optimal materials automatically, ensuring you don’t have to spend too much time tinkering with recipes and ingredients if that isn’t your idea of fun.

Check out some screenshots down below:

For those who enjoy fine-tuning their creations, there’s plenty of room to experiment and Atelier Yumia will certainly reward that. Alchemy in Atelier Yumia strikes an enjoyable balance of accessibility and depth, all whilst retaining the satisfaction of previous games’ crafting systems and refining the mechanics to make them more intuitive and visually engaging. Whether creating high-powered weapons, rare consumables, or decorative structures, the system remains one of the most rewarding aspects of the game.

I absolutely loved my time with Atelier Yumia, with the only real negative being that the combat of the game could be a bit too easy. Outside of the boss battles, combat was rarely challenging, and whilst this didn’t stop it from being enjoyable, I did increase the difficulty just to up the stakes a little. It’s not a necessity at all, but I’d definitely recommend it if you want to fully embrace the exciting and strategic elements of combat to their fullest.

Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Website: https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/games/atelier-yumia-the-alchemist-of-memories-the-envisioned-land/