Atelier Yumia Is Already The Coziest Game I’ve Played This Year

Atelier has been part of my gaming existence since my teenage years. All through the PS3 technology, I went throughout the healthy trilogy of Rorona, Totori, and Meruru as I indulged myself in lovable watercolour anime fantasies the place the stakes have been low and rewards have been ample.

Different JRPGs I frequented all through my early life incorporated Everlasting Sonata, Trinity Universe, Ar Tonelico, Folklore, Resonance of Destiny, and lots of extra. That console used to be a goldmine.

They have been extremely price range choices that didn’t in particular glance or run neatly, however maintained a distinct segment group made up of hardcore fans and curious weeaboos like myself. They’re a laugh video games, and it’s been superb in recent times to look them remastered and revived because it is going from power to power. Maximum just lately we’ve observed the PS3 entries launched on most present platforms, whilst Atelier Ryza continues her thicc-thighed domination. However together with her now within the rearview reflect, a brand new heroine has stepped as much as the beginning line.

Atelier Yumia Would possibly Be Darker, However It’s Simply As Healthy

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences & The Envisioned Land (gosh that’s a mouthful) is now to be had on all main platforms and marks the start of what is going to most likely finally end up as a brand new trilogy for the long-running sequence. And it’s nice, with our reviewer praising its adorable solid of characters, fulfilling gameplay loop, and unusually numerous open global. Having jumped into it previous this week, to this point I echo each and every certain factor he has to mention about it, including that the sport makes some adjustments to the system I’ve been hoping to look for a very long time.

What struck me first about Atelier Yumia is its try at a darker tone. Ryza could be probably the most sickeningly candy protagonist I’ve ever observed in a online game together with her need to be an alchemist and befriend each and every unmarried residing creature within the universe. Yumia is other, and is in her twenties whilst seeking to live on in a global the place alchemy has develop into a forbidden artwork.

If she mentions her passion within the craft to different characters on this planet, she is seen with a way of mistrust and disgust, main her to win other folks over and persuade them that there’s no reason why to be frightened of an influence that, underneath the appropriate cases, can enrich lives. It’s a large tonal shift for the sequence, despite the fact that it nonetheless leans on cutesy anime aesthetics and fan carrier at all times. But it surely’s a good exchange, and one I’m excited to look increase as issues proceed.

The forged is as you’d be expecting it to be: a assured heroine, a smart-mouthed lovely boy, a shy animal lady, and a lady with giant boobs and one hell of an perspective. Vintage stuff.

There also are adjustments to the combat machine this time round, so it permits constant freedom of motion as you face off in opposition to enemies, whilst abilities are assigned to each and every button so you’ll pull off ill mixtures, dodge assaults, and turn between characters out and in of combat. I wouldn’t say it has a vital quantity of intensity, however it’s a laugh, fulfilling, and precisely what I’m on the lookout for in an RPG at this time. Whilst it’s attention-grabbing to play a personality avoided by way of her group somewhat than being welcomed by way of it, this doesn’t prevent her from being a good or comforting drive.

That is the primary access within the sequence to totally include an open-world structure. You discover an unlimited, numerous continent containing plenty of small cities and deserted ruins, each and every with pieces to gather and characters to fulfill. Whilst Atelier Yumia is, to this point no less than, probably the most story-heavy I’ve observed the sequence in rather a while, it nonetheless gives such a lot freedom to play your means. I’m nonetheless lovely early into the narrative, however to this point I’m playing the steadiness struck between rising nearer to my birthday celebration, exploring the continent, and studying extra concerning the characters. A lot of it feels extra earned, melancholic, and nuanced with out sacrificing the sequence’ comfortable identification.

No Extra Thicc Thighs, However One Hell Of A Persona

Whilst I’ve handiest stumbled upon this mechanic in my playthrough, you’re going to additionally succeed in some extent the place you’ll construct a base of varieties to your allies to name house. And, like maximum comfortable video games within the present panorama, ornament is closely inspired. There’s so much occurring right here and the bottom construction additionally has sensible results, resulting in Rumia’s wider pioneering efforts. The nearest comparability I will be able to make is Dondoko Island in Like A Dragon: Countless Wealth, however I’m no longer positive if it’s going to be as captivating or carefree.

It seems like Atelier Yumia remains to be protecting again numerous its secrets and techniques, since after a couple of hours I’m nonetheless attending to grips with its gameplay methods and attempting to determine precisely the place its tale intends to head. However, just like the video games I performed and cherished as a youngster, there’s something ever so comforting and reassuring about Yumia that makes me keen to look it thru to the top.