Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences & the Envisioned Land is a step ahead within the Atelier collection, however not everybody’s going to love the path it’s taking. It’s a stable JRPG, for positive, nevertheless it feels prefer it’s beginning to depart sure core parts—and Nintendo {hardware}—behind.
Our new protagonist is Yumia Liessfeldt, a younger alchemist in a world the place alchemy has been outlawed. It appears alchemy was answerable for the destruction of Aladiss, inflicting these of the Aladissian Empire to concern it. A number of centuries later, Yumia discovers after the dying of her mom that she’s the descendent of a protracted line of alchemists. This results in many questions, and—like all good, younger JRPG heroes—Yumia units off to search out the solutions.
This leads her to turn out to be a part of the Aladiss Analysis Staff. This massive group of troopers and scientists seeks to discover and settle within the ruins of Aladiss, however they’re hampered by Manabound Areas that block their progress. Yumia has the flexibility to clear the stagnant mana from the areas, permitting exploration to proceed. This principally units up the development of the sport; attain a brand new space, filter out the mana, probe for some time, then transfer ahead.
It’s a nice system that provides Yumia extra of an open world than we’ve seen in previous Atelier video games. You’ll be able to go the place you need at your individual tempo, however you’re restricted to sure areas till you’ve unlocked the story parts that can help you department out additional. There’s a lot to find and do in every location, nonetheless, that the restrictions are most likely a great factor.
Exploration clearly drives Atelier Yumia. Gadgets of curiosity are marked on the map with query marks, and there’s not often a scarcity of these to be discovered. Some you’ll be able to’t get to straight away. Most you’ll be able to. and reaching them will uncover every little thing from ingredient farming areas to treasure troves to enemy battles to constructing areas. You’ll be able to mark almost something on the map as your goal, which then exhibits the path and distance of that location within the HUD.
Getting there isn’t at all times simple, nonetheless, and it’s considered one of my first issues with the sport.
The continent of Aladiss is densely packed, making exploration extra of a chore than it ought to be. Most objects and areas are off the overwhelmed path, and navigating the wilds usually results in issues. It’s laborious to inform for those who’re not utilizing the proper strategy to climb a mountain or for those who’re simply not speculated to get to the highest but. Whereas coming down a mountain at one level, I discovered myself clipped right into a rock, unable to maneuver or soar. The builders should’ve identified this might occur as the sport ultimately simply moved me again to the highest.
One other drawback (as a result of I need to get this out of the way in which now) is the introduction of a horribly applied constructing system. You’ll be able to arrange bases in pre-defined areas; the truth is, the sport expects you to. A catalog means that you can simply create particular sorts of pre-fabricated buildings, and thank God for that as a result of the UI for customized constructing is horrible. Doing one thing so simple as including a sofa could be a irritating mess due to the way in which different buildings and objects intervene along with your view of what you’re doing, and the way flooring and partitions can disappear.
This could be nice if the sport left building to these focused on inside ornament, however quests usually require you so as to add these things. My buildings ended up trying just like the Winchester Mansion as a result of it was too cumbersome to position objects the place it made sense to position them. The day I play my final JRPG, it’ll both be as a result of I used to be compelled to hold lamps or play some dumb card sport.
Fortunately, building can largely be brushed apart throughout your travels, permitting you to focus extra on exploration, fight, and, to a lesser diploma, synthesis. Sure, Atelier followers, the synthesis system—as soon as the core element of Atelier video games—has moved into the again seat. The creation of recent and higher objects continues to be a key element, however the methodology of doing so has been simplified to the purpose of simply being…there, not enjoyable.
The sport will often present merchandise recipes. You “memorize” these recipes at a workstation you should construct and place, collect the correct elements, stage them up (when you have sufficient different elements to take action), then synthesize. I’ll depart you to find the intricacies of the system. It’s simpler than prior to now, however not as rewarding. The trade-off is that it’s quicker; there have been few occasions in earlier video games the place I’d agonize over what elements so as to add so as to create the very best weapon attainable. Atelier Yumia appears to as a substitute need you out within the subject, not fixing synthesis puzzles in your atelier.
Oh, one of many nice issues about that is that basket restrictions are barely a problem anymore. Gone are the times of slicing out of doors time brief simply to empty your basket and dump extreme objects.
World traversal has been improved, too. There are quite a few zip strains you’ll be able to unlock for quicker journey supplied you’ve synthesized a zipper line glove. However many objects—that glove, well being kits, software bins, bullets—will be synthesized within the subject on an as wanted foundation. Useful. These bullets are particularly helpful, permitting you to gather far-away objects, scan enemies, stun enemies, and so forth. The variety of quick-synthesis objects you’ll be able to maintain is proscribed, nevertheless it grows as you get deeper into the sport.
You’ll additionally ultimately synthesize a motorbike to experience round, however that is extra for fashion than performance (as is the way in which with bikes). Why would I need to race via the panorama once I’m speculated to be gathering objects? And aren’t the zip strains extra environment friendly? To not point out you’ll be able to warp to key areas straight away?
The battle system has additionally been modified significantly. It’s nonetheless a combination of ordinary bodily/arts assaults with the occasional particular transfer thrown in, nevertheless it strikes at a greater clip than earlier than. The profit is that it feels extra fluid, with dodging being a key issue. The disadvantage is that it’s fairly messy. The UI offers hints on enemy weaknesses, when to make use of group assaults, or when to rotate in a celebration member for heavier hits, however there’s a lot occurring that I often simply button mashed my manner via. Success in fight is much less about mastering the system and extra about simply ensuring you’ve been upgrading your gear correctly. Once more, simply get again to exploring, Yumia and pals.
The difficulty with exploring, sadly, is that this world is clunky to work via on the Nintendo Change. I already talked about the thing clipping and environmental directions once you’re attempting to construct or line up a soar. I haven’t talked about the fixed framerate drops as you’re employed your manner via; the sport generally freezes a full second as you progress into sure areas. Even one thing so simple as switching to the map takes longer than I’d like. This by no means kills the gameplay, however I usually discover myself pondering I’d fairly maintain for the Change 2 to finish the sport. Additionally, I bumped into a problem the place I accomplished a Shrine of Prayer quest solely to have it not get recorded, and one other the place I needed to win a monster extermination battle twice…I feel as a result of I began the combat the primary time earlier than the introductory dialogue was completed.
Lastly, the sport’s fight, synthesis, ability tree, and building methods may use higher directions. The in-game tutorials and manuals introduce the varied methods, however do little to supply methods or clarify how they’re linked. KOEI TECMO has introduced that future updates on “some platforms” will handle not solely efficiency points, however may also embrace directions for “much less apparent operations.” If these hit the Change, they may negate my complaints.
Both manner, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Reminiscences & the Envisioned Land is a sport value taking part in and finishing. The story shouldn’t be very compelling, however I’ve come to just accept that in open world video games; the narrative turns into too uneven when the author isn’t in a position to dictate the pacing. Atelier Yumia as a substitute survives on its enjoyable characters and delicate stability of merchandise crafting, fight, and exploration. The latter undoubtedly takes over right here, however you’re given a lot to search out, so many puzzles to resolve, and so many duties to finish that it by no means for a second turns into boring. Sometimes annoying, however by no means boring.
And, as is the way in which with Atelier video games, there’s loads of gameplay-centric DLC forward. Regardless of my complaints, I’m very a lot trying ahead to digging into that…though I’m undoubtedly going to attend for the Change 2 in hopes that it offers smoother travels.
