Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land review

• Available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC
• Released on 21 March 2025
• Developed and published by Koei Tecmo

After the huge success of the Atelier Ryza series, you’d think Koei Tecmo would want to stick with one of their most popular protagonists. But nope — they’ve switched things up with Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. Not only do we get a brand-new lead character, but there are also quite a few changes to the game’s format.

Right from the start, the game throws you straight into the action. The prologue introduces Yumia and her friends as they explore ancient ruins — until disaster strikes. This chaotic opening sequence is basically a crash course in the game’s mechanics: you’ll learn how to crawl through tight spaces, engage enemies, and even fire off shots with Yumia’s staff. Then, just as things start getting really interesting, the game rewinds time and kicks off the main story, leaving you eager to see how everything unfolds.

The game takes place in a world where alchemy is forbidden. Yumia joins a research team trying to uncover what really happened to the long-gone Aladissian Empire. Was alchemy the reason for its downfall, as the rumors say? And what role did Yumia’s mother play in it all? While Yumia is particularly invested in these questions, the whole team is eager to get to the bottom of the mystery.

With its open-world approach, Atelier Yumia lets you uncover that mystery at your own pace. At first, only one region is available, but more areas unlock as you progress. Whether you want to focus on the main story or take your time exploring, gathering materials, completing side-quests, and crafting items, the choice is yours.

Winning over the research team is a big part of the game since most of them aren’t exactly fans of alchemy. You’ll also need to build relationships with the locals while clearing out “manabound areas” — dangerous, mana-filled zones that only Yumia can fix. Once an area is cleared, you can often set up a base nearby, which makes travel and crafting much more convenient.

Exploration is simple but enjoyable. Yumia is surprisingly agile, able to climb obstacles and use ziplines to get around. If you go out of your way, you can even unlock a vehicle for faster travel. Plus, a handy fast-travel system means you’re never stuck wasting time backtracking. Since there’s always something interesting nearby, the world feels lively and engaging.

Alchemy plays a huge role in the game. You’ll constantly be synthesizing items, whether it’s crafting bullets for Yumia’s weapon, making healing potions, or creating more complex items using blueprints and rare materials. The system can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially for newcomers, since so many factors affect item quality and effects. Luckily, there’s an autocomplete option to make things easier. Still, learning the basics is worth it, as better-crafted items can give you an edge in combat and exploration.

Speaking of combat, it’s had a serious revamp. Battles are now real-time, letting you control Yumia or one of her companions directly. You can move around freely, dodge attacks, or block incoming hits. You also get to choose whether to fight up close with melee attacks or hang back and use ranged moves. There are plenty of attack combos and special items to use, giving you a lot of options in battle.

That being said, combat can feel a bit chaotic at times. Some quirks might even frustrate players — like how, if you start a battle near multiple enemies, not all of them actually join the fight. Instead, some will just linger around afterward, making things feel a little disjointed. Regular battles also tend to end very quickly, making you wonder if they were worth the effort. A system where weaker enemies were instantly defeated on contact would have been a welcome addition.

Despite a few flaws, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is still an enjoyable RPG. Yumia and her friends are a likable crew, and the central mystery keeps you hooked. The open-world design gives you plenty of freedom, though at times the game feels too simple in some areas and overly complicated in others. The combat system, while exciting, doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Even so, if you’re a fan of the Atelier series, or just love a good RPG with exploration and crafting, this one is worth checking out.