Before Atelier Yumia even launched, Koei Tecmo promised a patch that would address camera problems and other issues, and now there’s a statement regarding the two priorities for the first update. It also included six other things that will be addressed eventually as well. As expected, the camera and usability fixes are first on the agenda. 

While the first point in the announcement mentions camera, it also gets into Battle Results. In options, there will be Focus Camera and Skill Camera options, with more general in-battle adjustments also being applied. You can also turn “Show Battle Results” on or off. 

In of the Atelier Yumia usability, the next patch will address Synthesis and Sprint concerns. You’ll be able to either skip or fast forward through the animation before a synthesis by pressing one of two buttons. As for sprinting, the Controls section will include an option that lets you set it to automatically do so if you run, manually toggle that on or off, or a switch option that only makes Yumia sprint when you hold a button down.

As for future changes, here’s the official list Gust and Koei Tecmo shared on the site:

• Adjustment of camera flexibility in photo mode: We plan to adjust the camera controls in photo mode to allow for closer proximity to the character than currently possible.
• Adjustment of various field camera behaviors: We plan to make adjustments to ensure the camera operates smoothly in various situations.
• Additional optimization for some platforms: We are considering multiple adjustments, including frame rate stabilization and rendering optimization, for some platforms.
• Addition of the option to simplify hit effects in battles: We plan to add an option that allows the changing of hit effect sizes in battles for better visibility of other on-screen elements.
• Optimizing the “Synthesis” animation: We are considering additional measures to enable smoother operations for various animations played during synthesis.
• Enhancement of field presentation: We are considering adjustments to the field presentation in the game for some platforms.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is available for the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the first patch is in development ahead of additional updates. 

The post First Atelier Yumia Patch Details Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

The recent release of Atelier Yumia is here. This brings with it the start of a new sub-series in the Gust series. Looking back at all games, what is the best Atelier game? This is a question our Siliconera staff wants to find out. Look below for our picks for the best Atelier game in the series. Some of the results may surprise you!

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Favorite Atelier Games 6h351x

I miss the Atelier Iris trilogy. I think it would be fantastic to see a remaster collection that brought all three games back for the Switch, PS5, and PC. I mean, we've seen NIS bring back its PS2 classics. It feels like it's time to revisit those JRPGs. -- Jenni

The Atelier Iris trilogy was fantastic. However, if I had to pinpoint my favourite entry from the series, it would be Atelier Iris 2. Not only did it have the most engaging plot, but the dynamic between the characters was surprisingly heartfelt. Hopefully, the trilogy will return in some fashion to modern consoles. -- Yasmine

Call me nostalgic, but I am still a sucker for the very first Atelier game I ever played: Atelier Rorona. Rorona has the right mix of simplicity in its 3D visuals and combat while still having enough depth in the synthesis mechanics. I also appreciate the daily system with requirements for completing objectives before time runs out. This gives the game an almost Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons vibe to it, which is quite different from the more open-world, action-packed adventures of more recent Atelier games. That said, the recent Atelier Yumia is a close second for me. It broadens the series in such smart ways with a fun open-world to explore and a surprisingly solid story. Strangely enough, Atelier Yumia is pretty much what I wanted Tales of Arise to be, though not necessarily what I wanted the Atelier series to be. That said, it is an incredible game if you look at it without the lens of the rest of the franchise. -- Cody

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post What Is the Best Atelier Game? appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo announced a second Atelier Yumia crossover with a Bandai Namco game, and this time it involves Tekken 8. It will result in free DLC for the JRPG based on the fighter. To go along with it, there’s a teaser referencing a critical Heihachi moment in the Tekken series and art of Yumia with Reina from this entry’s artist Benitama.

First, here’s the Atelier Yumia Tekken 8 teaser trailer. It’s relatively short. It also doesn’t highlight the outfit she might get based on the series. Instead, we see her approach a cliff while carrying a Puni, the traditional slime enemy from the series, with Heihachi’s hair style and beard. After she looks over the edge, she tosses it off and looks knowingly at the camera. 

While Heihachi appears in the teaser, he isn’t confirmed for the crossover. However, Koei Tecmo did mention there will be cosmetic accessories, costumes, and skills based on the series. Since the official art shows Reina and Yumia together, it’s also possible Yumia will get a costume based on that Tekken newcomer. 

Here’s that crossover teaser art from Benitama.

The other confirmed Bandai Namco crossover for the game involves Tales of Graces f Remastered. People will be able to dress Yumia in Asbel’s suit.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come to the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on March 21, 2025.

The post Atelier Yumia Drops Heihachi Puni Off a Cliff in Tekken 8 Teaser appeared first on Siliconera.

In response to the to the Atelier Yumia demo, Gust released a statement detailing the optimizations, camera updates, and adjustments that’ll appear in the final version of the game via patch releases. To summarize, it will improve performance on certain consoles and usability.

The entire statement regarding changes and patch alterations is available on the official Atelier Yumia website. If you’ve played the demo or have seen clips of people playing the trial, you might’ve seen some of the following issues with the game’s current build. Many people complained about the Atelier Yumia camera, such as how it swings after battle. This can cause motion sickness for people susceptible to it. The option to shorten these animations will appear in a later update. Gust also plans to add more settings for us to personalize the camerawork and presentation to what’s comfortable for us.

Gust will also implement fixes to usability and character feel. Some players have complained that they have trouble figuring out how to do certain things, and so tutorials or the commands will appear on screen. These updates will appear in the game in stages. Finally, it will optimize the game performance on certain platforms. In particular, the Switch version demo resulted in a lot of complaints regarding the unstable frame rate.

Atelier Yumia will come out on March 21, 2025 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. A demo is live now. The optimizations for Atelier Yumia will go live in the near future, and the final product will have all the fixes from the demo build.

The post Atelier Yumia Camera and Optimizations Coming via Patches appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo has released a demo for the latest game in the Atelier series: Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. The demo is available now for PCs via Steam, the PS4 and PS5 via the Playstation Store, the Xbox Series X via the Microsoft Store, and the Switch via the Nintendo eShop.

The demo promises a taste of the game's combat, exploration, and crafting systems by playing the prologue of the quest "Pioneering the Ligneus Region." Save data from playing the demo can be carried over to the full game, though completionists should be aware that trophies cannot be earned in the demo version and so you'll need to re-earn them in the game proper. You'll also get to try out the new Building system, and see how Alchemical Synthesis will work this time around.

Ahead of the game's launch, Koei Tecmo also detailed a Tales of Graces f Remastered-themed costume crossover DLC.

A demo for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is available now via Steam, the Nintendo eShop, and both the Microsoft and Playstation stores. The full release is scheduled for March 21, 2025, for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch.

The post Atelier Yumia Demo Debuts appeared first on Siliconera.

Having not played an Atelier game since the first Ryza, I will it this series from Gust and Koei Tecmo has never quite grasped me. Outside of my first game Atelier Rorona, which I still adore to this day, I haven’t completed a single game in this series. Well, until now, with Atelier Yumia, which is by far the best game in the series I’ve played yet. While it takes some bold steps in unique directions, it still retains its core alchemist ideas while also being what I had hoped Tales of Arise would be.

For starters, this is an almost true open-world experience. There are four key regions the player is able to explore. Though most regions are locked at the start until you progress later on, they are seamlessly connected to one another. In addition, loading times when fast traveling is nearly instantaneous, even on the underpowered Steam Deck where I reviewed this title.

Atelier Yumia opts for a fascinating open-world experience that feels similar to survival games in some ways like Valheim, which directly inspired it. Instead of sprawling cities and towns to explore, it is a vast, diverse, and often beautiful land that is customizable to the player’s liking in many areas. I will say the lack of true explorable cities with loads of NPCs and vendors is one of the few major gripes I have with the experience.

It takes some adjustment, but this is not the type of experience Gust seems to be going for. Instead, Atelier Yumia is all about building out your own bases. While you can’t build anywhere, you frequently unlock home bases and campsites where you can customize to your heart’s content. You might want to turn one location into a three-story mansion. In another place, it might be the custom headquarters for your party.

There is a lot of freedom in the building system to make what you want. However, it is welcoming to newcomers to this type of gameplay as well. There are blueprints you can create instantly for various types of places. Or, you can do what I did and just create your own home from scratch. The UI is intuitive, snappy, and easy to use.

The best part is how the building ties into the rest of gameplay. You use the materials you gather all throughout the world to build. This adds a neat dual nature to the materials that would normally just be for the alchemy. Speaking of which, alchemy is back and with a new system. It is a bit daunting and confusing at first, but it is actually quite simple. You can use almost any material to make any type of item, but there are bonuses for using preferred materials. This leads to an alchemy system that is far more welcoming and open. While I prefer some of the older games’ alchemy still, it is certainly better than Atelier games in recent memory.

When not synthesizing weapons and recipes or building your dream fantasy home, you’ll be exploring the four regions that is full of content. Fortunately, there is something interesting to do every few feet. I had a lot of fun doing the side content in Atelier Yumia, such as little minigames to restore a terminal or an optional boss battle. There are also welcome side quests as well. Some of them are short and sweet gather or battle sequences, while others are story quests with your party that lets you learn more about them.

The battles in Atelier Yumia are also radically different and another example of the more mainstream approach this title takes. I would fully describe this as a true action RPG now, even more than the Ryza games. Battles take place in essentially a circular arena. There is a circle you can rotate 360 degrees around the enemy target. You use this to dodge AOEs and the like.

You can spam various skills in succession to create combos to deal damage to enemies. However, you are only able to use the skills on your face buttons (if using a controller) a few times before they run out. This then requires you to switch to the weapon items you craft. You basically have two hot bars of four skills each to constantly use to consistently be dealing damage.

In addition to this, there are two ranges within the circle. You can switch at a moment’s notice between close range attacks and long range ones. These two ranges even come with their own set of skills to boot.

Then there is the ability to switch between party , who all control radically different. For instance, Viktor is the dedicated tank, Rutger is the powerful scythe-wielder with underrated gun attacks, and so on. Without a doubt, Atelier Yumia has one of the most unique action RPG systems I’ve seen and it takes time to master. However, the depth is incredible and, while I still prefer traditional turn-based gameplay, it justified itself and felt far more enjoyable than Ryza’s battles.

That said, the standout, most surprising parts about Atelier Yumia are the characters and story. This is not your usual friendship is magic, happy-go-lucky storyline right here. The backstory of the ancient empire that you’re exploring the ruins of is immense and at the heart of the experience. Alchemy is forbidden in this world and the titular character Yumia has to combat this discrimination head-on.

The plot goes in some shocking directions that don’t get too grim, but are far more serious and emotional than I expected. This is especially true with a couple of the party . Yumia herself is the best protagonist in the series hands down; she is not overly positive, but is still ionate about the alchemy her mother taught her and her dreams.

Then there is Rutger and Nina whose writing really surprised me with how well done they are. The party interact with one another so well, too. With the six party and action combat, this game reminds me quite a bit of Tales of Arise, but it addresses all of my problems with that game. Instead of the six party pairing up and really only having solid interactions with their “love interest,” you see everyone have a relationship with one another. For instance, Rutger understands and respects Nina, bonds over shared circumstances with Yumia, has a healthy rivalry with Viktor, and constantly pisses off Isla. And this character depth is true for nearly all six party , too.

Better yet, this rich character development even goes to the villains. The villains in this story are some of my favorites, both in design and writing, in a long time. I won’t dare spoil them, but just know they make a tragically solid case for why they do what they do. In fact, there is at least one boss battle that was painful plot-wise for both myself and the main characters.

Overall, Atelier Yumia is an extraordinary and highly surprising direction for the series. It retains the core alchemy and strategic combat, but builds upon everything in fascinating ways. While the world doesn’t have enough civilizations, it makes up for that with worthwhile content around every corner and a remarkable yet optional building system. The combat might switch fully to action, but it stands out with how uniquely deep and enjoyable it is. And then there is the story and characters, which is far and away better than anything Gust has done up until this point. This all comes together to make Atelier Yumia the best game in the series and the most widely appealing at the same time.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land releases for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 21, 2025.

The post Review: Atelier Yumia Is What I Wanted Tales of Arise to Be appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo and Gust have revealed that they will release the public digital demo version of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on Monday, March 17, 2025. Everyone who has a PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, or PC will be able to check out the early parts of the game for free ahead of its full release on March 21, 2025.

In the demo version, players will be able to play the game up until the key main quest, "Pioneering the Ligneus Region." The early parts of the game will include tutorials that let them check out the gameplay features, such as synthesis and battles.

Players can create a save data anytime during the demo, and they will also be able to carry it over to the full release. However, Gust included some fine print warning that depending on the demo's saved progress, players may be unable to obtain specific achievements or trophies in the full game.

Koei Tecmo and Gust are preparing to release Atelier Yumia simultaneously worldwide with a bigger bang than before. Earlier in March 2025, they announced a special collaboration with Bandai Namco's Tales of Graces f in the form of Asbel Lhant's outfit for Yumia as free DLC.

The demo version of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will go live on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on March 17, 2025. The full version of the game will appear worldwide four days later on March 21, 2025.

The post Atelier Yumia Demo Will Appear Digitally Next Week appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo and Bandai Namco announced that there will be a Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC costume in Atelier Yumia that gives Yumia Liessfeldt a free add-on outfit. There’s no release date for it yet, but it will appear in the game after launch. However, initial art hinting at how it will look will appear.

Basically, when the costume add-on is released, the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC will let us dress Yumia in Asbel Lhant’s outfit. It appears this cosmetic change won’t affect her weapon. She’ll just wear his full suit. 

Benitama, the artist who designed the characters in Atelier Yumia, created a piece of concept art showing how this will look. It features Yumia standing alongside Asbel. Both are wearing the same Tales of Graces f Remastered outfit. While it is nearly identical, she will still wear her bird charm at her waist and it seems her shoes will be different.

Here’s the key art for the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC outfit for Yumia in Atelier Yumia.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC via Steam on March 21, 2025. Tales of Graces appeared on the PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Wii, and PC. There’s no release date for the Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC costume for Atelier Yumia yet.

The post Atelier Yumia Tales of Graces f Crossover DLC Costume Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land marks a major shift for the Koei Tecmo and Gust JRPG series. With a drastic change into pure action combat and base-building, we sat down with Junzo Hosoi, Producer for Atelier Yumia and Head of Gust to discuss the development process, characters, and surprising inspirations during our hands-on preview of the game.

Cody Perez, Siliconera: Is there any particular idea or theme that the team decided to base Atelier Yumia around when starting development?

Junzo Hosoi, Gust: Before I started working on Atelier Ryza, in 2018 or 2017, I was thinking about how I could make a three-part series, and how I could step up as a system. I was thinking about what kind of system and game I would like to make when I get a big chance in the next series. As a result, I've been getting from the s every time I released a game, and I've been making adjustments, so I've already decided what kind of game I would like to make. 

As for the design of the story, I've been getting a lot of reference from Atelier Ryza 3 and the current story trend. First of all, we reinterpreted the complex parts of the story, and reconstructed the overall system. We wanted to make sure that the story was well-received by players alongside the battle system.

The area that was well-received during Atelier Ryza, in the battle system especially, has been utilized within Atelier Yumia as well. And also, these days, action RPG is actually a popular genre right now. So that is why he mixed and merged those areas to create the battle system.

Also, as for the synthesis system, it could get difficult to understand all those areas. We actually received those comments from the survey and social media. So that is why the synthesis system has been redesigned. Also, during Ryza 3, we received comments saying there are no villains. So that is why, since there is a villain in this Atelier Yumia, the motivation on continuing the story and worldview might be more engaging this time.

Speaking of villains, what can you say about the villains and their role in the story?

Hosoi: The villain that comes out in Atelier Yumia is actually because of alchemy. The villains’ lives actually changed because of alchemy. Yumia actually believes in alchemy. However, the villains actually have a lot of stuff that has changed their lives, good and bad, because of alchemy. So, they are actually against each other. 

You [the player] might actually think that Yumia's way of thinking of alchemy is similar to how you feel. Or, you might say, “I feel the same way as the villains.” It might depend on the player once you play through and that might be an area to check out once you play out.

How did the protagonist Yumia’s creation come about? What can you say about Yumia as a character in of her design and backstory?

Hosoi: In the past Atelier games, there were more volumes in the silhouettes and a lot of decoration within the costumes. However, for the Yumia, we wanted to turn down the silhouettes and volumes. So the reason why is, for example, if you have a coat running around, it's actually a bit bothersome. There is also much verticality in the field this time, so that's why we wanted to add some decoration of gadgets on her shoes. I think that's why she has bullets that are similar to the gun design in her outfit design. 

And also, as for Yumia’s personality, she is self-confident. Her inner core is really strong and she believes in herself. As for the backstory, in past games, it actually took 3 or 4 hours to get to the core of the adventure. However, it has been changed for this title, as you can actually start off quite quickly in comparison. And that is why the villain shows up early as well. Yumia herself uses alchemy, but that is forbidden in her world. 

Her mother was actually an alchemist as well, so she wanted to find the reason why her mother was an alchemist, even though it's forbidden. She has a love for her mother, so that is why she goes on a journey to find out more about alchemy.

Regarding the other party besides Yumia, who would you say is your favorite and why?

Hosoi: My favorite character is Yumia but in of second favorite, it would be Rutger. There are two sides of Rutger. The one we’ve already announced and shown is the face that he actually shows to the other party . However, there is a second side that involves his past experiences. We are actually confident of the story that we have created for Rutger’s scenario.

A new feature in Yumia is the dedicated building system. How did that housing system come about in development?

Hosoi: The value of exploring on the field, that is why we added the building system. We wanted to add more value in the series. There is a popularity of crafting games as well, which I happen to like myself, such as Valheim. So, that is why we wanted to implement those into the series with this housing system.

Moving on to the action combat system, what were the central themes of the action combat system you wanted to focus on?

Hosoi: What will be important about the combat for some players is player skill. So, if you have higher player skill, and use just the dodge and guard, even if the enemy's level is higher than your actual party member's level, by using your own skill, it actually allows you to beat the enemy.

What changes or systems are in place to welcome newcomers to the series. At the same time, what is new for existing fans to look forward to in this game?

Hosoi: The synthesis system being simple is one example. A lot of people thought the Atelier synthesis system is actually difficult to play; it's really hard to understand. However, now it has been made more simple, so it might be easier to understand compared to the other Atelier titles. But then, even though it's simple, you do have the fun in synthesizing, so I think that is kept and has been balanced throughout.

Existing fans can also understand synthesis, because it doesn't have a big change, so it should be fine for the current Atelier fans as well. Although the trait system is actually changed, now that you can edit on afterwards, there is a lot more fun in crafting. That might be an element for Atelier fans to be excited about, and also for the general exploration and gathering in the field. 

In addition, in previous titles, you just synthesize items using materials. However, since there is a building system now, there is a joy to creating new stuff throughout building as well with materials. There are now two areas that you can enjoy for those who like to create stuff.

What type of content did you create to make the open world interesting and engaging for the player?

Hosoi: For me, it's the game Valheim. Of course, I didn't just copy the design of Valheim, but I was really impressed with playing this game. I think there are a lot of open-world games these days, but in my experience, Skyrim or Oblivion. In addition, it's been a while, but I was really impressed in the past with Halo's open field design, and I wanted to incorporate that impression into this game. That's how I came up with the idea for the open world content in Yumia.

Finally, as a fun type of question, what is your favorite monster in the series and why?

Hosoi: Puni. Even though the Puni gets attacked all the time, they live free. Their living environment seems fun! *laughs*

Post-Interview Questions

After the formal interview, there was a time later on where all of my fellow previewers for Atelier Yumia had left. As the only one left in the office still playing the preview, I had some casual time where Hosoi sat down and we chatted about the game and my thoughts about the four hours I had spent with the game. While I won’t share everything we spoke about during this informal time, there were some notable and even funny anecdotes worth mentioning.

For one, on the discussion of the newmotorcycle. (Yes, there is indeed a motorcycle you can cruise around this fantasy open-world in.) Apparently, the motorcycle was partly inspired by the iconic bike that Akira uses in the beloved 1988 anime film.

In addition to that, we spoke on the character designs and, more specifically, the companion Flammi. While I didn’t get to see too much of Flammi as a character, I learned about how the adorable little floating candle-like creation came from Yumia’s mother. When deg and writing Flammi, Hosoi explained that it came about partly because of characters like R2-D2 and C-3PO from Star Wars. More specifically, the idea of Flammi being a message or gift from Yumia’s mother, much in the same way R2-D2 brings a message to Ben Kenobi and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

All of these fascinating details show that Atelier Yumia has had an intriguing development thus far. With the game pretty much complete at this point, only time will tell how Atelier Yumia lands for existing fans and newcomers alike when it launches worldwide on March 21, 2025.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land releases for Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 21, 2025.

The post Interview: Atelier Yumia Takes Inspiration from Valheim, Akira, and Star Wars appeared first on Siliconera.

I find the Atelier series is one of the most fascinating JRPG franchises, especially as of late. I always knew about the series, but never took a dive into it until re-releases and ports appeared on the Switch, starting with Atelier Rorona. Atelier Yumia marks an even larger shift in direction for the line than the Ryza trilogy, as Gust focuses entirely on action and going with a more mainstream approach that I could see as appealing to a larger group of players.

I recently had the chance to sit down to play about four and a half hours or so of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. The bulk of my demo involved starting from the very beginning of the adventure. However, I also had the chance to check out a late-game save towards the end.

Right off the bat, Atelier Yumia is visually very different from the previous titles. Sure, at times it features the colorful nature of the other games, especially with the anime-like character designs. However, it also showcases a more mature and graphically detailed world. It is more appealing to look at and it runs incredibly well, especially as an open-world game with almost no load times when fast-traveling.

Yumia herself is also seems to be one of the more well-designed protagonists in the series, and ittedly an instant favorite for me. She is ionate about alchemy and living her life for her mother, which makes her a slightly quieter, but more appealing, character overall. The beginning of Atelier Yumia sees her and her adorable companion Flammi traverse a mini-dungeon seemingly partway through the story.

This immediate thrust into the action ensures you get a glimpse of the party to come, alongside some of the villains and threats. Speaking of which, one of the notable features of the plot of this latest Atelier title is the addition of dedicated villains. Without spoiling too much, they certainly left an impression on me in these early moments, as well as later on, due their impressive designs and story beats.

This climactic introduction acts as a functional tutorial before going back in time and showing the moments that led up to that moment. For newcomers and veterans alike, the significant change here in the tutorial involves the combat. Gone are the days of turn-based or ATB-like systems found in entries like Atelier Ryza. Now it is time for essentially what is pure action-RPG combat.

Atelier Yumia has a pretty unique approach combat. When you enter a battle, the gameplay shifts to an almost arena-like system. It is completely different from other arena combat mechanics, like in the Tales of series. Instead, there is a circle that envelops the enemy(s). You can dodge, maneuver, and shift 360 degrees around them.

The enemy will attack you directly and perform AOE (area-of-effect) attacks. These AOEs often affect a quadrant or two of the circle. You then have to be always on your toes, ready to dodge to another part of the circle at any time. All the while you have up to four skills available to you. You can mash the face buttons to use these skills over and over until they are on cooldown for your attacks.

There are also dodges, heals, and even items you can use. In fact, the action combat becomes an intriguing dance. You might use a few skills, dodge, and then switch to using item attacks you synthesized previously to fill the gap while you wait for skills to come back.

Overall, there is surprisingly a lot to the combat and it feels like a drastic departure. This is by far the most complex and significant change for the series. To be honest, I could see some existing fans not vibing with this new gameplay style. For me, personally, I am always a fan of the pure turn-based combat.

Initially, this combat put me off a good bit. As the time went on (about three or so hours in), I started to actually enjoy the combat. While I still prefer turn-based, this is a solid system if you know what you’re getting into. I get the feeling this action combat is here to make the games more appealing to a mainstream audience, which it succeeds in so far.

Outside of combat, exploration is by far my favorite in the series yet. The open-world is so much more engaging and lively with content to see and do than my time with the Ryza trilogy. Every few steps, there is a new question mark to uncover on the map. It could be a locked treasure chest to use a minigame to unlock. Or it could be a fierce mini-boss-like foe. Heck, it could even be a new campsite to build around.

Yes, I did say building. Building is the other major shift for this series. Outside of spin-off games, the series has not focused this heavily on building as much as this one. There are major building points and bases all throughout the open world to uncover. Here, you have a space that is wholly your own to customize.

You can build houses and buildings from scratch or use preset recipes. Regardless, you have to use the materials you gather in the open-world to power your creations. There is a lot of freedom in how and what you build. For instance, I asked one of the Koei Tecmo staff if there is a house with multiple floors. They said later on in the game, yes, but that didn’t matter. I just took the single-floor house I got by default, cut off the roof, and made a second floor myself. It is a free and snappy building system that is actually the most fun I had with the experience.

When it comes to synthesizing, Atelier Yumia is in an interesting place. The crafting is quite different from past titles. It is mostly simplified to be more welcoming to newcomers, with only a couple of materials to worry about. In addition, recipes are far more lenient in of what materials you need unless you want the best possible rating for an item. It takes some getting used to, but I appreciated the simplicity. That said, it isn’t quite as fun as the synthesis in older games like the Arland trilogy.

I won’t dive too much into the spoilers, but I like the cast so far. There are certainly more interesting and memorable characters than I am used to in this series. The later-game save allowed me to see more of some of them and how unique they play compared to others. It was a short tease, but being able to ride a motorcycle (yes, motorcycle) around the world is a blast.

I will say the biggest drawback I noticed during my preview session is the lack of dedicated cities. Sure, there are some smaller settlements here and there. However, nothing feels like the grand cities or towns from past titles. I didn’t find the option to enjoy running around buying and selling items or chatting with the locals. It is a shame, but it appears this title focuses more on a wild and untamed world.

Regardless, the more time I spent with Atelier Yumia, the more it grew on me. This is a game that will take some time to get used to. This is especially because of the intense and stark shift in the action and building directions. That said, if you take the time to learn these systems, it seems the brilliant cast and lore complement this well for the most welcoming and action-packed game in the series yet.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land releases for Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 21, 2025.

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Two more Atelier games inspired Nendoroids, as there will be one of Yumia Liessfeldt from Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land and another of Reisalin Stout from Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. Announcements for both came up during the Nendoroid Funs 2025 Winter showcase.

That video only featured concept art of the Atelier Yumia and Atelier Ryza 2 Nendoroids. However, it didn’t just pull art of the characters from the games. These are actual chibi versions of each that will be used when deg the figures. Each one will come equipped with a staff, as shown in the concept art. They’ll also be wearing their standard, default costumes from their two games.

Here are the official concept art reveals for each of the new Atelier games figures:

This marks the second Ryza figure in this product line to appear, as one based on Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideoutshowed up in 2022. While the outfit and design is similar to the one, the character grows and changes throughout the series, and her look reflects that. A scale figure of Lumia was also previously announced. That Nendoroid also allowed someone to display her with her jacket on or off.

You can watch the full Nendoroid Funs 2025 Winter showcase on YouTube below:

This is actually the second Atelier Ryza figure announcement to come up on February 6, 2025. Proof announced new scale figures based on Klaudia Valentz and Lila Decyrus. Each of them are wearing swimsuits based on ones they wore in the game and anime.

There’s no release window for the Atelier Yumia and Atelier Ryza 2 Nendoroids. Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is on the PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC, and Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Next Atelier Games Nendoroids Are Ryza and Yumia appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo has revealed that it will set up a merchandise booth at Comic Market 105. The company will particularly sell merchandise themed after Fate/Samurai Remnant and Gust's Atelier series. Prices for the item will range from 800 yen (~$5.35) for individual domino-shaped keychains featuring Atelier Resleriana characters to 12,600 yen (~$84.50) for a full set of 14 acrylic magnets with Fate/Samurai Remnant characters.

The Atelier lineup will feature multiple titles from the long-running series. There will be specific focuses on Atelier Yumia, Atelier Sophie 2, the Atelier Ryza trilogy, and Atelier Resleriana. The latter will comprise both the ongoing mobile game Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator and the console game The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian.

Meanwhile, the Fate/Samurai Remnant segment will primarily focus on the seven primary Masters and Servants who appeared in the game's storyline. However, Koei Tecmo will also include acrylic stands showing Fate/Grand Order ascension stage forms of Servants who debuted in the console game, such as Yamato Takeru, Yui Shousetsu, and Minamoto-no-Raikou a.k.a. Ushi Gozen.

Comic Market 105 will take place at Tokyo Big Sight on December 29-30, 2024, and Koei Tecmo will set up its merchandise booth at No.1322 in the corporate booth area in the Western 3-4 Hall.

The post Koei Tecmo Comic Market 105 Merchandise Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo has updated its TGS 2024 webpage with details on its live streams at the event. The company will hold two separate streams to showcase its games.

The first stream will be part of the Tokyo Game Show 2024 Official Program lineup. Koei Tecmo will get its own slot on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 9 PM JST / 8 AM ET. The company will dedicate this stream to reveal details about Dynasty Warriors: Origins.

Koei Tecmo will then hold its own stream on the following day at 5 PM JST / 4 AM ET. The company will showcase its other games in this stream. The list will include Fairy Tail 2, Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8, and the recently revealed Atelier Yumia. The ongoing live service titles Atelier Resleriana and Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation will complete the stream's roster.

Here is the full stream schedule for the Koei Tecmo TGS 2024 live stream on Friday, September 27, 2024. All times below are listed in the Japanese time zone (UTC+9).

• 17:00 / 5:00 PM - Opening
• 17:15 / 5:15 PM - Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake
• 17:50 / 5:50 PM - Atelier Yumia and Atelier Resleriana
• 19:00 / 7:00 PM - Fairy Tail 2
• 19:50 / 7:50 PM - KT App
• 20:00 / 8:00 PM - Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• 20:55 / 8:55 PM - Merchandise information
• 21:05 / 9:05 PM - Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation
• 22:10 / 10:10 PM - Ending

The Koei Tecmo TGS 2024 live streams will be available on September 26 and 27, 2024.

The post Koei Tecmo TGS 2024 Full Stream Lineup Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

In a recent interview with Famitsu, Atelier Series Producer Junzo Hosoi shared new details about the cast of main characters in the new entry Atelier Yumia, as well as confirmed Victor and Isla will be the first two who will Yumia's party. His commentary included details about the type of character designs and the process of creating them. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

When asked about Yumia’s design, the interviewer pointed out that black hair is rare for an Atelier protagonist. Hosoi said that it was decided early in development that Yumia's color scheme would focus heavily on black and white. However, the details of her design weren’t detailed until later. In contrast, Isla von Duerer's design was decided early on.

Hosoi added that when they put Isla and Yumia, whose design was still not finalized, side by side, Isla looked more like the typical Atelier protagonist. The developers then had about 30 to 40 rounds of fine tuning to make Yumia feel more like the main character and to try and make her appeal as global as possible. They settled on emphasizing her coolness as a strong and independent woman, as well as her use of acrobatic footwork.

Hosoi also talked about some of the ing cast of Atelier Yumia. In regards to Viktor, the producer said that he is the type of man of justice that hadn't seen in the Atelier series until now. Hosoi compared him to Marvel’s Captain America. Meanwhile, Isla is Viktor's younger sister. She has a friendly personality and gets along well with her brother. As mentioned before, her design is closer to previous Atelier protagonists.

Nina is a mysterious woman, and the developers deliberately designed her to be straightforward and fit the assassin archetype. Rutger is another character whose design is new to the Atelier series. Rutger has a noteworthy past, but he was designed as to not give it away immediately. The world of Atelier Yumia has various demihuman races, and Lenja belongs to the Welleks.

The Atelier Yumia official website offers character profiles for the main party , and you can take a look at their designs here:

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come out worldwide on March 21, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.

The post Atelier Yumia Main Characters Detailed in New Interview appeared first on Siliconera.

Koei Tecmo announced the worldwide release date for Atelier Yumia, and it also shared a new trailer going over the game’s story and systems. This is the first look at the Atelier series RPG since its debut at the August 2024 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase. 

Here’s the Atelier Yumia trailer, which begins with her talking about her mother and following in her footsteps. In this entry, alchemists are essentially outlaws and the art is forbidden. However, Yumia’s mother was one, and it cost her her life in an incident. Still, Yumia is also working to become a skilled alchemist who can help people and investigate what happened to the Aladissian Empire with an Aladiss Research Team. It was a nation in which alchemy played a major part, and as we explore, we find clues as to what happened. 

However, while Yumia’s arts are frowned upon by most, she is still ed by people. The two introduced in the video are Viktor and Isla von Duerer, who monitor and her. We get to see the three of them explore the world, fight enemies in battle, and meet other allies. However, while we do get to see a lot of exploration, story, and battle elements in this latest video, we don’t see too much alchemy. But in this installment, you can perform fusions at her hub or perform Simple Synthesis in the field for some materials. When she is in her hub, however, she can also construct furniture and decorations for her alchemist base.

The Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land release date is March 21, 2025, and it will appear on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam worldwide.

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