I Played Atelier Yumia – Here’s What I Think

Recently, I wrapped up Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories, the newest entry in the long-running Atelier JRPG series that’s been around since the PS1 era. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll refer to it as Atelier Yumia throughout this review.

This marks the fifth Atelier game I’ve completed, following Atelier Ryza 1 & 2 and Atelier Sophie 1 & 2. I played the PC version and went all-in—unlocking every Steam achievement over a 73-hour playthrough.

What’s Atelier Yumia All About?

In Atelier Yumia, you play as Yumia, a young alchemist living in a world where alchemy is frowned upon—viewed as dangerous and even forbidden in certain areas. Unlike the lighthearted tone of previous entries, this installment takes on a more serious atmosphere.

The game features a vast open world with various regions to explore. While you do have a main atelier, you’re also able to set up outposts across the map to craft items on the go, making exploration more seamless.

Story Overview: A World Where Alchemy is Taboo

Yumia’s story is a personal one. Her mother was an alchemist who passed away, and driven by both love and curiosity, Yumia joins an expedition to investigate the fallen Aladiss Empire—a civilization that collapsed after a mysterious catastrophe.

Since alchemy is controversial, other explorers are wary of Yumia’s presence. Still, she’s determined to uncover the truth behind the world’s rejection of alchemy and what really caused the empire’s fall.

Is Atelier Yumia Any Good?

Yes—though it’s different.

As my fifth Atelier title, I noticed right away that Yumia stands apart from Ryza and Sophie, especially when it comes to alchemy. In previous games, I spent hours crafting healing items, gear, and weapons using resources gathered from the world.

Each material in Atelier has unique properties—even two samples of “water” can differ in quality or traits—affecting your final items. Crafting isn’t just plug-and-play; it’s about optimizing combinations for best results.

But in Yumia, alchemy takes more of a backseat. The game has fewer recipes, and I found myself spending less time in the atelier and more time exploring and pushing the story forward. The focus here is clearly on narrative and worldbuilding.

Exploration and Combat

The open-world design is a major shift from the more segmented maps in previous titles. As part of the expedition team, you explore the ancient ruins and wilderness that once belonged to Aladiss.

The map is huge, with various biomes and secrets to uncover. Since I was aiming for 100% completion, I visited every region and collected all materials I could find. The effort was worth it—I reached level 124 with fully upgraded weapons, and the final boss was a breeze.

That said, the game is relatively easy. Power leveling through exploration and crafting makes combat encounters manageable, and I never hit a major difficulty spike.

Technical Issues

One downside: bugs. Atelier Yumia launched in March and had a rough start, as many Steam users reported. During my 70+ hours of play, I encountered four bugs—nothing game-breaking, but still notable. Developers have been releasing patches, but some rough edges remain.

Final Verdict: 3.5 out of 5

While I didn’t enjoy Yumia as much as Sophie or Ryza, I still had a good time. The alchemy system felt stripped down, but the story, exploration, and characters were engaging enough to keep me going. If you’re in it for the adventure more than the crafting, Atelier Yumia might be exactly what you’re looking for.