First Impressions: Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land

atelier yumia

Author’s Note: A Game Key for the Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land  

was kindly provided by KOEI TECMO

I’m back with another very exciting Atelier series post, and I couldn’t be more excited to dive into this recently released Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land.

Originally released in early 2025, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land takes players, both familiar with the franchise and new, on a journey through memory. This time on the Nintendo Switch 2, the game includes several new features and improvements. Those who already own the game on Nintendo Switch can also upgrade to the Switch 2 edition via the Nintendo eShop.

Since the Atelier franchise began back in 1997, there have been over 7.5 million copies of the games sold worldwide. Still, with this most recent release and upcoming releases, that number will continue to grow.

Atelier Yumia Nintendo Switch 2 Trailer

I always like to take a moment to dive into the game’s trailer. This way you can get a glimpse of the game and what it’s about before I dive in and share more information and my thoughts about the game.

So, what did you think? Are you ready to start a new Atelier journey?

What comes in the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game?

  • Improved resolution and framerate
  • Shorter loading times
  • New local GameShare functionality. While playing alongside another player using GameShare, you will be able to switch between the roles of main player and support as you battle and explore.
  • Includes the Atelier Yumia Backpack Set. An accessory set for changing the colour of Yumia’s backpack and Flammi’s smoke.

While there are some changes from the original Nintendo Switch edition, Atelier Yumia The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land sees many of the core concepts of the franchise reworked into a stunning open-world adventure. This also extends into the characters that you’ll play alongside and meet on your journey in the Aladissian Empire.

What if I already own Atelier Yumia on Switch?

For those who already own Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on Nintendo Switch, you can upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of the game. The cost for this via the Nintendo eShop is £5.

Also be aware that there are no Digital Deluxe or Ultimate editions for the Nintendo Switch 2 at this moment in time.

Embarking on a new Atelier Journey

This is only my second time diving into an Atelier game. The first was the Atelier Ryza games a few months ago, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unsure as to what to expect with Atelier Yumia, I went in open-minded but excited. For this playthrough, I was going to be embarking on a new adventure on the Nintendo Switch 2 as opposed to my PC.

Without any hesitation, I jumped straight into the game.

One thing I liked about playing on the Nintendo Switch 2 was that you could freely switch between playing docked and handheld. I mean, it’s in the name of the console ultimately, but depending on your mood, you could change up how you play. That certainly did help at the start of the June heatwave, where I found myself opting for playing handheld so that I could find somewhere cooler to play Atelier Yumia.

While playing between the two, I did notice some issues with frame rates dropping however, that did not overshadow my core Atelier Yumia experience for the most part. This is a known issue, and from some quick research, it appears that a fix is currently in the works and should be released very shortly. Throughout what I have played of the game so far, this is the only issue I have run into, and after a short while when I was playing each time, I’d somewhat adapted to it.

Regardless of the frame rate concerns, my opening few hours with the game were wonderful. It gave me a great starting point for the character and mechanics of the game. This included combat, synthesising, base building and getting to know some of the earlier characters.

While I have put a good amount of hours into the game so far, now that the most recent heatwave has passed the UK ( a story for another day), I’m still only scratching the surface on the game as a whole. I feel as though I’ve mastered the basics for the most part and have a good initial understanding of what I’ve experienced so far. Of course, I still have a long way to go, but I’m having fun.

So far on my journey, I’ve met some interesting characters. Those who play a part in the Atelier Yumia story as a whole, as well as those who will be accompanying me along the way on my journey. Quirky, unique and mysterious, I can see how each of their skills and personalities will help bring the story to life.

As for the story itself, following on from the opening moments during the tutorial, I was eager to see how it played out. As of yet, I’ve not been disappointed. I’ve certainly got a few potential ideas on how it could play out as I continue, but I will have to wait and see if that is correct or not later on.

Combat is fun and easy to understand. Battles aren’t too difficult at the moment, but as I level up, I know I’m going to have to keep in mind a number of the enemies I will face. Not all battles are easy ones, and sometimes they take a little bit of strategic thinking in the moment to overcome the foes!

Synthesising has been interesting to learn. It’s something I felt a little confused about to start with, but soon started getting the hang of it. Alongside gathering everything that is essentially gatherable in sight, I think I’ve got enough consumables to craft for the time being.

I can’t forget to mention that I’ve really enjoyed working on my own little builds at bases in the game. It gives a nice little touch of freedom and creativity in the game.

Final Thoughts, So Far

Overall, my quest in Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land has been wonderful. Despite the issues with frame rate (and the recent British weather), it’s been nice to sit down and relax with the game and get lost within its surroundings. I can already see differences and improvements from when I previously played Atelier Ryza, but in a good way. Also, how each game in the Atelier series is its own.

Having only scratched the surface of the game, I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues, how Yumia develops, as well as relationships with the other characters throughout the game. This is certainly a game I’ll be picking up and playing here and there over time. I’ll be sharing more over on my social media.

Thank you once again to KOEI TECMO for giving me the opportunity to play Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land on the Nintendo Switch 2.

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Published by Krista

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