From Firis to Yumia: The Evolution of an Open Field
Hosoi-san admits that
Atelier Firis was the studio’s first experiment with open-world concepts. While the team aimed to create a more expansive field, player feedback and technical limitations led them to temporarily abandon the idea. Still, that ambition never fully faded.
“When we first tried an open-world approach in Atelier Firis, we believed we could incorporate it effectively,” Hosoi-san said. “However, we quickly realized we hadn’t fully established the necessary concepts or settings for a truly open field.”
Subsequent titles like
Atelier Ryza and
Atelier Ryza 3 introduced larger, more cohesive map designs. Though not fully open-world, those entries demonstrated Gust’s evolving techniques for connecting environments into something more seamless. This incremental progress, driven by player feedback and improved technology, set the stage for
Atelier Yumia—the series’ latest and largest endeavor yet.
The Oblivion Touch
Despite borrowing cues from Western RPGs, Hosoi-san emphasized the importance of keeping the
Atelier identity intact. He specifically referenced
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion as an ideal model for creating a sense of discovery and wonder within a vast landscape.
“Personally, I’ve always admired the open-world design in games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and wanted to create a similar sense of exploration within a JRPG framework,” Hosoi-san said. “We’ve been refining that approach ever since Atelier Firis.”
Rather than aiming for pure sandbox freedom, Gust has blended open exploration with
Atelier’s alchemy-driven gameplay and lighthearted storytelling. The result, based on Hosoi-san’s comments, is a more fluid experience that retains core JRPG elements like manageable quest progression and a greater emphasis on character interactions.
A Continuing Journey
Hosoi-san also spoke openly about the team’s willingness to learn from each release. He stated that while
Atelier Yumia aims to push boundaries—especially in map design—there are still areas for improvement, should the series continue beyond this entry.
“Since Atelier Yumia hasn’t been released yet, it’s hard to say we’ve fully achieved that vision,” Hosoi-san added. “We’ll keep refining [the open-world concept] in future titles if we get the chance.”
That said, fans concerned about a loss of traditional
Atelier charm can likely rest easy. Gust’s track record with
Ryza and beyond suggests a measured evolution, blending the new (action-oriented gameplay, more interconnected maps) with the beloved (alchemy, cozy slice-of-life elements).
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