“What kind of Karia would you like to adventure with?”
by Liam Doolan
The Koei Tecmo fantasy alchemy RPG Atelier Karia: The Night Kingdom & the Guide of Memories is making its way to the Switch 2 early next year. In an update from Gust this week, it confirmed a “body shape change feature” is officially on the way.
In a post on the game’s website, the developer revealed it has decided to implement this feature based on recent community survey results and feedback. Karia’s body shape “will change depending on how much she eats during snacks”. Players will also be able to turn the body shape changes “on” and “off” (and lock the shape) based on their preferences.
Gust: “When the feature is turned ON, Karia’s body shape will change depending on how much she eats during snacks. When it is turned OFF, her body shape will not change no matter how much she eats. Even with body shape changes turned ON, players will also be able to lock Karia at a preferred body shape so that further eating will not change it.
“Whether you want to enjoy seeing Karia’s body shape change, keep your favorite body shape, or play without any body shape changes at all, the feature is being designed so you can enjoy the game in the way you prefer.”
According to the recent survey results, 78.9% of respondents wanted this feature in Gust’s upcoming game. Here’s a look:
Koei Tecmo also surveyed fans about the best costumes for Karia and asked what kind of “special short story” based on a theme they should create, with “Karia goes on a food tour” taking out the top spot. You can see the other results on the official game site.
Here’s some PR about what else you can expect when this game launches for Switch 2 on 25th February 2027. And you can check out the latest trailer above.
“This entry in the Atelier series focuses on tying in alchemy to deepen every aspect of the game. Synthesized items can now be used for more than just combat. They will assist you during exploration and base-building, and will help shape the very path of your adventure. Karia can also eat synthesized items to change both her appearance and abilities. Synthesize items, use them on your adventure, and eat them. This cycle will tie everything together in this new evolution of the Atelier series.”
Will you be getting this game when it launches? What do you think about this feature? Let us know in the comments.
[source atelier.games]
Liam is a news writer and reviewer on Nintendo Life. He’s been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of many iconic video game characters.
