Trek to Yomi review of the latest little gem released by Devolver Digital

The Trek to Yomi project has managed to attract attention from the moment of its announcement. The pairing of feudal Japan and Devolver Digital was enough for many to keep the antennae afloat, and now we come to the final moment of decision. We played (and replayed) this little gem to give you the best of it. Trek to Yomi review. Despite some obvious and inevitable production limits, Leonard Menchiari and Flying Boar they have managed to show their passion and interest in a culture that is as special as it is fascinating.

walking around Yomi

Trek to Yomi makes its narrative component its greatest pride, not so much in the complexity of a fairly simple and banal plot, but in its shape and ability to respect and honor the stories it inspires. Just a few days ago we had the opportunity to have a virtual chat with the game designer. We recommend that you take the interview dedicated to Leonard Menchiari, which is absolutely important to understand some of the dynamics in the development process.

In short, the story puts us in the shoes of a mentor-raised and trained man who suddenly finds himself forced to put aside his youth to face the invaders of his own people. In fact, bandits are tearing apart the peaceful inhabitants of some villages. everything is going bad and hero finds himself deadTrapped in this eternally cursed nature, she is destined to search for her own personal and emotional ghosts, to finally understand what happened to her people and supposed lover.

Classicone, as already mentioned, with the will to get rid of the big one Japanese cinema tradition of the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, this is where the entire aesthetic is based, as well as the choices that will largely lead to clear and distinct game dynamics. Everything about Trek to Yomi’s journey focuses on the hero, his journey and his responsibilities, without forgetting the choices that could change the entire vision of the story.

The four or five hours it took to finish the game were just right without overdoing or diluting the experience. However, the first special short from Trek to Yomi is created precisely in the selections mentioned above. choice to include multiple endings and important personal choices must ultimately generate the will to try to understand how it could be. The “What If” effect in Trek to Yomi is not very effective.

Also thanksinability to replay individual episodes, but had to start over each time. Honestly, during our interview, it became clear that the choices were there precisely to allow us to orient our journey on our preferred path. All this without forcing the player to relive all the different possibilities. While it is possible to understand the intent, there is no doubt that more can be done to better manage this vital aspect.

clash of honor

Trek to Yomi is undoubtedly a work that tries to overcome the barriers to its productive value. Menchiari’s play is also very inspiring, though he is conscious and clever in avoiding overdoing it. By trying to better frame the experience, Trek to Yomi is a scrolling action adventuremixes the three-dimensional background with a hybrid progression.

Battle stages alternate with others, all of which are pure exploration without interruption. While fighting, the camera is stabilized, the perspective is mimicked, and the movement becomes completely horizontal. On the other hand, when you sheath your katana, environments become freely exploreable, creating both diversity and alienation.

They intend to push this aspect further collection. So beautiful in their realization and the texts that accompany them, they are capable of deepening Japanese culture and mythology, often but they must be salvaged in alternative ways that are not always easy to identify. This isn’t a problem in itself, but when you choose a path that seems to all intents and purposes right to continue, and realize you’re stuck a few meters ahead before you can turn back, you turn your nose up, for obvious reasons. And this is where schizophrenia produces.inability to relive individual episodesespecially considering the division of the collections into pages devoted to the various parts of the adventure.

Of course Trek to Yomi too war, trying to show his cards here, not just the sword. The entire game is based on the idea of ​​one-on-one (or nearly) combat. When opponents meet, they position themselves in front of or behind us, activating a dance that evokes loud fencing and its “two-dimensional” development. Even when opponents appear in a group, the game tends to keep them in the background, almost as if they were spectators, waiting for one of the two positions to become empty again after one of the enemies dies.

Cover and counterattack: A technique that takes double value in Trek to Yoki, given the presence of stamina and the speed at which surrender is possible. The desire of the team to make conflicts brutal and swift can also be found here. types of competitors He said it was possible to meet. At least until the final stages, when more resistant and aggressive versions or real elements from the hereafter are added next to the simple bandits that move in a few blows.

Flicking around to create a sense of depth, they’re thinking about it, even if they don’t really succeed until the end. skills and unlocking some new combinationsrecoverable in the form of parchment. Whether it’s a katana, bow, or some kind of arquebus, everything in Trek to Yoki remains at the constant service of narration and staging, sacrificing the fun part here and there to add value to the journey. it’s all legal even if it’s uncomfortable some minor command response issuesone that leaves us helpless at times, but that we hope can be fixed with some patches.

I bosses are the only enemies with their own health bar and although they do not pose a real threat, they do exist in large numbers. We just wanted to be selective, we didn’t understand why we added an additional difficulty that allows you to kill and be killed in one shot, but by removing the bosses from this dynamic, we almost completely lose the balance of the experience.

Technique and style

Trek to Yomi is a standalone product and therefore makes successful attempts in our opinion to overcome technical limitations with research and research. delicious style code. Forget about large polygon models or triple-A motion capture, but the truth is, Flying Wild Hog’s work is an impressive gem. The architecture, the background, the attention to detail and the soundtrack burst passionately from every pore, entertaining the palates of Japanese culture buffs.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for concerns. care in texts and dialoguesalthough they also follow the stylistic features of the genre, they do not really leave a trace. This is where the entire reality of Trek to Yomi plays out, for good or for bad. What works always goes hand in hand with a less successful and inspiring element, creating minimal regret for a small rough stone that doesn’t eventually turn into a diamond.