Trek to Yomi – a dull blade. Review

Played on Xbox Series S

Some games can make you fall in LOVE at first sight. The watercolor tenderness of Gris and the riotous colors of The Artful Escape. The comfort of Tunic. Trek to Yomi can be viewed from the same number. The black-and-white samurai fight after Ghost of Tsushima is not as fresh, but the PlayStation exclusive had this filter. The Poles from Flying Wild Hog added him to their novelty if he only changes the colors. They attempted to recreate the Akira Kurosawa films about samurai, which forever entered cinema history.

⇡#Style above all else

The low-color palette isn’t an attempt to stand out but an artistic technique that made Trek to Yomi possible. The entire filmography of the classic was rewritten by the authors. Particular attention was paid to camera work. Many times, the camera captures what is happening from non-banal angles. There are many memorable episodes. I’m going to be taking screenshots every day, for both myself and others.

However, the plot of this game is quite boring. We’ve seen it a hundred thousand times. The story of a student who seeks revenge on his teacher. These supernatural elements, such as ghosts and infected behaving like zombies are not saving either. The story is not compelling and you don’t want the plot to twist, but rather to discover other interesting scenes.

Trek to Yomi’s gameplay is not worthy of praise. It’s a bit like a beat ’em-up, except that instead of using fists we use a Katana. The game also allows you to move freely outside of battles. However, you will still be in the same room.

Fighting always takes place from the side

The environment is worth exploring. You will find health and stamina upgrades in the optional areas. You can also find collectibles but they are difficult to open. You will also be able either to shorten the story or to activate a trap to defeat your opponents. This allows you to fight them face-to-face. You can damage a dam or drop something from the top, or demolish a bridge. It is not necessary, and it does not save much time. However, it always looks amazing.

⇡#The difficult way of the Samurai

However, the game doesn’t indicate which path you will follow to reach the next story episode. That is an optional feature. This, in contrast to the visual style, does not seem like an intentional choice and seems more like a flaw. This is a common misunderstanding that can lead to confusion. You don’t unlock new abilities through the skill tree. Instead, they are occasionally given to your in the corner, with combinations of strikes. You’ve done a great job using the simplest combination.

Some people don’t immediately recognize their hero.

You can actually complete the game almost by doing the exact same thing: counterattacking and parrying. This is how ordinary enemies, as well as their armored counterparts, archers, ghosts, or infected, are defeated. It doesn’t matter whether the enemy is equipped with a spear, a katana or a spear; all attacks can be parried. Only the bosses will be more active but they won’t have any exciting duel.

This makes the gameplay and visual design clash too much. One side of the scale shows a lavish graphic style that is deeply imprinted in your memory. It’s almost like The Artist (2011) – would this movie have won an Oscar? It is not. This is the result: a black and white palette with authentic effects and transitions between scenes. The camera work is amazing and exceptional. On the other hand, the game’s gameplay is mediocre or even fatal. It is so unattractive that you want to skip the fight for the next scene.

It could be great!

It is also difficult to see how this gameplay could ever be improved. We have seen that receptions don’t need to be used. It is not the simplicity of parries that is important, but also how enemies respond to normal attacks. They do not seem stunned and will continue to torment and torture you. You need to press three to four buttons consecutively to complete the combination. Since opponents attack one at the time, there is no danger. Even if you’re surrounded from all sides, it will only be one opponent. The second opponent will attack as soon as the first one dies. The gameplay was a mess in Trek to Yomi.

***

Trek to Yomi’s developers thought all this would help the game stand out from the crowd. This is not true when the image is able cover all the game’s faults – it’s hard for people to overlook flaws that interfere with the enjoyment of the gameplay. The game can be viewed from the outside and you will find aesthetic pleasure. It’s almost like a Kurosawa film that has been lost. Unfortunately, it is difficult to play.

Advantages:

• Great atmosphere, in the spirit old samurai films;
• Characters with well-voiced voices

Disadvantages:

• Banal plot
• primitive combat system;
• gameplay gets repetitive too quickly;
• Many game bugs

Rating: 5.0/10

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