Trek to Yomi Review (Original Punkcln)
Trek to Yomi is what I would describe as an "interactive painting"
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Each scene from this game is like a painting or a clip from an old vintage Japanese film. The camera angle, the use of excellent lighting and props placement make each scene aesthetically pleasing and screenshot worthy, from beginning to end. If you're looking for a game about 4-5 hours long, with beautiful art style, different renditions of both the real and supernatural worlds, and abundant opportunities for screenshots, this game is for you.
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However, this game takes a pretty sharp turn when it comes to gameplay. Trek to Yomi is a very linear game. There is really no big area to explore, except small hidden rooms scattered throughout the game, no metroidvania or meaningful progression element to boost replayability. It's just a 5-hour cinematic experience and really nothing else. The story follows a young samurai named Hiroki through his journey to slay the bandit leader, Kagerou. Overcoming his weaknesses and reflecting upon himself in Yomi, the land of the dead according to Japanese belief, Hiroki can choose which principle to rely on, which will result in 3 different endings, with 1 additional secret ending.
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The biggest drag that pulls this game down is its janky combat. The use of both your movement inputs and attack combo strings disrupts the flow of combat, and becomes an issue in boss fights and enemies that require you to move or strike at an opportune time. In addition that this game consist mostly of combat against groups of enemies of various types, Trek to Yomi can be a chore to go through once the novelty of its art style wears off.