Video Game Review: Yo-Kai Watch - It's Nyaat Pokémon

Developer Level-5
Publisher Nintendo
Distributor Nintendo Distributor South Africa
Where we got our copy Nintendo Distributor South Africa
Genre RPG
Game modes Single Player, Multiplayer
Reviewed on Nintendo 3DS

Guest Contributor

Published October 14, 2016

Guest review by Ruben “Slightly Rusted Bear” Stander

Ever since the release of the first Pokemon games in 1995, many a game has tried to replicate the secret formula of success – all with varying degrees of success. However, what a lot of game companies forgot was that Pokemon thoroughly filled that niche. Yo-Kai Watch isn’t one of those clones, but has certainly made a move on that market, managing to outsell Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be Shin Megami Tensei, albeit a super kiddified version. With that little disclaimer out of the way…

The game takes place in a fictional small town called Springdale that is inhabited with yokai, which are basically spirits from Japanese folklore. You follow the adventures of a young boy (or girl) called Nate (Or Katie), and while you can change the name to Homo Deminitus, or really anything your little heart desires, I went with the canon name because I’m the type of guy who prefers my fries unsalted.

Once you’ve been introduced to your partner in crime, a yokai butler by the name of Whisper, your journey formally starts with you having to subdue one of the many yokai Nate manages to piss off. The battle system is unusual and takes some getting used to. You’re given a total of six slots for yokai, but can never have more than three active yokai on the field. The yokai watch is represented by the bottom screen and lets players switch out their active yokai, remove debuffs, use items, mark targets, and unleash their yokai’s special attacks. That being said, you are never in direct control of your yokai, their personalities determine how and when they attack, you can suggest targets, but that’s about it. This hands-off approach to battle is interesting, but will end up as something most players will either love or hate. That being said, the combat system takes on a real shine when it comes to boss battles, which are basically exercises in observation and a real pleasure to play.

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Another big aspect of the game is recruiting yokai, and honestly, there’s not much to say. When you defeat a yokai in battle there’s a chance it will offer to join you, this chance goes down the rarer the yokai. On top of this, certain rare yokai have very specific spawn conditions so even if you manage to run in to it, there’s a very small chance of it joining you. Needless to say, if you’re the type of person who derives joy from 100% completion, then this will be your personal hell.

By the time you’re halfway through the game, you’ll have access to most of the game map and this allows for a fair deal of exploration, you can even explore late at night – no one will stop you, I promise. This is another area where the game shines because there’s something genuinely cathartic about running around town, catching all sorts of unsuspecting wildlife and doing genuinely entertaining sidequests.

Ultimately, this is a game for kids and the story reflects that. There’s no intrigue or deep philoshophical underpinnings – it’s just fun, lighthearted, and sweeter than a candy apple dipped in syrup. The soundtrack definitely deserves a special mention because it really helps cultivate the pleasant atmosphere the game strives to create and is pleasant to listen to. There’s not much in the way of post-game content besides a fairly difficult dungeon filled with rare yokai, but unless you’re a nutter completionist you’ll quickly lose interest.

Whether you should buy this game or not is really up to personal preference. It’s not groundbreaking nor is it bad. If you’re the type of person that enjoys the collect-a-thon format and doesn’t mind a bit of grinding, then you’ll have fun with this. If not, then it’s obviously not for you.

Guest review by Ruben "Slightly Rusted Bear" Stander Ever since the release of the first Pokemon games in 1995, many a game has tried to replicate the secret formula of success - all with varying degrees of success. However, what a lot of game companies forgot was that Pokemon thoroughly filled that niche. Yo-Kai Watch isn't one of those clones, but has certainly made a move on that market, managing to outsell Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be Shin Megami Tensei, albeit a super kiddified version. With that little disclaimer out of the way... The game takes place in a fictional small town called Springdale that is inhabited with yokai, which are basically spirits from Japanese folklore. You follow the adventures of a young boy (or girl) called Nate (Or Katie), and while you can change the name to Homo Deminitus, or really anything your little heart desires, I went with the canon name because I'm the type of guy who prefers my fries unsalted. Once you've been introduced to your partner in crime, a yokai butler by the name of Whisper, your journey formally starts with you having to subdue one of the many yokai Nate manages to piss off. The battle system is unusual and takes some getting used to. You're given a total of six slots for yokai, but can never have more than three active yokai on the field. The yokai watch is represented by the bottom screen and lets players switch out their active yokai, remove debuffs, use items, mark targets, and unleash their yokai's special attacks. That being said, you are never in direct control of your yokai, their personalities determine how and when they attack, you can suggest targets, but that's about it. This hands-off approach to battle is interesting, but will end up as something most players will either love or hate. That being said, the combat system takes on a real shine when it comes to boss battles, which are basically exercises in observation and a real pleasure to play. Another big aspect of the game is recruiting yokai, and honestly, there's not much to say. When you defeat a yokai in battle there's a chance it will offer to join you, this chance goes down the rarer the yokai. On top of this, certain rare yokai have very specific spawn conditions so even if you manage to run in to it, there's a very small chance of it joining you. Needless to say, if you're the type of person who derives joy from 100% completion, then this will be your personal hell. By the time you're halfway through the game, you'll have access to most of the game map and this allows for a fair deal of exploration, you can even explore late at night - no one will stop you, I promise. This is another area where the game shines because there's something genuinely cathartic about running around…

Video Game Review: Yo-Kai Watch – It’s Nyaat Pokémon

2016-10-14

Guest Contributor

There's more yokai that taters in Idaho

Possessions - 6.5

65 6.5

Total

Over all, Yo-kai Watch feels like a missed opportunity. It has a lot of good ideas but fails to implement them in a meaningful way. The visual, audio, and charm might be enough to warrant a purchase, but only if you're willing to put up with a bit of grind and uninspired plot.