Worth: $12.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Intro:
… a beautiful-looking slog.
It’s often remarked upon that video games are loads of fun to play, but not so much to watch. That notion, first birthed in the 1970s-80s presumably, has certainly taken a beating with the rise of “Let’s Play” videos on Youtube and Twitch, but the in-person experience of watching some other wanker pissfarting about with the controller is usually pretty ordinary. Just ask any younger sibling or partner of an avid gamer.
It’s strange then, that Trek to Yomi, the latest title from developer Flying Wild Hog, feels like the sort of game that actually would be more fun to watch than it is to play, which isn’t necessarily a total pan, but nor is it an effusive compliment.
Trek to Yomi is a side-scrolling 2D(ish) slash-em-up adventure game. You play as a samurai named Hiroki, whose village is invaded by bandits when he’s just a wee lad. Showing the survival instincts of a Feudal Japan Kevin McCallister, Hiroki wins the day but after a time-skip to adulthood, the same bandits return, and things don’t go as well. The revenge narrative is pretty standard fare for samurai yarns, but the 5-7 hour story takes intriguing supernatural twists in the latter stages.
Okay, first up: the good news. Trek to Yomi is an absolute visual showcase. Although it’s a lower budgeted title with less resources than your average AAA offering, the clever use of gorgeous black and white visuals, film grain treatment overlayed on top and clever implementation of light and shade all add up to a beautiful, striking looking game.
At times it feels like you’re playing an old Kurosawa film, which is an absolute joy to behold.
The problem, however, is that Yomi isn’t a joy to actually play. It’s not awful, mind you, everything works but nothing feels tight or compelling or even particularly fun. You learn new attacks, upgrade various abilities, but it’s all basically bog-standard hack and slash that has been done much better elsewhere many times before.
The ultimate result is a fitfully engaging disconnect, a gorgeous playground with crappy toys. Hardcore enthusiasts of samurai films and games will probably find something to love here, but for everyone else, even at this relatively short length, Trek to Yomi can at times feel like a beautiful-looking slog.
