Trekking to Yomi is a worthwhile adventure.
Trek To Yomi is a game that promises death. Yomi, a Japanese term for “the land of the dead,” is where according to Shinto mythology, the dead go in their afterlife. You’re the Hiroki, the sole samurai. You vow to protect your home from bandits and ne-do-wells. Naturally, that means you’re also sending lots of bad guys on their little trek to Yomi.
There’s certainly a fun and stylish tale of vengeance to be found here. Its minimalist design may not be for everyone.
Trek To Yomi’s gameplay, which combines 3D space with 2D planes, is its best asset. While players can explore the levels in 3D with fixed camera perspectives, which make the most of some great framing, combat moves to a strictly 2D view when it starts. This is a fantastic approach that allows the developers to create a world that feels authentic and lived in without sacrificing the effectiveness and simplicity of combat. This 3D space rewards exploration with alternative routes, collectables, and ways to bypass or neutralise the enemy.
Combat is quite standard. There are light, medium, and heavy attacks. It is possible to turn the button when you are surrounded manually. However, it does not take long before this becomes second nature. It’s not as common to see how fast Trek To Yomi can end, especially for those playing on more serious difficulty. While the hard mode was challenging, the normal mode felt rewarding and taxing. You can certainly die quickly, but most enemies will not.
Although you are initially limited to some basic combos, as you progress, you will be able to unlock more inputs that can create different attack strings. It was clear that the best strategy during play was to hold down until an enemy attack landed and then hit the basic combo. This would usually kill most enemies while keeping you protected. At that point, I was dying to see what other attacks could do and be punished.
It can be not easy to find the right visual style. Trek To Yomi uses a black-and-white, grainy filter to imitate the work of Akira Kurosawa. It creates stunning framed shots but can make it difficult to interact with the world. It can be not easy to find upgrades and collectables in the world. Everything is black and white, and there are no distinguishing features. The only indicator you get is a smudge in your HUD.
The preview revealed some issues, but it also showed a game full of promise and heart. S, so that I don’t have to play it on my potato of a laptop. We are hopeful that Trek To Yomi, which will launch later in the year, will be worth the effort.
