Trek to Yomi

amazon Trek to Yomi reviews

Visuals and Art Direction

One of the most distinctive aspects of “Trek to Yomi” is its visual presentation. The game is heavily inspired by the works of legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, particularly his iconic samurai films. The developers have gone to great lengths to recreate the look and feel of classic black-and-white samurai movies, using a monochromatic color palette and a film grain effect to evoke a sense of authenticity.

The game’s art direction is impeccable, with each frame carefully composed to resemble a scene from a vintage samurai film. The use of light and shadow is masterful, creating a mood that is both eerie and melancholic. The environments are richly detailed, ranging from serene Japanese villages and temples to dark, foreboding forests and caves. The attention to detail in the architecture, foliage, and weather effects adds depth and immersion to the world, making it feel alive and tangible.

Cinematic camera angles are employed throughout the game, further enhancing the cinematic experience. These fixed camera perspectives, reminiscent of old-school survival horror games, provide a unique viewpoint for each scene, often framing the action against stunning backdrops. This choice of camera work adds to the tension and drama of the game, making every encounter and exploration feel deliberate and meaningful.

Story and Narrative

“Trek to Yomi” tells a story that is deeply rooted in the themes of honor, duty, and sacrifice, all staples of samurai lore. The protagonist, Hiroki, is a young swordsman who swears to protect his village and loved ones from a band of ruthless invaders. As the story unfolds, Hiroki is forced to confront his own fears, doubts, and the ghosts of his past. The narrative is steeped in tragedy and moral ambiguity, offering a tale that is both poignant and thought-provoking.

The game’s narrative structure is straightforward, with the story being told through a combination of in-game events, dialogue, and brief cutscenes. The pacing is deliberate, allowing players to soak in the atmosphere and the weight of each moment. The dialogue is entirely in Japanese, further immersing players in the setting and culture. Subtitles are provided for non-Japanese speakers, but the authenticity of the language adds a layer of depth to the experience.

Themes of life, death, and the afterlife play a significant role in the story. As Hiroki ventures deeper into the unknown, he encounters supernatural elements that blur the line between reality and myth. The game explores the concept of Yomi, the Japanese underworld, and Hiroki’s journey becomes as much about confronting his own demons as it is about exacting revenge. This blend of historical and supernatural elements creates a narrative that is both grounded and fantastical.

Gameplay and Combat Mechanics

“Trek to Yomi” features a side-scrolling perspective with a focus on sword combat and exploration. The combat system is simple yet satisfying, emphasizing timing, precision, and strategy. Players can perform light and heavy attacks, block, parry, and dodge, with each action requiring careful consideration. The game’s combat mechanics are easy to pick up but challenging to master, making each encounter feel intense and rewarding.

The core of the combat lies in mastering the art of the katana. Players must learn to read enemy movements and strike at the right moment, as even a single mistake can lead to a quick defeat. The parry system is particularly important, allowing players to deflect incoming attacks and create openings for counterattacks. Timing is crucial, and the game rewards players who can remain calm under pressure and execute their moves with precision.

In addition to basic combat moves, players can unlock new skills and abilities as they progress. These abilities add variety to the combat and allow for different playstyles. For example, players can learn powerful finishing moves or unlock new ways to chain together attacks. The skill progression system is straightforward, but it provides enough depth to keep the combat engaging throughout the game.

The game also features environmental hazards that can be used to the player’s advantage. For instance, players can lure enemies into traps or use the environment to block their attacks. These elements add a layer of strategy to the combat, encouraging players to think creatively and use their surroundings to gain the upper hand.

While combat is a central aspect of “Trek to Yomi,” the game also places a strong emphasis on exploration. The world is filled with hidden paths, collectibles, and secrets that reward players for taking their time to explore. The game’s linear progression is broken up by these moments of discovery, allowing players to delve deeper into the lore and history of the world.

The player assumes the role of Hiroki, a young samurai living in a small town during the Edo period.

One day, while training with his master, Hiroki’s town was attacked by a band of bandits, led by Kagerou.

Although the two samurai teachers and students succeeded in repelling the bandits and killing Kagerou, the price to pay was Hiroki’s life.

Years later, when Hiroki was an adult, the town was once again attacked. The band of bandits is again led by Kagerou, who, unknown to him, has come back to life.

This time, Hiroki was killed. But it seems that death is not the end, because Hiroki finds himself in Yomi – the realm of the dead in the Shinto religion.

Hiroki will have to overcome many trials to be able to return to earth to end Kagerou forever, avenging the innocent lives he took.

As mentioned in the introduction, one of the most remarkable things about Trek to Yomi is the game’s settings.

Although the development budget is not high, Trek to Yomi has done a good job in providing players with a collection of beautiful and vivid Edo period Japanese paintings.

Whether in the town, the jungle, the temple, or the ghostly, mystical world of Yomi, the game’s scenes are always designed in detail.

Even, the writer feels that most of the game’s scenes are beautiful enough to capture on a phone or computer screen.

Most importantly, it’s that the game’s majestic scenery also makes the moments before the sword fights of Trek to Yomi more dramatic.

The way Trek to Yomi uses black and white is also remarkable.

It’s difficult to explain, perhaps due to the game’s rotation combined with the lighting effects, or perhaps other factors, but I feel that the experience of playing Trek to Yomi will be reduced completely if the gameplay is in color.

In general, Trek to Yomi’s black and white is not merely a filter, but an artistic style choice.

As a game that tells the samurai story, it’s sad that the minus point of Trek to Yomi is… sword fights.

Starting with a limited number of moves, players will be able to unlock more moves by summoning miniboss along the way.

However, most of these unlockable moves don’t help.

There is a skill, the time to perform is too long, and before the combo has been completed, the enemy will fight back. If there is a skill, the condition to perform does not happen often, making the player forget its existence.

The result of this is that the player only has 3-4 combos that are useful for most of the game.

The moves also failed to show the strength of a swordsman. Sometimes the writer can see that his sword strokes have clearly touched the enemy, but they still stand there, unresponsive.

There are even enemies that can attack while the I… am doing combo!

The game also has a parry function when we press the defense button at the right time. However, this function is poorly implemented, with the moment to parry difficult to determine, perhaps even a bit haphazard.

Once we have “parry” the enemy’s attack, the feeling is not “high”, because the time the enemy staggers, the opening for us to attack is too short.

In addition, some techniques have a rather confusing “input” way, they seem to only receive buttons from the player within a certain time frame, pressing too fast can’t work, and too slow can’t work.

Using the word “seems”, that’s because the game doesn’t mention this in the skill guide. This leads to many techniques that are difficult to execute in a combat situation.

The last minus point is the dodging mechanism.

Because it’s a side-scrolling game, Trek to Yomi allows us to dodge attacks by… flipping behind the enemy!

However, for some reason, some enemies can flip, while some enemies won’t, leading to the player being like flipping into a stone wall, then getting up and eating a kick in the face!

where can you get a Trek to Yomi online

Trek to Yomi Ultimate Edition: Buy it now

Trek to Yomi: Buy it now

Trek to Yomi: Buy it now

Trek to Yomi Ultimate Edition: Buy it now

Conclusion

“Trek to Yomi” is a unique and visually stunning game that stands out for its dedication to replicating the aesthetic and atmosphere of classic samurai cinema. Its strong visual identity, coupled with a narrative steeped in Japanese culture and mythology, makes it a memorable experience for fans of the genre. The game’s commitment to authenticity, from its art direction to its sound design, creates a world that is both immersive and evocative.

However, the game’s linear structure and repetitive combat mechanics may limit its appeal to certain players. While the story is engaging and the atmosphere is meticulously crafted, the gameplay loop may not offer enough variety to maintain long-term interest. Nevertheless, for those who appreciate the artistic direction and cultural themes, “Trek to Yomi” provides a compelling and atmospheric journey through a beautifully realized feudal Japan.

In the end, “Trek to Yomi” is a game that prioritizes style and narrative over gameplay complexity, and in that respect, it succeeds admirably. It’s a short but impactful experience that will leave a lasting impression on those who are drawn to its cinematic presentation and thoughtful exploration of samurai lore. While it may not be for everyone, it offers a distinctive and artistically rich adventure that is well worth experiencing, especially for fans of samurai stories and Japanese culture.