Nintendo’s made enough money from Pokémon games that it can afford to try something new – which I why I admire the initiative it’s taken with Level-5’s latest role-playing adventure, Yo-Kai Watch. Like the Pokémon series, it’s easily adaptable to players of all ages, and introduces a sprawling new world worth exploring, with quirky human and non-human characters alike.
But, in some respects, I kind of compare Yo-Kai Watch to owning a finer class dog. There are some frustrations that you’ll have to get over, and the experience isn’t quite as compelling as other types in its breed. Still, it’s adorable and unique enough to be given a chance, provided you can roll with the changes.
So Yo-Kai aren’t necessarily battle creatures, but instead ghost-like spirits that seem to be tied in with a greater mystery. This includes finding out why they’re behind certain events that are happening within the city. It all ties in with a greater being named Jibanyan, who’s trying to get revenge for being killed by pretty much trashing any trucks it comes across – because it was hit by one. But there’s more to this story, as you’ll come across various Yo-Kai creatures and eventually be put into battle with others.
The main one you’re going to stick with is Whisper, an adorable ghost-like creature that provides you with a series of quests throughout the world, as well as other facts you’ll need to learn as you go on. He’s probably one of the most engaging parts of the game, as he doesn’t wear out his welcome and still provides a plethora of factoids and assistance that will come in handy. Plus, he’s way cuter than some of the other Yo-Kai. A furry butt? Really?
There are some issues with particular quests, as they can become tiresome fetch journeys that can take quite a bit of time. However, they all seem to tie together into a world worth exploring, if only for the new Yo-Kai you can find and some of the situations that occur. This is something that really ties in with the game’s world, and makes it more interesting to run through than most games of this ilk. That’s Level-5 for you, taking something that seems average and catapulting it to more compelling heights.
What’s more unique about Yo-Kai is how some issues actually tie in with real-world events, like getting out of a depressive situation or stopping parents from fighting. They’re all done very well, though, so that themes aren’t hammered home to the point that you feel like you’re being force-fed an Afterschool Special. I hate that.
The combat takes a lot of getting used to, however. It’s based around a combination of turn-based combat and real-time decisions, and it can get tedious after a while, as you have to consistently rotate Yo-Kai out of action and decide on moves, even if they aren’t always the best. It takes some getting used to, but devotees of RPG’s will have no problem adjusting.
One big complaint, though – when you’re battling against others, there’s no option to do it online. You can either do it with local people or not at all. That’s not to say that Yo-Kai is as addictive as Pokémon in that regard, but Nintendo should’ve presented the option where it was needed the most. As such, the battles are okay, but not noteworthy.
The game also benefits from a fun presentation, which is right up Level-5’s alley. As I mentioned, the world is inventive and overly cute at times, even if some of the Yo-Kai characters are butt ugly. And the music and sound effects fit the bill, adding on to this universe instead of detracting from it. Bring some headphones to get the full effect, if you want.
Overall, Yo-Kai Watch can’t quite overcome the Pokémon juggernaut due to its various problems, but it’s a good introduction for what could potentially be a financially viable series for Nintendo. There’s a fun universe here, and if the team at Level-5 can iron out the gameplay issues and make missions less fetch-oriented, we’ll really be onto something. Besides, it’s not every day you can build an army using something as simple as a watch.
