YIIK: A Postmodern RPG

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 565 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
YIIK: A Postmodern RPG Game Cover
While JRPG inspirations drip from YIIK, the end result is wholly its own American-made delight.
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In YIIK: A Postmodern RPG, explore a psychedelic, neo-dating sim inspired world and battle strange enemies in turn-based combat with real-time elements. Join Alex on his journey to solve the mysterious disappearance of a girl he met online. Uncover clues by interacting with a diverse cast of characters, delving into dungeons, and solving puzzles. This RPG combines surreal humor with a haunting, ambient soundtrack to create a one-of-a-kind experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 565 reviews
story54 positive mentions
gameplay23 negative mentions
  • YIIK features a unique art style and vibrant visuals that stand out, creating an engaging atmosphere.
  • The soundtrack is diverse and enjoyable, with contributions from notable artists like Toby Fox, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The game explores complex themes of personal growth and self-reflection, making it thought-provoking despite its flaws.
  • The combat system is slow and tedious, often requiring lengthy minigames that can make battles feel drawn out and repetitive.
  • The writing is often criticized for being pretentious and overly verbose, with the main character, Alex, being particularly unlikable.
  • The story lacks coherence and can feel disjointed, with many plot points left unexplained or poorly executed.
  • story253 mentions

    The story of "Yiik" is polarizing, with many players finding it convoluted and poorly executed, yet some appreciate its ambition and thematic depth. Critics highlight the protagonist's frustrating character and the narrative's tendency to meander, often leaving plot points unresolved or underexplored. However, there are also voices that commend the game's unique storytelling approach and emotional resonance, suggesting that a deeper understanding may emerge upon further analysis or replay.

    • “The art and the music are definitely its strongest points, but there's so much character in every dialogue box, location, and story beat; it's hard to put into words what makes this game so special.”
    • “The story is honestly way better than it gets credit for, the music is good, and all the characters are intentionally written to be the way they are criticized for; it all serves a purpose in its story and in order to learn why you have to play the game.”
    • “This game truly tells a gripping story of loss and touches on the themes of growing up; I would recommend everyone to play this game.”
    • “The story is knitted together poorly and only forms a complete picture when you look back after the ending; the cast has a lot of potential as characters but will be shafted to the side and forgotten so only characters relevant to the current topic/plot can talk on it and be the drivers.”
    • “But, no, the story takes a completely different direction and abandons most of the initial premises, leaving a very unsatisfying conclusion to a story that was so close to being memorable.”
    • “Yiik is a weird phenomenon where a game tries desperately to be something deep, meaningful, and fun, but instead falls flat on its face in a 20-hour mess of an overly complicated plot with no real payoff or joy to be seen.”
  • music156 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its diversity, creativity, and memorable quality. While some tracks are considered exceptional, others are viewed as hit-or-miss, leading to a mixed overall reception. Notably, contributions from well-known composers like Toby Fox enhance the soundtrack, making it a standout feature despite criticisms of its implementation and occasional inconsistency.

    • “The game's soundtrack is also extremely enjoyable, with the Toby Fox track not even being the best one on it.”
    • “The music is absolutely stunning, the art style is charming, the suburban spin on modern fantasy is something I've been looking for since Earthbound, and the voice acting is absolutely superb.”
    • “The mind dungeon theme is a bop, little eyes grew on me super hard, chance traveler is spacey and emotional, and that's not even mentioning the sheer amount of amazing compositions by guest musicians like Toby Fox (from Undertale fame), Bo En (Lovely Planet, Snipperclips, and solo albums), Garoad (VA-11 Hall-A), and so on.”
    • “The music is unbearable, even the ones done by guest composers like Toby Fox.”
    • “Some of the dungeons have puzzles that are incredibly frustrating and headache-inducing, and a lot of the soundtrack is actually really rough on the ears.”
    • “Everything from the writing, level design, artwork, tone, voice acting, and soundtrack seems to change on a dime with no qualitative or tonal consistency.”
  • gameplay100 mentions

    The gameplay of this game has received largely negative feedback, with many players describing it as slow, clunky, and repetitive, particularly in combat. While some appreciate its unique mechanics and potential for enjoyment, the overall execution is criticized for poor pacing, confusing systems, and tedious leveling processes. Despite updates aimed at improving gameplay, many still find it unengaging and frustrating, overshadowing the game's narrative and aesthetic strengths.

    • “This game is very good, with extremely unique gameplay that seems genuinely bad at the start, but at some point, you just find yourself pushing on, so curious about what's going on.”
    • “The music, story, gameplay mechanics, and the memorable characters were simply amazing.”
    • “Legit love this game for its aesthetic graphics to its unique Earthbound-like combat style gameplay. This is the type of game I needed because it has a lot of relatable characters with relatable reactions when it comes to the supernatural. I legit recommend this game to whoever is interested!”
    • “But the gameplay gives me a migraine and none of the characters talk like actual people would.”
    • “Even when the dialogue scenes finally end, the gameplay itself is horrendous; the combat is so slow and clunky, I really can't describe how torturous it is to actually try to play it.”
    • “The gameplay is terrible and slow; enemies do little damage to be a threat but have too much health.”
  • graphics88 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and vibrant art style that blends retro aesthetics with modern production values. While some players find the visuals charming and captivating, others criticize them for being inconsistent or unpolished, leading to a divide in player experience. Overall, the game's distinct visual presentation is often highlighted as a standout feature, despite some technical flaws.

    • “The art style is visually stunning, with a vibrant and colorful world that transports you to a different dimension.”
    • “The biggest pros are the visuals, which look amazingly stylized and clean, and, of course, the music.”
    • “The art direction truly shines with gorgeous visuals, especially when the general aesthetic tends to change for a more dreamlike and abstract look.”
    • “I felt myself being very bored and annoyed by the lackluster horror elements that don't mesh well with the playful, colorful graphical style.”
    • “The music is just okay, the visuals are often really physically uncomfortable to look at, and the writing sucks.”
    • “If it so happened to be unintentional to make the graphics as bad as they are, then... well, there goes my defense for the graphics.”
  • humor32 mentions

    The humor in "Yiik" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it unintentionally funny due to poor dialogue and bizarre tonal shifts, while others appreciate its quirky character designs and moments of genuine humor. Many reviews suggest that the game's comedic elements are more enjoyable when experienced through others' playthroughs rather than during actual gameplay, which can feel tedious and frustrating. Overall, while the game has its humorous moments, it often falls flat, leading to a perception of it being "so bad it's funny."

    • “Yiik is a genuinely beautiful and really funny experience to play and to watch.”
    • “The story is hilariously bad, and if you can get past the repetitive and confusing gameplay, then you may find yourself enjoying it.”
    • “There were times that I was angry (mainly during combat) but other times I was laughing due to the bad dialogue, such as the infamous '...vibrating, shaking with motion.' or the tonal mess that is Rory's serious dead sister reveal only for a golden alpaca to come out of a portal and say 'lemonade!'.”
    • “It is not funny bad, it is just bad bad. I have never seen a game be such a slog. I have just above an hour and a half in this game, and that took me like 5 sessions to reach because it is so hard to sit through. There is never a good point in Yiik; the dialogue is horrible. I'm sure everyone knows this, but it feels so different when you are the one actually having to sit through it during a playthrough as opposed to just watching a YouTube video.”
    • “When I'm in an unfunny Yiik review competition and my opponent is a troubled 14-year-old who watches video essays.”
  • grinding21 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with battles often dragging on and leveling up feeling like a slow, unfulfilling process. Many reviewers noted that the combat can become repetitive and lacks a rewarding progression system, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with the game's mechanics. While some enjoyed the combat when difficulty was adjusted, the general consensus is that the grinding experience detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “This makes the amount of running around you have to do tedious and frustrating.”
    • “The battle system is super tedious; every encounter feels like a boss fight with how long they go on for.”
    • “Levelling up is also a tedious mechanic requiring you to go to a specific location and go through some doors to get some really small stat ups (I mean like +1 HP).”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its depth, particularly between the main characters Alex and Ramona, though some reviewers feel that excessive dialogue detracts from the pacing and purpose. While the character designs and animations are praised, there is a desire for more development of secondary characters like Michael and Rory. Overall, the game offers a rich narrative experience, albeit with some room for improvement in balancing exposition and gameplay.

    • “This game is a masterpiece; the character development between Alex, Yiik, and Ramona Flowers is incredibly in-depth and profound.”
    • “They do get a lot of character development, but more than that, it's important to understand that this is what the internet was like at that time.”
    • “I would've enjoyed some more character development with regard to Michael and Rory, but I give the game a pass on this part because what you get for such a cheap price exceeds the value.”
    • “I can appreciate big chunks of dialogue for the sake of exposition and character development, but there's just too much of it in general that goes without purpose.”
    • “Yiik could've focused less on introducing weird and/or abstract essays in dialogue and more on battle pacing and character development.”
    • “Any potential mystery and character development just stems back to Alex.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its unpredictable and heartfelt moments, often evoking a range of feelings from laughter to sadness. Players feel a deep connection to the protagonist, Alex, whose emotional struggles and disconnection from reality create a poignant narrative that resonates with them. The game's music and unique storytelling contribute to its ability to elicit strong emotional responses, making it a memorable experience akin to "Earthbound" for a new generation.

    • “It made me feel like the amazing world of Yiik has dragged me down to its reality from mine.”
    • “I got very emotional at times, with moments where I cried from laughter and even felt really sad.”
    • “This might go down as 'Earthbound for a new generation,' and much like Earthbound, the quality is difficult to score, since it is based less on the precision of design and more on an intangible, heartfelt payoff.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its creepy, surreal quality, enhanced by an impressive soundtrack that complements the mood. However, many reviewers feel that the frequent interruptions from character monologues, particularly from Alex, detract from the tension and immersion, leading to a disjointed experience. While some players appreciate the reliance on text to evoke atmosphere, others find it undermines the overall execution of the game's intense story concepts.

    • “It really excels at creating a creepy surreal atmosphere, kind of like if those parts of EarthBound were an entire game.”
    • “The soundtrack is equally impressive, with haunting and atmospheric tracks that complement the game's mood perfectly.”
    • “For me, this kind of added to the atmosphere and made it more enjoyable, but your mileage may vary.”
    • “However, what I cannot forgive is how consistently the game stumbles over itself to destroy any atmosphere or tension it struggles so hard to build.”
    • “Whether it's deflating a plot vital conversation between characters with a monologue from Alex, or traveling through what would otherwise be atmosphere-establishing linear segments bookended by a monologue from Alex, or an authentically disturbing dream-like sequence in which characters are calling Alex but are voicing other characters you've had the misfortune to become familiar with, excruciatingly dissected in a conversation between Alex's toy panda, Panda, and (you've guessed it) Alex.”
    • “However, if you have played older games, which, due to hardware limitations, also relied on text to set the atmosphere and mood of the game, or if you read a lot, you can let your imagination help bring the words to life in your playthrough.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game is frequently criticized for its instability, with numerous bugs, freezes, and crashes reported by users. While some glitches can be amusing, they often disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game's stability issues detract from the enjoyment, making it feel unreliable.

    • “Then to add to your frustration, there are ample bugs, freezes, and crashes.”
    • “I've had it glitch out in ways both favorable and unfavorable to me, to the point where I'd almost declare Yiik a roguelike because the glitches and softlocks are never quite the same twice.”
    • “The only issue worth mentioning is that there are occasional glitches that ruin the fun briefly.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Replayability is mixed; while some players find the multiple endings and unique twists on the JRPG formula enhance the game's replay value, others feel little incentive to revisit it.

    • “The great writing, unique twists on the JRPG formula, and multiple endings add significant replay value.”
    • “Replayability: I didn't feel the need to go back.”
    • “The game lacks the depth to encourage multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Once you've experienced the story, there's little incentive to replay.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of Yiik has been criticized for occasional screen issues, such as text being cut off or displayed off-screen. While the game features intriguing characters and a compelling narrative, it suffers from performance problems that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The screen optimization is impressive, with only occasional text cut-offs in text boxes, making the overall experience smooth.”
    • “I appreciate the attention to detail in screen optimization; it rarely affects gameplay, which is a huge plus.”
    • “The optimization of the interface is well done, with minimal issues regarding text visibility and layout.”
    • “Screen optimization is lacking; text gets cut off in text boxes and goes off-screen occasionally.”
    • “Yiik is an ambitious and wacky RPG that, despite having fascinating characters and a gripping surrealist narrative, falters in part due to poor pacing, a mediocre combat system, and performance issues.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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