Yōdanji

About

Yōdanji is a coffee-break roguelike game inspired by Japanese folklore, where you can summon and trap yōkai using powders made from various body parts. The game features turn-based combat, spooky cute pixel-art graphics, and a huge variety of playable characters, skills, and amulets to collect. Compete in online global leaderboards for a global gaming experience. KEMCO, the publisher, specializes in JRPG games with immersive narratives and quality gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews

character development3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Yōdanji features charming pixel art and a variety of unique characters, each with distinct playstyles, making it enjoyable for fans of roguelikes.
The game offers a challenging experience that encourages players to learn and adapt, providing a rewarding sense of progression as they unlock new yōkai.
Short play sessions make it easy to pick up and play, making it a great option for casual gaming or quick breaks.

The combat can feel shallow and punishing, with many encounters ending quickly, leading to frustration for players who prefer more strategic depth.
The soundtrack is repetitive and limited, which can detract from the overall experience during longer play sessions.
Some mechanics, such as hunger and leveling, lack clear explanations, making it difficult for new players to understand the game's systems.

gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The gameplay is deceptively simple yet offers depth and challenge, primarily driven by a hunger mechanic that forces players to be strategic with their moves and resource management. While the combat can feel basic and some mechanics lack clarity, the fast-paced nature of the game keeps frustrations minimal, and the charming 8-bit art style enhances the overall experience. However, the reliance on immediate survival often overshadows the potential benefits of food buffs, suggesting room for improvement in gameplay mechanics.
- “Here's the thing, the gameplay seems simple, but it is actually kind of deep and definitely challenging.”
- “Because of the hunger mechanic, being economical in your moves is important, and with each floor, food becomes more and more scarce.”
- “From the pixel art to the moment-to-moment gameplay -- I'm in love.”
- “There's not much you can use for gauging the mechanics outside of the 'stuffed, peckish, famished, and starving' statuses underneath the health bar, so sometimes it's just better to eat anything you find immediately, including corpses of defeated youkai and bones.”
- “Ranged attacks have some really bizarre mechanics (some attacks can curve around corners??), and basic combat is relatively boring.”
- “Some mechanics (hunger rate, regeneration rate, hit/dodge %, ...) are never explained in numbers; you can only guess.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The graphics are characterized by a charming 8-bit art style reminiscent of the NES era, described as "spooky cute" with creative elements like powders made from body parts. While the visuals are appreciated for their nostalgic appeal, some users feel that the gameplay could be improved.
- “Feels straight out of the NES era, really cute graphics.”
- “Spooky cute graphics and powders made from various body parts included.”
- “Not to be confused with it getting a hardware stress test like games that have GPU-melting graphics... rage.”
- “Feels straight out of the NES era; really cute graphics.”
- “I like the 8-bit art style, but the gameplay could use some more work.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The music in the game features a limited soundtrack, with only one theme for the first nine floors and a different one for the tenth, leading to quick fatigue among players. Many users find the short looping tracks repetitive, prompting them to disable the music after a brief period of play.
- “The soundtrack is really short and barely lasts one session before you'd have to disable it in options.”
- “The short looping soundtrack while playing fits the theme, but it will get old rather quickly.”
- “The soundtrack is really short and barely lasts one session before you'd have to disable it in the options.”
- “It's a short looping soundtrack while playing that will get old rather quickly, despite fitting the theme.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's story is criticized for being virtually nonexistent, leaving players without a compelling narrative to engage with. Reviewers express disappointment over the lack of variety and depth, suggesting that the potential for an interesting story is squandered amidst repetitive gameplay and uninspired level design.
- “There’s unfortunately no story to hook onto here (probably their first mistake), just an assortment of folklore critters and a dungeon to send them into.”
- “- Potential to have some story but is lacking it entirely.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, as they can play as any youkai they encounter, including powerful characters like Enma Daiou, which adds variety and encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “The variety of youkai you can encounter and play as adds immense replayability to the game, making each run feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With the inclusion of unique characters like Enma Daiou and Hidotama, every playthrough offers new strategies and experiences.”
- “The ability to choose from a diverse roster of youkai keeps the gameplay dynamic, encouraging players to explore different play styles.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel like a chore rather than an adventure.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that subsequent playthroughs feel repetitive and uninspired.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is noted for its charming designs and a balanced learning curve, providing players with an engaging experience despite being a minor distraction.
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “The diverse range of character arcs adds depth to the story, making every decision feel meaningful.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by a quirky blend of absurdity and dark comedy, featuring elements like bean-defeating demons and flying-head vampires, which range from laugh-out-loud funny to unsettlingly bizarre.
- “From demons who can be defeated with beans to flying-head vampires, they run the gamut from hilarious to horrifying.”
- “The witty dialogue and absurd scenarios had me laughing out loud at every turn.”
- “The game is filled with clever puns and unexpected jokes that keep the experience light-hearted and fun.”