Yomawari: Lost in the Dark
- October 25, 2022
- Nippon Ichi Software
Get on Steam"Yomawari: Lost in the Dark" is a single-player Horror Adventure game with an interesting plot and dense atmosphere. Players control a young girl who must explore her town at night, avoiding malevolent ghosts to break a curse and regain her lost memories. Customizable characters and new terrifying ghosts add to the chilling experience in this latest addition to the series.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game maintains the charming 'spooky but not scary' atmosphere of its predecessors, with engaging storytelling and emotional depth.
- The new mechanics, such as the ability to close your eyes to avoid enemies, add a fresh twist to the gameplay while still allowing for exploration.
- The sound design and art style are exceptional, creating an immersive experience that captures the essence of Japanese folklore.
- Many players feel that the game reuses assets from previous titles, leading to a sense of repetition and a lack of new content.
- The boss fights can be frustrating and tedious, often requiring players to repeat long sequences if they fail, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- The story can be confusing at times, with unclear objectives and a lack of guidance, making it difficult for players to progress without getting lost.
- story75 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in this game is generally regarded as more focused and engaging than previous installments, with a deeper narrative that unfolds as players progress. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and thematic elements, others criticize the pacing and repetitive exposition, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many fans of the series find the storytelling compelling and worth the investment of time, though some gameplay aspects detract from the narrative enjoyment.
“It's certainly more driven and focused, with everything you do being guided by that main story & what you 'need' to do next, but the story ended up hitting me in ways I wasn't expecting!”
“The strategic use of storytelling to play around this theme was excellently executed and I loved the twists that I encountered along the way.”
“Horrifying atmosphere based around Japanese theology and urban legends; not for the faint of heart in the slightest due to egregious blood, themes of childhood bullying and youth suicide, but an incredibly deep story for those with the stamina to see it through.”
“It's the story that makes it so I can't recommend it positively.”
“It's not that it's told poorly, but that it's the sort of story I can't deal with having to play through a game for ~20 hours to see.”
“I find the story always confusing to me and at some point, you might end up stuck in that loop where your curse has been growing.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the latest entry of the Yomawari series has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a decline in enjoyment compared to previous titles. While the game introduces new mechanics like "closing your eyes" and offers more content, it suffers from tedious tasks, frustrating boss sequences, and a lack of engaging classic gameplay elements. Overall, the exploration and item collection aspects are seen as repetitive, leading to a less satisfying experience for some fans.
“For returning fans, I broadly enjoyed 3 more than 2. 2 had a tighter, darker story (arguably too dark) and more collectibles and post-game stuff, but for me, 3 has a more interesting story, more interesting mechanics (big ups to closing your eyes and sneaking rather than hiding in bushes), and is the only one of the franchise I even got close to 100% completion on.”
“It takes the Yomawari formula and improves on it, with a much more open design compared to its predecessors and some unique gameplay ideas.”
“Gameplay is exploration through various locations to progress a story while surviving ghosts and collecting items.”
“The specific chapter areas tend to have more new stuff, but a lot of the mechanics and challenges end up feeling kind of tedious.”
“Most of the gameplay involves running around, picking up items to get you to the next area, and then repeating.”
“A decently interesting story, but matched with some seriously tedious gameplay that left me bored after just a couple of hours.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its "spooky but not scary" vibe, effectively blending creepy-cute art with excellent sound design. It successfully evokes feelings of nostalgia and horror through its focus on Japanese folklore, while maintaining a deep, atmospheric experience despite some recycled elements. Overall, the atmosphere remains a standout feature, enhancing the game's exploration and storytelling.
“It still maintains that lovely 'spooky but not scary' atmosphere that the previous two hold so well, and there's plenty of fun new spirits here.”
“The overall atmosphere of the game evokes the horrors of the night we once felt when we were young, and the charm of the nostalgic streets is still there.”
“Horrifying atmosphere based around Japanese theology and urban legends; not for the faint of heart due to egregious blood, themes of childhood bullying, and youth suicide, but an incredibly deep story for those with the stamina to see it through.”
“The atmosphere, scares, and story are all a step down.”
“Horrifying atmosphere based around Japanese theology and urban legends; not for the faint of heart in the slightest due to egregious blood, themes of childhood bullying, and youth suicide, but an incredibly deep story for those with the stamina to see it through.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's music is characterized by a minimalistic approach, featuring only two original soundtracks and a notable title theme that resonates emotionally. While ambient sounds dominate the experience, they effectively enhance the eerie atmosphere, and players appreciate the unique sound design that complements the game's art style and gameplay. Overall, the music, though limited, is praised for its emotional impact and innovative expression.
“This game features two original soundtracks and is the first in the series to have title music.”
“The game's music theme, both opening and ending, is always good, and the sound effects effectively capture the environment.”
“The music is still outstanding, adding to the overall experience and charm of the game.”
“The game lacks a soundtrack, but the title theme strikes my heartstrings.”
“Ambient sounds dominate and music is kept to a minimum - effective for creating an eerie mood.”
“It is quite literally the same as it was five years ago: limited lighting, grainy world design, absolutely creepy yokai roaming about, and ambient sound design in place of a traditional soundtrack.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a charming "creepy-cute" art style that effectively blends horror elements with cartoon-like anime visuals, enhancing the atmosphere and reflecting Japanese urban legends. While the detailed map design, particularly in the shopping district, adds depth, some players feel the world design lacks vibrancy compared to previous installments. Overall, the unique art style remains a highlight, contributing to the game's appeal.
“Although the art style is cute, the contrasting horror elements featured to give life to Japanese urban legends and superstitions showcase its unique charm.”
“The map art style in this game is still a cartoon-like anime with much larger and more detailed environments, especially in the shopping district which now has alleys and a lot of objects.”
“It uses the same audio and graphical assets, has a very similar world design, and somehow feels a bit more empty.”
“The map art style in this game is still a cartoon-like anime with much larger and more details, especially in the shopping district which now has alleys and a lot of objects.”
“This series is characterized and known for the inclusion of horror elements mixed with cute graphics.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many expressing frustration over the lack of variety in traversal and mechanics across chapters. While some appreciate the game's story and believe it may appeal to fans of previous entries, the overall experience is marred by the monotony of gameplay, leading to boredom after a short period.
“It feels tedious to play.”
“The specific chapter areas tend to have more new stuff, but a lot of the mechanics and challenges end up feeling kind of tedious.”
“A decently interesting story, but matched with some seriously tedious gameplay that left me bored after just a couple of hours.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally impactful, appreciating its ability to gradually reveal the plot and evoke a range of feelings, from tears to terror. The emotional investment is highlighted as a key strength, culminating in a powerful and memorable experience.
“But still, the game's main theme does not change, which is what I like about this series. You slowly unravel the whole plot of the story, and it makes you feel emotional in the end.”
“10/10, I cried and also screamed in terror.”
“It's an emotional investment, of all emotions.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its clever references and wordplay, particularly with character names and phrases that resonate with players, creating a lighthearted and relatable experience.
“It's hilarious how the older girl has a name similar to one of the central protagonists in the Touhou Galaxy Project that I use at work, and she often says the word 'bird'.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever puns and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout.”
“I love the quirky characters and their funny interactions; they really add a unique charm to the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and minimal bugs, while others report issues such as frame rate drops and long loading times. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly across different hardware configurations, leading to an inconsistent experience for users.
“The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
“I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the immersion.”
“The optimization is so bad that loading times are unacceptably long, even for a simple menu.”
