Yomawari: Night Alone

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 573 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Yomawari: Night Alone Game Cover
Yomawari: Night Alone is a throwback to good old survival horror genre, spicing it up with emotional themes and ingenious mechanics to make for a definitive must-play for fans awaiting a game that will be remembered. A must-play.
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In "Yomawari: Night Alone," a young girl ventures into a dark, spirit-filled town to search for her missing sister and dog. She must avoid or outsmart the supernatural creatures that stalk her while uncovering clues to their whereabouts. The game is a haunting exploration of a familiar town transformed by darkness, where danger lurks around every corner.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 573 reviews
story77 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Charming combination of cute protagonist and eerie horror elements creates a unique atmosphere.
  • Engaging story with emotional depth that resonates with players.
  • Visually creative with beautiful art style and sound design that enhances the horror experience.
  • Frequent crashes and technical issues hinder gameplay experience.
  • Frustrating save system that can lead to loss of progress if not managed carefully.
  • Some sections of the game feature unfair difficulty spikes, particularly in later chapters.
  • story209 mentions

    The game's story is generally described as intriguing and emotionally engaging, revolving around a young girl's quest to find her missing dog and sister in a dark, atmospheric setting. While some players appreciate the depth and cultural references embedded in the narrative, others find it somewhat superficial and lacking in direction, often requiring exploration to uncover lore and context. Overall, the story is seen as a compelling backdrop that enhances the gameplay experience, despite its brevity and occasional vagueness.

    • “The main story is told through the normal game progression, but at the same time several items scattered across the map offer the player a series of mini-stories that contextualize the origin of most spirits and give a greater sense of immersion.”
    • “The story is quite dark and tragic though, tugging at your heartstrings immediately even in the tutorial.”
    • “The story, while minimal, is still emotional.”
    • “So much of the game is just running around aimlessly just hoping to stumble upon something to maybe help progress some part of the story, which becomes tedious and obnoxious.”
    • “The story is barebones, with the true story never really explained.”
    • “The story is kind of sparse in this one, so if you're looking for a good story, then you'll be disappointed.”
  • gameplay187 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its simplicity and straightforward mechanics, primarily involving exploration, evasion of spirits, and item collection. While some players appreciate the atmospheric design and the tension created by the heartbeat mechanic, many criticize the trial-and-error nature of encounters, clunky controls, and frustrating save mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mixed bag, with enjoyable moments overshadowed by repetitive and tedious elements.

    • “The gameplay is simple but straightforward, allowing the player to better appreciate the surrounding environments and details.”
    • “The gameplay is simple and intuitive, the story is intriguing and compelling.”
    • “The gameplay revolves around navigating your way through the various streets and paths of your town, avoiding spirits and collecting things.”
    • “It's a bummer because the environment and atmosphere is so incredibly well done that it's held back by tedium and frustrating gameplay.”
    • “A lot of the gameplay was very trial-and-error, which is a really negative strike against it.”
    • “The gameplay feels tedious and unpolished, with lots of problems that could've easily been fixed.”
  • graphics132 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style, which blends cute and creepy elements to create a captivating atmosphere. Players appreciate the beautiful environments, character designs, and the overall aesthetic that enhances the horror experience, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. The visuals are described as charming and detailed, effectively setting the tone for a spooky yet cozy adventure.

    • “The aesthetic of this game is beautiful; the ambience (play with headphones on) and the spirits perfectly capture what a child feels when encountering something completely foreign in a dark night alone.”
    • “The visuals are absolutely gorgeous (as is everything 2D from NIS); the atmosphere is top-notch thanks to a combination of that, the complete darkness around you, and the audio design (seriously, it's understated how good that is, especially with headphones).”
    • “The obvious shining mark on this game is the aesthetic; gorgeous environments, character/monster design, and representation of Shinto elements give the game a unique look and feel that sets it apart.”
    • “The graphics and fullscreen support are questionable, although the art style itself is okay, fitting the mood the game is going for.”
    • “While providing a menacing yet cozy atmosphere of being alone out at night with its cute visuals and detailed environments, it might also get frustrating due to a high count of player deaths and several pretty tricky puzzles.”
    • “Graphics and characters are cute, and they make the game less scary.”
  • atmosphere101 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, eerie sound design, and effective use of ambient elements that create a deeply unsettling experience. Many players appreciate the blend of cute and creepy aesthetics, which enhances the psychological horror without relying heavily on jump scares. However, some reviewers note that frustrating gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall immersion, occasionally desensitizing players to the otherwise captivating atmosphere.

    • “I loved the design of the town, atmosphere, creatures, and amazing sound effects.”
    • “The atmosphere really contributes to the game, and it's one of the main reasons I bought it.”
    • “The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, the atmosphere is top-notch thanks to a combination of that, the complete darkness around you, and the audio design.”
    • “It's a bummer because the environment and atmosphere is so incredibly well done that it's held back by tedium and frustrating gameplay.”
    • “You end up dying so much that even for an absolute coward like me, you end up kind of desensitized to the atmosphere and it stops being scary after a while.”
    • “Unfortunately, some scripted segments are very tightly tuned and you'll probably have to repeat them several times, which tends to ruin the atmosphere.”
  • music45 mentions

    The music in the game is a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting the absence of a substantial soundtrack, often highlighting that only one main theme exists alongside ambient sound effects. While some appreciate the eerie atmosphere created by the minimalistic approach, others express a desire for more musical variety to enhance the experience. Overall, the sound design is generally praised for contributing to the game's tension, despite the limited musical offerings.

    • “The atmosphere and music are insanely good, so I'd say it doesn't really ruin the experience too much, as long as that's what you're there for.”
    • “Actually terrifying with a great environment and soundtrack.”
    • “This game was what I hoped for and more, with an eerie but charming atmosphere, fantastic art, great music, enjoyable and challenging gameplay, and an intriguing story.”
    • “The only thing that I would mention is to get it on sale, since the regular price point is rather high for the amount of play time you get, coupled with the lack of ideal features such as voice acting, replayability, and music.”
    • “During gameplay, you pretty much get only horror ambience to accompany you, which is also really good in its own way for atmosphere, but I kinda wish there was more like that one song, or that you at least had some way to have it playing during gameplay even if only in postgame.”
    • “The game is 2 to 3 hours long and there isn't any music, so I would be wary about the price.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing gameplay as aimless and repetitive. Many reviews highlight the lack of engaging content, with encounters and boss fights feeling monotonous, leading to a sense of annoyance rather than challenge. Overall, the grinding experience detracts significantly from the enjoyment of the game, making it feel unpolished and bland.

    • “So much of the game is just running around aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon something to help progress some part of the story, which becomes tedious and obnoxious.”
    • “The story is generic and typical, the map is empty and boring, the enemies are asinine and tedious; while all the unique mechanics are either unused or just make the game more annoying.”
    • “All in all, the gameplay feels tedious and unpolished, with lots of problems that could've easily been fixed.”
  • emotional13 mentions

    The game is praised for its emotional depth, with players highlighting impactful moments that evoke strong feelings, including tears during the tutorial and touching interactions between characters. While it balances heartwarming scenes with darker themes, some players feel that certain gameplay mechanics detract from the emotional experience. Overall, it is recognized as a significant entry in the survival horror genre, effectively blending emotional storytelling with engaging gameplay.

    • “The story, while minimal, is still emotional.”
    • “Yet it is not all horrors, as we must come to terms with the grim, emotional realities that lead us on this dark adventure, crying into the night as we face many unpleasant realities that brought us into the darkness from which we are attempting to push through.”
    • “Its story has a deep, emotional core.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and freezing issues that hinder gameplay. Many players experienced frustrating moments, such as getting stuck in certain areas and encountering unresponsive game mechanics, leading to a lack of confidence in the game's reliability. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern, with players expressing disappointment over unresolved issues and inadequate support from the developers.

    • “I'm going to finish it one of these days, but after getting stuck in a grassy area with that girl grabbing me over and over (changing strategies for the run didn't work), this portion of the game genuinely felt broken and buggy! I got a bit discouraged and needed to take a break.”
    • “Not to mention the save problems and constant freezes.”
    • “This game couldn't even start up properly; no patch to fix this game for a month (bought on Halloween), and no response from the community as they said 'post it in troubleshooting, we will reply right away.'”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that it can be completed in about six hours and offers little motivation to revisit after the main story. Players suggest waiting for a sale due to the high price relative to the limited playtime and minimal additional content.

    • “It offers no replayability; it's 6 hours long if you don't search around, and its length is inflated by all the collectibles laying around.”
    • “There's little replayability and little motivation to do anything beyond the main story, but it makes for a decently entertaining night in and shows that cute games following conventional design can still be scary experiences.”
    • “Does not have any replay value as it's more of a one-run game.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with frequent crashes and frustrating enemy AI detracting from the overall experience. Despite a compelling story and atmosphere, players report subpar performance even on capable hardware, indicating a need for improvements in resolution settings and stability.

    • “Overall, the story is very good, the atmosphere is dark and eerie, it's fun to explore and it has a variety of puzzles to solve, but on the other hand, it is very badly optimized, crashes constantly, and the enemy AI is utterly frustrating.”
    • “Even with the low resolution, the performance could have used some improvement as well (using a GTX 970 got me 55-58 frames, with some drops a bit lower than that).”
    • “I would like to see some improvements made to the resolution settings and performance, but it wasn’t enough to make me not like the game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its intriguing character designs, including both friendly characters and creepy monsters, which contribute to the overall spooky atmosphere. The visuals effectively support the game's themes, making the characters memorable and engaging for players.

    • “The character design is really interesting; even the ghosts were intriguing to look at, which explains my week of playing this game.”
    • “The graphics look decent enough to accomplish what the game sets out to do - spooky environments and nice character designs. Friendly characters are cute, and the monsters are creepy and weird looking.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is effectively intertwined with its thrilling elements, eliciting both laughter and tension from players. The combination of simple gameplay and an engaging narrative adds to the overall enjoyment, making for a memorable experience.

    • “Had my heart pounding and laughing hysterically because 'wow, that was really scary'... really nice and simple gameplay and a cute/sad/scary story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
15hAverage play time
6-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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