Yuki Onna
- January 2, 2020
- chill_my_art
- 5h median play time
"Yuki Onna" is a narrative-driven horror game where players uncover the mystery of a vengeful spirit in a snow-filled village. Through investigating and interacting with the environment, players will learn about the unfortunate fate of Yuki Onna and attempt to lift her curse. The game features a distinctive art style and immersive atmosphere, inviting players to delve into a haunting folklore tale.
Reviews
- The game captures a retro vibe with its PS1-style graphics and atmosphere, creating an eerie and immersive experience.
- The puzzles are challenging and engaging, providing a sense of accomplishment when solved.
- Yuki Onna offers a unique horror experience based on Japanese folklore, which adds depth to the gameplay.
- The game suffers from significant bugs and glitches, including issues with achievements and getting stuck in the environment.
- There is no save system, making progress frustrating as players must restart from the beginning after dying.
- The enemy AI can be overly aggressive and relentless, leading to tedious gameplay rather than a thrilling horror experience.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally solid, featuring item collection and exploration mechanics that contribute to a fun experience, though it suffers from issues like a lack of save options and bugs. Players appreciate the gradual introduction of enemy mechanics, which adds a layer of strategy, but some feel the horror element diminishes once the enemy designs are known. Overall, while the gameplay is engaging, it is marred by technical flaws that detract from the experience.
“The core gameplay consists of collecting items that will lead you to keys that unlock the children's cages and ultimately help you escape through a heavily fortified door in the basement.”
“Mechanically, this means that you'll be exploring the inn, finding lots of items you won't know how to use, pocketing what you can in your four-slot inventory while you are harassed by Yuki-chan.”
“In this game, the monster starts off weak and slowly gains more abilities instead of just having a bunch of mechanics the player has to look out for; they are introduced slowly as the player makes progress.”
“But no save mechanism, glitchy gameplay, and unpleasant bugs were just so overwhelming...”
“Mechanically, this means that you'll be exploring the inn finding lots of items you won't know how to use, pocketing what you can in your four-slot inventory while you are harassed by Yuki-chan.”
“Yuki Onna is bigger than Aka Manto, which I believe amplifies the defects of this type of gameplay.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story, while not particularly compelling, offers an atmospheric experience as players piece together the backstory of the yuki-onna through scattered clues and documents. The narrative is enhanced by the game's environment and innovative puzzles, making exploration enjoyable, though some players feel it lacks depth and scares compared to other titles. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, providing a fun, if not groundbreaking, experience.
“There are a ton of clues to figure out, a backstory that is discovered piece by piece, and the fact that you are being hunted!”
“Accounts and legends about her vary, but the game seems to be inspired by the story particular to Tono of Iwate Prefecture, where it is said that the Yuki-Onna lures children 'to play outside', only to later freeze them to death.”
“Enjoyed exploring the house, collecting items, and discovering the story of Yuki-Onna bit by bit.”
“Despite the story not being anything to write home about, it's still fun to piece together what happened. One big problem is in the sound department; Yuki Onna is mostly silent, making very faint noises that can't really be relied upon to be aware of her presence, until she detects you, at which point she'll start screeching so high that you'll think your ears might bleed.”
“Yuki Onna is less scary, not that difficult, falls short on the story and atmosphere, but is far more accessible.”
“There is a bit of a story throughout the game if you look for it.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a strong retro aesthetic reminiscent of the PS1 era, featuring low-fidelity models and textures that enhance the eerie atmosphere. While some players find the visuals less impressive compared to other titles from the developer, many appreciate the unique art style and its effectiveness in creating a creepy, immersive experience. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's horror elements, despite some criticisms regarding their quality.
“I will probably give it another try later because I really like the whole aesthetic of the game.”
“It has PS1-style graphics that are very well suited for this type of game; the low fidelity of the models and textures combine well with the dark, claustrophobic setting for a surreal and very eerie effect.”
“The graphics help create a very creepy, uncanny atmosphere.”
“The visuals in this are much worse than other Chilla's games.”
“Surprisingly fine little indie game, with crusty old graphics and copious amounts of dithering and other filters.”
“Very PS1 era graphics with modern controls.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and intense horror elements, effectively utilizing filters, props, and sound design to create a captivating and eerie environment. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in the story and character effectiveness, the overall ambiance remains engaging and enhances the survival horror experience. The diverse map design further contributes to the unsettling atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The game is very atmospheric; it uses filters and props really well and makes the place feel like a real location. Despite the story not being anything to write home about, it's still fun to piece together what happened. One big problem is in the sound department; Yuki Onna is mostly silent, making very faint noises that can't really be relied upon to be aware of her presence, until she detects you, at which point she'll start screeching so high that you'll think your ears might bleed.”
“A great survival horror game filled with amazing horror atmosphere and amazing sound design.”
“Yuki Onna is less scary, not that difficult, falls short on the story and atmosphere, but is far more accessible.”
“The graphics help create a very creepy, uncanny atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere of the game is intense and scary.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs affecting gameplay and achievement tracking, leading to frustration rather than challenge. The absence of a reliable saving system further exacerbates these problems, making the overall experience feel unstable and unreliable.
“Bugged as hell, I gave Shoji his game console and the achievement didn't show up. The lack of a saving system makes the game frustrating more than hard. Considering that, unlike other games like Onryo, the game isn't difficult because it's challenging, but because it's buggy.”
“Very buggy.”
“If you're an achievement hunter, you may like to know that my achievements were buggy.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the intense chase music, others feel that the absence of a background soundtrack and game over music detracts from the overall experience.
“The music adds an intense atmosphere, especially during chase sequences, making the experience even more thrilling.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall immersion and excitement.”
“The music is absurdly loud, making it difficult to focus on the gameplay.”
“The combination of loud music and a stamina bar creates a frustrating experience.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its two distinct endings, encouraging players to experience different outcomes.
“The game has two endings, providing a lot of replay value.”
“The multiple choices and branching paths make each playthrough feel unique.”
“I love how the game encourages you to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
“The game has two endings with a lot of replay value.”
“Replayability is limited due to the lack of meaningful choices.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play again.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its irreverent and absurd style, with players finding elements like the character Trent amusingly outrageous and entertaining.
“Trent was a hilarious batwing character, and it was funny as hell!”
“The humor in this game had me laughing out loud at every turn.”
“I couldn't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and absurd situations!”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, particularly when it involves evading the roaming enemy, Yuki Onna, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion.
“I didn't like having to run and hide from the roaming enemy, Yuki Onna, as it was more tedious and annoying than scary.”