Yurukill: The Calumniation Games
- July 8, 2022
- IzanagiGames
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games blends visual novel story and Shmup gameplay to create a very engaging experience.
Get on SteamIn "Yurukill: The Calumniation Games," players aim to prove their innocence by surviving twisted attractions and puzzles in Yurukill Land, while also participating in tense life-or-death cross-examinations. The game also features high-speed virtual reality challenges, as players pilot their Yurukill Fighter through a series of obstacles. The fate of the accused hangs in the balance, as they seek absolution and uncover the unsettling truth behind their alleged crimes.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Yurukill offers a unique blend of escape room puzzles, visual novel storytelling, and engaging shoot 'em up gameplay, making it a fun and memorable experience.
- The voice acting, particularly by Akari Kito, is highly praised and adds depth to the characters, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The bullet hell segments are well-designed and provide a challenging experience, even for players who are not typically fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from translation issues, particularly with German subtitles, which can hinder puzzle-solving and overall enjoyment.
- Many players found the escape room puzzles to be too easy and lacking in complexity, leading to a sense of redundancy in gameplay.
- Some aspects of the game, such as certain animations and the design of specific stages, feel rushed or low-effort, detracting from the overall polish of the experience.
- story19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally seen as engaging but ultimately predictable, with players desiring more complexity and twists. While the character development and settings are appreciated, some reviewers feel that the narrative is unnecessary and could be removed without affecting the gameplay. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, which includes various challenges and modes, but it may not satisfy those looking for a deeper narrative experience.
“I really adore escape room games, killing game settings, an interesting story, and memorable characters.”
“In short, you learn about both characters as you go through the story.”
“The demo takes you through one such story and should give you an idea about the gameplay loop.”
“I was expecting more twists and a deeper background story for a more complex narrative.”
“Even the accompanying story feels unnecessary; you could remove it and the plot would still be coherent.”
“Just another escape/mystery game with shallow, quirky characters whose personalities will annoy you in a matter of seconds, and a 2-hour plot stretched to 10-20 hours.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay combines elements of riddle solving, visual novel storytelling, and shooting mechanics, with a notable emphasis on bullet hell challenges and engaging boss designs. While the arcade action appeals to a broad audience, the demo effectively showcases the gameplay loop, catering to both fans of the genre and those less familiar with its narrative style.
“I've enjoyed all of the boss designs and mechanics; the same goes for the stages.”
“The demo takes you through one such story and should give you an idea about the gameplay loop.”
“Its strong point is probably the bullet hell gameplay, but that's not what I bought it for.”
“I will disclose that I am in my mid-thirties and this kind of fiction isn't my thing, but arcade action and gameplay is.”
“It mixes riddle solving, visual novel, and shooting gameplay.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is well-received, featuring a strong soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, particularly during engaging bullet hell segments. The audio design, which effectively combines the soundtrack with voice acting, has also been praised.
“The soundtrack is also good.”
“Bullet hell segments were pretty engaging, even as a non 'shmup' player, and the audio design between the soundtrack and voice acting is great.”
“Nice soundtrack!”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the character Binko, who is compared to a funny female version of Monokuma, contributing to a comedic tone that some players found more enjoyable than the mystery elements. Overall, the game successfully elicited laughter from its audience.
“I found it better as a comedy than a mystery, because it had me laughing sometimes.”
“Hell, Binko is basically a funny female Monokuma.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing them as subpar compared to other stages, while others appreciated the unique Matrix-style visuals for pickups in the shmup mode. Overall, the inconsistency in visual quality has left players feeling disappointed.
“Matrix-style visuals for pickups in the shmup mode is a great touch!”
“It's a complete embarrassment compared to the well-made visuals of literally every other stage.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of Akari Kito's performance has received positive feedback, with users expressing surprise at its quality.
“Akari Kito's performance is surprising!”
“The optimization in this game allows for smooth gameplay even on lower-end devices.”
“I love how the developers have fine-tuned the mechanics to enhance the overall experience.”
Critic Reviews
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games Review – We do the genre mash
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is a bit of a mess, but it definitely feels like a mess that someone tried really hard to make. While the gameplay elements sometimes feel at odds, it has a lot of charm in its characters and UI design. Even though the game’s plot can feel unfocused and confusing, it does have some really good moments. The characters especially do a great job of keeping the story engaging, even when it loses itself a little. Yurukill definitely has both hits and misses, but it feels very earnest and I hope to see more games by this team soon.
65%Yurukill: The Calumniation Games Augments Storytelling With Shooting
Clear your name in the Yurukill Games, as a Prisoner partnered with their Executioner. Can Sengoku Shunju survive deadly challenges in a twisted amusement park to prove his innocence once and for all? Nintendo Switch version reviewed.Yurukill's integration of shoot-'em-up gameplay with story-led adventure isn't as smooth as it could be, but both sides' strong fundamentals make the experience uniquely satisfying.
80%Yurukill: The Calumniation Games
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
70%
