YO-KAI WATCH

Yo-kai Watch is driven by the personalities of its Yo-kai, and it's easy to get wrapped up in training your Yo-kai to your specific tastes and tackling tougher demons. The writing is delightful, combat is unique and entertaining, and even though the map leaves much to be desired it's fun to follow along with the story looking for the paranormal. Although navigating the world can be tedious and frustrating, the allure of building a diverse team of exotic Yo-kai pushes your exploration forward.

It's a wonder, then, that Yo-kai Watch kept me entertained despite its shamelessness in advertising other products. With a combat system that really shines during the slower-paced, strategic boss battles, Level-5 has created a game that's successful in its own right, and not just as an advertisement for a broader product line. Yo-kai Watch offers a lot to really, really like, even if it doesn't exactly revolutionize kid-friendly, monster-collecting RPGs.

The rise of Yo-Kai Watch in Japan has come rather quickly and the series definitely has a chance to make an impact in the US as well, largely due to the unique characters and likable world that kids will love. The mostly luck-based Yo-Kai capturing and hands-off battle style could certainly use some work, but there is no doubt that Yo-Kai Watch is a solid blueprint for the future of this already ongoing franchise.