We could have done with a more forgiving save system and there was a bit too much backtracking for our liking, but the game gets so much right that it’s easy to overlook these grievances. The atmospheric horror is surprisingly effective, to the point where we do believe that the warnings that precede the game are necessary.
Yomawari: Lost in the Dark
Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. · Oct 25, 2022
About
A young girl awakens in a dark, unfamiliar forest with no recollection of how she got there. As she searches for the way out, she crosses paths with a mysterious individual who reveals to her that she’s been cursed. In order to break the curse, she needs to explore the streets of her town at night to seek out her lost memories. However, malevolent ghosts lurk within the shadows, and the girl must avoid them by running, hiding, and shutting her eyes if she hopes to survive long enough to break her curse.
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- 8.0Yomawari: Lost in the Dark's core gameplay loop is one that's not exactly brimming with mechanical complexity. But thanks to the impeccable atmosphere, extensive enemy variety, and memorable moments, the game doesn't really need it.
- Yomawari: Lost In the Dark uses every resource it has to create an unsettling and involving horror puzzle experience. It provides plenty of scares and a surprisingly effective story that should be enough to compel players forward even after the game starts to lose its impact.
- There are bonus items to chase after, mini-quests to complete item collections, a good number of smaller tales of animals, former townspeople and classmates to uncover, and an overarching story that can never shake the nagging feeling that it can’t end well. The Yomawari series is one with its own tone and atmosphere, and the town of Lost in the Dark is a wonderfully spooky place to explore on an inevitable confrontation with a young girl’s trauma.
- 7.5It’s a solid continuation of the series, even if it doesn’t hit the heights of Midnight Shadows. The whole trilogy is a unique take on horror, tying in childhood and dumping a whole barrel of relatable sadness. The greatest success the series has had is not just presenting the misery to the player but making them be an active part of it. So, I hope you’re ready to be miserable.
- 9.0Yomawari: Lost in the Dark gives a refreshing horror experience that doesn’t rely on any combat, instead opting to turn encounters into puzzles players need to figure out. In addition, it creates a unique and memorable experience through sound design that will entice players to experience through headphones and exploration, giving them complete freedom to complete the game in any way they want—allowing players to dictate their own pace through the narrative that feels earned the entire way through.
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