Trek to Yomi is one of those games that caught my attention this year. The way it was presented actually looks so incredible to me: just pure black and white samurai game. This game showed a lot of potential in many different ways. The graphics actually look so decent, especially the cinematography. I honestly had a high expectations for this game since I've got to play Japanese-like games like Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro. This one is different. The story is somewhat mediocre, the prologue seems promising and eventually turned into a horror-like one with creepy Japanese folk-lore references behind it. The gameplay seems fine and needs a lot of polishing. The fighting mechanics are so stiff and lacking with a feeling of satisfaction. I love slashing enemies with fashion. The parry system doesn't actually work at times. Overall, this game still needs to be developed further though I can see that it showed a lot of potential.

VISUALS

Artistry: 10/12

Technical Merit: 7/8

SOUND DESIGN

Music: 12/12

Sound Effects & Vocals: 6/8

INTERACTION

Control & Interface: 3/8

Player Agency: 5/8

Accessibility: 3/4

MECHANICS

Feedback & Fun: 5/10

Depth: 3/5

Variety: 3/5

CHARACTER

Narrative: 7/8

Heart: 4/6

Originality: 4/6