The first Yo-Kai Watch game reminded me a lot of the mainline Pokemon games, so it’s kind of refreshing to see the developers go the whole nine yards this time around and crib one of Pokemon’s oldest traditions and release two separate versions of the sequel. Welcome to Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls. And other than a new-ish story, some dabbling in time travel, and a larger world, there isn’t much else differentiating these games from their prequel.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the original game was a pretty solid affair, though one that kids would appreciate more than adults. It just would have been nice to see a few more changes, but instead the developers chose to play it safe and give us more of the same. Even the start of the story relies on amnesia and starts with a “blank slate” so that new players don’t have to worry about the previous story. If your kids really enjoyed the first title, then that might bode well for them enjoying this one, even with the re-introduction of the game mechanics, but I wouldn’t be rushing out to buy them both games.
This game, like its predecessor, is mostly about exploring and playing through an adventure. You’ll come across many battles with other Yo-Kai, but the passive battle system of the original remains in use here. Your party attacks automatically, reducing the player to more of a game manager, deciding which three party members are active while healing and curing inactive party members. The only active attacking is done through unleashing super attacks by playing quick microgames. It’s not for everyone, and little has been done to enhance it in this game.
Perhaps the biggest change this time around is the addition of online play. Players can now create parties to battle with other players online and trade Yo-Kai medals with each other. It’s a nice addition, though it probably should have been tablestakes from the beginning of the series, but at least it’s been corrected now and adds a little more value and variety to the game if your kids are into that.
The story and characters are probably the highlight of the game. The world of Yo-Kai Watch has always been quirky and that hasn’t changed either. Dialog is fun (as long as you’re okay with some potty humour being used from time to time) and well-written, giving characters quite a lot of personality. Some of the Yo-Kai are a little… creepy to look at, but I guess that fits with the whole ghost thing.
The game isn’t without some tedium. Get ready for a LOT of fetch quests, some of which require backtracking and multiple steps. And I’m not sure if the lengthy, unskippable train ride sequences are boring, or genius. It felt like a bit of a drag at times, which doesn’t fit that great when it’s the meat of your game.
The GamerPops Recommendation
Yo-Kai Watch 2, whichever version you end up getting, is a fine followup to the original that mostly plays it safe. If your kids don’t mind the formula staying mostly the same (my six-year-old didn’t seem to care that much), they’ll likely just appreciate continuing their adventure and having fun with the colourful characters and world. I’m not a fan of the “two versions of one game” thing so be ready for that discussion, and be careful of the available tie-in to a new Yo-Kai Watch toy as well. This game could end up costing you more than the original game price if you’re not careful. If you can stay mostly clear of that, this will be enjoyable for young kids.
A review copy was provided to GamerPops.
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