Fading Afternoon

Quotation forthcoming.

The world feels lived-in thanks to a narrowly focused daily life sim that pairs well with combat that is the most robust work they’ve done to date. Minor user interface issues aside, I find myself thinking about the next time I can boot it up, batter some bad guys (or baseballs), and see whether I can make good enough use of my time to progress the story further. I’ve appreciated witnessing the growth and refinement of Yeo’s development prowess, and this is their best work to date.

Fading Afternoon is a very ambitious game that improves on Technos’ decades-old Kunio-kun formula in almost every way. It’s certainly the most accomplished of Yeo’s works to date, and impressive in its polish. What really shines, though, is the way it expands on its life-simulator elements and those all-important details. It keeps things fresh, interesting, and compelling. Although regularly punctuated by satisfying gangland violence, it’s not a fast game by any means. With its downbeat plotline and melancholic motifs, it’s more an experience to become absorbed in, to be explored and tapped for all its little surprises and diverging paths on subsequent playthroughs. For everything it strives to achieve, beyond anything else, Fading Afternoon is incredibly charming.

An aloof Yakuza-sim that rewards those that stick around and pry, Fading Afternoon isn’t without some problems porting over to Switch, namely controls. However, it’s a minor issue in what is an overall unique and inspiring game that’s cinematic and moving if you embrace it.

Like a veteran yakuza lieutenant, Fading Afternoon can be unapproachable, offering little assistance for new recruits. This approach can be daunting at first, but it’s undoubtedly premeditated, encouraging you to explore the game’s intricately crafted world. There might not be many visible character stats, but this is accomplished role-playing.

Fading Afternoon tells the interesting story of Seiji Maruyama, an older Yakuza trying to re-establish himself in the newer world. There is a lot of interesting commentary on aging and reflections on the life you live, which I liked. To get to these moments, you have to battle through repetitive encounters. The game doesn’t give you much direction, so sometimes you aimlessly explore, hoping to trigger another cutscene on Seiji’s journey. If you can get through the repetitive combat, Fading Afternoon is worth checking out.

The excellent OST and nice, retro looking pixel-art are not enough to hide the subpar gameplay and the frustrating difficulty.