YIIK: A Postmodern RPG

 Switch
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 14
  3. Negative: 2 out of 14
  1. GameCritics
    Feb 26, 2019
    70
    YIIK: A Postmodern RPG is a bizarre title that connected with me on several levels despite a number of issues, and it kept me coming back until credits rolled. While it did take a significant amount of time to get to the ending, the characters and the themes of coping with loss and Alex’s growth made the investment of time worth the effort. That said, I don’t know if I would recommend this game to anyone but myself, yet it’s so strange and offbeat that I think there’s something worthwhile here to check out for everyone who’s not me.
  2. Vandal
    Jan 17, 2019
    70
    Quotation forthcoming.
  3. Switch Player
    Jan 15, 2019
    70
    In YIIK: A Postmodern RPG, you’ll be thrown into an uncanny world full of mysteries and relatable characters. Its inventive turn-based combat may become a bit repetitive with time, but it still delivers an experience like no other.
  5. GameSpace
    Feb 22, 2019
    65
    If you grew up way back in the olden days like me and can’t stomach another anime RPG then YIIK is worth a look. YIIK: A Postmodern RPG is out now on Nintendo Switch.
  6. Press Start Australia
    Jan 16, 2019
    60
    YIIK is an ambitious little RPG with an intriguing premise and engaging battle mechanics that is ultimately let down by some poor pacing and a very unruly inventory management system. In a game where stats matter so much, this is a pretty big issue to have. Regardless, if you can see past its flaws, there’s a kooky game here with a weird but wonderful plot and a lovable cast to enjoy.
  7. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Jan 18, 2019
    55
    I wanted to like YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG a lot more than I did. There’s some rich creativity in its style, and the music is worth a listen even outside of playing. However, a lot of the fresh ideas with the battle system and Mind Dungeon simply don’t respect the player’s time. When I’m sighing after accidentally bumping into an avoidable enemy, that’s a problem.
  8. Destructoid
    Jan 16, 2019
    55
    There's a fantastic game buried somewhere here, but its merits are clouded by a plethora of bad design choices, uneven writing, and a protagonist who nobody in their right mind would ever want to spend any time with.
  9. FNintendo
    Nov 21, 2019
    50
    With a 1990s environment and some attempts at innovating an RPG's fighting system, YIIK has something to go for it, but unfortunately this gets rather lost in a game that is overall too frustrating and confusing. With its inconsistent art style and gameplay and a main character that's impossible to relate to, YIIK could have explored its real potential in a much more enjoyable way but as it is, it's mostly an unfulfilled work.
  10. DualShockers
    Jan 16, 2019
    50
    I really wanted to like YIIK but with all of its missteps, I was always reluctant to go back to its quirky world.

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 42
  3. Negative: 19 out of 42
  1. Spdrstar
    Jan 19, 2019
    1
    An Earthbound knockoff with controls and game mechanics that make for a frustrating experience. On top of a luckluster story, I recommendAn Earthbound knockoff with controls and game mechanics that make for a frustrating experience. On top of a luckluster story, I recommend skipping on this one.… Full Review »
  2. advacedgamer
    Jun 6, 2019
    0
    YIIK is the worst game ever made. Truly a disgrace to gaming and art as a whole, the entirety of my experience with this game was wrought withYIIK is the worst game ever made. Truly a disgrace to gaming and art as a whole, the entirety of my experience with this game was wrought with a reverie of agony at the hands of its story, characters and gameplay.

    Featuring actual plagiarism, the story of YIIK is a cacophony of elements taken from a figurative million other stories mashed together, beaten with hammers, glued together, and then treated as if it were an original experience. YIIK reaches and far exceeds the critical mass of pretentiousness while in reality being nothing more than the mindless incoherent babblings of an infant.

    The gameplay of YIIK can be summarized as wasted time. Fights can regularly take up to twenty minutes long. The reason for this isn’t because the combat is difficult or requires any thinking. No, the game wastes your time regularly because it wants you to play a mini-game every time you attack and defend. These mini-games are very simple and add nothing to the game. Not only are they not fun, you have to do them over and over and over again. Goodbye time. Hello misery.

    The characters in YIIK are all terrible, but the main problem is the main character, Alex. Alex is a truly detestable person. An arrogant, spoiled, selfish assshole. On top of that he loves to hear himself talk, and talk, and talk. Alex constantly monologues about pretty much everything that happens, and he does it with the same insufferable attitude described above.

    This game is the antithesis of fun, it’s frankly disgusting. There are zero redeeming qualities to this game. If you were considering playing this game, please do not give this fraud of a developer any money. Driving nails into your eyes would be a more productive and fun use of your time.    … Full Review »
  3. Antoids
    Jan 17, 2019
    9
    Full disclosure: When I asked to interview the developers prior to this game's release, they provided me with a code to allow me to speak onFull disclosure: When I asked to interview the developers prior to this game's release, they provided me with a code to allow me to speak on the game in a more informed manner during the interview.

    YIIK is a truly unique game. It's difficult to know where to start describing it, so I guess the main perception I want to correct is the idea that it's an Earthbound clone. It wears its inspiration from SNES-era RPGs like Lufia 2 on its sleeve, but with QoL updates like a fast-forward button in combat
    & mini-games for each action, which make the turn-based combat more engaging than Earthbound's. For example, the kendo-practicing Japanophile has an ability that requires inputting a series of predetermined inputs you can memorize like katas to greatly extend his damage.

    The music is one of the best parts of the game, as it should be in any JRPG. I don't feel like I need to go into great detail about that, as it's been covered to death between the main composer's work & the cameo tracks. I'm a big fan of Sammy Pak's Theme & The Mind Dungeon Theme in particular.

    The story & characters, however, are the main thrust of the game's appeal. The writing of the game is strongly inspired by Haruki Murakami, a Japanese novelist who specializes in the type of post-modernism the title of this game refers to: genre-blending, the mixture of old & new, & the use of the surreal to evoke a primal emotional reaction -- the cause of which is not necessarily understood by the audience at the time they experience it. With that said, I think I can move on to describing the story a bit more normally.

    The story follows Alex as he tries to find his place in the world. He is characteristic of an idealistic, yet untested young man fresh out of college, & if you miss the joke, he can be a little tough to deal with. He's given to great introspection, even in the company of others, to the point the rest of the cast calls him on it. I can see this being a point of contention, as Alex is really not a likable guy, & if the fact that's intentional doesn't land, it might be difficult to invest yourself in the story. I had no trouble, personally, & laughed along with the game when jokes came at Alex's expense. The game's characters are flawed, but relatable, which is a welcome change from the cartoonish & often one-dimensional characters featured in most JRPGs.

    Beyond that, I think the story told is a dead ringer for the type of story Murakami tells, which simply don't exist elsewhere in literature, much less in video games. I see the term 'dreamlike' used to describe his writing style, which is fitting because that both perfectly encapsulates it & is wholly unhelpful to anyone who has not experienced it personally.

    While the next thing you have to do in YIIK is always clear, & you are never left simply wandering, it is sometimes not clear how or even if it will help you achieve your overarching goal of finding the missing teenager Sammy Pak & discovering why she disappeared in the first place. The game intentionally evokes an almost lazy pace in solving this mystery, sending Alex on journeys of introspection when it may feel like he ought to be looking for clues. All I can say to reassure you on this is that it's very authentic to Murakami's writing style, which at one point features a man sitting at the bottom of a dry well for 3 days to find his missing wife. I think this meandering style pays off, but it is difficult to describe exactly why without spoiling the game.

    The game is not without flaws. I think the combat is easy throughout once you find a team that works. I was able to one-shot many enemies with special abilities, & there is no shortage of restorative items or currency in this game. The game also has a lack of polish that is to be expected from an indie game made largely by two people. Sometimes UI elements don't transition perfectly smoothly, for example. I will say I am very impressed by the camerawork; the default tools for camera stuff in this engine are abysmal, so it's an accomplishment to have good cinematography.

    Aside from that, I found the level up system to be a bit opaque in how your choices affect your build. It was clear what every stat did, but being able to choose them and having varying bonuses that it seemed like you had little influence over made it a bit confusing to do valuation for them. The process is also fairly slow. Of some consolation here is that due to the game's low difficulty, you can simply level up in bursts. In fact, the game encourages this by giving fully voice-acted cutscenes every few level ups. The level up menu also has what is for my money the best track in the game.

    The tl;dr is: YIIK remains engaging throughout, tells a story you likely haven't heard before, is quite visually striking at times, and features a killer soundtrack. Everything about its delivery feels carefully considered, and it truly threads the needle on some difficult challenges in storytelling.    … Full Review »
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