Yono and the Celestial Elephants

 Switch
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Tired Old Hack
    Nov 28, 2017
    Most of your time during this game’s 8-10 hour story will be spent figuring out how to reach the next area, usually involving some sort of block-pushing, switch-flipping or trunk-blowing mechanic. That may sound like a complaint, but it really isn’t: as long as you’re happy for it to be more of a puzzler than an action game, you’ll still enjoy it.

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Best Switch Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 23
  3. Negative: 4 out of 23
  1. GBG_Jason
    Oct 12, 2017
    7
    My first time seeing this title was during a Nindies presentation. I saw a cute elephant with an isometric camera and at one point a chickenMy first time seeing this title was during a Nindies presentation. I saw a cute elephant with an isometric camera and at one point a chicken riding on his back. While I loved the look of the game, the chicken is what did me in. The game had me on charm alone – but could the rest of it hold up to that initial awe?

    Starting Yono and the Celestial Elephants, you’ll come to realize that this is a game that wants to tackle the adventure genre that Zelda defined. However, it’s more along the lines of Oceanhorn (review available on the Garage Band Gamers site), both in appearance and simplicity. Playing for an hour, I turned to my wife and said “you know who would love this game? Our kid.” This is a game that an adult can enjoy, but I think a younger audience would appreciate it much more.

    Aside from the picture book visuals which are an absolute joy, the game’s music is very cheery, and the gameplay itself is easy to pick up. You’ll head-butt enemies to death, break blocks, and knock things over with one button, while blowing dandelions and spraying water you sucked up out of your trunk with another. The action button will allow you to talk with citizens, but it’s also how you’ll put items/animals on your back and use/throw them depending on the situation. That’s essentially it control wise, other than a lock-on. You’ll come across some other things that serve as “power ups” for puzzles outside of water, one of which is peanuts.

    Speaking of puzzles, that is the bulk of the game. Whether it be moving blocks or figuring out who lost their top hat at the top of a column, there are a lot of puzzles to solve. And in the event you need to fast travel to complete one, each city has a train station allowing you to traverse to any town you’ve already discovered. It’s also here that I thought of my unborn child though. Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing puzzle games for years, but everything seemed so simple. I didn’t have to sit and think about anything I came across – even the bosses, which were the only ones with any sort of urgency for completion. Not a bad thing by any means, but something to consider if you’re hoping to wrack your brain for hours on one puzzle.

    There are lots of collectibles to be found while on your adventure, which includes letters to unlock pages of lore, heart pieces to increase your life, and coins to purchase new skins. If you’re a fan of lore, you are in for a treat with this, as the game has much more depth than you might think at a glance. Learning about the elephants and their purpose of keeping the peace on the planet every so many centuries at a time is quite fascinating. The extra hearts will help in making you a tank, but much like the skins, are completely unnecessary. However, if you’re a fan of skins, this game has a TON, and they are really cool if you get all the things they reference. If you can’t be bothered though, you can bypass all of this and just continue with the game’s main path.

    While the game’s music is upbeat and well produced, the other sounds in the game are less so. Each character has a type of noise they make when you start talking to them, and some of these can be grating after the first couple of times hearing them. Some sound effects also sound a bit crushed – by that I mean they sound like they weren’t optimized and were recorded through a Styrofoam cup phone. Hopefully this is something that can be patched, as it constantly pulled me from the experience. The fighting is also very lackluster, as you’ll head-butt your enemies until they die without regard for your own life. With how easy it is to come across hearts, there’s really no reason to do anything but hit attack until you win. It would’ve been nice to see a bit of variation in battles, like a dodge being necessary before attacking, or needing to do more with your trunk abilities. It may even be better without the basic combat at all. More bosses would’ve definitely been preferred over any amount of regular combat.

    If you are looking for an entry level puzzle adventure for your kids, I highly recommend Yono and the Celestial Elephants. With the stunning aesthetic and simple game design, they should have no problem becoming immersed. If you’re looking for something along the lines of a new Zelda, you’ll likely be disappointed in the fighting that’s offered. If you just want to relax with some puzzles and beautiful visuals though, with a chicken in tow, you’ve found the game    … Full Review »
  2. Yarun64
    Jun 16, 2021
    10
    Honestly, for an Indie videogame, Yono is one of the cutest and well done videogame inspired by Zelda gameplay style. I really enjoyed it, IHonestly, for an Indie videogame, Yono is one of the cutest and well done videogame inspired by Zelda gameplay style. I really enjoyed it, I know the game is simple, but it's perfect to get the stress out in a bad day. For me this videogame is amazing.… Full Review »
  3. Ellaleigh
    Mar 8, 2021
    10
    A perfect fun little game with a very cute story and world. I picked this because I love elephants and it looked cute and relaxing- somethingA perfect fun little game with a very cute story and world. I picked this because I love elephants and it looked cute and relaxing- something I can always use more of these days. For me this was a breath of fresh air in a world of games that always feel the need to be a little bit punishing or a little bit dark/grim. This was light and happy and the perfect blend of puzzles and story- I just wish it was longer! I really liked what the creator did with the usual puzzle dynamics- the incorporation of the elephant trunk with air, water, peanuts, and chili peppers and all the ways they were used was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the unique blend of societies (humans, happily undead bonewights, and free robots) and the theming of each area. One of my favorite aspects was the different skin designs you could buy- someone definitely put some thought and creativity into the artwork for those as well as some Easter eggs paying homage to the games Yono and the Celestial Elephants took inspiration from. Not a hard game but perfect for relaxing while still challenging your brain a bit and getting a good dose of serotonin from all the baby elephant cuteness! There definitely seems to be room here left for a sequel or two and I really hope the creator makes one! There is so much potential in the puzzle dynamics and world of this game that I’d really love to see explored and expanded on! I hope this isn’t the last we see of Yono the Celestial Elephant! … Full Review »
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