Yoku's Island Express

 Xbox One
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 33
  3. Negative: 4 out of 33
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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Jun 7, 2018
    9
    It’s very rare these days that a game takes a tried and tested formula and turns it on its head so to speak, but when a game does exactly that you end up having an experience like no other and that’s exactly what you get with Yoku’s Island Express. Without a doubt from the moment you begin your journey with the game you can tell that a great deal of love and effort has gone into it andIt’s very rare these days that a game takes a tried and tested formula and turns it on its head so to speak, but when a game does exactly that you end up having an experience like no other and that’s exactly what you get with Yoku’s Island Express. Without a doubt from the moment you begin your journey with the game you can tell that a great deal of love and effort has gone into it and this love and effort shines through at all times. The best way to enjoy all this love and effort then is when you explore the world that’s presented to you. Exploring is a rewarding experience at all times and finding little secrets here and there never gets dull. In fact the game on the whole never gets dull and that’s mainly down to its unique pinball and platforming mechanics. I must admit that I was little dubious when I found out that the main crux of the game involved both pinball and platforming at the same time, but to say I was proven wrong would be a massive understatement. Both these elements work together flawlessly and when they do combine together the fun factor is simply off the charts. Another thing that keeps the fun factor sky high is the level design in the game. Each level has a huge amount of variety present in them and by doing this it meant that the frustrating moments caused by backtracking and playing the same tables never became much of a problem, which is great. I will say though that traversing the levels do require quite a lot of precision and this can be a little tedious from time to time, but even this didn’t stop me in the end from playing the game time and time again. I wish the game was a little longer and that just shows how good the game is because in terms of content the game has a decent amount for you to be getting on with. To my surprise this content was also accompanied by a very good story and I will admit that I didn’t expect it to be as charming as it was and I certainly didn’t expect to get attached to the characters as much as I did. The presentation side of the game also surprised me in a good way. Visually the game just oozes charm and I fell in love with the game’s style immediately and when you combine the fantastic visuals with the awesome soundtrack it really does make the gameplay stand out even more. All in all Yoku’s Island Express is one of my most favourite games I’ve played so far this year. It’s managed to take the good things from a number of different genre’s and roll them up into one fantastic package and when it’s all said and done I fully recommend that you give this game a try.… Expand
  2. Roagie
    Jan 4, 2020
    10
    What a great game. Take the whimsy of Ori and Blind Forest and combine it with Super Metroid and you have a great game. To me the game's design is simply amazing. Well thought out world, puzzles, and game mechanics. The art is top notch, and there is a wide variety of interesting characters and creatures. Don't let the 'pinball' part scare you if you don't like pinball games... honestly,What a great game. Take the whimsy of Ori and Blind Forest and combine it with Super Metroid and you have a great game. To me the game's design is simply amazing. Well thought out world, puzzles, and game mechanics. The art is top notch, and there is a wide variety of interesting characters and creatures. Don't let the 'pinball' part scare you if you don't like pinball games... honestly, the pinball aspect is very low key. You do need a basic knowledge of pinball, such as rotating targets and ball behavior to bumper hits, but to me it seems secondary to the main game... you'll easily figure out what to do and the game is very forgiving for the pinball areas. The game has great exploration and the execution is perfect. It's a giant island, but every 'level' within that island is well thought out and a pleasure to traverse. Highly recommended!… Expand
  3. SuperkenGaming
    May 29, 2018
    8
    Yoku’s Island Express
    A Metroidpinballvania
    Yoku’s Island express is a 7 hour long Metroidvania game where you play as a postmaster beetle named yoku you’re here to deliver some mail, but this sets you on a quest of gathering the three chiefs of the island to perform a ritual to save makuma, the life blood of this island… and in Metroid vania fashion this means going as far as you can    Yoku’s Island Express
    A Metroidpinballvania
    Yoku’s Island express is a 7 hour long Metroidvania game where you play as a postmaster beetle named yoku you’re here to deliver some mail, but this sets you on a quest of gathering the three chiefs of the island to perform a ritual to save makuma, the life blood of this island…
    and in Metroid vania fashion this means going as far as you can on this one giant connected map completing quests to get new items to reach new areas rinse and repeat until credits role…
    this isn’t an ordinary metroidvania game though,,
    The entire map is one giant pinball machine..
    you have full control of yokuyoure rolling along this ball, but often you’ll find yourself in a mini pinball area where you lose full control and are just focused on the flippers.. hitting targets, collecting fruit so you can unlock other targets and fast travel bee line posts.. even working towards larger fruit carrying capacity
    for probably the first half of the game, the fruit feels worth collecting and looking out for..
    it feels scarce despite seemingly being all over the place due to how pricey unlocking bumpers and new items is..
    this encourages exploration, and youll soon find collectables insinuating there are a few secrets to uncover on this island, adding more intrigue….
    Everything about this game is so charming and well designed..
    As a metroidvania, I naturally felt overwhelmed at times…
    this game is very unlinear, you have a map you can keep referring to to the area you need to get to.. but until you’ve explored an area its clouded.. so finding the route to get there is completely up to you..
    youll constantly run into for the time being dead ends as you might not yet have the ability to get past a certain point..
    though if you stop and talk to the characters of this world, the game does a great job of giving you hints on where to go to next, or which area to investigate a little..
    As a giant pinball game, traversing upwards can feel a bit frustrating at times… as you are relying on timing od the ball and the triggers and you can feel a little out of control, but yokus island express is also super forgiving..
    you cant really die in this game.. you can only lose fruit and traversal progress…
    but none of it is ever too painful..
    Its just enough to keep you engaged and putting in a decent amount of effort…
    there are also side quests here on top of the collectables..
    tons to do to keep you exploring and hooked in this polished pinball world..
    This is a really unique experience worth checking out..
    theres nothing out there like it.
    I give Yokus Island Express
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  4. emporio2866
    Apr 18, 2020
    6
    Подводя итог, скажу следующее - игра хорошая, понравится скорее всего всем в той или иной степени вне зависимости от возраста. Особенно зайдёт любителям серии Метроид, Холлоу Найт, Ори, Дед Селс, Бладстейнед, Гуакамелли и прочих игр жанра «метроидвания».
    Это весьма милый и позитивный проект, дающий небольшой челлендж только тем, кто его ищет, а остальных не трогает и пропускает спокойно к    Подводя итог, скажу следующее - игра хорошая, понравится скорее всего всем в той или иной степени вне зависимости от возраста. Особенно зайдёт любителям серии Метроид, Холлоу Найт, Ори, Дед Селс, Бладстейнед, Гуакамелли и прочих игр жанра «метроидвания».
    Это весьма милый и позитивный проект, дающий небольшой челлендж только тем, кто его ищет, а остальных не трогает и пропускает спокойно к финальным титрам.
    Если вам хочется чего-то нестандартного, да ещё чтобы было весело и несложно, то данный проект вас точно не разочарует.

    От меня 6,5 баллов из 10.
    Йоку Айленд Экспресс смогла поистине удивить и не отпустила до победного конца, пока не выпала последняя ачивка!

    PS
    Game Pass на Xbox One X продолжает знакомить меня с новыми нетривиальными играми, которые я ни за что бы не купил, тем самым, пропустив немалую долю удовольствия.
    Спасибо, Microsoft    … Expand
  5. Quellyford
    Mar 23, 2022
    8
    Feels like Ori but with a great fun twist! Less difficult, more approachable - music is fantastic and it has such positive vibes. Absolutely worth checking out!
  6. Hypes11
    Jan 6, 2020
    9
    Didn't expect much when they put this on Game Pass but was pleasantly surprised. They somehow combined a Metroidvania with pinball. Music and art are charming as well.
  7. Jeriah
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Unique gameplay and environments. A good game to fill a weekend. It's not always clear when to flip the hit the ball, what can be a little frustrating (especially when your near the end).
  8. Katoyama
    Sep 24, 2021
    10
    One of the greatest platform adventure game since Dizzy! With brilliant, innovative game mechanics.
    Good Job!
  9. neomoonsevin
    May 19, 2023
    1
    Garbage pinball game that isn't any different to any other pinball game devil crush wannabee

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Xbox One Game of 2018
72
#72 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2018
7
#7 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Multiplayer.it
    May 10, 2022
    84
    Yoku's Island Express proves that platforms, and even metroidvanias, can find new ways adding unusual elements to the gameplay with strange and unique mix of characteristics. In this case, the strange blend of platform, adventure and flipper results in an amazing design.
    Read full review
  2. GameGrin
    Aug 13, 2018
    85
    With only a few small niggles to complain about, Yoku’s Island Express successfully merges pinball and platforming without ever making the former feel like a gimmick. Its beautiful presentation and fun, engaging exploration blend together to create a truly unique experience.
    Read full review
  3. Worth Playing
    Jul 24, 2018
    85
    Yoku's Island Express is a game that you'll encourage others to check out the minute you start playing. Aside from the gorgeous aesthetics, the use of pinball mechanics is inspired, and the execution of the mechanics is done well. It's a relatively short experience, but it feels packed with tons of side-quests if you can deal with the backtracking seeming to go on a little longer than usual due to the pinball mechanics. Overall, Yoku's Island Express is a brilliant game that adventure fans need.
    Read full review
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