Puzzle adventure games don’t always have to be a Tetris clone- they can also be about epic, world-changing events…that happen to take place during the more pedestrian things like getting to know someone. Such is the world of Yokai’s Secret, another beautiful puzzle adventure title that will not only draw gamer’s in with its beautifully realized world but also entertain them for hours with its extremely epic story that mixes romance, fantasy, sword and sorcery, and drama.
If that sounds like a lot to you, it was a bit much for us but we loved every minute of it. Whether you’re a veteran of this genre or you’re brand new to this type of game, we think that Yokai’s Secret is something you need to know about and experience for yourself.
How to Download Yokai’s Secret
You can download the game by clicking the Download button that you will find at the end of the review. The title is available on Steam.
The Game Review
As you can probably tell from the introduction, there is more to Yokai’s Secret than meets the eye. We’ll start with the basics first, however. Since it does have a lot more going on, the interface necessarily has to be able to keep up with that. Most puzzle adventure games use a choose-your-own-adventure style approach but, when you incorporate novel elements like puzzle solving, you have to sacrifice some of the purity of that genre.
Don’t worry, the puzzle solving here makes sense in terms of both the game and the story. It’s actually quite fun and a really good break from the rest of what is on offer here. We don’t expect anyone to really have complaints about playing the actual game and that speaks highly to Double W’s programming prowess.
Another major aspect of these games is the graphical presentation and, again, Double W did their homework. Since the subject matter of this software is beyond what most puzzle adventures do, it had to have an artwork style that could appropriately convey this. What impressed us most was just how high-quality everything is.
It has the appearance of a very expensive production and looks like something that would be right at home as a film or television series. Indeed, much of that vibe is the draw for these types of games as they are seen as interactive novels or shows. Gamers that enjoy that aspect of the puzzle adventure genre will find it in spades here.
The Bottom Line
Is Yokai’s Secret worth your time? Does it do new things with this genre? Most definitely. We can’t really think of another game that attempts to bridge the gaps between romance, drama, and fantasy RPG in a more effective way.
The puzzle-solving element is well integrated, the story is compelling, and the world on offer here does an excellent job of bringing you into its paradigm. You feel like you know these people and have some stake in the game in the end. That’s probably the single enjoyable aspect of this game is the fact that it makes you care and want to know what happens next. So many titles phone it in when it comes to this kind of thing, but that’s not the case here.
