Yomawari: Night Alone (Vita) Review

Written by Robert Warnes
 
(Disclosure: Review copy was provided by the publisher.)

With the lights switched off, the Vita screen close to your eyes and the headphones emphasising the spooky noises. The horror genre feels tailored made for handhelds. Of course Yomawawi is also playable on PC and the Playstation TV, but the best experience is on Sony's underrated portable.
Spoilers will be kept to a minimum since the main draw of this game is being surprised by the unexpected. The plot centres on a young girl who goes searching for her missing dog in the dark streets of an unnamed Japanese town. All the dialogue is text based with the silent atmosphere amplifying the horror. A strong vocal performance can add to the experience. But bad voice acting can easily transform a horror game into a cheesy comedy. The developers made the right call not to incorporate voice overs.

While many companies have turned their horror franchise into a Summer action flick, Yomawari is survival horror in the truest sense. There are no weapons available and a single touch results in an automatic death. Even the fixed prospective is reminiscent of the horror games of old and you will have to rely on your wits to survive the world of Yomawari. Fortunately the game is not completely heartless with a set of matches and rocks to help distract enemies. You also retain every key item even after death and the save statues double as quick teleports.
The bulk of the game is spent evading enemies and searching for key items to help advance the plot. There is the occasional puzzle and a boss encounter at the very end. But for the most part, you will be dodging enemies and exploring the environment. The 2D visuals are rich in detail with impressive dynamic lighting. The only drawback is some parts of the environment overlap and obscures the main character from the player's view. A slight annoyance in a game where every step is critical.

The game is broken up into 7 chapters and can be finished in approximately 5 hours. While some players might be turned off by this, you have to remember the game is being sold at lower price point and the physical release comes bundled with The Firefly Diary on the same card. Completions looking to expand the lifespan can take advantage of the free roam mode to hunt down any collectables they missed on their first run.

Yomawari Night Alone is an amazing survival horror game with old fashion sensibilities that work in the game’s favour. The spooky atmosphere combined with the tense gameplay makes this one of the must play Vita games in 2016.

RATING - RECOMMENDED