Yoku's Island Express is, from top to bottom, a weird game.
It has a little of something, yet feels completely original.
It tries to be everything, but primarly falls on a number of mechanics.
At the end though, one thing is absolutely clear: I really enjoyed my time with this
game.
Its flair, style and gameplay quirks are so much fun to toy around with.
Yoku's Island Express isn't just fresh, it's special.
Not everything works to a fault, but we will get there.For starters, the premise of the
game is what blew me away.
You are this little stung beetle named Yoku, about to take over a job as a postman.
A mysterious threat has taken hold of the island, and it is your job to find out why.
Along the way, you come across a colorful cast of creatures that have quirkly dialogue
and their rightful place in this world.
The feeling of adventure instantly grabbed me with a point of no return, and it really
pushed me to the game's conclusion.
Yoku explores the world in a way not unlike a Metroidvania.
You move from screen to screen and explore what the flora and fauna have on offer.
Sometimes there is some light platforming to be taken, while at other times you will
find going through puzzle mazes.
What brings these two sides of it together are its mechanics.
While you will move around with a ball, you will see yourself using flippers and bumpers
to get across challenges in your way.
These are attached to the ZL- and ZR-buttons for optimal control inputs.
It gives the experience a variety and edge I really adored.
That being said, it isn't perfectly put together.
Sometimes you need to shoot your ball, and by extend Yoku, to a very specific direction.
Due to the nature of controls, you don't really have any major control over the ball's power.
It is one way, or no way.
The aspect created some frustrating moments towards theend of the game.
I kept shooting, but it went nowhere to close to where I wanted it to go.
The game tries to resolve with an indicator on the flippers, but doesn't always turn out
so great.Speaking of the puzzles, I found them quite enjoyable for the most part.
Nothing shouted to me as super hard, but that was the thing about it.
The flow was very easy going, and I could experiment without taking any major risks.
They mostly follow the same set of rules, but they do enough with them to be continously
entertaining.
While some strategy orientated segments would've been nice, considering the limits of the controls,
I am not too upset that this isn't there.
You don't have to overthink things, and most segments are over before you know it.
The puzzles also introduce new elements from time to time to further spice things up.
Very early on, you get access to a party whistle, which is the most adorable thing I've seen
in a game.
This will allow you to wake up sleeping entities or force others out of their shell.
Another one sees you sucking up snails with a vacuum and using them as a bomb to blow
up walls.
It is simple stuff that you can easily understand aftera moment or two.As far as the map is
concerned, there is more to find next to the usual array of characters and puzzles.
There are plenty of extra activities or collectables that can keep you engrossed for some extra
time.
This will see you delivering packages, discussing with the guardians of this land and helping
out inhabitants.
It kind of needs this too as the main story will run you about 4.5 hours.
There is nothing wrong with the length in theory, but there isn't anything to pull you
back in once you are done.
It is an one run take it or leave it deal.
At the end of the day, that is fine though.
The struggle is really well presented in that short amount of time, and the resolution doesn't
exactly feel forced.
Next to that, you can hang around if you totally want to.
What helps here is that the presentation is top-notch, not even a question.
The characters, backgrounds and elements are beautifully animated and are a joy to behold.
The developers clearly put alot of time in making the world feel like coherent place.
The music brings the usual flair of jungle sounds and music, giving it an atmosphere
I loved.Yoku's Island Express is a curiosity.
A game that tries at every step to be different.
While it succeeds in some areas, the ambition can't be denied.
I sincerely enjoyed the story and its various elements to a tee.
That being said, the control doesn't always feel there.
Next to this, it will be over before you know it.
While that is disappointing, I can't deny that I walked away happy.
It is why I reward the game with a Liked-It-A-Lot.
Yoku is good company, and that is what really value in a game.Thanks for watching.
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See you later, bye.