Yo-Kai Watch Reviews
While the battle system could use some work, the charming world of Yo-Kai Watch features a solid blueprint for the future of this already ongoing franchise
Yo-Kai Watch is filled with charm, monsters to befriend, unique battle mechanics, and gameplay that keeps players engaged. Still, the title is filled with redundancies.
Yo-Kai Watch is a good variation on the monster collection genre of RPGs that will definitely please fans and earn a few new fans, but has just enough tiresome elements to keep it from being great.
Yo-Kai Watch is almost a great game. In fact, in many ways it eclipses the effort GameFreak has put into Pokémon over the years, both in production and creativity. That alone should be commended. Unfortunately, there are a few oversights and missteps that ultimately detract from enjoying the many, many things Yo-Kai Watch does so well. The groundwork is here for a franchise that could thrive for a long while to come, but Level-5 needs to rethink a few design decisions and put more focus into plot before Yo-Kai Watch reaches its full potential. This is definitely a game that you should play if you're attracted to the concept, but there are caveats to bear in mind before hunting down spirits on your 3DS.
Ultimately the appeal of Yo-Kai Watch will depend heavily on you as a gamer. If you're interested in a light JRPG with a twist on standard turn-based mechanics, you will find Yo-Kai Watch to be a delight. If you're looking for something deeper, you might want to stick with Pokémon.
A stunning looking RPG with fun interactions and gameplay, Yo-Kai Watch packs over one hundred hours of lifespan to explore fully. While it could have invested more in developing its plot, it's a very welcome arrival to the European market of a game that has spawned a successful series in its home country.
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Still, Yo-Kai Watch makes for a good time on the 3DS. It might scratch the itch of a long-time Pokemon fan, and will surely delight younger players. This game doesn't rewrite the formula and will likely not go down in history as an all-time great, but it's a fun, worthwhile experience.
Yo-Kai Watch's decidedly foreign lore doesn't trample an accessible series of lessons for children worldwide.
Yo-Kai Watch is a rather odd beast in many ways. Kids' trends are always difficult to predict, and even with the massive marketing push behind the game, it's hard to say if Yo-Kai Watch will achieve Pokémon-like levels of cross-cultural penetration. It certainly isn't up to Pokémon's level: while exploring is fun, combat is a passive, frustrating slog that keeps it from being as enjoyable as it should be.
A charming and well-made role-playing adventure, but despite how much it might resemble Pokémon it has nothing like the depth of Nintendo's games.
Its appeal lies in its delightful story and colourful cast, a compelling bunch that would indeed give the Pokédex a run for its money. If only it could find the mechanics to match.
The cute monster battling fun is extremely familiar, but Yo-Kai watch has plenty of its own charm
Full of charm but not engaging enough
I'm interested to see if Nintendo will continue this series in America. There's definitely a lot of groundwork made in this game, but it's so unrefined that I really can't recommend buying this game. But keep an eye out for a sequel, because if the combat system was fixed, this game could have been a home run.
Yo-kai Watch delivers a fun, easy to play, tough to master RPG that I found just as exciting as it is relaxing. I want more of this series.
Yo-Kai Watch might not be Pokémon, but it doesn't have to be. Level-5 and Nintendo have delivered a world filled with enough humor and charm that it stands more than well enough on its own. The game has some minor issues, but nothing is ever significant enough to trump what Yo-Kai Watch does so well. RPG veterans won't find the journey all that difficult, but younger fans and the young at heart will find plenty to love.
Repetitive but charming, Yo-Kai Watch is a kid's game through and through.
I know I came in saying that Yo-kai Watch doesn't play like Pokemon, and yet I spent a few points comparing the two. It's impossible to draw comparisons in games that both center around catching monsters and using them for battle.