Yo-Kai Watch Reviews
While not a revolutionary game, Yo-Kai Watch is testament to Level 5's ability to breathe new life into familiar concepts. More than any game in recent memory, Yo-Kai Watch as a whole is an experience that I enjoyed more the longer I played it. While combat was initially off-putting, taking the time to acclimatise revealed a far more complex set of systems than were initially apparent. With delightful characters, beautiful scenery, and missions both intriguing and bizarre, I can see why Japan has fallen in love with Yo-Kai Watch.
Aside from it taking me (and potentially many others) an embarrassingly long time to get a handle on the combat system, this game is a good, solid package that I recommend, as it will offer loads of fun for those that have the time
Yo-Kai Watch is a game with a great personality and a highly approachable combat system, but not free from major flaws: the random Yo-Kai capture system can be kinda frustrating, and it's a shame that it doesn't have an online multiplayer feature.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Yo-Kai Watch is no Pokémon clone but rather its own unique game that gives the player a sturdy combat system with some great Japanese RPG elements thrown into the mix. It's also a well-designed game that really allows you to explore this colourful world as you solve quests and discover new Yo-Kai for your collection.
Though Yo-Kai Watch does borrow a lot from the Pokemon franchise, the game does strike out a spot for itself in the monster-collecting market. The game is still really fun to play, and the feeling of collecting and discovering new Yo-Kai is exhilarating. The game has tons upon tons of cut-scenes, and does not have random enemy encounters, which makes it so much easier to get through dungeons without facing the same exact Yo-Kai again and again. Sure, Yo-Kai Watch definitely has places to improve, like its multiplayer and depth, but overall Yo-Kai Watch is more than worthy of a purchase.
Yo-Kai Watch is an endearing, charming title with some minor missteps, but it overcomes those with the pure joy of discovery and intrigue that can only come from a well-crafted collection-RPG, reminiscent of my youth spent behind a dim GameBoy light.
Yo-Kai Watch isn't the second coming of Pokémon, and that's perfectly okay. If you love to sit by the fire and train your Pokémon for hours, perfecting their EV and IV levels so you can be the very best, you likely won't find the same depth in Yo-Kai. Its world and philosophy is much simpler than that. But as a result, none of it feels frustrating or like work, and I'm constantly tempted to jump back into my adventures with Nate and Whisper.
Yo-Kai Watch has a great sense of humor, unique combat, and collection hooks that sink in quickly
Yo-Kai Watch is a game that is probably going to be considered a Pokémon clone by many, but for me, it does things so much better. It’s visually stunning, with a deeper story than you might expect, as well as a much fresher take on the monster-collecting role-playing games that Pokémon made popular. If you’re on the fence about picking up this title, then I implore you to take the plunge and give it a go, you may just be pleasantly surprised. Yo-Kai Watch was an eye-opener for me and I’m glad that I got the chance to play this fantastic game. Fingers crossed we’ll be getting its sequels sometime soon!
Yo-Kai Watch is a remarkably refreshing, original, and charming take on not only the catch-em-all format, but RPGs in general.
While a lot of missions boil down to a lot of fetching and running around, the charm behind the story and strategy-driven battling system create a fun world to explore and master. It's a fresh take on the genre that can pull in more than just Pokémon fans waiting on the next game. Yo-kai Watch is a surprising hit that builds on itself the more you play, demanding more thought and focus than its cheery exterior suggests.
So, while Yo-Kai Watch is pitched firmly at children, I found it to be utterly delightful, absorbing, and lengthy. I'm about 60 hours in, at the end of the main quest, but still have enough side quests to keep me going for a while. I can't see it resonating quite so powerfully in the west, and certainly Pokemon's extreme depth and competitive scene isn't going to be threatened by the gameplay on offer here. At the same time, there is a much stronger emphasis on the human characters, narrative, and setting in this adventure, and on that side of things, I haven't seen a game better suited for children (but one the adults can still enjoy) for quite some time.
Yo-Kai Watch is another game to add to 2015 that surprised the heck out of me. I've tried countless times to get into the Pokémon games before and they just never pulled me in, even though I appreciate what they offer players. Here, the idea of spirits, the charm, the writing, the battles, and the style just immediately sucked me in. I wanted to explore the world, find the spirits, and help people. It's a great start to a new franchise, one of the best looking 3DS games I've ever played, and if you're looking for a RPG with heart and spirit, Yo-Kai Watch is the right choice and a great start to a new franchise.
Yo-Kai Watch is an amazing first game of a hopefully long series and you'll want to pick it up immediately and hop on the Yo-Kai Watch hype train.
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.
Repetitive but charming, Yo-Kai Watch is a kid's game through and through.
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.
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.