It’s been a while since the last big samurai game graced modern platforms. Trek to Yomi takes place in the feudal era of Japan when samurai were still commonplace. The main character, Hiroki, witnesses his master being struck down in front of him when a group of bandits invaded their village when he was young.
The narrative then flashes forward to reveal a much older Hiroki dealing with similar issues. Tracking down a group of bandits in the woods opens up some old wounds for the protagonist, and things blow up from there. That is the basic premise of Trek to Yomi, and these upcoming tips will help players during their journey.
7 Don’t Disable Subtitles
Players should figure this one out quite quickly. Still, some may like to tweak the settings before jumping into a game, and knowing this should save some time. Under the language option in the menu, it says English. This might make players think there is an English dub, making subtitles unnecessary.
However, what this is referring to is the menu language. There is only one audio track and it is in Japanese. If players switch off subtitles then they will have no idea what is going on. Again, this tip is very simple but hopefully, it saves someone a headache.
6 Use Headphones
The visuals present Trek to Yomi as an homage to classic samurai films. The art style is unique for an indie game, that is for sure. The audio is also trying to pay respects to the retro vibe. There is a lot of echoing and static as if to convey poor film quality like this game came out in the early 1900s.
These are both great effects. However, it can be hard to hear on a normal TV. That’s why headphones are recommended to get the full effect. It goes beyond understanding the story too. Certain audio clues will guide players toward hidden paths. Hearing someone screaming from the left side of the ear, for example.
5 The Difficulties Can Be Changed
Some games force players to progress through their adventures on one difficulty level. This can be a bad design choice because players have no idea what the developer thinks a Medium difficulty should be like. Don’t fret about the levels in Trek to Yomi.
There are three options from the start and another one unlocks after the game is completed. The nice thing is that difficulty levels can be changed at any time. Switching them will return players to the last checkpoint though. Thankfully, there are a lot of checkpoints. The best advice is to start on Medium. If things are too simple or challenging, then raise or lower the settings after getting to a checkpoint. Experiment with this feature like one would a set of assist options.
4 Explore Thoroughly
There is no going back between levels in this game. Trek to Yomi is not a Metroidvania despite it being in 2D and having similar upgrade options. Players can raise the ammo count for their ranged weapons, like the bow, and they can also increase health and stamina.
There is no map so figuring out which way is the story path and which way is the optional path can be difficult. If players start down one way and it looks story-related, they should turn around. Missing out on an item, or several could affect the entire experience no matter what difficulty players choose.
3 Activate Traps
As the saying goes, there are more ways than one to skin a cat. Most battle scenarios will force players to fight in the traditional samurai bloodfest. However, sometimes the game will present new opportunities. For example, the first one that comes to mind is in a mine shaft.
Players can take the lower path and fight a bunch of bandits one on one. It can be overwhelming. However, if they take the higher path, they can cut the rope and drop a pallet on top of the group. This will kill them all instantly. Always be on the lookout for options like this to save health and ammo.
2 Back Away From Enemies
Trek to Yomi's combat is not as fluid as some other samurai action games out there. Ghost of Tsushima, for example, made players feel like they were the wind. The stiffness of combat in Trek to Yomi can make countering not that simple, and it is necessary to survive fights though. Or, at least, that’s what the game might want players to believe.
However, there is another way to easily vanquish foes. Instead of getting up close and waiting for a countering opportunity, back up and wait for them to attack. Another good strategy is to put your back on enemies. Eventually, players will unlock a turnaround slash that can catch enemies off guard. This technique can later be upgraded too. If used correctly, these attacks can feel a little OP.
1 Hold On To Ammo
The first ranged weapon players will unlock in Trek to Yomi are the shuriken. The aforementioned upgrades can increase this amount little by little. The next ranged weapon is a bow, followed by a gun, and so on. The shuriken is good for stunning enemies, but they aren’t great for damaging them. A good ninja likely knows that.
The bow and gun can do devastating numbers though. It’s best to save those two types of ammo for bosses only. For shuriken, be stingy with them as well and only use the throwing blades if things look desperate. Using them on armored enemies is one sound strategy.
Trek to Yomi was released on May 5, 2022 and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.