The launch trailer for side-scrolling action game Trek to Yomi pays tribute to the title's samurai film inspirations. Developed by Shadow Warrior reboot developer Flying Wild Hog, the newly-released title takes players on a stylish journey into the Japanese underworld. A Trek to Yomi preview recently demonstrated how the game draws inspiration from Akira Kurosawa's samurai films, and Flying Wild Hog pays homage to these cinematic classics in a new trailer.
Trek to Yomi pays tribute to Kurosawa films, and the samurai film genre as a whole, through a striking black-and-white visual style. The recently-released title casts players as Hiroki, a samurai warrior tasked with defending his village from hostile bandits and raiders. The stylish side-scroller features a combat system that lets players stab, slash and parry their way through enemies in a rhythmic and methodical manner. Outside of combat, Trek to Yomi players navigate a three-dimensional space that adds grandeur to Flying Wild Hog's version of feudal Japan. Many gamers have compared Ghost of Tsushima and Trek to Yomi, but the two samurai epics are very distinct.
A launch trailer for Trek to Yomi, posted to YouTube by publisher DevolverDigital, brings its influences full circle by creating a Kurosawa-style fight scene. The live-action trailer begins with voiceover from a straw hat samurai, who then faces off against four opponents in a vivid black-and-white battle. Using wide shots and only a handful of angles lets the exciting action sequence replicate Trek to Yomi's two-dimensional combat. Actual gameplay closes out the launch trailer, emphasizing the similarities between samurai cinema and the game itself. Players can take their own trek to Yomi as of May 5.
While the game is available on multiple platforms, Trek to Yomi on Xbox Game Pass is perhaps the easiest and most efficient way to enjoy the feudal adventure. The game launched day-one on Microsoft's popular streaming service, meaning subscribers were able to immediately jump into the Kurosawa-inspired samurai simulator without making an additional purchase. The at-launch availability of certain titles is a huge draw for many Xbox Game Pass subscribers, since it essentially gives gamers new games free of charge.
Trek to Yomi wears its influences proudly, with Akira Kurosawa's cinematography and style playing a huge role in creating the supernatural side-scroller. The new live-action launch trailer successfully flips the script by creating old-school cinema of its own while still reflecting the game's two-dimensional fighting angle. With Trek to Yomi available now, gamers can immediately embark on their own Kurosawa-inspired quest into the Japanese land of the dead.
Trek to Yomi is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Source: DevolverDigital/YouTube