Indie game publisher Devolver Digital aims to tell a powerful, intimate story with its upcoming action-adventure side-scroller Trek to Yomi. With this new title, Devolver Digital and developer Flying Wild Hog will be capitalizing on the feudal Japanese aesthetics that were revitalized by games like Sucker Punch's groundbreaking Ghost of Tsushima. Very little has been revealed about Trek to Yomi's gameplay and story specifics at the time of writing, but the gorgeous cinematic trailer, as well as Devolver Digital's solid track record, has gamers excited.
Devolver Digital's previous games include smash hits like Hotline Miami, Fall Guys, and Enter the Gungeon, cementing the publisher's reputation as a champion for iconic and idiosyncratic experiences. Recent games like the experimental Carrion have also helped establish Devolver Digital as a publisher unafraid of committing to a strange and unique vision. Even considering its wide variety of releases, a story-focused, historical epic is slightly out of Devolver Digital's wheelhouse, as the publisher has mostly focused on arcade-style adrenaline-boosters, with emotionally resonant titles like Gris being notable exceptions.
Devolver Digital's new trailer for Trek to Yomi dropped on June 12, showing off the game's impressive, Kurosawa-esque visual style, as well as giving a few insights as to what players can expect on the story and gameplay side. The trailer opens on a young man strolling through a peaceful, scenic countryside landscape. This serenity is short-lived, however, as the trailer quickly cuts to that same man frantically approaching a burning village while a narrator proclaims that "Peace is mere illusion". The footage that follows shows off some of the game's hack-and-slash combat (another aspect reminiscent of Ghost of Tsushima) and light platforming elements before ending with a short reprisal of the tranquil tone from the start of the trailer, suggesting that there is still hope for the hero of this tale.
The trailer is as striking and beautiful as it is mysterious, as most of the story and gameplay details are still withheld from the viewer. Even basics like the name of the protagonist and the identity of the narrator remain to be learned. From the little information available, anxious gamers will likely piece together hypotheses and theories in the weeks and months to come.
The burning village at the start of the trailer could hint at a classic revenge story that puts players in the shoes of a tormented character hungry for justice. Those familiar with Japanese mythology may also recognize "Yomi" as a Shinto term meaning "land of the dead", implying that the game could be engaging in Japanese folklore in a similar way to games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Regardless of Trek to Yomi's particulars, the current samurai craze in gaming coupled with Devolver Digital's legendary reputation will surely make the game one to watch for many fans.
Trek to Yomi is coming to PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 in 2022
Source: Devolver Digital