Stoic and honor-bound, samurai have long been the subject of video games. However, it wasn’t until Ghost of Tsushima's release that we finally received an authentic samurai experience. That same level of painstaking detail is on display in Trek to Yomi, the newest offering from publisher Devolver Digital and developer Flying Wild Hog, the studio responsible for Shadow Warrior 3.

Blending Japanese history and mysticism with top-notch voice work and arthouse film flair, the $19.99 Trek to Yomi is a cinematic experience, complete with gorgeous black-and-white visuals that recall Akira Kurosawa's samurai movies. The game isn't much longer than the films it pays homage to, such as Hidden Fortress and Seven Samurai, but the brisk pace wastes none of your time. In fact, Trek to Yomi is so densely packed that its relatively short length isn't a fault. Overall, it’s easily one of the best PC games of the year and deserving of our Editors' Choice award.

Every Frame Is a Painting

Like many samurai stories, Trek to Yomi is a revenge tale. Adopted and trained by the samurai Sanjuro, the protagonist, Hiroki, has his training abruptly interrupted when his village is ransacked by bandits. After Sanjuro dies in the conflict, Hiroki swears to protect his sensei’s daughter, Aiko, as well as the other villagers. When the bandits' leader, Kagerou, reappears years later, the evil man defeats Hiroki, and sends him straight to Yomi—the land of the dead.

What may seem like a pretty straightforward revenge story is elevated by excellent black-and-white visuals and a fantastic Japanese voice cast that features many popular anime alums, including Masayuki Kato (Naruto: Shippuden), Akio Otsuka (Ghost in the Shell), and Hiroshi Shirokuma (One Piece). The game takes place on a 2.5D plane, but breaks up the side-scrolling monotony by employing fixed camera angles. If you’re familiar with survival-horror games from the 1990s and early 2000s, you know what to expect here. However, the camera cuts perfectly frame the next scene instead of focusing on jump scares.

Whether you’re brandishing your samurai sword for battle or traveling through the long, winding road out of hell, the impressive scope and expert blocking bring excitement to every scene. The black-and-white color palette, wide-screen presentation, and film grain add to Yomi’s aesthetic, giving it the glow of an unknown Akira Kurosawa film from the 1950s or 1960s.

Yomi's encounters are often brief, settled in just a few, well-placed steel slashes. You start the game with a basic and strong attack, as well as a block move, but more complex combos and counters become available as your enemies grow stronger. Like a scene pulled from a stage performance, combat is a one-on-one affair with fast-moving opponents that circle you like vultures around a carcass. Carefully reading and parrying lead to a quick victory or demise. 

Between combat sections, you can explore the level in limited fashion. These moments are often quiet, though they contain many secret areas and branching paths that lead to collectibles, health and stamina boosts, and the occasional ranged weapon. Trek to Yomi isn't a Metroidvania, but the collectibles help shape the world and lore without needless exposition.

A Double-Edged Sword

I had fun reveling in Trek to Yomi's beauty, but the same creative choices that make the game special also hinder it in some areas. For example, the constantly cutting cameras created moments when Yomi faced in the wrong direction. In addition, interactive items let off a glint of light, but they’re sometimes lost in the contrasting white color scheme. Interactions with the environment also suffer from the same issue.

Those moments are annoying, but they really become a problem when those issues bleed into combat. You can parry sword strikes if you catch the glint of enemies' swords, but like the items hidden in the background, they're easy to miss. This results in unwanted deaths.

Aside from occasional boss encounters, the combat never gets too deep. You learn combos, but battles rarely last long. Although it's fun to pull off flashy combos, your simple, bread-and butter strings will get you through most of the game.

And then there’s the length. My initial playthrough on normal difficulty took exactly five hours. Yomi's pace never lets up, so it doesn't overstay its welcome. Still, it may not be the game for you if you value open-world play, endless side quests, and an epic story.  

Can Your PC Run Trek to Yomi?

Trek to Yomi’s presentation is gorgeous, but it doesn't require the newest PC hardware. The minimum requirements are only an AMD Phenom II X4 965 or Intel Cord i5-8250U CPU, AMD Radeon R7 260X or Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU (2048 VRAM for each), 8GB of RAM, 11GB of storage space, and the Windows 7 operating system.

My rig had no problem running the game with the settings maxed out, maintaining a rock-solid 60 frames per second throughout the journey. In terms of visual options, Trek to Yomi has ambient occlusion, bloom, and film filter settings.

The game can only be found on Steam; it's not an Epic release as of this writing. It has controller support, as well as Steam Achievements. The game isn't Steam Deck verified, at least at the moment.

The Sons of the Battlecry

Trek to Yomi is a small game, but its awe-inspiring, cinematic presentation rivals AAA productions. The mythical hero’s journey might not break new ground, but it’s an engaging ride that'll keep you hooked from beginning to end. Trek to Yomi isn't the most complex or difficult title, but it's one we highly recommend to anyone looking for a short, stylish action game, earning it our Editors' Choice award.For more Steam game reviews and previews, check out PCMag's Steam Curator page. And for in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag's Pop-Off YouTube channel.