tl;dr Whatever you've heard about YIIK before December 2024 no longer applies. The developers have redeemed themselves No Man’s Sky-style, and the game is fantastic now. Don’t let internet personalities decide for you—try it yourself.

At least check out the free demo.

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YIIK was teased in 2013 and launched in 2019 to mixed reception. Its visuals and music were praised, but the story felt clumsy, and combat was tedious. It had potential but wasn’t fun, ultimately falling short due to some rough spots.

In 2024, the developers took a No Man’s Sky approach and overhauled the game. Combat is now fast-paced, cutscenes are fully animated in 3D, and the experience is vastly improved.

The game’s early ‘90s polygonal aesthetic creates surreal and unique visuals.

If you enjoy Earthbound, or postmodern RPG Maker games like Yume Nikki, you’ll likely enjoy this too.

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YIIK is fun in its own right, but there's also a fair bit of mystery surrounding it. Much like American Psycho or Eyes Wide Shut, the theories, development history, and secrets within have turned it into a real-life iceberg meme.

Stylistically, it has parallels to Twin Peaks, Umineko, Eyes Wide Shut, Serial Experiments Lain, and The Neverhood, yet it carves its own path. It’s symbolic and mystical without feeling pretentious, exploring deep ideas with humility while remaining an entertaining game.

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Like Earthbound, and so many others, this is poised to become a cult classic once it’s discovered by the right audience.

I am looking forward to seeing what Ackk Studios does next.

Don't play this game.

this is a game for ironic enjoyment only. something to laugh at in a voice call and ask "what will they come up with next?"

sometimes it feels like the developers have more fun building elaborate scenes full of psychedelic visuals and hamfisted imagery than actually making a game. it has a pretentious air to it, but also an air of desperation. seemingly it really wants to be like several other works, but without the understanding of what makes them good.

id love to see a deep dive video essay on this game. not for its actual content, but to psychoanalyze the developers.

i yiiked out while playing this

If you actually play it for yourself and engage with it as a piece of literature (y'know, like it inherently suggests by explicitly stating the movement it's inspired by IN THE TITLE) instead of listening to Oney's garbage legacy, it's really, really, REALLY good.