Developer: Damian Sommer & Emily Carroll
Publisher: Damian Sommer
Rrp: £6.49 (Humblebundle), £6.99 (Steam), $9.99 (theyawhg.com)
Released: 30th May 2013
Available on Steam, Humblebundle and their own site
Played Using: A Xbox 360 Controller
The holidays are when you should spend time with those you care about, just you and a few close friends or family, and what better way to spend that time than to bond and laugh over a game eh?
Just as a word of warning, in this review I thought I’d do something a little different. Since I wasn’t the only one playing this game I had my fiancée and a friend of mine write their own thoughts. I hope you enjoy the brief change in format! I won’t be putting my own final thoughts because… well these two have their own.
The Yawhg is a choose your own adventure style game that can be played with up to four players using one controller that is passed between you after finishing your turn. While it can be played by a single person it’s definitely at its best with at least one other person as the choices of each player can have outcomes that affect the other players.
You have six weeks before the Yawhg arrives and in that time you get to perform one action per week. Depending on what action you choose to partake in your stats will increase, but while doing said action something will happen where you’ll be asked to make a choice. These choices can and do have a further effect on your stats as well as often having ramifications on the other players.
Most of the tasks you perform have unexpected outcomes, although the images on the screen can give you clues as to what may lie ahead, although this isn’t always helpful.
The stats you acquire will help dictate whether you succeed or fail at further tasks that you undertake and when combined with the events of the story also influence what ending you get, to which there are many.
Squalls opinion (his Tumblr);
A very intelligent, rather fun party game. My experience was very enjoyable, however a part of me feels this game should be played with the right kinds of people. People who are more into narrative story based games, and those that enjoy and develop upon the actual gameplay.
The gameplay wasn’t expressly interactive, but player choice will affect the world around in unexpected and disastrous ways. Choices are limited, but the occurrence is the entire focus. Though you only have two choices, it always feels that either one can be significant for bad of good.
I did feel very clueless going in, as one would. I’m not an avid decision-maker either, so some choices didn’t have enough context for me to foresee the outcome. This can actually be seen as a good aspect of limitation. It makes one think of all sorts of different varying results that can make for interesting party debating.
Overall, this is a fun game. A great suggestion for a forty five minute storytelling party game. Play it with the right people and you’ll have a great time.
Marys opinion (her Tumblr);
The Yawhg is a strange little game because it has little scenarios, is easy to use and understand each choice you make effects every player on every turn.
Each option you choose can increase or decrease your stats and determine the outcome of the game.
I enjoyed it because I could play with other people and ultimately determine what would happen to their character. I didn’t like the music, it was too mundane. But the graphics and animation was suitable for the game.
Overall, I found it a fun little game definitely suited to a group/party environment.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
