Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls asks players to find, befriend and battle more than 350 new and returning Yo-kai. The 3DS game, developed by LEVEL-5 and published by LEVEL-5 and Nintendo, sends players back in time with the help of a heroic cat named Hovernyan. That setup sounds simple, and it mostly is.
Trailer, via Nintendo of America.
The Towns and Their Trains
Players hop on a train to reach new towns and new Yo-kai. The open-world design lets players move through these places freely, though the game rarely explains why one town looks so different from the next. The bird-view perspective helps keep track of where players are going, even when the scenery below changes without warning.
Finding new Yo-kai is the core loop of Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls. Players search towns, solve small puzzles and talk to other Yo-kai to uncover new creatures to add to their collection. Some of these encounters feel satisfying, while others feel like busywork.
Befriending and Battling
Once a Yo-kai is found, players can befriend it and send it into battle alongside their human companions. The battle system stays close to what came before it, with battles fought from a bird’s-eye view and Yo-kai summoned to fight alongside the main character. The combat is easy to pick up, but it rarely pushes players to think beyond the basics.
The game also includes multiplayer modes, letting players team up with friends to hunt down rare Yo-kai together. This is a welcome addition, since solo play can grow dull after a few hours.
Time Travel and Its Limits
The plot centers on traveling back in time to save Springdale and witness the origin of the Yo-kai Watch. That premise gives the story some room to breathe, but the writing spends little time developing the stakes behind the mission. Characters are charming enough, but they rarely get room to change or grow.
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls is at its best when it lets players wander freely through its towns, talking to Yo-kai and finding new creatures to add to their collection. The sheer number of Yo-kai on offer gives the game a lasting appeal for players who enjoy collecting.
Where the game struggles is in its pacing. Side quests pile up without much guidance, and the game rarely tells players where to go next. Some towns feel empty, with little to do beyond checking for hidden Yo-kai.
| Stage | Activity |
|---|---|
| Early game | Train to new towns, meet Hovernyan |
| Mid game | Find and befriend new Yo-kai |
| Late game | Save Springdale, witness origin of Yo-kai Watch |
The Numbers Behind It
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls is a solid, if unremarkable, entry in the series. Its large cast of Yo-kai and its open-world design give it replay value, even if the pacing drags in places. The game rarely surprises, but it rarely disappoints either.
The multiplayer modes are a strong addition, giving the game a reason to play with friends beyond the solo experience. The bird-view perspective keeps everything readable, even during the busiest battles.
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls scores 6.2 out of 10.
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