The original Obakeidoro released on the Nintendo Switch back at a time when Nintendo’s system was still in its relative infancy on the market. While it might not have made as big of a splash overseas, the game was (and is) relatively popular here in Japan. So much so that Free Style Games has decided to make and release a sequel exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Is this cute, creepy game of digital hide-and-seek worth your time and money? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. Let’s get into it.
NOTE
Obakeidoro 2 received a significant patch no October 27 fixing many of the online issues that I mention later on. You can read more about that here. I will be updating this review as soon as I can with a few more thoughts and a score that reflects these changes.
Gameplay & Modes
Obakeidoro 2 is a multiplayer focused online game, though playing offline is still an option. With that being said, the game features two main modes of play - Online (the top option) and Offline (the bottom option). In case you aren’t familiar with the game, the premise is simple. In standard four player matches, three players take on the roles of humans while another is a monster. If the humans can all avoid being caught and jailed at the same time in three minutes, they win. If the monster throws everyone behind bars, they win. Obakeidoro 2 also features an eight player mode with six humans and two monsters which really ramps up the action.
There are several different human and monster characters to choose from each with their own abilities and statistics. Gameplay is simple to get into as either a Human or Monster, though there are some slight differences. Humans can jump with B, interact with locks with A, utilize a blast from their lamp with Y and hide/crouch with X. Hiding and using the lamp, which generally can be used once unless you break out others or are broken out of jail, are paramount for success. A new move, the ability to pick up other human characters, can also be done by holding A. The humans can then be thrown to reach high places. I have rarely made use of this myself or seen others make use of this while playing.
Monsters are a bit more limited with their inputs, but they can catch humans with Y and jump with B. Some of them also have unique abilities, such as a huge jump for Red Cape, the faceless creature wearing an old military uniform. Others, like the default starting monster, Hanako-san, can go through walls while others can’t. For monsters, choosing wisely will give you more of an advantage depending on the stage.
Obakeidoro 2 does not feature a story mode of any kind as the game focuses on simple games of hide-and-seek. Playing matches online and offline nets you in-game cash and unlocks different abilities for your characters. To keep track of all of this, players can check out their stats as well as a stamp card keeping track of a variety of progress. Certain things, like simply catching humans, unlocking the jail, surviving for certain amounts of time and more will help with the unlocks. Additionally, a shop featuring different lanterns, monsters and badges is also available.
While playing online will net you the most in-game currency and points toward your stamp card, you are able to get unlocks and money by playing by yourself. You won’t get nearly as much, but if you’re finding online difficult or just want to play in an offline situation, this is a legit way to play. Overall, the modes are a bit lacking, but the gameplay is a ton of fun, even more so with friends.
GameShare
One of the most underrated (and maybe under-used) features of the Switch 2, Obakeidoro 2 takes advantage of GameShare. If you’re not familiar with the feature, this allows owners to share games with their friends online, locally or both. With Obakeidoro 2, online GameShare lets you share with one friend on the Switch 2. The local version allows sharing to three other friends on both the Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 1. I haven’t had a chance to try out the latter, but I did try out GameShare online with my podcast compatriot, JC. Access to GameShare can be found on the main title screen with the press of R. Once pulled up, you get connected via GameChat and can play with your friend(s).
If you’ve ever tried joining a GameShare session without owning a game, you will notice a dip in visual quality, however games tend to run smoothly. This is also the case with Obakeidoro 2. Gameplay is still smooth and responsive in this mode, but lacks the visual fidelity found playing the game locally. Still, if you have the game and want to play with others who don’t, this is a great option. I will say that when playing this way, I ran into issues with some random disconnects, but performance is going to depend entirely on that connection of both you and your friend.
Online Play & Technical Issues
Although Obakeidoro 2 runs and looks great, there are some issues that have plagued the game since its launch. Pretty much all of the problems are related to online connectivity. Matches themselves typically run very smooth, however, there are some significant issues with players dropping out mid-match. For most games, this wouldn’t be a problem but in Obakeidoro 2, this brings up a black screen of death. When this pops up, the only thing you can do is close out the game completely, which also means any experience you earned during the match is just gone. This doesn’t happen just in the middle of matches. This also can happen is matchmaking, too, leaving you with either a black screen or an endless wait time. It’s really hard to say what the root cause of this is, but Free Style Games is working to fix this issue (and others).
One other aspect of the online could be improved - matchmaking. Simply put, the matchmaking takes too long. Sure, there are times when players will be thrown right in if there are enough people from the start. However, often times you will find yourself waiting for a little while. This is compounded by one big issue - when a new person joins, the countdown timer to play the match resets to 60 seconds. Every time. So, let’s say you’re waiting to get into an eight player match, but players are just trickling in - you may end up spending more time on the match making screen than actually playing the game. I think the solution here is simple - take this down to, at the very least, 30 seconds. This could also help to alleviate impatient players just jumping out of lobbies and causing errors for everyone involved, too.
Given the fact that Obakeidoro 2 has such solid gameplay is and just fun to play, these issues really keep this from being something great. Whether or not these will be patched, and HOW this will be done remains to be seen.
Visuals, Audio & Performance
Obakeidoro 2 sports a cute, yet clean look that fits the game well. The character models look sharp and sport quite a bit of detail and the lighting in the game is very nice. Facial expressions, particularly those of the human characters, are great. The stages also are very fitting being somewhat creepy, and yet cute at the same time. Performance here is also fantastic with the game running around 60 frames per second throughout most of the experience. The only issue I found with performance was when I was playing via GameShare, as the frame rate seemed to be around 30 frames per second. Still, the game looks and runs great. Audio is also a strong point in Obakeidoro 2. The music tracks are catchy and the audio cues that kick in when the monsters are around human characters are a nice touch.
Language Barrier
As of right now, a little over a week after launch, the game is only available in Japanese. When I spoke with a member of Free Style Games at Tokyo Game Show about a possible English release, he wouldn’t go into any details about what is happening on that front. Even with that said, there is an official English landing page for the game, so I think it’s only a matter of time. What I don’t know at this point is whether or not a potential English version will be the same SKU as what is currently available on the Japanese eShop. Even if Obakeidoro 2 does get a release outside of Japan, the version available right now may not receive an update with English language support as has been the case with several games in the past. Again, just as with the planned updates for connection issues, we’re just going to have to wait and see.
Conclusion
The gameplay in Obakeidoro 2 is simple, fun and works well offline, yet issues with connectivity hamper the experience online. The lack of any true single player content in terms of something akin to a story mode may be a deal breaker for some. As for the online, this is something that can be potentially fixed, and if this ends up improving over time, we will be sure to have an update on that [in the description box below]. Even with that said, if you’re willing to take the plunge on the Japanese version, which maybe be a separate SKU from an eventual English release, this might be worth it. Everyone else, steer clear until the bugs have been worked out.
Final Score: 6.5
Review in progress - subject to change if updates to connectivity are improved.
by Danny Bivens
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