Yoku's Island Express LP Thread

[Skye]

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[BobisOnlyBob]

is a good game. Like a less-mean, better-physics Sonic Spinball if you joined all the tables together into a big ol' messtroid.

[Grounder]

Jewel Pinbug never ends!

[Zinfandel]

something funny in the thread so I don't look like an asshole

[The Doctor]

I'm not a pinball fan and the backtracking gets pretty obnoxious, so I bounced off this one about halfway through myself. It should make for a great LP though. I'm been looking forward to this one. FYI, it's 80% off on Steam for the next week for anyone who wants to play along.

[Zinfandel]

so I bounced off this one about halfway through myself.

you may not like pinball but this sounds like *a* pinball

Kappa

[Duker]

I'm getting Toki Tori vibes from this

[thatguyif]

Oh yay, we're in this now :)

And I can finally watch day videos again

I enjoyed this for what it was: A very light romp with some dark elements here or there. It's very cute, but in a playful sort of way rather than an aesthetic way. The pinball got on my nerves at times, but it was all right, all and all.

In terms of length...It took me around 7 hours to 100% the game, which is a little below what HLTB suggests for 100%. From what I can gather, 100% is task-based rather than item-based, though I am not certain of that because it's not particularly clear about it. (Completionism does not mean 100%, involves some really stupid things I just did not bother with). If I had to guess, it will be a short LP, probably in the 15-20 range. I would be genuinely surprised if it takes you more than 20 videos to finish.

Regarding the eel:

While your deduction is correct, when he would demand more mushrooms was not what you thought. He would've let you pass if you gave him the normal mushroom. He would then reappear later in the game in a different location, demanding another "toll." That's when you would've handed him the poison shroom. While you're unable to do this now (giving him the poison mushroom now prevents that), the reward wasn't much: More fruit, probably a wallet upgrade? But then, I don't think it's an issue for getting 100%.

[PSI Ninja]

Nobody made a thread for this, so here's the thread.

Whenever there's no thread for a new LP yet, I always debate making one myself. Because if I do, then I worry that someone who's more knowledgeable about the game or is a bigger fan would have wanted to make it instead. I know it's not a big deal, but anyway...

I'm not a pinball fan and the backtracking gets pretty obnoxious

^ This, and it becomes annoying to maneuver yourself to specific places, even if you know where to go and what to do. Once I saw this game in the "Coming up next" thread I played through it and beat it, but not to 100%. Overall I enjoyed it for the exploration and environment, but thought it would be too tedious to try and complete everything. Not sure if I'll pick it up again and do some cleanup in anticipation for when raocow does.

[Skye]

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[Grounder]

It's quickly becoming apparent that "postman" is code for "everybody's gofer".

No wonder the old guy quit!

[Crow]

i didn't enjoy this game much but i suck at pinball and it'll be fun to watch raostradamus play

[thatguyif]

On the one hand, the loading intro is a thing in all versions, I think. For some reason, the dev didn't include a "press button to skip intro" function. That's weird. On the other hand, I'm actually surprised you got loading times. But you may be running some kind of older hardware. I dunno.

I will note a couple things about gameplay mechanics that should be apparent:

1. Pinball mechanics apply in the sense that using the flippers allows you to manipulate lights and other moving parts of the "table." Could be useful in getting more fruit.
2. The save flowers function like the benches in Hollow Knight, in that nearby "tables" reset their fruit stock when you hit one.
3. If you pass under a blue/orange multicolor launcher/flipper, you can use those to go down. It's basically the game's version of "get under the platform you're standing on."

[thatguyif]

Man, wish more people would be talking about this so this wouldn't be an awkward double post ):

Something I noted in the videos was that you were having a lot of trouble with the Slug Vacuum. For what it's worth, the game doesn't really explain the mechanics of Slug Vacuum that well, and it took me a while to figure out. But basically, it's a timing thing: You press the trigger when the game is in slow-motion, just before you hit the slug. Not before, otherwise the game may not register your trigger press at all. It's a smidge finicky about that because triggers tend to be analogue, but you'll have much more success with it that way. Just wait until the game enters slow motion, then you press the trigger.

The other thing the game doesn't mention at all (given the mod propensity for assuming unexplained things are spoilers, I'll have to mark this as such):

Your noisemaker functions as a remote detonator. Press A while you have a slug, and it will detonate. This is key to some of the puzzles in this game, though none that require you to complete the game.

[Crow]

i have been watching this game i just don't have a ton to say about it. it's Pinball

[Donut]

Pinball isn't generally my thing, but I've been enjoying this LP so far. The vibe reminds me of those old indie games from the Popcap era that were shoveled onto you en masse on game services, if one of them grew to their max potential.

[KobaBeach]

Loving this one, it's basically a better and cuter Sonic Spinball. The spider kind of startled me though

[AuraLancer]

Thanks, raocow. I'm going to get this game now.

[endlessl]

The more I see the more I wonder. All the pinball elements feel like they're not *actually* in the game's world. With video games you're assumed to have this suspended disbelief when playing them. Like you aren't supposed to actually believe that the island is full of these pinball elements. But with how some characters can turn into balls and the bee-line is pretty much only useful for ball shaped object, the game is pretty much saying "yep, this is an island with paddles and bumpers and nobody thinks it's weird" which gets to my second point.

Yoku doesn't turn into a ball but instead uses a ball on a string to get around. Is Yoku unable to turn turn into a ball and uses their ball and string as a prosthesis that makes sense in this world? We're they informed before coming to the island that everything is pinball? Is the whole world pinball?

[KobaBeach]

cant think=no sad <3

[thatguyif]

Yoku doesn't turn into a ball but instead uses a ball on a string to get around. Is Yoku unable to turn turn into a ball and uses their ball and string as a prosthesis that makes sense in this world? We're they informed before coming to the island that everything is pinball? Is the whole world pinball?

I think you're just overthinking things a little. I mean...Yoku's a dung beetle. The ball makes more sense when you view it in that lens XD

[Grounder]

This game has such a weird mean streak...

Anyway, all Boon cameos must have him as a frog now.

[endlessl]

I think you're just overthinking things a little. I mean...Yoku's a dung beetle. The ball makes more sense when you view it in that lens XD

Me? Overthinking a game where a beetle delivers mail with pinball? Don't be ridiculous.

[tirakai]

Don't forget you've got a couple things to recolour your ball in the village.

[KobaBeach]

Man this game is so cuuute, I'm glad people have extrapolated how to slug in the comments. For those that don't read youtube comments: the direction the slug is facing on the ball matters for the rebound. Facing right makes you blast left, facing down makes you go up. I managed to deduce this without too much difficulty while watching the video, but rao didn't, which is honestly super understandable. I wonder if the game has any tutorial explaining that trait specifically.

Loving this game a ton, the characters and the setting are all so charming, but Slug Control does seem to be a bit of a mess. I want to give it a shot soon so I can have my own experience. *ollies out*