Yarimono
" Engaging adventure RPG with strategic monster-catching and rich story, but frequent freezes "
Yarimono Review
Yarimono is a monster-catching RPG that draws heavy inspiration from classic Pokémon games, combined with adult-themed content. Players collect creatures called Yarimons and battle trainers, most of whom are female characters, unlocking explicit scenes as part of the progression. The game features a unique mechanic where defeating female trainers leads to intimate encounters, unlocked through a free patch from the developer's website.
The gameplay is praised for its nostalgic feel, strategic battles, and quality-of-life improvements like easy party switching and experience shard systems. The story is considered surprisingly engaging and mature for the genre, with side quests and a slow build-up that enrich the narrative. The art style is notable for its animated sprites and detailed CGs, especially the main characters.
Some technical issues, such as occasional freezing and patch installation complications, are reported but generally manageable. The game offers substantial content, including DLC expansions that add more Yarimons and story areas, extending playtime significantly.
Highlights
Gameplay captures the nostalgic charm of early Pokémon titles with added strategic depth and quality-of-life features like instant party swaps and experience shards.
Graphics impress with animated sprites and detailed, beautifully crafted character art that enhances immersion.
Storyline is unexpectedly mature and touching, surpassing typical expectations for monster-catching games and enriched by side quests and DLC content.
Criticisms
Some players find the need to download a separate patch for adult content inconvenient and confusing. The game occasionally freezes, disrupting immersion. Dialogue repetition and limited variation in certain scenes reduce narrative freshness. The enforced one-hit defeats against opponents can feel boring to some. Additionally, the English version has issues with adult content not working properly, requiring workaround solutions.
Pros
- • Engaging monster-catching gameplay with strategic depth and nostalgia.
- • High-quality animated sprites and detailed character art.
- • Mature and well-written storyline with meaningful side quests.
- • Convenient party management and experience shard system.
- • Generous amount of adult content with animated scenes.
- • DLCs expand story, Yarimons, and gameplay significantly.
- • Challenging battles with level-capped progression mechanics.
Cons
- • Separate patch download required for adult content is inconvenient.
- • Frequent game freezes reduce immersion and require manual saves.
- • Repetitive dialogue and limited scene variation can feel stale.
- • One-hit defeats against opponents diminish battle engagement.
- • Adult content sometimes fails to work in English version.
- • Limited team size of three monsters restricts party variety.
- • Some adult scenes are missable or hard to revisit initially.
Rating Criteria
The protagonist's life takes a turn after their partner Yarimon learns the ultra-invincible move, the "Cheat Tackle". While challenging various trainers to participate in the Yarimon tournament, the protagonist unexpectedly discovers the secrets of this world.