Yomawari 3 coming to put the willies up you

Alone in the Dark

Nippon Ichi Software, always up for a good haunt jaunt, has released a new gameplay trailer for its spooky-looking sequel Yomawari 3, which will launch in Japan in April 2022 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

The curiously creepy clip sees our hero, an apparently nameless young girl, exploring her desolate hometown and hoping to break a curse that hangs heavy overhead. Guided almost entirely by torchlight, the protagonist will visit the homes, schools, stores, and forests of her youth, gathering forgotten clues and memories in order to afford her power over the monsters and demons that plague her waking moments.

With light being the central mechanic to the adventure, Yomawari 3 tasks players with exploring lonely locations, using the meager light of the hero’s torch to uncover hidden paths, items, and all manner of frightening creatures that wait in the dark. While the player cannot fight these ghouls, they can run, hide, and — if all else fails — simply close their eyes in hopes that their diminished presence will lure the enemies away.

It’s all very J-Horror, and film dorks from the early ’00s would say, and this trailer does contain its share of unsettling moments. As to whether Yomawari 3 will make its way west at any point, there’s been no official word, but Nippon Ichi’s western arm, NIS America, has really worked overtime in bringing localizations to English-speaking audiences over the past two years, so never say never. Frankly, you can keep it. Far too spoopy for me.

Yomawari 3 launches in Japan, April 21, on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.