WBG Score: 7.5
Player Count: 2
You’ll like this if you like: Lost Cities
Published by: Devir
Designed by: Ignasi Ferré
This is a review copy. See our review policy here
'Yōkai' is a universal word used in Japanese culture to describe a class of supernatural entities or spirits seen in various forms of entertainment folklore. In this game, your job is to visit the forest and calmly watch the Yokai so that you can sketch them better than your friend. This doesn't exactly come across in the game, but what does come across is a very chilled and relaxed experience, in what is actually quite a frantic tug-of-war style battle for points. Let's get it to the table and see how it plays.
How To Set Up Yokai Sketch
Separate the 20 Yokai cards from the 36 sketch cards. Shuffle the sketch card and deal three cards to each player. Leave the remaining cards in a face-down deck on the table. Next, sort the Yokai cards by their four different colours. Shuffle each stack separately, then place them into five piles with the number side face up. You are now ready to play.
How To Play Yokai Sketch
Players will now take it in turns to draw one card from the sketch deck and then play up to three cards from their hand. The sketch cards have two sides to them, a colour matching one of the five different Yokai stacks on either side. Cards must be played next to a matching Yokai stack, picking one side of the sketch card to use.
Once you have played your card, check the total number of sketch cards on both sides of this stack. If the total number is now at least equal to the number on the top of the Yokai card, this Yokai is completed. The player with the most sketch cards played will take the Yokai card for end-game scoring. They will discard all sketch cards played here to the discard pile. If the other player has sketch cards here, they remain for the next Yokai. If there is ever a tie, the Yokai runs away, (placed onto the bottom of that Yokai stack) and neither player can score the card, and all sketch cards are discarded.
There are two special abilities that players can use to swing the game in their favour. The first is the Call The Yokai power, which is symbolized by the handprint on the centre of the sketch cards. When a card with this symbol is played, that player can decide to take the top card from any Yokai stack and move it to the top of the stack where you played this sketch card. This will change the current number this stack requires to be fulfilled.
The second power is the Distract The Yokai power, which is symbolised by a cave symbol. When you play a card with this symbol, you can move the last card your opponent played at this Yokai stack and move it to the colour represented by the other side of their card.
The game carries on like this until one of the Yokai stacks is emptied, at which point the game ends immediately. Players then total their Yokai cards, the player with the most points is declared the winner. Ties are broken by the player with the most variety of coloured Yokai's.
Is it Fun? Yokai Sketch Card Game Review
There is a lovely pull-and-push to this game. At first, it seems very light. But as you play more, you realise there is a delicate strategy required to win this game. Do you play all three available cards now, leaving your hand weakened for later turns, potentially setting up your opponent to finish a Yokai card? Or do you hold back and strike when a Yokai is ready to reach its limit?
The Yokai cards are worth between seven and three points. Is it worth adding a third card to a three-pointer if your opponent had two cards there already, so that they score the three, but you are then ahead in what is inevitably a higher card underneath?
My one and only gripe in this game is the art. Now, don't get me wrong. The art is stunning. Vincent Dutrait rarely lets us down now does he! But largely, the reverse of the cards. Which sadly, you don't really see as you play the game. Just look at the reverse of the cards shown above! The side you do see is functional, and pleasant enough. It's just a shame not as much effort was put into the side you actually stare at all game.
But the gameplay itself is a lovely mix of clever and strategic card play, in a light tug-of-war style game, reminiscent of Lost Cities. It creates a lovely sense of calm as you play, despite being a fairly combative two-player battle. But the theme and vibe are so relaxed, the game flows in the same way, in a sedate meditative manner. As if we actually are sketching Yokai.
I would recommend this game to anyone looking for a fast, quick, light two-player card game where the vibe is chill, the strategy is relaxed but present, and the game time, quick but satisfying. Yokai Sketch has a lovely balance to it, and I can see it being a popular filler for me when I am with one other player, and have 20 minutes to fill, and I want something relaxed, rewarding, and dare I say it, cosy.