Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi delivers a strategic dungeon-crawling experience on PC with strong customization, eerie ambiance, and turn-based combat. While it features pacing issues and familiar elements, it offers a satisfying adventure for genre fans.
It serves as a good entry point for those looking to get into the genre.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi
Released: October 15th, 2020 (JP), November 4th, 2021 (NA)
Developer(s): Experience
Publisher(s): Aksys Games
Platform(s):
Completed on PC, extras and first ending.
HowLongToBeat Time: 38 hours | My Clear Time: 51 hours 43 mins.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi Background
Experience Inc. dropped Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi in 2021 for Xbox, PS4, Switch, and PC, with a PS5 version following in late 2022. Experience is a heavy hitter in the DRPG world, known for their specific expertise in the genre. This one launched right in the middle of a busy run for the studio, fitting in between Spirit Hunter: NG and their Stranger of Sword City / Saviors of Sapphire Wings releases. The project brought back the A-team from the Spirit Hunter series, including director Motoya Ataka, artists Kazuhiro Oya and Takeshi Nishimura, and composer Naoaki Jinbo.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi Experience
I have known about Stranger of Sword City for a while, but Undernauts is my first real dive into an Experience Inc. dungeon crawler. I’ve cleared the Spirit Hunter trilogy, and honestly, listening to the Undernauts soundtrack on YouTube with the comments disabled is what sold me on the game. I haven’t played many DRPGs outside of the older Shin Megami Tensei titles like Soul Hackers and Strange Journey, but I’m a fan of the staff’s previous work and wanted to see how they handled a traditional crawler.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi Impressions
This glow is your only lifeline in the dark.
The game has a great look, from the painterly title screen to the muted colors in the CG art. It has a unique atmosphere that reminds me of SMT IV’s Neo-Tokyo while still doing its own thing.
Bringing in your favorite investigators from the Spirit Hunter series makes the party building even better.
The character customization is a huge highlight. You get to build your entire party from scratch, picking their names, classes, and backstories. If you’re a fan of the studio’s other games, you can even select character portraits from Spirit Hunter. The game is very player-friendly here: you can change classes, promote characters for new skills, or reset your stats for free whenever you want.
Gameplay is the classic tile-based movement and manual map-filling, though the auto-move feature is a nice touch. The combat uses a first-person view with a row system that feels a bit like SMT. The real hook is the “Switch-Boost” mechanic. You can use Overcharge for more power and zero MP cost, Duracharge for status immunity and defense, or Neurocharge for a speed and reward boost. It sounds overpowered, but you can only use one per turn and have to wait for it to recharge, so you have to be smart about when you pop them.
The enemies in Yomi are much more terrifying than what you’ll find on the streets of Kamurocho.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi Verdict
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is a must for anyone who loves a good dungeon crawl. The vibe of the world is fantastic, especially if you miss that gritty, urban horror feel from the SMT IV days.
Being able to pull in characters from other Experience Inc. games makes the customization feel more personal, and the tactical depth of the Switch-Boost system keeps the turn-based fights from getting stale. There is plenty of post-game content to chew on too, giving you a good reason to keep diving into the labyrinth long after the main story is done. The pacing can feel a bit off in spots and it sticks pretty close to the standard RPG playbook, but it is a polished, satisfying adventure that shows why Experience Inc. owns this genre.
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi TLDR
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi (PC)
Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi delivers a refined dungeon-crawling RPG experience with a horror atmosphere and engaging gameplay mechanics. While it features pacing issues and familiar elements, it offers a satisfying adventure for genre fans.
It serves as a good entry point for those looking to get into the genre on PC.
