Despite concerns about the battle system and general interaction, YIIK is well worth a look. In under thirty hours, it introduces a cast of characters and an uncaring universe that use a poppy, hallucinogenic ‘90s to speak to contemporary issues, bounce off games past, and just hang out, man. The narrative takes risks with the later acts and Alex’s unlikeability, but if it clicks it’s potent stuff. The audio/visual experience works exceptionally well for this mood, elevating YIIK into the ranks of games that may not be for everyone, but will be there for someone who needs it. Come for the surreal take on contemporary Americana, stay for the chill music, and maybe even learn something.

It’s got a lot of the fourth-wall breaking humor that made that game so famous, while still going its own way when it comes to narrative and world design. I ended up loving the whole ridiculous thing, and it’s a great play, and something different, for anyone who likes RPGs.

YIIK is an impressive piece of art despite its ludological deficiencies.

At times, YIIK’s story does contain exceptional observations about the human experience that are incredibly moving. While its disparate pieces struggle to satisfyingly coalesce, I don’t regret my time with the game, and its developers should be proud of their achievement. All games are a masterwork of hours upon hours of immense emotional and physical labor. YIIK made me recognize and appreciate that labor in ways that other games simply don’t.

Like No More Heroes, Scott Pilgrim and Kick-Ass, YIIK: Postmodern RPG features a nerd as its protagonist – but it’s nice to finally see one who doesn’t eventually become cool. The game is well presented, with eye-catching toon-shaded visuals, a great soundtrack and a deep story. We would have preferred more strategy in battles, while a few bugs sully the experience slightly.

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG is huge achievement for Ackk Studios, it is so much better than their previous title, and maybe a little more attention to combat system and controls could’ve even made it one of the best indie titles in years. Nevertheless, A Postmodern RPG is a fun game that will probably worth your time and money.

A lot of good ideas and interesting concepts are run down by a poor execution that crushes the dooms the game to a grey average, where it will be probably forgotten for eternity. [Issue#293]