Yo-Jin-Bo Overview/Review

Game Title: Yo-Jin-Bo

Game Platform: PC

Game Developer: Two-Five

Release Date: July 29, 2005

Official Website: TwoFive

Walkthrough: GameFAQs

Download Link: ErogeDownload

Story:

Sayori, a normal high school student, finds a pendant while helping out with her club. After she got home, she dreamed about the events 150 years ago where a princess name Hatsuhime was assassinated. Suddenly, the pendant glowed and showed the princess in her dreams asking for help. In a snap, she founds herself in Hatsuhime's body and the assassination was reset for her to help the princess from her dreadful fate.

Characters:

Name: Sayori (紗依)

The main character of the story. She is from the future, she exchanged souls with Hatsuhime so she's in Hatsuhime's body to save her from the assassination that she saw from her dreams.

Name: Hatsuhime (初姫)

CV: Nami Kurokawa

The princess who was assassinated 150 years ago. She begged for help to Sayori using a pendant to save her. It may also hinted that she is Sayori's ancestor.

Name: Jinnosuke Murasame a.k.a Jin (村雨 心ノ介)

CV: Hiroki Takahashi

A rouge samurai who is hired to save the princess along with the others. He doesn't have any luck with women as it shows that he is bad with handling them. He's the first bodyguard that Hatsuhime met. Despite he's roughness, he is good natured-man.

Name: Yozaburo Shiranui a.k.a Yo (不知火 用三郎)

CV: Masakazu Morita

He's the most youngest bodyguard of the group. He's a trained ninja who hangs with Jin and Bo who are samurais. He is kind but can also be sarcastic especially to Mon-Mon. He doesn't like to be treated as a child.

Name: Tainojo Tsubaki a.k.a Bo (椿木 泰之丞)

CV: Hideo Ishikawa

He is depicted as a bishounen and comes from a samurai family unlike Jin. He is elegant and flirtous, but despite he's appearance he is actually interested in science and paranormal.

 Name: Ittousai Tatsunami (辰波一刀斎)

CV: Hideki Ogihara

He is the most dangerous guy of the group as it seems that they see him as an assassin or a blood thirsty man. Jin tried to kill him before but he survived. Despite his coldness and unkindness towards others, he has a good side inside of him.

Name: Monzan Kadokura a.k.a Mon-Mon (モンモン(門倉紋山)

CV: Tetsu Inada

A Buddhist priest who is strong and knowledgeable about medicines. He is not taken seriously by the group which he seems to fine with it as he goes with the flow even if he is the main laughing stock. It shows that he cares deeply for Yo like a little brother. 

Name: Muneshige Tsukuba (筑波宗重)

CV: Jūrōta Kosugi

A loyal servant of Hatsuhime. He is over protective of Hatsuhime such that he scolds the others if they try to flirt with her but sometimes he gets taken in by the atmosphere that he joins them. He always make terrible jokes that not one of the group is laughing.

Sample CG's:

Game Review:

Gameplay: The player is given a time limit in choosing a choice of the story which only make the player panic from choosing. So I didn't like it.

Art/Design: The designs are not my type but it's not that bad. I even liked their fighting stance, they were all so cool \(^o^)/

BGM/OST: It's good, it will not make the player get bored.

Story: I like historical stories and much more if their are fantasies in it and this game have both of it! It has action, romance, and even a hint of yaoi if you squinch. The story is also full of parodies and humor, like pokemon, Dragonball and others, so it's not boring. I also like where they mention technologies such as bus when they are in a historical era xD. The only thing that I don't like is that the story line is pretty much the same with the other routes, the only difference are the endings of each route. Also, I didn't like where they re-used a lot CG in every route, but then again this game is one of the old (not that old) games for otome games so I better not complain... 

Characters: They are all good but I didn't too much like the two ossan namely Muneshige and Mon-Mon, but then again, their ending was sweet and good. I would like to add their spoilers in here but I decided not to because the game is available in english and it's better if you play it. Each bad ending route really did make my heart squeeze and I really felt the sadness of Sayori... My fave char in all of them is Ittousai because despite his coldness, he cares for Sayori and he even risked his life. He's attitude is only like that because of his past with his father.

Final Thoughts: Yup, the game is worth playing. But I didn't much read the dialogues because I was too lazy, I only read it carefully if their was a pun or humor in it... And if the boys are saying something sweet to Sayori.