Kioku: Last Summer [Review]
Kioku: Last Summer invites players to a vibrant island adventure as Asti, a young girl experiencing her first summer in a new home. The game encourages exploration, biking, and community engagement, offering a chance to get to know the locals and uncover secrets. It’s a super fun concept that promises a cozy and inviting experience. From fishing to collecting cards like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh, this game is a huge nostalgia trip. This game has a lot of content that reminds me of my own childhood hanging out with friends on the weekends.
However, the game is plagued by technical issues, inconsistent progression, save problems, and a lack of direction, which significantly hinder enjoyment. While I personally appreciated the freedom to explore and interact without clear guidance, others might find it frustrating. Kioku has a huge issue with directing players towards objectives, so players can actually progress in the game. Another issue worth noting is, Kioku kept constantly crashing, causing loss of save data and time. I also encountered many graphical glitches and soft locks, particularly while biking.
Kioku: Last Summer clearly needed more time in development, perhaps as an early access title, to address these issues. The absence of online co-op play is another missed opportunity, as it would have been incredibly fun to play with friends. Despite these drawbacks, the game’s charm and potential makes it a title worth keeping an eye on. If polished, it could have been a standout future Nintendo Switch 2 title. For now, I can’t recommend it in its current state, but it remains a game that could be very enjoyable once its issues are resolved.
Kioku: Last Summer
Kioku: Last Summer clearly needed more time in development, perhaps as an early access title, to address these issues. The absence of online co-op play is another missed opportunity, as it would have been incredibly fun to play with friends. Despite these drawbacks, the game’s charm and potential make it a title worth keeping an eye on