Yo-Kai Watch 2 – Fleshy Souls

Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls  (Japanese: Youkai Watch 2 Honke) and Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits (Youkai Watch 2 Ganso) are a pair of 2014 role-playing video games developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo 3DS. The games are a sequel to 2013’s Yo-kai Watch, and were released in July 2014 in Japan, in North America and Australia in late 2016, and Europe in 2017. Much like their predecessor, the games put players in an open world, befriending and battling various Yo-kai, which are ghosts and apparitions originating in Japanese folklore, that cause mischief in daily life.

In the beginning of the story, the memories of the protagonists Nathan “Nate” Adams and Katie Forester are erased when their Yo-kai Watch is stolen, leaving them with no recollection of their past adventures. However, they soon stumble across their Yo-kai butler Whisper once again, and their adventures resume. While the protagonist is sleeping, two Yo-kai steal the Yo-kai Watch and erase their memories of Yo-kai. The next morning, their parents argue over two donut brands: Spirit and Soul Doughnuts.

The protagonist went to the Memory Shop, where they re-obtain the watch and their memories, and reunites with Whisper and Jibanyan. A few days later, the protagonist goes to Springdale Elementary and discovers the Gashadokuro Yo-kai Gutsy Bones there, whom they defeat. The next day, the protagonist encounters a large cat Yo-kai who hypnotizes them into traveling to Harrisville, where their grandmother lives. There, they encounter a dispute between two Yo-kai factions: the Bony Spirits and the Fleshy Souls.

The following day, they encounter the large Yo-kai again, who turns out to be Hovernyan, a cat Yo-kai from 60 years ago who grew drastically after absorbing soul energy over time. Hovernyan tells them that their grandfather needs their help and transports them 60 years in the past using the Time Stone. Upon arriving in the past, they encounter Wicked Yo-kai as well as their grandfather’s younger self. After attempting to meet with him, they come across plans he made for building the Yo-kai Watch, and it is revealed he was its creator.

Much like its predecessor, Yo-kai Watch 2 is an open world role-playing video game, where the player controls player character Nathan Adams or Katie Forester. Players navigate around the open world, using the Nintendo 3DS’ touchscreen to find and befriend various Yo-kai scattered across the overworld. Players can give enemy Yo-kai a food item that they like before or during battle to have a chance at befriending them after winning the battle. After the battle, any of the enemy Yo-kai may approach the player character and give them its Yo-kai Medal, allowing it to be used in the player’s team.

A new feature in battles is using the Yo-kai Watch Model Zero to use “G Soultimate” moves, which are more powerful Soultimate moves that consume the Soul meters of all adjacent Yo-kai. The Model Zero also allows the use of “Poking”, which uses the touch screen to find a particular sweetspot on an enemy Yo-kai to increase the likelihood of befriending it. Other sweetspots can be poked to gain extra damage, money, or experience. Yo-kai can also be acquired through the Crank-a-kai by collecting in-game coins or using Play Coins.