Classic childhood games in the schoolyard have lasted through the ages for a reason: they are simple and fun in a way that appeals to most. Obakeidoro 2: Chase and Seek is a digital adaptation of hide-and-seek, filled with simple joy. How well do these games translate from the physical realm to the digital, though? Cubed3 sneaks around to find the answer!
Short, simple, and fun games have always been in high demand amongst both children and adults. They create bursts of joy with no strings attached. Whenever you decide to play a game with friends, multiple questions pop up. Can everyone play it? Is there enough time to play this? With Obakeidoro 2: Chase and Seek, the answer to those two questions is always yes.
Each round lasts three minutes, and the rules and controls are as simple as they come. It is a modern horror take on the classic schoolyard hide-and-seek, a game almost everyone knows. One player takes the role of the ghost whose goal is to capture all three human players and put them in an adorable jail cell. To help find well-hidden players, they have ghouls who love to play pranks on the humans on their side.
The human side also gets some great tools: a lantern and, most importantly, two buttons they can press to open up the jail and free captured players. This feature is great because it gives players a goal beyond avoiding one spot, and it removes true player elimination. While the three-minute rounds wouldn’t make it too punishing to get caught, player elimination would remove the tension. Still, seeing a buddy run up toward those buttons while being chased by a ghost creates intense moments for jail-bound players and a chance to get back into the game. It is a simple game concept, but the developers put so much care into using digital tools to make it more engaging and to make up for the lack of physical movement.
Another wonderful thing about Obakeidoro 2 is how adorable the game is. It is hard not to smile when you see that you can start sewing while in jail. It does so much for the game’s tone, taking the horror and making it into something playful and real. Most groups had that one person who would bring their Game Boy or a book when found in hide-and-seek, and sit there for the rest of recess. That those details were cared about enough to catch this is magical and adds so much childlike charm to proceedings.
Needless to say, Obakeidoro 2: Chase and Seek is undoubtedly a game best enjoyed in the company of four friends. The AI poses no real challenge and is easy to trick, and to be fair, much of the charm is lost without human interaction. This last part sadly also affects the online multiplayer. While the gameplay loop is quite addictive, it doesn’t hold up as well without a bunch of friends to banter with.
However, as an online multiplayer game, Obakeidoro 2 is still really enjoyable. Too many online multiplayer games demand a large chunk of time to be dedicated, but the three-minute time limit actually makes it into a good one to pick up and play, no matter which life situation one is in. A problem with online games is that anyone with children or other real-life obligations can struggle to find time to enjoy them, but Obakeidoro 2 is perfect for the bus, during a TV commercial break, or for a parent with children.
The local multiplayer is also very clever. While this is best enjoyed in friend circles and four Nintendo Switch systems to avoid screen-peeking, it does offer split-screen for households with only one Switch. It is a welcome feature, as Obakeidoro 2 relies on multiplayer to be enjoyable.
There is one slight issue, though: on the original Switch, the screen’s limited brightness makes the game a bit harder to play. Normally, this isn’t something that would be fair to hold against a Switch 2 game. Still, since GameShare will likely be the primary way to enjoy this title, it will hurt the experience for those who play on older Switch systems and the game’s overall fairness.
This slight flaw aside, Obakeidoro 2: Chase and Seek is easy to get hooked on. It is a rare online multiplayer game that suits all lifestyles. The casual tone also makes it a pleasure to play in these short bursts, and the local multiplayer aspect is wonderful in its simplicity. For anyone with three friends or family members with Switch systems, it will offer many great and entertaining digital rounds of hide-and-seek.
