Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! Switch Review: Think Before You Act Stupid, Stupid

Right, you selfish bastards: time to consider it all over again in Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More!, out now on the Nintendo Switch; a title that exhibits Japanese customs in a friendly, slapstick environment.

Comprising a wealth of mini-games with zero explanation, the point of the game is to test whether you are considerate enough to your fellow humans through a number of assessments.

After every five games or so, you’ll be appraised whether you are a thoughtful person or not, but it’s all for shits and giggles as there’s no way to fail. In many situations, it’s about deciphering what you’re supposed to do but without outstaying its welcome like a fluctuant uncle at Christmas.

Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! Switch Review

The meaning behind the title, like the first game, Kuukiyomi Consider It – from G-Mode once again, is to test whether you can ‘read the air’. This direct translation boils down to avoiding faux pas, knowing what to do in social situations without explanations.

To put your mind at ease, many Japanese people don’t get social situations either, so take them off that pedestal. They’re human too, don’t you know. Consider it. If someone doesn’t act the right way, perhaps a character flaw or bad habit, they’re often referred to as kuuki yomenai (can’t read the air), abbreviated as KY. Stop laughing at the back. 

Educated? Good. Moving on, you play a pivotal role in a scene and have to react accordingly. Practically all situations in Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! are comedic – perhaps a few will be lost on Western audiences. As an ex-resident of Japan, though no expert, a lot of it was familiar, but I’m going to say in an arrogant pose: it’s common sense.

Here’s a scenario.

Need to pinch a loaf in a public toilet? There are three cubicles, the middle one and the one to the right are vacant, but the left is taken. Your mission is to choose a booth, but there is no right answer. In terms of Japanese etiquette, the answer is the furthest away from the other person. They neither want to hear you sinking battleships or have the misfortune of inhaling your aura.

More Modes To Consider

The last one is crass (vulgar, one may say), but Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! is family safe and over the Christmas break it’s been a go-to for the household. In all honesty, my three-year-old plays solo (under supervision) and only faces the same challenges as everyone else – not knowing what to do.

As for the controls and the risk of failing, it’s not an issue. Controls in the game are typically moving one direction such as ‘up’ for a Mexican wave, A to clap at the right time or the more complicated input would be moving your character to said cubicle, shop or moving out of the way of others.

Some modes in the game feature a couple of rhythm-like mini-games, solo campaign and a two-player option. With the one player game, there will be 100 situations and roughly takes 45 minutes to complete in one go. There or thereabouts. But you can return to the game to continue if short of time.

I’ve finished the solo campaign three times now, and while you’ll most definitely come across the same events through each playthrough, there are new ones that crop up or some that you might have misunderstood. It’s all quick-fire, harmless entertainment.

A Considerate Party For All

One of the game’s advantages is the two-player feature and playing with someone else adds to the replay element. There aren’t as many events to play, so they do get repetitive, but the enjoyment comes from the other person ballsing up (or yourself). Once again, you can’t fail, and will only be on the receiving end of a review stating how considerate you are.

In some respects, Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! is a party game. It doesn’t have that same urgency of button mashing or getting one up on your opponent as here you have to work together and each ‘challenge’ is a skit of sorts, so simply not enough time. That said, it gets people together and features plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

While there are patterns to some of the scenes, there’s quite a bit of variety here to breakdown each section. Most importantly, it would be best if you experienced them for yourself.

If you have a keen interest in Japanese culture and customs, this should appeal to you. It won’t teach you how to read and write or even speak the language but will expose some of the traits you’ll encounter should you have the opportunity to visit Japan one day. If you couldn’t give a toss about Japan, still have a lookout for it even if it’s for the irrelevant comedy.

Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! Review Summary

A brief review as Kuukiyomi 2 Consider It More! is much of the same ingredients as the first encounter. The visuals and controls remain unchanged (thankfully), but the variety is key, and if you enjoyed the first one, you’ll have just as much fun with this.