r/YosHi

Hi everyone. I'm very interested in playing Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, but I need to ask about one very specific aspect of its progression before I start.

I want to explain why I'm asking, because this isn't just a minor gameplay preference for me.

There is a particular type of platformer progression that affects me very, very badly. Specifically, I have a serious problem with games that require you to collect hidden objects or complete collectible-related objectives in order to unlock the next stages, especially when doing so requires you to go back into levels you've already completed and search through them for things you missed.

This can cause me a huge amount of anxiety and distress. In extreme cases, it can contribute to a serious mental health crisis for me. I know that probably sounds disproportionate to a lot of people, but I'm being completely sincere here.

Videogames are extremely important to me. They've been one of the most important sources of enjoyment and comfort in my life since I was a child, and platformers in particular are my favourite kind of game.

I grew up with Nintendo, so I developed a very particular expectation of platformers: I play a level, I complete it, and then I get to play the next level.

I have absolutely no problem with optional collectibles. I actually LOVE them when they're genuinely optional. As a kid, I would finish a game and then go back looking for all the secrets because I wanted more to do.

What I can't cope with is when the game makes those things a requirement for continuing.

I've had this problem with several games that I otherwise genuinely love, especially Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Grapple Dog, Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends, and to a lesser extent Yoshi's Crafted World.

The reason this is so upsetting for me is precisely because I love the actual platforming in those games. If the games themselves were boring, I could just stop playing and wouldn't care.

Instead, I'm having an amazing time, and then the game effectively tells me:

"You're not allowed to play the next part yet. Go back and search for the things you missed."

For me, that isn't really a challenge. It's repetitive searching, and I find that experience extremely unpleasant.

I recently had a similar scare with Astro Bot. I reached the first boss with 14 bots when I needed 20, and I thought I was going to have to go back through previous levels searching for six missing bots.

I was extremely upset and was genuinely considering quitting.

Then I discovered the bird you can pay 200 coins to use as a guide toward missing collectibles.

That changed EVERYTHING for me.

The bird gives you clues and leads you toward the things you've missed, so instead of aimlessly combing through an old level, you have an actual little treasure hunt. I still don't particularly love the idea of having a collectible requirement, but that system made the experience completely manageable and, more importantly, fun for me.

So I'm hoping someone who has played Yoshi and the Mysterious Book can answer this very specifically:

Does the game require you to complete hidden discoveries, collectibles, flowers, stars, or similar objectives in order to unlock new chapters?

And if the answer is yes, how does that work in practice?

Do I have to replay previous levels and search through them for discoveries I've missed?

Are there hints or some kind of system that helps you locate the things you're missing, similar to Astro Bot's bird?

Or can I simply progress through the main game by playing the levels naturally without having to go back and hunt for things?

I've seen people describe the game's discovery system as one of its central mechanics, so I really need someone to explain how this works before I commit to playing it.

Please be completely honest with me. If the game does have exactly the kind of progression system I'm describing, please tell me. I would genuinely rather know that I shouldn't play it than start the game, get emotionally invested in it, and then discover several hours later that I'm stuck because I have to go back and search through old levels.

I know this probably sounds like an extremely unusual concern, and I'm not asking anyone to agree with me about whether this is good or bad game design.

I'm simply asking for information because this particular mechanic can have a genuinely serious effect on my mental health.

Thank you to anyone willing to answer seriously and without making fun of me for asking.