Steam user reviews are “very positive”… 8,611 concurrent users recorded on the first day of release.
Canadian developer Maison Bap sees second success after party game ‘BAPBAP’
Indie game developer Maison Bap’s new game, “YAPYAP,” has garnered enthusiastic responses immediately after its release for its unique voice-recognition-based gameplay, establishing it as a new powerhouse in the co-op horror genre. Officially released on Steam on February 3rd, YAPYAP recorded a peak concurrent player count of 8,661 within a single day and achieved a “Very Positive” rating, with 86% of 428 user reviews leaving positive reviews.
You must shout a micro-order to activate the magic spell… Pronunciation is crucial to survival.
YAPYAP’s most distinctive feature is its voice recognition system, which requires players to shout spells into a microphone to activate them. Even when being chased by monsters, players must accurately pronounce their spells, and the resulting tension and laughter further enhance the game’s enjoyment. The dual dilemma of hiding from monsters while simultaneously defending yourself by shouting spells creates a unique gaming experience.
In the game, players become minions summoned by a wizard, infiltrating a rival wizard’s tower and wreaking havoc. Their spells include pushing, pulling, breaking, levitating, teleporting, cloning, camouflaging, and transforming into a fish. Each staff has three spells, with the default staff granting access to “Aero-Bis,” which shoots wind, “Temp-Esc,” which creates a small tornado, and “Up-Dog,” which launches players into the air.
As you progress through the game, you’ll discover even more powerful staffs. The Astral Staff offers short-range teleportation (Blink), the ability to swap locations with objects (Swap), and the ability to become invisible (Astral Eyes). Even more outrageous items like the “Piss Staff” appear.
The dilemma of having to hide from monsters but still shout out spells
The game’s core fun stems from the dilemma between survival and spellcasting. Beyond the life-or-death stakes, the constant sense of dread(?) that one must clearly pronounce spells to survive, even when being chased by monsters, keeps gamers on edge.
Since players aren’t tanks or battle mages, they must hide and distract enemies, ultimately resorting to running away when all else fails. Even if they do attempt to cast spells, maintaining a calm voice in tense situations makes it significantly difficult, or even impossible. These moments of interplay between horror and humor are YAPYAP’s greatest appeal.
Mission “Success” requires dealing 25 million gold in damage over 3 days.
The objective of the game is clear: ruin the Archmage’s day by any means necessary, including destroying pianos, clogging toilets, and urinating on rugs. Every inconvenience the player creates counts toward the destruction goal.
Upon entering the castle, you must wreak havoc for three days, destroying everything, stealing valuable treasures, and finding a new staff. You must inflict 2,500 gold worth of damage. Failure to do so will result in the enraged wizard’s capture and instant death.
The best way to inflict damage is to sweep through the castle like a whirlwind, casting spells to destroy tables, tear paintings from walls, or using candles around the castle to set them on fire. If a companion dies, you must carry their body to the escape point, as leaving them behind will result in loss of money. Up to six players can play together, and cooperation is essential.
A small Vancouver studio gets a green light for its string of box office hits.
Maison Bap, the developer of YAPYAP, is a small indie game studio located in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2019, the studio operates with a small team of 2-10 people.
Maison Bap established itself in the market with its first game, the free-to-play roguelike party game “BAPBAP,” released in August 2025. BAPBAP successfully secured a spot on Steam, garnering 84% positive reviews out of 2,387 reviews.
YAPYAP is Maison Bap’s second game, and the developer once again handled both development and publishing in-house. The game got off to a smooth start, surpassing 8,600 concurrent users on its first day of release on February 4th.
A vibrant community is essential… spurring global expansion.
The developers have been actively responding to community feedback since launch. Specifically, they’ve added a Chinese voice command feature for Chinese-speaking players and have made it possible to select the voice language separately from the text language in the in-game settings.
Some users have expressed regrets about the lack of a public lobby function and the lack of support for arachnophobia mode, but considering the developer’s quick response to updates, it is expected that these issues will likely improve in the future.
YAPYAP’s promising first-day success proves that unique gameplay mechanics alone can win over the market. It remains to be seen whether a small studio can maintain its competitive edge in a market crowded with AAA titles with its creative ideas and differentiated strategy of voice recognition.
Steam Store Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3834090/YAPYAP/
