Kill them all, and a new accessory is awarded. One such room has players fighting 100 – yes, for real – ninjas as they spawn out eight to 10 at a time. Of course the experience goes deeper than that, offering not only main routes to open but also specific enemy rooms with insane challenges that reward players with new gear. Even the core level design is often nothing more than an exit in the upper or lower corners of the screen, and a few optional high ground areas to explore no grand castle traversing or cramped forgotten labyrinths to navigate – just straight-on action from screen to screen.Ĭlick+the+link+above+to+check+out+our+video+review. Remove all the visual polish and entertaining battles and that's your core game. Find a boss, kill a boss, collect his blade, and use it to open new barriers that would otherwise stand in your way. There are eight main blades in the game, each with a different color. What stays the same, however, is the one overarching concept of blades as keys. For both characters the experience is different, as are some of the enemies, order in which you traverse world areas, and the like.
As one downside though, there's less variation here than what you'd find in other games of its kind specifically in level design and general world traversal. At the start of the game your world scope is small, but as you progress areas become opened, alternate routes interrupt the main story experience, and the world becomes your playground. Demon Blade's core design really centers on a formula that has been perfected by games like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The music is captivating, often growing and progressing as you run from screen to screen, and the visual style… well… it speaks for itself. The game follows the classic Kabuki style, mixing drama and dance (in this case rhythmic, flowing swordplay) as its main forms of storytelling. The story is broken up into two characters, including the ninja princess Momohime and amnesia-stricken warrior Kisuke. You'll find RPG elements in Muramasa, but more than anything else this is a purebred action game. We've gone over the story and core design of Demon Blade time and time again, but if this is your first time seeing it for some reason it's pretty simple, and a good refresher for those adamantly following the game as well. Some areas more than others, but all-in all this game is a true work of art in interactive form all arguments over "gaming as an art form" should be pushed right on over to titles like Muramasa.ĭemon+Blade+is+simply+beautiful,+and+undeniably+fun. For the first time in my four years as a game critic I can truly say there isn't a single screen, single animation, or single character that isn't truly stunning. True, you'll see repeats of enemies and environments – even a few re-skinning, color-tweaking tricks – but considering the sheer amount of animation and care that went into this game it's understandable. The amount of "wow" moments in this game seems to go on forever, and they hit you at perfectly placed intervals. It's a visual masterpiece through and through no hyperbole.
First off, Muramasa's visual presentation is simply breathtaking, and it's hands-down one of the most artistically beautiful games this generation on any console. Truthfully I'd put it somewhere in the middle of those two extremes.
The real question on everyone's mind though – just like it was for me, until I got plenty of time to dive on in – is whether or not Muramasa was all eye candy, or a true classic in 2D gaming. Here we are on the cusp of the title's release – complete with a Nintendo World Store weekend launch in NYC not common for third party games – and Muramasa is still entertaining me after dozens and dozens of hours of play. Being a fan of Vanillaware and the company's rich history I remember seeing first glimpses of Demon Blade out of TGS, instantly recognized the game as being one of Vanillaware's own, and stubbornly demanded that I get to review the game ever since. Muramasa: The Demon Blade is one of those games that is instantly captivating.