Calling all Demon Slayers and anime fans alike, a new anime video game has been released. Whenever an anime becomes popular, a videogame rendition is created for fans to experience the series from a different perspective. Over the last three decades, multiple anime series have been turned into video games; some of the most notable titles are Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Naruto, Attack on Titan, and now, Demon Slayer. After the massive success of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, it was only a matter of time. In preparation for season 2, we prepare by reviewing Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles.
Gameplay
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is the story of Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado. While searching for a cure for Nezuko’s curse, Tanjiro carries out his missions as a Demon Slayer. The game starts slightly after the beginning events of the anime, with Tanjaro’s training with Sakonji Urokodaki. As a Demon Slayer, you must take on demons as you hunt for Kibutsuji Muzan.
In story mode, the game tells the events of Tanjiro’s life from training and the final selection, all the way up to the events of Mugen Train; in total, there are nine chapters to playthrough. Although there are nine chapters, two of the chapters are more walking simulators meant to progress the story. One chapter’s combat is a side mission that can only be accessed through the storyline. The game’s story mode relies on a storyline board.
As the player progresses through the story, they are able to find memory fragments and Kimetsu points. Memory fragments contain additional points of Demon Slayer’s story that have not been animated; most are snapshots most likely taken from the anime with voice lines added to the scene. Kimetsu points are the game’s currency that can be used to buy quotes, characters, music, profile photos, battle attire (alternate outfits), and battlefields. These different rewards can be unlocked naturally by completing the chapter’s missions and fighting performance; the game rewards players who obtain B’s to S’s. So conserve your points until the very end!
Combat Mechanics
If you do not consistently play fighting or Anime games, it can take a bit of time to get used to the game’s mechanics. With a health, stamina, and boost meter to watch, combat can become chaotic during later chapters of the game. Some bosses in the Story Mode can actually be more annoying than bosses in other games such as Dark Souls, Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, and even Attack on Titan. This isn’t to say that the game is as difficult as some of those games, but rather, some fights have difficult mechanics. When an enemy goes into an enraged mode, any damage dealt will not stagger the enemy. In fact, it is better to just dodge the enemies’ attacks rather than to try and get a hit in. Some enemies do cause status effects such as poison or slow, but the game is rather limited regarding those.
In combat, there is a limit to the number of attacks you can get in on an enemy before they fall to the ground. Attacks can be dodged or guarded against and if you are dedicated enough, even countered. During our playthrough of the game, it was typically better to just dodge the attack rather than trying to counter it. Missing the timing of the counter causes stamina to drain and can cause the player to take damage.
Some fights allow supporting characters to assist the player. These supporting characters can be swapped into battle when the support gauge is completely full. Another use of the full gauge is an Emergency Escape; this will prevent the player from taking damage at the point of use. Single charges of the gauge will call out the supporting character to attack the enemy. Each character paring has special quotes that can be heard throughout.
Beyond the Story
Once a player has completed the story, there are a few options available to the player. The storyline is always available to replay select fights or watch memory fragments and story cutscenes. If you are a perfectionist, you can check out the archives section to see what is left to unlock. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles, contains eleven unique characters with seven additional adaptations including a fun Academy skin line. The game features 10 maps for players to fight on.
In Vs Mode, players can choose to fight other players or the computer. You can fight against other players either online or through local matches. Guard and counter-response time in online play can be rather delayed depending on the other player’s region. With non CPU combat, the camera flies freely around the battlefield so you will have to adjust. Players can make their own unique online Slayer ID card. Each Slayer ID contains a profile photo and quotes. Additionally, if you want to challenge a past player, you can look at the directory to see who you have fought. A match can be held in private, with each player agreeing on the settings.
If you feel you need more practice beyond the story, you can practice in the practice mode or in the training menu. Each character has its own unique training program. Each rank within the training program contains a clearing condition and special tasks to complete. Once you have completed one rank challenge, you can move on to the next; there are 12 training programs to complete with 10 ranks in each.
If you looking for help outside of training, you can go to the tutorials section to answer a good amount of questions.
Graphics, Audio, and Controls
The game’s combat graphics and environmental graphics are great and allow the player to experience the popular story; however, the game does struggle with animating the character’s mouths. Whether listening to the subbed or dubbed audio, the game’s mouth animation does not sync up. Additionally, there are a few instances with in-game animated cutscenes moving unusually. Nothing like the awful glitches in WWE 2k20 or Cyberpunk 2077, but still awkward non the less. If you have ever seen a horror movie where the killer turns slowly, it was like that.
In regards to audio and sound effects, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles does a spectacular job. Whether it is the voice acting directly from the anime ported over to the game or the voice actors doing the same lines, each character sounds like their show counterpart. This helps provide players with an authentic experience and makes it seems as if they are a part of the Demon Slayer universe. The game’s special effects sound realistic with swords clashing and lightning crackling. Sadly, LiSA’s Gurenge is never played throughout the game. The game’s ambient music tracks are relaxing for the most part. The musical compositions for battle draw the player into the fight and make you ready to slay all the demons.
For a fighting game, Demon Slayer‘s controls are rather simple for base combat. The only difficult control aspect is for perfect guarding and the counter guard system. These mechanics can be flawed or unresponsive and result in a serious amount of damage if miss-timed. Certain scripted actions by demons can result in your ultimate move being blocked or just deflected despite hitting a defenseless enemy.
The Good and Bad
While playing through Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles, there are a few things that are rather frustrating. At the start of story mode, the game gives the illusion that there will be an open world for the player to explore. Instead, what the player will get is a walking simulator for players to walk through the story’s environments. Occasionally, the player is interrupted from their scenic walk by a random demon attack. This detracts from the overall story and makes each chapter a grueling task to go through.
As previously mentioned, combat in the game can be rather chaotic, especially against bosses. Thankfully, if your health gauge is depleted, the game gives you the option to continue. If you choose to continue, you will receive a lower grade but should be able to win the fight. Unlike in VS mode where you can select the AI’s difficulty, you can not in Story Mode. This can be disheartening when getting destroyed, but ultimately something you can push beyond.
The game is rather limited with its character choices. This is especially odd since Cyberconnect 2 could have easily thrown in some of the demons slain as combatants for VS mode. This feels rather underwhelming when you compare it to other anime-inspired games. Even One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows offered more characters to choose between.
A Recap Game
When the smoke and dust clear, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is simply a reiteration game. For players who have wanted to play as the characters in a fighting game, then it will scratch that itch. Otherwise, the game just retells the story of the first season and Mugen Train in a longer time frame to do so. In fact, if you wanted to get caught up before season 2, it would actually be faster to watch season 1 and the movie.
Now by no means are we saying this game is not enjoyable, but it is not a must-have. This game would be an enjoyable gift for diehard fans of the series or those looking to see what the series is all about. If you are on the fence about it, it would probably be better to skip or wait until it goes on sale. The game is fun for the first few hours but it lacks overall substance. If you love the characters and are looking for a new fighting game, it can be enjoyable.
Overall, our time with Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles was enjoyable but at times felt like a chore. Additionally, if you like to stream games but do not use a capture card, certain scenes will be blocked from streaming. The controls are simple to use, the graphics show the beautiful world the characters live in, and the voice acting truly conveys how the characters are feeling. The game’s storyline does detract from the overall experience though and never allows the player to experience the story as if they were watching the anime. Finally, when it comes to the game’s replay value, it falls short. Most of the replay value comes by perfecting fights or VS mode.
Review Details
An Xbox copy of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles was provided for review purposes.
Warning, the game’s flashing color changes can be overwhelming at times!
A future DLC will add Rui & Akaza to the game.
