Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles
Frantic Anime Battles Make A Comeback With Demon Slayer
CyberConnect2's latest project, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is a return to the company in familiar territory. In previous titles, exploration and exposition often trumped over the fighting games the developer was known for. One example of this was 2020's Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, which presented itself as an Action RPG. While many considered the game to be an amazing Dragon Ball game, there were those who weren't satisfied.
The last time CyberConnect2 released a fighting game was during the year 2016 with Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. Technically, 2017's Road To Boruto expansion counts, but regardless, it has been over five years. This makes Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles a return to greatness or mindless button mashing. Whether or not players were a fan of the traditional Ultimate Ninja Storm gameplay is a determinant to Demon Slayer's success. In short, it's reminiscent of the same Naruto gameplay but with a different IP. Is that all there is to The Hinokami Chronicles?
Similar To Ultimate Ninja Storm, Demon Slayer Has Differences
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles begins with a prologue in which the player controls Tanjiro. As he fights against Sabito, the fight serves as the tutorial for the game's mechanics. On the surface, it's easy to say that Demon Slayer is "Mash X to win" but there's more strategy involved than that. Players can dash to close distance, use character skills, dodge, and block attacks. As the player attacks, they will gain access to "Surge," which changes the properties of some attacks. As they gain enough meter, players can use their ultimate attacks accordingly.
One mechanic that this game has over the Ultimate Ninja Storm series is the ability to parry attacks. Whereas in the former, players could use substitution jutsu in a similar fashion, players can deflect attacks to open opponents a different way. The similarities don't end there, as the gameplay focuses on team battles and a support system. Those who haven't played the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games will still be able to grasp the game's mechanics with ease.
Like Watching A Season Of Demon Slayer
Story Mode is where the meat of the content exists in The Hinokami Chronicles past the prologue. It is here that players get to experience the story of Tanjiro and his allies, including and up to the Mugen Train arc. Outside of combat, players control Tanjiro in various environments, though they are far from an open world. Players can interact with items to trigger events and earn "Kimetsu Points," both of which are the source of unlocking content. Players are rewarded for exploring every nook and cranny as well as performing well in fights with various content. These range from gallery images, costumes, and bonus characters.
Bundled with first edition copies of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is a bonus character. That character, being Tanjiro in his Academy outfit who plays similarly to the default Tanjiro but with a humorous ultimate attack. Players can actually unlock the character in-game by fulfilling bonus requirements in each chapter. Alternate versions of characters like Academy Tanjiro are earned through the player's persistence.
Demon Slayer Is This Year's Premiere Anime Fighting Game
Borrowing once again from Ultimate Ninja Storm, players will enter QTE events at the end of major fights in story mode. During a cinematic event, players will have to mash, press, and time the buttons as they appear on the screen. As the flames light up underneath the character's lifebars, players will unlock bonus scenes and images relevant to the character's resolve. These are important to ensure players obtain the highest ranking possible, which of course leads to better rewards.
Overall, the presentation is as impressive as a CyberConnect2 game can get. Having developed anime fighters and action games since the early 00s, the team has shown their proficiency in creating titles for a target audience. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles is no different, as the anime series is shaping up to be one of Japan's flagship IPs. Selling out movie theaters in Japan and with a second season on the way, The Hinokami Chronicles is the perfect release at the perfect time, giving fans much to celebrate for months to come.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles are now available on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.