Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae

This game is basically the Bloody Palace Mode from Devil May Cry 3. It's fun, but only for a few hours. For those who like cute japanese girls and swords, it is worthy to buy.

You know how some games are just wrong? That's this game in a nutshell. "No game, actually, I clearly was not hit and I shouldn't have died. I have footage, you're wrong." "Actually, game, contrary to what you believe, I did press the button at the right time." These are things you might hear yourself saying while playing this. The last boss is particularly guilty of just being wrong: your super powerful retaliation move must be pressed "just before the enemy's attack connects" (super specific description there dev). The problem with the last boss's final form (yes, this is one of THOSE...) is that the solid parts of her are covered by an imprecise particle effect; you cannot actually see when the attack connects and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the attack's collision detection is completely random. I'm only half joking. There are many moments in my time playing this game where I felt the established mechanics were ignored, and there aren't any design features implemented to help the player learn from their mistakes. Then again, this is an indie game from a very small team, and in that light it's a very impressive creation. I had fun playing (until I reached the last boss on Normal), and there really aren't enough games that push your reflexes to the limit. If you like that type of game, highly recommended- just be prepared for indie level design and polish.

Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae gets a lot of derision due to its raven-haired, bosom-clutching, pantsu-flashing protagonist and for its easier difficulty settings being able to be button-mashed through giving the impression the game is mindless and devoid of depth and difficulty. Those who delve deeper however will find the title to be a humble Japanese stylish action game that riffs off of popular titles such as Devil May Cry. Everything from last second defensive moves to Blood Palace mode sized arenas are present and it even joins Metal Gear Rising in the distinction of having you purchase defensive moves, including the incredibly important Flourish move. Make no mistake, there are two people who are going to buy this title: those that like panties and those that like combat. MKH does not use a dial-a-combo system but rather provides players with various mechanics that feed into each other and when utilised can quickly and cleanly dispatch lowly mooks and bosses alike. Eventually it will seem natural to make enemies bleed in order to collect bloodspirits in order to bolster the effects of your Zanshin. This title has taken flak for its repetitive nature, often citing its limited variety of enemies. As a fan of Dynasty Warriors, this didn't hurt my impression of the game and I'd also argue that it range is perfectly adequate and that the bosses are the real spectacle. The music on the other hand is incredibly grating and hearing the same cock rock riff drilled into your brain is enough to have you rushing to the options menu. MKH succeeds as the budget stylish action game: its fast, fluid and responsive whether you're using a keyboard and mouse or controller and its pace, depth and difficulty will satisfy avid fans of the genre. This review is based off of both the DRM free and Steam versions of the title, and several hours divided among both versions.

This game was made about about three people or so, keep that in mind before purchasing. I am a huge fan of Devil May Cry 3,4, and even DmC, alongside Metal Gear Rising, ZoE, and God Hand. So this is coming from a diehard lover of this genre. Pros: + Solid Game Performance (60pfs/1080p) + Good sense of player progression + Consistent difficulty curve + Genuinely challenging bosses + Easy to learn combat + No enemies attack from offscreen (HUGE props for this) + Straight to the point with just combat, without any padding to speak of Cons: - Unclear interface with menus and tutorials - Some sound effects are not present outside of combat - Camera, while not as bad as Metal Gear Rising or Transformers Devastation, is still awkward - Movement/Combat is not as precise nor refined as it could be. - Can get repetitive for those not into the genre I do recommend Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae. If you like this genre, it's worth trying once, if not to see indie developers try it. For everyone else, it's a fun little indie title that does one thing well, but not much else. But I can definitely recommend buying it during a sale.