Alright, let’s dive into this wild ride of a game, Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade. Seriously, who even names these things? Okay, picture this: a Japanese fantasy roguelite RPG set in, yup, you guessed it, the Edo period. I know, my mind immediately wandered off to samurai swords and mystical spirits too. Anyway, the balance between humans and demons was like this delicate dance – a bit like my attempts at cooking.
So, we’ve got demons living it up, and then, boom! The Nine-Tailed Fox, who sounds like a boss in more ways than one, decides to crash the party with its demon entourage. Chaos ensues, obviously. But wait, we’ve got a trio of heroes swooping in to save the day: Shigure, who just doesn’t die – handy, huh? Then there’s Sara, who’s got her own drama because she somewhat messed up a mission, I guess? Finally, Taketora, a tiger samurai… yeah, let that image sink in.
The game had a Kickstarter thing last year, aiming for a neat HK$400,000. Ended up smashing that with HK$609,000, thanks to over 700 backers. There was some shuffling around with dates – planned for February but hello, May launch it is. Classic “I need more time” situation.
So the characters, right? Shigure, doubles up her blades and deals a good dose of pain while managing to dodge attacks like she’s got mystery powers. She’s the balanced type, which might make her my kind of gal if I were to actually pick up a console. Sara? She’s a wizard with speed, darting around like she’s had too much coffee, but her health pool is a bit low. Oh, Taketora? He’s basically built like a tank, smashing through enemies with style and a silly amount of damage. But dash skills? Not his forte. Upgrade that if you want to survive the chaos.
Combat’s as simple as a button-masher gets. Left stick for moving your heroic self around, bash those buttons for light and heavy attacks. Toss in some dashing to keep things spicy or switch weapons if you’re feeling fancy. Oh, and a little heads up – spot any yellow circles on enemies, hit them with a parry move. Gets adrenaline going, right?
Let’s talk orbs, because collecting random glowing things is all the rage. Defeat demons and snag Soul Orbs for temporary buffs. You’re bound to need them, trust me. Permanent boosts? Totally a thing after your inevitable defeat. Find the shrine, spend the resources, and pray you come back stronger. It’s like visiting the gym but for your game character.
You’ll find a quirky village along the way. Grab some tea to top up your health – because that’s how we roll – and don’t forget ramen. It’s healing and boosts, a two-for-one deal! And if challenges are your gig, go visit Hideaway Daruma. But beware, failing means penalties. HP cut in half? Sign me up, not!
Weapons? Oh, they call them Demon Blades here. Unleash elemental havoc and upgrade those bad boys. Makes me wonder why my kitchen knives don’t have special powers. You’d think cooking would be more exciting if my spatula could set things on fire. Pick a blade, any blade, and you’ll gain some fun perks or curse yourself, depending on how devil-may-care you’re feeling.
So, worth its $29.99 price on Switch? I’d say if you’re into battling demons – real or metaphorical – then why not? After all, it’s a legend. And who doesn’t want a piece of that?
