Image: Vanillaware
Over the holiday, we’re republishing a few of the very best short articles from Nintendo Life authors and factors as part of our Best of 2024 series. Take pleasure in!
Soapbox functions allow our specific authors and factors to voice their viewpoints on hot subjects and random things they’ve been analyzing. Today, Alana is discussing a Vanillaware oldie– Muramasa: The Demon Blade, a Wii title that is commemorating its 15th anniversary. And, in the wake of 13 Sentinels and Unicorn Overlord’s success, it’s time to offer Vanillaware’s older title some love.
Vanillaware has actually been practically all over. It’s checked out wonderful, magical storybook worlds in Odin Sphere. It’s gone back to a middle ages, warfaring world lot of times with Grand Knights History and Unicorn Overlord. It’s been to 1980s Japan in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. We’ve even had the ability to go to witch school thanks to GrimGrimoire. In spite of the broad range of gently painted and beautiful worlds, I constantly discover myself looking back to Edo Japan the fondest.
It was love at very first sight with Muramasa: The Demon Blade, the designer’s 2nd title on a Nintendo system after the Japanese-exclusive Kumatanchi on the DS. It’s not the most special video game in Vanillaware’s library, nor is it the most complex. It’s a darn great time that, with the current success of 13 Sentinels and Unicorn Overlord, should have to have its minute in the (increasing) sun.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade has lots in typical with Metroidvanias (development gated behind skills/weapons, an interconnected map, some light platforming) however the video game centres more on fight than deep expedition or tricks. The 2 protagonist– Kisuke, an amnesiac ninja whose just memory is that he needs to take a specific katana; and Momohime, a princess who is had by the spirit of a criminal rōnin– play identically and check out basically the very same map. The linking stories and the crisp and difficult fight kept me coming back for more.
Aside from Vanillaware’s spectacular art design– which shines finest when streaming through the reed-laced fields taken in a stunning blood-red sundown or while rising through the honey-coloured clouds of Takamagahara– Muramasa’s standout function is, as discussed, its battle. This is an action RPG which you manage by utilizing one button for single attacks and combinations, and holding it down to rush around the screen. It’s extremely easy however elegant, especially when coupled with the watercolour splendour of Vanillaware.
The wrinkle can be found in the type of the weapons. You have a big weapon tree where, from 3 beginning blades, you can create numerous ‘Demon Blades’ to utilize throughout your playthrough. You can gear up 3 various swords simultaneously and swap in between them throughout battle. There are 2 sword types– Blades, which are brief and quickly, and Long Blades, bigger, much heavier, and more effective weapons. Every sword has its own statistics,
