I have had the opportunity to play the demo version, and I was definitely looking forward to continuing the story and exploring. Read my review of the full game release for Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade to find out if it holds up to my previous expectations.
Anime Artstyle Pleasing to the Eye
I could never complain about this part as I've been a big anime and manga enjoyer since I was a kid. The character designs in Yasha are great, with all three of the main characters having a unique look to them. My favorite character design is a big spoiler so I'll keep my mouth shut, but try to guess when you play the game (it's really obvious, it's one of the demons).
While the characters do look amazing, I have to really appreciate the weapons design a lot. It was very difficult for me to go with actual weapons that have stats fitting my gamestyle instead of choosing based on aesthetics. My first playthrough for Sara had to be the Dango weapons though. It doesn't get cuter than that.
Enemy design is also top notch. The demons attacking you are familiar but just slightly off compared to regular animals. Weird duck creatures that shoot you, birds that throw wind attacks at you, and those boar creatures. Never have I hated an enemy more, their attack pattern is so easy to predict and yet they kept stumbling me over every time. The enemy bosses too had excellent design, each one better than the next. Honestly, I have to stand with Shigure on that I too wanted to eat some of them, especially with those those pretty colors.
Three Characters means Three Different Stories
In Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade you can choose one of three characters to play as and follow their story—Shigure, Sara or Taketora. It's important to note that these are three different stories. Even if you see a familiar character, they are not the exact same across all branches. This definitely lends itself to the replayability of the game.
I've definitely enjoyed the more comical side of the writing and dialogues, and the way the characters were written. Shigure following Sara around like a puppy was adorable, and playing her actual story was both funny (she definitely reminded me of some of the ever hungry anime character tropes), and touching as you got further into it. I even got enjoyment from the plot twists and the differences in characters in the three stories. However, to get everything you can from the stories, you have to play through the game three times, which leads to one of the biggest issues in the game, repetitive combat.
Combat - Is There More?
One thing I enjoyed in the demo was the variety of enemies and boss mechanics. You really had to learn how they all move and attack which is always a fun challenge. However, that challenge of learning and defeating new enemies peters out as you progress through the chapters in the game. r.
After I finished Shigure's second chapter, I though that was it, it made sense for the story to repeat sections and bosses, and now we could meet some new characters, but that wasn't the case. Instead, I was going through the same thing once again, with one final boss addition. This can get pretty boring after a while and lead you to just play by rote until you've levelled enough to complete a character run.
A different layout of rooms (or even totally new areas) with more new enemies could have done a lot to increase the entertainment of the game. As it stands, the enemies strength and numbers do scale up slightly, but instead of making it fun, it just makes the battles lengthier. I enjoyed learning how to fight against each enemy, but it would have been better if that learning kept up throughout the game.
It doesn't help that you're going through the same areas in all three character stories. I definitely struggled through the Taketora section, since it was my last playthrough, and going through the same thing over and over almost made me give up on his story.
Strategize to Level Up
Death is not the end. Yes okay, game over screen, I know it isn't. Am I still a bit salty that I lost? Yes, but it's understandable that that will happen in games like this. You die, you level up, you go again. There are multiple ways which you can enhance your character outside of a run as well as inside of a run.
For starters, choosing a weapon is pretty important. Some have great boosts, while others have great limitations. My favorite combo for Shigure, for example (who I suggest for your first playthrough), was the Undying Cuckoo and Summer Rain. Shield plus water bullets, especially in that first area with so much water around? Say no more. After each stage you'll be able to level up specific weapon skills, which you should pick carefully as you have limited slots. Level up the weapon you use the most.
During resting sections after each boss, there are even more options to level up your characters. Blessings, of course, bless you with specific boosts, but they can also reduce some stats. The food stall is also a good place to check out here. After each battle, you'll collect food ingredients and get to try food with Damage or HP boosts, Shield boosts, etc.
Of course, if you die and end a run early, you're able to improve both your skills (whether character specific or general) as well as your weapons. Though both use the same currency so you have to really calculate what you want to invest in. There are plenty of options to choose from and create the best new strategy after you've been wiped by enemies.
A JRPG Roguelite That I Want a Little More From
I really wanted to love this game from the get go. That demo impressed me and I couldn't wait to find out what's more. The story overall is compelling (all three of them), and I like the way you progress and level up as each character, but that repetitiveness in battles is what hinders it from being great. With more different areas for each of the character, this game could be amazing. As it is right now, I had fun, but it's definitely time to put my controller down (and go to have nightmares of those boars for weeks).
If you want to know our thoughts on other games, you can check out the Review section here on Pro Game Guides.
Hristina is the Assigning Editor for Pro Game Guides. She has a Master's degree in English Language, Literature and Culture from the University of Belgrade. She's used her love of English to write blogs, anime quizzes, books as well as work as a Content Editor before starting at PGG as a Staff Writer. She lives for the horror genre and you'll often find her playing Dead by Daylight, Lethal Company, and Phasmophobia. Hristina's comfort games are Outlast, Last of Us, and Until Dawn, which she has played or watched other people play more than 10 times each.