Demon Slayer is back and in more ways than one this summer, as Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 comes out right after the Infinity Castle film sweeps the Japanese box office. The most recent entry to enter the CyberConnect2 roster of anime games, while revisiting the arena fighter formula that makes experiencing a beloved show like Demon Slayer a fun time through its flashy and over-the-top brawls, but not without a few personal gripes.
What Is It?
If you’re not familiar with this brand of fighters, Hinokami Chronicles 2 is an arena fighting game where players are able to move around freely during battle on a 3D plane. Not only do you get to fight as Tanjiro Kamado, but this time around players will finally be able to study the blade as several of their favorite Hashira with 40 playable characters are included in this sequel. HC2 allows you to rough house through pivotal moments that take place during the Entertainment District, Swordsmith Village, and Hashira Training Arcs.
There is some downtime with brief transition segments utilizing character abilities in missions to advance the story. Follow and track down demons using Tanjiro’s sense of smell, Zentisu’s hearing, and Inouske’s ability to scan demons from a distance to get to know these characters individually.
Here comes the age-old question that everyone is either thinking or gets asked, and that is, “Do I have to watch the anime first?” and the answer is, “It depends!” It really does depend on the person and how interested they are in the lore. If you don’t mind a game retelling a story in a more condensed, digestible manner, then you’ll probably enjoy your time with it. The only downside I find with this would be the visuals at times. Acclaimed animation studio, Ufotable, is known for creating stunning action sequences. Fans can only dream of their favorite series looking like it and the Ufotable “sauce” can definitely get lost in transition to 3D.
Most fans having already seen everything they need to know with what’s going on and are probably fine with the game not covering every little detail like during down times. So don’t expect to sit in front of your screen for an entire episode’s time. If you were wondering, yes, skipping scenes is 100 percent there for you when you just want to get to the action, which has been handy while playing at times.
Why Should I Care?
From the start, the game introduces you to subquests that have Tanjiro interact with random NPCs that give him tasks to accomplish. These really just felt like fetch quests that didn’t add much to the overall experience of the game. Yes, they give you items for completing them, but most of the time you’ll be picking up several items on the way to your main objective.
As for the actual combat of the game, there are some interesting things I remembered from playing the first Hinokami Chronicles a few years ago. Every character has the same move set and input buttons, but different abilities based on their fighting style (Fire Breathing, Sound Breathing, etc.) This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it makes picking up whatever character you want simple and quick, but someone out there could get tired of pressing the same exact buttons with some characters.
However, this isn’t a consistent issue with every character since some actually feel like playing a totally different style and with others you can feel how similar these inputs can be. I was having the time of my life playing as Tengen Uzui, but later on when I went on a sidequest with Shinobu Kocho, it felt like playing as a default character with less effort put into her regular moves and skill sets. All this said, you will absolutely hate playing against some demons but have the time of your life playing as them. Another fun detail I discovered in the game’s VS Mode, which I found fascinating (looking at you, Daki…).
Battles always begin with a buildup of cutscenes retelling bits from the anime and lead you into a fight with context. Your Command List ranges from Basic Actions, more movement based and shows you how to dodge mid fight, as well as parrying and guarding. These are especially useful when trying to avoid long-range area of effect attacks. Normal Attacks are where your combos kick and you’ll be able to land attack after attack if dealt correctly and help build your special gauge meter enough to get it to Level 2.
Now for Special Attacks, you have plenty of options to choose from. These skills are based on the unique fighting style or sword wielding (First Form, Second Form, etc.) every character has. They’re rather simple to learn and don’t require endless hours of practicing to land just right. If you were wanting to hit training mode to memorize a complicated command list, unfortunately this isn’t that game. But I’d be lying if they weren’t awesome to look at and come in handy, especially in a pinch when on the brink of death. One slight downside, though, is not every Hashira is given the same amount of moves, which I assume is because we’re not allowed to see special moves that haven’t been introduced in the anime yet. So we’ll let you keep your secrets, CyberConnect 2… for now.
In the main campaign, battles can be all over the place when it comes to the end. After dwindling down their life bar to almost the last bit, you’ll be able to finish off opponents with a bang using either special attacks, Ultimate Arts (uses your entire meter), quick time events, and for dramatic effect, a cinematic finisher that reminds you what got you into Demon Slayer in the first place. This for me was the highlight of my playthough and what makes this really feel like you’re playing a Demon Slayer game.
One of the best mechanics in the game is giving you a support character during these fights. During the course of Tanjiro’s journey, you’ll be teaming up with his friends and mentors either through a brief assist or a full character swap. This isn’t to be used too freely, since it comes with a Support Gauge (another meter!) and depletes as you use it, but can build back up fast throughout combat. This aspect also means you share a life bar, skill gauge, and special meter with whichever character you’re paired up with. I was able to replenish all my meters using Tanjiro, swap with Tengen to use his Ultimate Arts, and let me tell you it was… flashy. Fans of the series will really enjoy this because, not only does this give variety while playing through the story, it helps retell it in a general sense that follows the anime accurately and will help players understand what happens through these key moments.
What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?
All in all, there is never a bad time to get into Demon Slayer. With the anime series about to conclude and the U.S. release of The Hinokami Chronicles 2 upon us, fans of the series will be able to get the gist of what happens without all the anime fluff that happens in between if they’re itching to the theaters to watch Infinity Castle next month. Players can expect to beat the Story Mode is under 10 hours to be able to unlock every playable Hashira you couldn’t in the first game. Once you finish that section, you’ll be able to sink in as many hours as you want in the Online VS Mode or even redo a specific story battle to get a better ranking.
Can I recommend this game to the average anime fan? Well, yes. It’s the easiest way to get into the series and the anime will always be there to experience on Saturday morning cleaning day. For me, giving every character their time to shine while giving a good run down on what happens within these arcs, it was a rather fun revisit and has me excited to see what’s next.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has the ability to keep fans busy for a long time only if SEGA is capable and willing to release more content for it over time. With them announcing the recent Infinity Castle Character Arc Pass along with a free update adding Muzan Kibutsuji as a playable VS Mode character, here’s hoping fans won’t have to hold their breath until the next film comes out.
Demon Slayer is back and in more ways than one this summer, as Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 comes out right after the Infinity Castle film sweeps the Japanese box office. The most recent entry to…
Demon Slayer is back and in more ways than one this summer, as Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 comes out right after the Infinity Castle film sweeps the Japanese box office. The most recent entry to enter the CyberConnect2 roster of anime games, while revisiting the arena fighter formula that makes experiencing a beloved show like Demon Slayer a fun time through its flashy and over-the-top brawls, but not without a few personal gripes.
What Is It?
If you’re not familiar with this brand of fighters, Hinokami Chronicles 2 is an arena fighting game where players are able to move around freely during battle on a 3D plane. Not only do you get to fight as Tanjiro Kamado, but this time around players will finally be able to study the blade as several of their favorite Hashira with 40 playable characters are included in this sequel. HC2 allows you to rough house through pivotal moments that take place during the Entertainment District, Swordsmith Village, and Hashira Training Arcs.
There is some downtime with brief transition segments utilizing character abilities in missions to advance the story. Follow and track down demons using Tanjiro’s sense of smell, Zentisu’s hearing, and Inouske’s ability to scan demons from a distance to get to know these characters individually.
Here comes the age-old question that everyone is either thinking or gets asked, and that is, “Do I have to watch the anime first?” and the answer is, “It depends!” It really does depend on the person and how interested they are in the lore. If you don’t mind a game retelling a story in a more condensed, digestible manner, then you’ll probably enjoy your time with it. The only downside I find with this would be the visuals at times. Acclaimed animation studio, Ufotable, is known for creating stunning action sequences. Fans can only dream of their favorite series looking like it and the Ufotable “sauce” can definitely get lost in transition to 3D.
Most fans having already seen everything they need to know with what’s going on and are probably fine with the game not covering every little detail like during down times. So don’t expect to sit in front of your screen for an entire episode’s time. If you were wondering, yes, skipping scenes is 100 percent there for you when you just want to get to the action, which has been handy while playing at times.
Why Should I Care?
From the start, the game introduces you to subquests that have Tanjiro interact with random NPCs that give him tasks to accomplish. These really just felt like fetch quests that didn’t add much to the overall experience of the game. Yes, they give you items for completing them, but most of the time you’ll be picking up several items on the way to your main objective.
As for the actual combat of the game, there are some interesting things I remembered from playing the first Hinokami Chronicles a few years ago. Every character has the same move set and input buttons, but different abilities based on their fighting style (Fire Breathing, Sound Breathing, etc.) This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it makes picking up whatever character you want simple and quick, but someone out there could get tired of pressing the same exact buttons with some characters.
However, this isn’t a consistent issue with every character since some actually feel like playing a totally different style and with others you can feel how similar these inputs can be. I was having the time of my life playing as Tengen Uzui, but later on when I went on a sidequest with Shinobu Kocho, it felt like playing as a default character with less effort put into her regular moves and skill sets. All this said, you will absolutely hate playing against some demons but have the time of your life playing as them. Another fun detail I discovered in the game’s VS Mode, which I found fascinating (looking at you, Daki…).
Battles always begin with a buildup of cutscenes retelling bits from the anime and lead you into a fight with context. Your Command List ranges from Basic Actions, more movement based and shows you how to dodge mid fight, as well as parrying and guarding. These are especially useful when trying to avoid long-range area of effect attacks. Normal Attacks are where your combos kick and you’ll be able to land attack after attack if dealt correctly and help build your special gauge meter enough to get it to Level 2.
Now for Special Attacks, you have plenty of options to choose from. These skills are based on the unique fighting style or sword wielding (First Form, Second Form, etc.) every character has. They’re rather simple to learn and don’t require endless hours of practicing to land just right. If you were wanting to hit training mode to memorize a complicated command list, unfortunately this isn’t that game. But I’d be lying if they weren’t awesome to look at and come in handy, especially in a pinch when on the brink of death. One slight downside, though, is not every Hashira is given the same amount of moves, which I assume is because we’re not allowed to see special moves that haven’t been introduced in the anime yet. So we’ll let you keep your secrets, CyberConnect 2… for now.
In the main campaign, battles can be all over the place when it comes to the end. After dwindling down their life bar to almost the last bit, you’ll be able to finish off opponents with a bang using either special attacks, Ultimate Arts (uses your entire meter), quick time events, and for dramatic effect, a cinematic finisher that reminds you what got you into Demon Slayer in the first place. This for me was the highlight of my playthough and what makes this really feel like you’re playing a Demon Slayer game.
One of the best mechanics in the game is giving you a support character during these fights. During the course of Tanjiro’s journey, you’ll be teaming up with his friends and mentors either through a brief assist or a full character swap. This isn’t to be used too freely, since it comes with a Support Gauge (another meter!) and depletes as you use it, but can build back up fast throughout combat. This aspect also means you share a life bar, skill gauge, and special meter with whichever character you’re paired up with. I was able to replenish all my meters using Tanjiro, swap with Tengen to use his Ultimate Arts, and let me tell you it was… flashy. Fans of the series will really enjoy this because, not only does this give variety while playing through the story, it helps retell it in a general sense that follows the anime accurately and will help players understand what happens through these key moments.
What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?
All in all, there is never a bad time to get into Demon Slayer. With the anime series about to conclude and the U.S. release of The Hinokami Chronicles 2 upon us, fans of the series will be able to get the gist of what happens without all the anime fluff that happens in between if they’re itching to the theaters to watch Infinity Castle next month. Players can expect to beat the Story Mode is under 10 hours to be able to unlock every playable Hashira you couldn’t in the first game. Once you finish that section, you’ll be able to sink in as many hours as you want in the Online VS Mode or even redo a specific story battle to get a better ranking.
Can I recommend this game to the average anime fan? Well, yes. It’s the easiest way to get into the series and the anime will always be there to experience on Saturday morning cleaning day. For me, giving every character their time to shine while giving a good run down on what happens within these arcs, it was a rather fun revisit and has me excited to see what’s next.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has the ability to keep fans busy for a long time only if SEGA is capable and willing to release more content for it over time. With them announcing the recent Infinity Castle Character Arc Pass along with a free update adding Muzan Kibutsuji as a playable VS Mode character, here’s hoping fans won’t have to hold their breath until the next film comes out.
by Adriana Rodriguez
