The recent success of the Demon Slayer anime and manga have prompted CyberConnect2 to make an arena fighting game based on the series.
Demon Slayer has quickly become one of the largest franchises in the world, as it broke Japanese box office records and became one of the best-selling manga series of all time. Fans will have a lot to look forward to this year as Demon Slayer recently announced a second season of the anime and a new video game titled Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan.
Developed by CyberConnect2, the studio behind the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, it looks like Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan will be an arena fighting game. A recent demo showcased five playable Demon Slayer characters, as well as different sets of moves and mechanics that will appear in the game. Although a release date has not been confirmed, Aniplex has stated that it will be available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Although some fans may be disappointed to see that the first adaptation of the Demon Slayer series is a fighting game rather than an RPG or adventure, it makes sense from a narrative perspective, as the search for the protagonist Tanjiro has only begun. Recently. Many of the plots from the first season of Demon Slayer remain unresolved and there are many new locations or characters that have yet to be revealed. Fortunately, the Demon Slayer game has been confirmed to include a story mode along with its fighting mechanics. Also, the fact that CybcerConnect2 is developing the game should excite fans given its history with anime-based fighting games.
CyberConnect2 is exceptional for creating a tight and responsive experience within your games and the Demon Slayer game should be no different. One of the biggest draws of the Demon Slayer anime was the Ufotable studio’s ability to create stylized weapon effects and colorful breathing techniques for each of the characters. The Demon Slayer game seems to nail that anime aspect well and this will likely translate into the game’s fast and flashy combat.
The gameplay demo for the Demon Slayer game was shown in a video with the Japanese voice actors of Tanjiro and Zenitsu. CyberConnect2 has stated that the game is still in development, but revealed 5 different characters in the demo: Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Giyu. Each of the characters has their own distinct move set and more characters must be included in the final version of the game. Like in other fighting games, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan will feature a guard system and unblockable throws. It appears that the combat is primarily 1v1, although players can summon tag team mates as long as they fill the rechargeable gauge.
Like other fighting games, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan appears to feature diverse fighting styles ranging from light, heavy, and ultimate attacks. The demo showcased a number of new features for each of the playable characters and each one also comes with its own animated mini-scene. It seems that there are currently two different game modes available: a story mode and a tag battle mode.
Although details on the different game modes are scant, cooperative and online features will likely be included. While the game is scheduled to release in Japan later this year, there is currently no word on an English localization. However, given the enormous popularity of the Demon Slayer series, fans are likely to see a western release soon after.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Keppuutan is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
