Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is a fighter that balances depth and accessibility well, but it's hamstrung by an inconsistent story mode and a slim roster.

Although the playable roster of The Hinokami Chronicles is feeling the lack of demons right now, there's a lot to enjoy from the characters who are there. This 3D fighter delivers on the promise of a power fantasy of Gotouge's manga epic.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is another decent brawler adaptation that asks you to already have a bit of background on the source material to truly enjoy it. In that sense, it joins a very crowded space of many other anime games before it, and many of you out there know where you stand on these.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is carried by its fantastic presentation, which expertly captures the look and feel of the anime. Bombastic boss fights and some stunning cutscenes are enough to sell the otherwise short-lived story mode, but outside of that, this is a rather barebones package. Battles can be flashy and fun, but the combat system doesn't have the necessary depth to hook anyone who isn't a Demon Slayer super fan. If this is just the first step in a new series from CyberConnect2, then it's a solid debut that'll no doubt form the basis for a much meatier sequel.

Demon Slayer: -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is a very solid action game, presenting a gripping story and thrilling action combat alongside an art style that almost perfectly matches the popular anime. Though combat can sometimes feel a bit shallow and the performance isn't always perfect, we'd still give this one a strong recommendation, even to those who don't have any background with the anime or manga.

Not having every fighter out of the box is going to be really frustrating for some players, but if nothing else, experiencing the Demon Slayer story is a pretty fun ride.

Series fans will find something to enjoy, yet those simply looking a fighting experience with friends will find this to be frustrating.

Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles is a faithful representation of the popular anime but it sticks to that path so strictly that it fails to expand beyond that framework into something more meaningful. Even with the game’s extra characters that add a little spice to the online lobbies or weekend fight nights, The Hinokami Chronicles needs more substance.

Once you’ve had your fill of the story mode, you can jump over to versus mode to test your demon slaying skills against other players in PVP. Those Kimetsu Points you picked up throughout the game can be redeemed in the Rewards menu for different voice lines for each character, different costumes, profile customizations, and, of course, different fighters to unlock. Go head to head with other players in battles both online and locally with characters not only from the anime, but the series’ official spinoff as well.

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is a flashy and fun anime arena fighter. The story mode is done so well that both veterans of the series and newcomers can jump right in and enjoy it equally. The visuals and voice acting are also top notch and extremely faithful to the source material. I’ll also be jumping back into it later this year when various characters from the Entertainment District Arc get added to it such as the flashy Uzui. If you don’t typically enjoy these arena fighters than this one won’t do anything to change your mind but for those who do or are just pure Demon Slayer fans you are in for a treat.