GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

Many of the avoidable snags found in GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon were solved by genre predecessors long before this game was announced. There is no doubt that in a few patches time this could be a fantastic game - but that's if Konami, which hasn't been in many gamer's good books for a long time, actually grants the development team the time and the funding to work on it. As it stands the game could end up being something special, the trouble is other similar Switch titles already are.

Well, I’m happy to say the developers have accomplished making a kickass action game that I definitely see myself falling in love with on my Steam Deck, and while I am disappointed in myself for not getting this covered during the EA period, it definitely is in an outstanding spot right now, and with future tweaks here and there, this action game is only going to get better, and I am proud to say that Konami did it, they made an original, new game that’s super enjoyable and worth your time.

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is a slow-paced rogue-like that sees a samurai fighting through limbo and defeating hordes of monstrosities that live in the depths of hell. Using sharp blades, spears and multiple other armaments you will be slaying, upgrading your arsenal and fighting huge bosses while navigating through a maze searching for a away out. If you die, however, your soul is reincarnated into a new body, losing everything you’ve gathered. You’ll need to start afresh and fight your way back to the top again. A typical formula for any good rogue-like, this is no exception.

So have Konami completely redeemed themselves through the revival of GetsuFumaDen in this brand new roguelike? Not quite – the game is far from perfect – but there is a lot to enjoy for fans of roguelikes and games influenced by Japanese culture. While the gameplay itself may be simple and particularly punishing for new players, the stylish traditional art and impressive soundtrack should be enough to keep the majority of players dying time and time again. For those Japan fans out there reading this review, I highly recommend you GetSomeFumaDen.

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon doesn’t feel like it adds anything new to the side-scrolling roguelike genre; for some, that’s just fine. Not everything needs to be high-octane-melt-your-brain gameplay, right? GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon instead feels like playing a beautifully painted Japanese wall scroll come to life, its colors slowly meandering across the screen as they melt into one graceful bloodpit at the bottom. If you prefer form over function or are just curious about this Eastern franchise finally coming West, GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is ready to slash up a good time.

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is a gorgeous game with solid side-scrolling combat, but its genre shift to the roguelike form hasn't paid off. The progression system is slow and the upgrades you obtain are pretty deal, leading to a roguelike experience that doesn't do enough to incentivise sticking with it for very long.

I desperately want Undying Moon to be a linear, level-based adventure where I can see all the levels and fight all the bosses without enduring the tedious rigmarole that roguelites require. Keep the randomized level layouts! Keep the randomized paths and boss encounters if you have to, but just let me play your beautiful game without all these roadblocks. Eventually, I just got sick of Undying Moon. It was more frustrating than compelling, in part because it does so much right, but its wings are clipped right out the gate by its grind-heavy, roguelite trappings. There are better roguelites out there (Binding of Isaac and Dead Cells, for example), but I'm sorry to say none of them look nearly as amazing as Undying Moon.

Quite an explosive cocktail not suitable for all audiences but capable of leaving you with a great taste in your mouth if you are one of those who do not cringe in the face of adversity.

Finally, hell is not such a bad place. We browse and explore with pleasure the places full of Ukiyo-e style colors that GetsuFumaDen offers us.