Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is a roguelike that demands patience. Through practice with a blade, observation of the enemy’s attack, and strategising upgrades, you will become one of the finest warriors of the Edo period. It’s an action-RPG that many will feel it is simply Hades with a different setting, but there’s more to meet the eye. It’s rewarding and engaging, both in its story and its combat, and the visuals paint a story within Japanese history and folklore that makes it difficult to stop playing.
After the coalition between demons and humans crumbles following the arrival of a fierce enemy called the Nine-tailed Fox. The peace is shattered and the world is thrown into disarray. The event forces you into battle against myriad of enemies as you try to restore the peace. Choosing from one of three characters, you must go through stages until you defeat a boss, all the while upgrading your stats and making yourself stronger. There are so many facets of Yashi: Legends of the Demon Blade that make it appealing.
Shigure is a ninja who uses her blade for precision, striking efficiently to slay the demons. Sara using duelling blades for quick kills and swift movement. Taketora is a beast with a bow, destroying anything that stands in his way. Each character has a distinct path, but my fondest towards Shigure made me stick with her. She’s able to use light and strong attacks, as well as using a lunging attack that can also parry enemy strikes. Regardless of who you pick, the depth in progression is fantastic.
Each stage will see you take out a set number of demons. You will then be rewarded with a range of rewards. Some can be used instantly like food for restoring health, or a buff that increases light and heavy attacks, as well as improving the specific skill associated with one of your weapons. Another gift sees you choose between two buffs; one offers a small improvement to shield or health, while the other offers a greater increase at the cost of slower restoration to it. Coins can also be earned to spend at the Demon Festival.
Once you have killed one of the mini-bosses or the main boss, you go to the Demon Festival. Here, you’ll meet demons who don’t want to kill you. One offers you tea to replenish a portion of health at no extra cost. Another sets you challenges to earn an impressive boon, and another allows you to cook ramen that gives you a variety of increases and improvements to things like your health and shield. Everything mentioned here is all temporary for that specific run, so when death comes calling it’s all lost forever.
Thankfully, Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade gives you the opportunity to permanently improve certain aspects of your powers. Along the way you collect soul orbs. Upon death, they can be spent to improve various facets of your character. An extra dash; health points being given after a stage; the opportunity to revive upon death. Whatever the blessing, they massively improve your chances of success. You can also unlock new weapons with weapon fragments you collect, all upgradable and all featuring a specific ability exclusive to that weapon.
There’s a lot at play in Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade. It can get incredibly difficult as you play. Things don’t start to become easier until you begin to spend soul orbs after death. Even when you begin to grow as a character, the game never gets easy. The difficulty is hard, but playing it is never frustrating. Yes, you die, but you understand why. You learn what works and what doesn’t. Taking down a boss for the first time is exhilarating, and that feeling never leaves you whatever boss down the line you defeat.
As fluid and exciting as the combat is, the visuals are by far a standout. The various environments are stunning, as is the architecture. The level of detail in the characters, both friendly and not, and the diverse colour palette make it forever enjoyable to look at. Like Hades, the story is fed to you throughout play, and it becomes one of its best features. I loved being a part of this world, meeting its weird and wonderful characters, and being wrapped up in the magical vision of feudal Japan.
Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is far from a Hades clone. It offers a perfect balance of difficulty once you start to become familiar with it. Enemies are all so different, with attack patterns that change from one to the next. The range of progression keeps things feeling fresh, and the visuals are phenomenal. If you’re after one of those roguelikes that can be played in chunks or on the go, this is perfect. If you’re looking to sink hours into it on the couch, then it’s just as satisfying.