PlatinumGames debuts in Apple Arcade with a very fun and entertaining game, full of action and with good ideas, but also with some errors.
PlatinumGames has earned the title of masters of action thanks to games that have become fundamental pillars of this genre. From Vanquish to Bayonetta , going through The Wonderful 101 or Madworld (and removing some poorer titles), his track record is enviable, and the expectation that has raised his first title exclusively for Apple devices, World of Demons , is understandable .
Two familiar ideas, one new concept
World of Demons is athird-person hack and slash that, in essence, is quite simple compared to other games from the Japanese studio. Basically, we have a button to attack and another to dodge, and if we dodge at the right time we will perform a special attack, in a similar way to what is seen in other of its titles. The main novelty is the inclusion of yokai , creatures extracted from Japanese folklore that we can invoke during the game .
It is an ‘arcade’ of the old, direct and accessible.
The gameplay reminds us in a way of Astral Chain , since the yokai take on more prominence during the action than we do ourselves. To understand the combat system well, we have to understand that each enemy, each yokai, and each weapon has an element, with strengths and weaknesses akin to “rock, paper, scissors.” The ideal, thus, is to have a team of weapons and yokais prepared to face any element, something that we can distribute between the two warriors that we can take to each fight .
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Things will get complicated as we progress, and our strategy will be as important as our ability.
Each character –there are several to choose from, each with their combat style, which we will unlock as we progress–, can carry two permanent yokai , whose abilities recharge after using them, as well as a selection of single-use yokai that we will collect after defeating them. or finding them in different areas of the stage . There is also an element of strategy here, since if one of the yokai collected matches one of our main ones we can make a special double attack.
A mobile game, but not much
It is a game very focused on replayability, designed so that we can repeat phases either to complete them 100% or in higher difficulties . There are many areas or objects that we will not be able to access at first because we do not have the correct yokai . There may be a wall of fire that we need to put out with a yokai of water, a series of gigantic stones that we have to smash with the right creature, or a torch that we need to light with a yokai of fire.
Each level is topped by a final boss; how it has to be.
In the same way, we can repeat the phases at higher difficulty levels to get greater rewards and level up faster -or, simply, if we want a greater challenge, since in easy it is quite simple-, something that we will need to move along. Something that we did not like very much is that to go through the chapter we have to have a certain level, and this generally forces us to replay phases or do secondary ones . It is not a serious problem – in fact, the secondary ones are quite good, and they are simply battles under specific circumstances – but it leaves us that feeling of a mobile game that, we believe, is dispensable in titles like this.
It is essential to know the weaknesses of each enemy and which element will do the most damage.
It also shows a bit in the way to level up both the characters and the yokai , which require coins and materials that, yes, are relatively easy to get, but unless we focus on certain weapons and certain creatures we are going to have Than repeating a lot of phases or doing a lot of secondaries, and in the end it gives a bit of that free-to-play feel . Let it be clear, yes, that the game does not have micropayments, but it shows that it was originally designed around them .
At the playable level, as we say, it is simple, and many times our strategy rewards more with the elements than our expertise at the controls . In essence, we are going to crush the attack button and try to read the opponent’s attack animation to dodge at the right time, but as things get complicated we will learn the importance of alternating between our two warriors, dose the yokai , use the skills that we are learning or use the special ability that we get when we fill in the corresponding bar.
Each level has different areas and previously inaccessible objects, and we will need keys, ‘yokai’ or specific skills to reach them.
As a note, and as we already said in our impressions of Fantasian , if the idea of playing with a touch screen does not appeal to you, it is quite easy to connect a controller to the device in turn. We have connected our Xbox One controller to our iPhone and, apart, we have sent the image to our TV via AirPlay, playing practically as if it were a console .
Okami’s world
It is inevitable to make comparisons with Okami for his commitment to ukiyo-e , this recognizable Japanese art style . Although Okami is not technically a PlatinumGames game, many of the members after the game ended up in the studio, so, in a way, everything stays at home. We love it, and we think it suits a title like this great, since, in addition, it does not need too much to look good, something ideal on mobile phones.
The camera bug makes battles like this terrible. Hopefully they fix it soon.
Audiovisually we liked it very much, and beyond its beautiful graphics it offers us a soundtrack to match, inspired by traditional Japanese music and, what has surprised us the most, a quite interesting story about Japanese folklore, fantastically translated into our language . Funny how translations are often neglected in larger titles, but in this case, a noteworthy job has been done.
Artistically we love it, and it is a kind of reunion with the world of ‘Okami’, although more aggressive.
We cannot leave a serious problem in the pipeline : the camera . Generally it works without problems, but there are times when it goes through the ground, creating a tremendously annoying effect that not only makes us lose track of the action, but can even get dizzy. Interestingly, it only happens with certain attacks from one of the characters, and it also seems that some bosses accentuate this error. We are sure that it is a bug that will be fixed sooner rather than later, but it is there and we need to comment on it.
Special mention for a great translation into our language.
A classic trip in our pocket
World of Demons leaves us sensations similar to those of a 128-bit game of those that we miss so much, in which direct action is the main pillar of the experience; and it works . Although it is much easier to play than other PlatinumGames games, it makes up for it with the strategy derived from the elements, and as we progress it manages to add depth to the proposal until it becomes a notable challenge, especially if we are one of those who they enjoy getting the SSS ranks.
The latest from PlatinumGames is a small project that cannot be compared to their larger productions, but it has its charm and we think it deserves a chance if you like the genre and have access to Apple Arcade . It has its little things that weigh down from when it was a free-to-play , but none of them affect too much. It certainly serves as an appetizer until they launch their next big game.