Otogi - Myth of Demons review

Be forewarned that playing Otogi: Myth of Demons may forever make the ordinary ninja and samurai found in other games seem somewhat mundane - mere mortals could never withstand this supernatural onslaught. Set in a mystical world of Far Eastern flavour, developer From Software has created an action game that casts the player into the role of a lifetime. The thumb-numbing action only heightens the effect, evoking memories of classic games from days gone by.Like a classic fable, the adventure that unfolds places the fate of the living in the hands of one who exists for death. While expecting some predictability in keeping with the style, the overused story of a life-erasing darkness unleashed from a broken seal feels particularly uninspired. Fortunately, its intriguing anti-hero (Raikoh) saves the day. A mythical swordsman who delivers the killing blow to the dying, this samurai interpretation of the grim reaper makes for one of the more memorable player-characters in recent times. His quest plays out for the most part in realtime action, with minimal interruptions. What narrative is deemed necessary comes from an unseen spirit voice guiding Raikoh (and which is suitably detached from the character). When the deep, male tones of the narrator briefly introduce each level, it completes the image of listening to a wizened old storyteller weaving this tale.Notwithstanding claims of RPG elements on the cover, twenty-five plus levels of serious hack-n-slash action serve up the main course in Otogi. But before going any further, the issue of camera control demands attention. Mark this as the latest entry on the apparently endless list of potentially great 3D action games that have been crippled by their broken cameras. Like the others, this fundamental problem stems from an inability to provide awareness of the wider battleground, and simultaneously keep up with the fast-paced action. Most of the blame falls directly on the decision to close-track the onscreen character of Raikoh; without any sense of peripheral vision, attacks frequently come from unseen directions - forcing the frustration of fumbling with camera controls to find the culprit while watching your health meter drain away. Once spotted, a quick button press locks-on to the opponent but this often only makes matters worse. Because the controls respond relative to the viewpoint, moves that start in one direction may turn unexpectedly as the camera shifts to track the enemy. While the resulting missed attacks can annoy, errant jumps in areas with deadly drop-offs end in complete catastrophe. Simply making your way through each level can become a chore, particularly in tight spaces, due to the disorientation of moving the camera around too much. In the end, these issues completely dash any hopes for fluid movement, along with maximum immersion in Raikoh's character.For the first few levels, unleashing Raikoh's might across the exotic landscapes has a powerfully-intoxicating effect that makes it easy to get caught up in the moment - completely oblivious to any problems (or for that matter even the passage of time). Unlike the failed camera mechanics, the sublime player controls excel at relaying instant commands without conscious thought of which buttons to press. Simple and responsive, they make effortless the act of launching Raikoh on a wave of extended chained-combo attacks. A good thing too, as those combos (together with a jump) allow him to stay airborne almost indefinitely while landing his blows; a skill that proves particularly handy in a world filled with flying demons. Incidentally, when no danger looms, putting those power moves to use on the local buildings, trees and just about everything else creates a satisfying torrent of destruction.Self-imposed limitations prevent the character-building aspects from interjecting depth into the sword-slashing action. Other than the satisfaction of the increases themselves, gaining experience - and the resulting levels - offers little evidence of any long-term value. As an action game fundamentally, the two biggest payoffs (health and attack ability) come from other sources - health increases from in-game power-ups, and attack ability from skill with the controller. Not surprisingly for the mystical setting, an impressive collection of battle spells can be gained to augment physical attacks; yet only one can be set to the magic attack slot. Which is actually quite prudent, given that Raikoh's very existence steadily draws upon his magical energy, and exhausting this would likewise degrade his health. Also, by offering only a single accessory slot - despite eventually ten items from which to choose - somehow minimises their impact. However, by far the most enjoyable aspect is using the many weapons available to Raikoh. The 'cool' factor alone of these beautiful swords and staves would be a just reward, but it goes deeper. Each weapon has different attack and defense strengths - and most importantly, weight. Heavy weapons attack with greater strength but limit jumps and the ability to maintain airborne combos. Lighter weapons offer the reverse, opening up a variety of strategies and styles depending on the chosen weapon. Altogether these 'RPG elements' amount to little more than tasty side dishes - nice accompaniments but definitely not essential. As the repetitive nature of levels begins to set in, so too does the enchantment begin to wear off. Too soon it becomes apparent that every level either involves killing a big boss or destroying everything in sight. Instead of rescuing the game, the combo system that proved so captivating initially never evolves - leaving it just another part of the monotony. Even before it gets old, slashing through demons starts to feel more like hard work; forever needing to slay enough and thus fuel Raikoh's dependence on magic to stay alive. Each kill yields only a slight magic recharge, creating the net effect of 'timed-levels' before the magic gauge empties. Further compounding these matters, the difficulty ramps up rather quickly, becoming quite hard only a few levels in - and not just challenging, but more like "ten-restarts-a-level" kind of challenging. Without mid-level checkpoints or in-game saves, the frustration factor will all but guarantee it's the end of the line for many casual players.Otogi ultimately represents that classic dilemma of the niche game. For most, the graphical splendour and multi-hit combos will carry it only so far before the magic fades. From there, the appeal of several more levels of the same is greatly diminished. On the other hand, the calloused-thumb crowd can take the score below, add at least one point to it, and put Otogi on the shopping list.