Toukiden: Kiwami, Review

With Nintendo currently holding a firm grip on the Monster Hunter series, those without a Nintendo console must surely feel left out, especially with the lack of beast-laden titles on the other current-gen boxes. Toukiden: Kiwami is looking to change that, giving fans of the aforementioned series something unique, yet obviously MH influenced to sink your teeth into. The sequel to last year’s Vita title, Toukiden: The Age Of Demons, Kiwami isn’t perfect but it is enjoyable.

Comprising of the first seven ‘Age of Demons chapters, the Kiwami content starts with chapter eight. Taking on the role of your own, customisable Slayer throughout, the game is based in the village of Utakata, where you and your fellow Slayers are one of the last lines of defence in the war against the Oni, aka demons, who have infiltrated the human world in a bid to destroy it. Told via cutscenes and character interaction, the story feels more like a backdrop for the action rather than an in-depth tale, but does have a few intriguing twists. Character-wise, some are more likeable than others, seeing your bonds flourish with those you do care about being an enjoyable facet of the game.

Out on the battlefields, known as Ages, main mission objectives and variants differ, with additional types of missions being added to Kiwami. With demon-slaying being the continual method towards goal accomplishment , gameplay feels a little repetitive, but that doesn’t stop battles, especially with the more difficult monsters, from being bouts of joyful chaos. A mixture of button-mashing and careful planning, the AI in the game is particularity fantastic, your fellow comrades never failing to join in on a Unity attack or help you when in need.

Once you and your Slayer buddies have defeated a certain large Oni, they will release a trapped soul, souls which you can gather and whose power you can harness into your weapon for boosts/skills. Known as Mitamas, there are lots more of these to capture in Kiwami, though these additions don’t bring as much variety as you’d hope. The game also has side quests, which involve you collecting items for villagers and friends, while an online, multi-player option brings new missions to sink your teeth into. Like Age Of Demons, this is really where Kiwami’s strength lies, especially if you have a group of dedicated hunters in your midst. With gameplay comprising of multiple phases, having real life players to plan and attack your enemies with gives you a whole different sense of bloody and co-operative satisfaction.

If you have a PS4, want to kill monsters and have fun while doing it, look no further. If you want long battles and expansive landscapes, look somewhere else.

7/10