World Of Demons
Developer/publisher PlatinumGames Format iOS Release Out now
iOS
PlatinumGames’ newest antihero has a troubled past, to put it mildly. Having been recruited by demon king Shuten Doji to murder the guardians of his tomb (the logistics of a character without a head delivering orders aren’t entirely clear), young warrior Onimaru, no longer under his evil master’s yoke, is now the only one who can stop him. Which first means convincing the formerly peaceful yokai to join his fight – and, this being a PlatinumGames joint, your chosen method of persuasion is the sharp edge of your blade.
While Onimaru is effectively pretending to be something he’s not, so is his game. World Of Demons was originally developed in partnership with DeNA as an F2P title; after a soft launch three years ago in southeast Asia, it was unceremoniously yanked from the App Store three months later. Now revived as part of the Apple Arcade service, its origins are glaringly apparent. Each skirmish against those brainwashed yokai and Shuten Doji’s oni underlings is followed by a succession of flashes showing what you’ve unlocked. Fountains of coins and gems burst out from vases and crates, a telltale sign that you’ll need to invest them somewhere – in this case, in levelling up both your weapons and the friendly yokai you can call upon in battle. It’s clear, too, in the way progress is gated (unlocking a new stage doesn’t necessarily mean you can visit it yet) and the balancing of certain battles for which grinding is all but essential. Especially if you want a full set of S ranks – and if you’re a PlatinumGames fan, you surely do.
But DeNA’s yen are all on screen, too. This is a handsome, luxurious-feeling game, with a sheen as slick as anything we’ve seen from this storied developer. It’s Okami through a dark mirror, inspired by wood-block prints rather than ink-wash paintings, but similarly lush and dynamic with its swirling mists and roiling waves. And that’s without considering the effects of the many yokai you call into battle: two bound to cooldowns and a wheel of single-use helpers, gathered up from soul orbs liberated from containers or left behind by those you’ve slain. The action gets chaotic when you’re surrounded and frantically thumbing at those onscreen buttons – particularly if you’re playing on a phone – but enemy windups are generally well telegraphed and your lock-on prioritises threats well. And, yes, of course there’s a perfect-dodge mechanic, and it’s as satisfying as ever.
Extra playable characters and light puzzle elements within combat and without add variety, though as a gacha game at heart, it’s made to be played in short bursts. There may be more obvious headline acts for Apple Arcade’s new wave, but like Onimaru, this once-forgotten game deserves its redemption arc.