Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles | |
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Developer(s) | CyberConnect2 |
Publisher(s) | |
Director(s) | Hisashi Natsumura |
Producer(s) | Taichiro Miyazaki |
Programmer(s) | Yasuhiko Tsuneoka Kosuke Usami |
Composer(s) | Yuki Kajiura Go Shiina |
Series | Kimetsu no Yaiba |
Engine | Unreal Engine 4[1][2] |
Platform(s) | |
Release | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
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Genre(s) | Fighting, action |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles[a] is a fighting action-adventure game developed by CyberConnect2. Based on the 2019 anime adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the game was released by Aniplex in Japan, and globally by Sega, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in October 2021. It was released for Nintendo Switch in June 2022.
Gameplay and plot
[edit]Adapted from the events of the first season of the anime series, along with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, the game's single player story mode follows Tanjiro Kamado, the series' protagonist, as he joins the Demon Slayer Corps and faces off against various demons in order to turn his sister Nezuko, who has become a demon, back into a human. The story features some exploration elements, and is told through various cutscenes and boss battles with demons seen in the anime series.[3] The Hinokami Chronicles also features a versus mode, where players form teams of two fighters from the roster and battle CPU opponents or other people. The game supports both local and online multiplayer.[3]
Characters
[edit]The game launched with 18 characters, including six who appeared in the spin-off anime Junior High and High School!! Kimetsu Academy Story. These spin-off characters feature different outfits and ultimate attacks, but otherwise generally play the same as their main-story counterparts. Six characters were later added via free updates, along with seven made available as downloadable content, for a total of 31.
- Academy Giyu Tomioka
- Academy Inosuke Hashibira
- Academy Nezuko Kamado
- Academy Shinobu Kocho
- Academy Tanjiro Kamado
- Academy Zenitsu Agatsuma
- Akaza / Upper Rank 3[b]
- Daki / Upper Rank 6[c]
- Enmu / Lower Rank 1[b]
- Giyu Tomioka
- Gyutaro / Upper Rank 6[c]
- Hinokami Tanjiro Kamado
- Inosuke Hashibira
- Inosuke Hashibira (Entertainment District Arc)[c]
- Kyojuro Rengoku
- Makomo
- Murata
- Nezuko Kamado
- Nezuko Kamado (Awakened Form)[c]
- Rui / Lower Rank 5[b]
- Sabito
- Sakonji Urokodaki
- Shinobu Kocho
- Susamaru[b]
- Tanjiro Kamado
- Tanjiro Kamado (Entertainment District Arc)[c]
- Tengen Uzui[c]
- Yahaba[b]
- Yushiro and Tamayo[b]
- Zenitsu Agatsuma
- Zenitsu Agatsuma (Entertainment District Arc)[c]
Development
[edit]The game was announced in March 2020. It was to be published by Aniplex for the PlayStation 4; the company previously produced the 2019 anime adaptation.[4] Later that month, first footage was shown, along with the announcement that the game, titled Kimetsu no Yaiba Hinokami Keppūtan in Japan, would be developed by CyberConnect2, the company known for developing the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series.[5] Following months of development, the game was re-announced via the issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump to be a multiplatform arena fighting game for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[6] Ufotable, the animation studio behind the anime series, has produced several key illustrations for the game.
The Hinokami Chronicles received three free post-launch DLC, each with two new characters. The first, announced in October 2021,[7] and released in November 2021, added Akaza and Rui, the first playable antagonists in the game.[8] An Additional Character Pack, released in 2022, added seven characters from the Entertainment District Arc as paid DLC, although the arc itself was not adapted into the game's story mode. A Nintendo Switch version was released in Japan on June 9, 2022,[9] and worldwide the following day.[10]
Reception
[edit]Aggregator | Score |
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Metacritic | PS4: 70/100[11] PS5: 69/100[12] XSXS: 82/100[13] NS: 74/100[14] |
Publication | Score |
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Destructoid | 6.5/10[15] |
Famitsu | 33/40[16] |
IGN | 7/10[17] |
Jeuxvideo.com | PS5: 13/20[18] NS: 14/20[19] |
Nintendo Life | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nintendo World Report | 8.5/10[21] |
Push Square | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Shacknews | 7/10[23] |
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles received "mixed or average" reviews for most platforms, according to review aggregator Metacritic;[11][12][14] the Xbox Series X/S version received "generally favorable" reviews.[13] The PlayStation 4 version of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles was the bestselling retail game during its first week of release in Japan, with 94,849 physical copies being sold. The PlayStation 5 also version sold 20,187 copies during the same week, making it the second bestselling retail game in the country.[24] By December 2021, the game had sold over 1.32 million copies worldwide.[25] By March 2023, it had sold over 3 million copies worldwide.[26] By February 2024, it had sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.[27]
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles was nominated for Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2021.[28]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Mat, Paget (December 13, 2021). "Unreal Engine developers take center stage at The Game Awards 2021". Unreal Engine. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Abhilash (October 20, 2021). "Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles Unreal Engine (UE) 4 Crashing, Fatal Error & Freezing issues: How to fix it?ers take center stage at The Game Awards 2021". Digi Statement. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ a b "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles coming west on October 15". Gematsu. June 20, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba games announced for PS4, iOS and Android [Update 2]". Gematsu. March 12, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Keppuutan developed by CyberConnect2; debut trailer, screenshots". Gematsu. March 22, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Keppuutan officially confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC". Gematsu. February 7, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ Sheehan, Gavin (November 7, 2021). "Rui & Akaza Join Versus Mode In Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba-". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ Hashimoto, Kazuma (October 7, 2021). "Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles Free Update to Add Akaza and Rui". Siliconera. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- ^ Doolan, Liam (February 3, 2022). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Launches On Switch This June". Nintendo Life. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ Carter, Chris (February 7, 2022). "The Demon Slayer game is coming to Switch". Destructioid. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ a b "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Carter, Chris (October 13, 2021). "Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles". Destructoid. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Romano, Sal (October 13, 2021). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1715". Gematsu. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ Borger, Will (October 13, 2021). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles Review". IGN. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Silent_Jay (October 13, 2021). "Test Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles : La meilleure adaptation de manga depuis Dragon Ball FighterZ ?" [Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles Review : The best manga adaptation since Dragon Ball FighterZ ?]. Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Silent_Jay (June 16, 2022). "Test Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles : Une version Nintendo Switch qui tranche dans le vif" [Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles Review : A Nintendo Switch version that cuts to the quick]. Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ Vogel, Mitch (June 13, 2022). "Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Hazell, Ted (June 11, 2022). "Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Ramsey, Robert (October 13, 2021). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles Review (PS5)". Push Square. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Mejia, Ozzie (October 14, 2021). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles review: Scent of a demon". Shacknews. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Romano, Sal (October 14, 2021). "Famitsu Sales: 10/4/21 – 10/10/21 [Update]". Gematsu. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ Romano, Sal (January 2, 2022). "CyberConnect2 to announce new game in February". Gematsu. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Romano, Sal (March 29, 2023). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles shipments and digital sales top three million". Gematsu. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ 鬼滅祭 ~アニメ伍周年記念祭~. kimetsusai.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Bankhurst, Adam (December 9, 2021). "The Game Awards 2021 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.