Akane the Kunoichi

About

Akane the Kunoichi is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by Haruneko Entertainment and was released on May 2, 2014. It received neutral reviews from players.

Akane the Kunoichi is a side-scrolling action game featuring a female ninja. Players must navigate through levels filled with enemies and traps, using stealth and combat to reach the end. The game offers a charming 2D art style and a variety of abilities to master, making it a fun and challenging experience for fans of the genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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47%

Audience ScoreBased on 409 reviews

music18 positive mentions

gameplay21 negative mentions

Charming retro-inspired graphics that evoke nostalgia for classic platformers.
Fast-paced gameplay with a straightforward premise that keeps players engaged.
Variety of levels and boss fights that provide a sense of challenge and accomplishment.

Clunky controls and wall-jumping mechanics that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Limited enemy variety and repetitive level design that can make the game feel monotonous.
Lack of checkpoints and punishing difficulty spikes that can result in trial-and-error frustration.

gameplay
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
68%
18%
The gameplay of "Akane the Kunoichi" is a mix of nostalgic platforming elements reminiscent of classic titles, featuring quick movement and straightforward mechanics. However, many players criticize the imprecise wall-jumping and wall-clinging mechanics, which can lead to frustrating experiences, particularly in later levels where design flaws become apparent. While some enjoy the retro vibe and challenge, others find the controls clunky and the overall gameplay shallow, resulting in a mixed reception.
- “Gameplay forms the heart of the experience, and Akane’s move set reflects the old-school influences that define the game.”
- “Despite these shortcomings, 'Akane the Kunoichi' succeeds in capturing the essence of a particular era of platforming: short, punchy levels; straightforward yet demanding mechanics; and an emphasis on timing, reflexes, and pattern recognition.”
- “The gameplay is solid and the controls work well.”
- “While Akane moves quickly and responsively, the wall-jumping and wall-clinging mechanics can feel imprecise, especially in tighter vertical sections where a missed input results in falling into traps or directly into enemy attacks.”
- “The wall grab mechanic is a nuisance, and the jumping in the game feels forced.”
- “Unfortunately, where the game really fails is with an extremely awkward wall-hanging/wall-jumping mechanic that, more often than not, interferes with the gameplay, slows down your progress (each level is timed), and will be responsible for your death more often than actual environmental hazards or enemies will.”
music
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
65%
16%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its nostalgic 8-bit style and catchy tracks, while others criticize it for being repetitive, generic, and poorly fitting the game's themes. Many noted that the soundtrack can become tiresome quickly, with limited variety and some tracks feeling out of place. Overall, while there are moments of enjoyable music, the consensus leans towards it being underwhelming and lacking in quality.
- “Combined with a bouncy soundtrack and crisp sound effects, the presentation gives the adventure a lighthearted energy that offsets its moments of difficulty.”
- “Even the music is a tribute to those old times, and I really recommend it for all lovers of 8-bit music to evaluate the track from the last location.”
- “The music fits the mood and overall it's pretty fun; although you best have patience - the wall-cling takes some time getting used to and there is no true game over, but dying means starting the whole level over.”
- “The music was boring and repetitive.”
- “The same song plays over and over.”
- “If you do dare to try this pitiful excuse for a game, make sure to mute it because the music is the worst part of the game.”
graphics
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
64%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting a nostalgic 16-bit pixel art style that is both colorful and reminiscent of classic platformers. However, criticisms highlight issues such as a lack of detail, repetitive artwork, and some graphical glitches, leading to an overall perception of the visuals as simplistic and occasionally uninspired. While some appreciate the cohesive aesthetic, others find the graphics underwhelming and not particularly appealing.
- “The aesthetic choice is consistent throughout, giving the game a cohesive personality that is approachable and reminiscent of handheld-era platformers.”
- “As far as platformers go, it is pretty fun and aesthetically pleasing.”
- “The graphics are very colorful and look like they could have been on a 16-32 bit console.”
- “The graphics are awful, lazy retro pixel style.”
- “The art style looks very blurry, especially if you're playing on a monitor with a high resolution.”
- “The graphics are inconsistent and bland.”
story
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
79%
7%
The game's story is largely considered simplistic and underdeveloped, serving primarily as a backdrop for the platforming gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate the retro-inspired, minimalistic narrative and the role-reversal of a female protagonist rescuing a male character, many find the plot clichéd and unengaging, with little emotional investment or depth. Overall, the story is viewed as a basic framework that does not detract significantly from the gameplay experience, but it fails to leave a lasting impression.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “It's a cliched story, but it's nice seeing a female protagonist rescuing a man.”
- “The story is a silly 8-bit era 'damsel in distress' where Akane's love interest is kidnapped by a rival kunoichi and her shinobi comrades.”
- “The story is weak and the 'power ups' aren't really power ups.”
- “The story is told for the most part without words, and we have no emotional investment in the story from the get-go.”
- “There is hardly a story to speak of either.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, characterized by slow movement, lengthy levels, and drawn-out boss battles. The lack of checkpoints and frustrating death screens further exacerbate the repetitive nature of gameplay, making the experience feel laborious and unenjoyable. Many reviewers emphasize that the controls and design choices contribute to a frustratingly slow pace, leading to a sense of monotony throughout the game.
- “The later levels are long and drawn out, making it tedious to repeat them over and over.”
- “Checkpoints apparently missed the cut, and to seal the deal, an agonizingly long death screen makes retrying levels far more tedious than they had to be.”
- “Bosses have about twice as much health as they need, so each battle feels very slow and tedious.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional comedy from frustrating controls and amusing character designs, particularly in boss encounters. While some players find the humor appealing and lighthearted, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, suggesting a divide in how the game's comedic elements are received. Overall, the humor is seen as quirky and entertaining, especially for a younger audience.
- “This is extra funny in sequences that instruct you to run!”
- “Cool and funny kinda kids play ^_^”
- “There's not much enemy variety, but that's compensated with the awesome level design and funny Chinese details.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited, with many users noting its short length and lack of substantial content to encourage multiple playthroughs. While some find it enjoyable enough for the price, the consensus is that it does not offer significant replay value.
- “Not much in the way of replayability but enough value for the price.”
- “Like the games made for the devices mentioned, this has a lot of replay value. The game is too short, like a GBC game, but at least it's fun.”
- “The game has no replay value, in my opinion.”
- “While its short life and limited replay value are enormous faults, it's still hard to be mean to a game that just gets so much right.”
- “Not much in the way of replayability, but enough value for the price.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report a mixed experience with stability; while some have not encountered any glitches or issues during gameplay, others have experienced random freezes, flickering sprites, and minor graphical glitches. The game generally runs stable for many players, but technical problems can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The graphics are decent, but there were a few graphical glitches I noticed, such as the icon for the timer looking like it was trying to swap to a small sprite sheet at times, as well as some weirdness in the backgrounds of the 4th area.”
- “Aside from the technical issues I had with the game (random 'freezes' and flickering sprites), the game just isn't really any fun.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is perceived as somewhat generic, with the protagonist's pixel art design described as "dumpy," yet still whimsical and fun. Overall, while the graphics are adequate, they lack distinctiveness in character design.
- “The character design seems a bit generic at times, but they are whimsical and fun.”
- “The graphics are fine, though I do feel the pixel art character design for our protagonist is a bit dumpy.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely underwhelming, as the story is primarily conveyed without dialogue, resulting in a lack of initial emotional investment from players. Additionally, gameplay mechanics, such as Akane's interaction with the environment, do not significantly enhance the emotional experience.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally impacted by the quality of the songs, which, while good, often fail to align with the game's themes and the specific levels, detracting from the overall immersive experience.
- “The songs are of good quality, but many do not fit the theme of the game or the atmosphere of the level in which they are used.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to run smoothly without any issues, and controls are well-optimized for use with an Xbox 360 controller.
- “I personally have yet to encounter a single problem; the game runs smoothly, and with an Xbox 360 controller, the controls are great.”