Jishogi

About

Jishogi is a single player action game. It was developed by Lab Rabbit Games ltd and was released on June 23, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Jishogi" is a single-player adventure game with an intriguing and emotionally charged story. The game uses chess and shogi pieces as a theme in its spatial puzzles, which are accessible to players of all levels. Players follow the story of Otonashi Mayu, a bullied and mysterious shogi prodigy, as she is targeted by her relentless bully, Fifield, who uses magic to invade Mayu's mind. The game explores the fragile nature of the mind invasion spell and the deep, dark secrets that lie within Mayu's consciousness.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

story37 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The story is well-written and emotionally engaging, with complex characters and multiple endings that encourage exploration of different choices.
The puzzles are unique and challenging, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy problem-solving, with the option to skip them if desired.
The game features a charming art style and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the narrative.

The pacing can be awkward, especially in the early parts of the game, and the character movement is slow, which can lead to frustration during backtracking.
Some puzzles may feel tedious or overly difficult, particularly in the later stages, which can detract from the enjoyment of the story.
There are occasional design inconsistencies and minor bugs that can disrupt the experience, such as unnecessary confirmation prompts and some audio issues.

story
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
3%
The story of the game is widely praised for its depth, character development, and engaging narrative, often described as its strongest aspect. While the pacing can be slow, particularly in the early acts, many players find the plot compelling enough to endure the gameplay challenges, with some appreciating the option to skip puzzles to focus on the story. Overall, the narrative is characterized by its emotional weight, unique themes, and well-crafted worldbuilding, making it a standout experience for those who prioritize storytelling in games.
- “The story is very well written, and I also really enjoy the puzzles.”
- “The main highlight is the story though; I absolutely loved the main characters.”
- “I'm enthralled by the story it tells of two girls at odds with one another, whose hidden pain and dark secrets drive them both more than they realize.”
- “Pacing is probably one of its main flaws, with the game taking some time to pick up, both from a story standpoint as well as gameplay-wise.”
- “One gripe I did have with the storytelling though is that much of the lore presented in this game is unfortunately told in long-winded word exposition you find in books.”
- “Sometimes, it would take over an hour, just to experience maybe 5 minutes of story, just to go back to another hour of puzzles.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the story, with many tracks fitting the scenes well and contributing to player enjoyment. However, some users noted moments of repetitiveness, particularly in certain puzzle areas, and expressed a desire for a broader soundtrack. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, with many players eager for a standalone release.
- “The music is an excellent accompaniment to the story.”
- “I genuinely did enjoy the OST and each piece fit the scene where it played very well and contributed to my enjoyment.”
- “The soundtrack is only a couple of tracks but they're all amazingly fitting and convey emotion well.”
- “The OST does its job well for the most part, with the tracks fitting the vibes nicely, though I have found it sometimes a bit repetitive, especially when spending a bit too much time in some of the puzzle rooms or in some of the memory rooms.”
- “The music is also a little bit repetitive, and I felt like I wanted to lower the volume sometimes, but I think that's probably just my taste.”
- “Musics carried me through those puzzles, but the endgame puzzle music was a bit stinky.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The gameplay is characterized by a slow pacing, with significant engagement occurring primarily in the latter parts of the game, particularly after the second act. While it incorporates chess and shogi elements, players do not need to be familiar with these games to enjoy the experience; however, the complexity and difficulty of the puzzles may deter casual players. Overall, the gameplay offers a unique puzzle-solving experience that, despite its clunky execution and need for rebalancing, provides satisfaction through overcoming challenges and advancing the story.
- “The gameplay centers around chess and shogi.”
- “Overall, gameplay-wise and in the context of writing, puzzles are a good thing; you don't just get the information you want at will and whim, but you overcome challenges in acquiring them, and in solving them you get even more satisfaction - in getting through and in mining a piece of the story.”
- “The puzzles were very fun as well, and I've never seen similar gameplay in anything else.”
- “Pacing is probably one of its main flaws, with the game taking some time to pick up, both from a story standpoint as well as gameplay-wise.”
- “Story-oriented games with little 'gameplay' is already a niche fandom, and the difficult puzzles later on most likely turned away most 'casual' players who wanted to experience the story.”
- “The gameplay can be clunky at times.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of [i]jishogi[/i] are described as charming and visually appealing, featuring a retro pixel art style reminiscent of RPG Maker and DOS games. While the creator expressed some dissatisfaction with the sprite work, players found the overall aesthetic, including the artwork and soundtrack, to be engaging and well-suited to the game's puzzle mechanics.
- “This is matched by both the artwork and the soundtrack.”
- “The creator, Prism, apparently wasn't entirely happy with the sprite work, but honestly, I found all the visuals to be really charming, even the rougher or simpler sprites.”
- “The pixel art is really nice to look at, especially for the memories, as it has that RPG Maker aesthetic that I do like, although the game was actually created in Godot.”
- “And it's this challenge that makes jishogi seem jarring compared to its visual novel aesthetic.”
- “The creator, Prism, apparently wasn't entirely happy with the sprite work, but honestly I found all the visuals to be really charming, even the rougher or simpler sprites.”
- “It's nothing like actual shogi or chess, just a puzzle game that uses them as an aesthetic and inspiration for mechanics.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively takes players on an emotional journey, featuring well-developed characters and a story that balances dark and wholesome themes. Reviewers appreciate the nuanced portrayal of emotions, which feel authentic and relatable without being overdone, and commend the game's ability to convey a significant amount of emotional depth in a concise format. Overall, the emotional impact is described as powerful, with moments that resonate deeply, despite some darker themes.
- “The experiences you have with the characters take you on an emotional roller-coaster.”
- “But to make it so that the entire world presented looks natural, the emotions are not ostentatious or cringe-worthy, the reactions are ones you can and even want to believe in, and the memories are down-to-earth but emotional and familiar to many is a very hard task.”
- “It's well-written and emotionally powerful.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the easy difficulty allows for quicker progression and a focus on the story, the higher difficulty can lead to tediousness due to the sheer number of puzzles required to advance. The slow movement of the character adds to the backtracking frustration, particularly in the later stages, making the experience feel repetitive for some, despite the engaging premise and puzzle content.
- “Fun little game with an interesting premise, although the puzzles can get a little tedious towards the end of the game.”
- “The player character moves slowly, which is completely appropriate as you begin to explore an unfamiliar space, but tedious once you start backtracking.”
- “A puzzle enthusiast might enjoy all the puzzle content, but I found it kind of tedious near the end.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, evoking a range of emotions such as mystery, empathy, and joy through its well-designed environments and music. The soundtrack is particularly noted for enhancing the tense atmosphere, reminiscent of classic PC games, while the puzzles contribute to the overall engaging experience.
- “I can't help but note the excellent atmosphere overall - everything feels as you might assume, walking through your own and others' shards of history and emotions - mystery, sympathy, empathy, and even joy for the achievements.”
- “Almost all of the tracks are a bop that set the tense atmosphere really well.”
- “Randomly came across this and ended up really loving it, the puzzles are tough but well designed, the music is wonderfully atmospheric and very reminiscent of old PC games which I love.”