Skip to main content

Kiai Resonance

74%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
story, stability
74% User Score Based on 188 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindowsNintendo SwitchNintendo Switch
Buy Nowfrom $2.61
Buy NowGet on Steam$4.99Buy NowGet on itch.io Store$4.99

About

"Kiai Resonance" is a rhythm-based fighting game where players duel in sync with traditional Japanese music. Using motion controllers, players execute precise strikes and blocks, strategizing to counter their opponent's moves. Immerse in the absorbing reality of intense duels, where mastering the rhythm of battle is key to victory.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot
Kiai Resonance screenshot

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 188 reviews
graphics16 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • Beautiful art style that evokes traditional Japanese paintings, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • Simple yet engaging combat mechanics that emphasize timing and strategy, making each duel feel intense and rewarding.
  • Local multiplayer mode provides a fun experience with friends, allowing for enjoyable quick matches.
  • Severe lack of content, with only two characters and a few stages, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Online multiplayer is essentially non-existent, making it difficult to find matches and complete online achievements.
  • Gameplay can feel shallow and simplistic, lacking depth and variety in combat options and challenges.
  • graphics
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Kiai Resonance are characterized by a beautiful and traditional art style reminiscent of ukiyo-e, which many players find visually appealing and fitting for the game's samurai theme. However, the overall graphical presentation is considered mediocre by current standards, with limited options for customization and a lack of content that detracts from the experience. While the visuals create a "living painting" effect during gameplay, the simplicity of the graphics and gameplay may leave some players wanting more depth and variety.

    • “The art style is gorgeous and I wish there were more games with that traditional style.”
    • “The visuals are beautiful, with some parts of the maps animated and others in the foreground, creating a 'living painting' effect with the warriors fighting.”
    • “The art style is pleasing to the eye, and the music and sound effects work well in the game.”
    • “The graphics are mediocre, and its pretty shallow gameplay.”
    • “There is promise here; both in concept and art style; but there is barely enough here to constitute a flash game with controller support.”
    • “-serious lack of graphical and audio options, all you get is fullscreen: on/off, sounds: on/off and music: on/off”
  • gameplay
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Kiai Resonance is characterized by its simplicity and strategic depth, requiring players to observe opponents and time their attacks precisely. While the mechanics are engaging and evoke a traditional Japanese art style, many reviewers noted a lack of content and variation, leading to a potentially repetitive experience. Overall, it is described as "easy to learn, hard to master," with a beautiful aesthetic that enhances the duel-like gameplay, though some find it slow and shallow.

    • “The art and gameplay are extremely evocative, making you feel like you are actually dueling within a kaiga painting.”
    • “While simple, the gameplay is definitely not simplistic, forcing you to observe your opponent, strategize, and precisely time your attack.”
    • “As for the gameplay itself, it's definitely 'easy to learn, hard to master' - there are two buttons for movement, forwards and backwards.”
    • “The gameplay, albeit technical because it relies on reflexes and mind games, is slow (on purpose, I assume, to fit with the zen atmosphere of the graphics and the music) and becomes boring quite fast.”
    • “What I really don't like about the game mechanics is that you can only use certain strikes in a certain kamae.”
    • “The mind game and the quick twitch are there, but the variation in gameplay and content are lacking.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to set a calming and immersive atmosphere, with a great soundtrack that complements each map. However, some players feel that the menu music can become repetitive during long waits, and there are suggestions for incorporating more traditional Japanese music or themes related to Japanese history and mythology. Overall, the music and sound effects work well together, enhancing the game's aesthetic and experience.

    • “The music is simple and helps set the mood.”
    • “The game has a fantastic ambience to it, traditional Japanese music and backgrounds: you do feel like you are playing hand-drawn characters on cloth - I think the presentation for what is really a simple premise of a game is excellent.”
    • “The soundtrack is wonderful; I think it suits every map so well (each map has its own).”
    • “The gameplay, albeit technical because it relies on reflexes and mind games, is slow (on purpose, I assume, to fit with the zen atmosphere of the graphics and the music) and becomes boring quite fast.”
    • “There is a serious lack of graphical and audio options; all you get is fullscreen: on/off, sounds: on/off, and music: on/off.”
    • “Turning the music off puts a measure of extra emphasis on the sound effects, making them seem to stand out more, and somehow giving the game a slightly different tone.”
  • story
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game lacks a traditional story mode, with players noting that the singleplayer experience serves primarily as practice rather than narrative-driven gameplay. While there are challenging quests related to the theme of bushido, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed story or campaign mode to enhance the overall experience.

    • “All in all a great game, that would be even more awesome if there were more features (maybe a campaign/story mode?) and a working multiplayer.”
    • “There is also a section with challenges that will assist in your quest to follow bushido and become the ultimate samurai - these challenges are actually quite challenging.”
    • “No story, by the way.”
    • “The singleplayer mode is for practice, since there is no story mode.”
    • “There's no kind of story mode that one might traditionally find in a fighting game.”
  • atmosphere
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is a key highlight, characterized by a zen-like quality that complements its artistic graphics and music, creating an immersive experience. While the slow-paced gameplay enhances this ambiance, some players find it can lead to boredom over time. Overall, the game effectively captures the essence of classic samurai duels, making it a unique and atmospheric experience.

    • “This is a limited but very fun and atmospheric game which captures the blunt brutality of classic samurai movie duels.”
    • “This game is all about atmosphere, art, and fun.”
    • “The gameplay, albeit technical because it relies on reflexes and mind games, is slow (on purpose, I assume, to fit with the zen atmosphere of the graphics and the music) and becomes boring quite fast.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is generally reliable, with accurate controls and movement most of the time. However, occasional glitches can lead to unexpected outcomes in gameplay, affecting the experience.

    • “Most of the time the controls and movement are accurate, but very seldom something glitches out and either you kill them, or they kill you in an abnormal way.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is hindered by the absence of upgrades or unlocks, leading to a lack of incentives for players to revisit the experience.

    • “There's no kind of upgrades or unlocks, which doesn't exactly help its replay value.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the challenges to be entertaining and quick, making them a recommended starting point before engaging in online play. Overall, the lighthearted nature of the challenges adds to the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The challenges are funny; they don't take much time anyway but are still entertaining. I recommend doing them first before playing online, but that's up to each player.”

Buy Kiai Resonance

Videos

Games Like Kiai Resonance

Blade Symphony Image
73%3.7kreviews

Blade Symphony

2014Action Adventure
PCPCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinux+1
First Cut: Samurai Duel Image
This game contains adult content
88%2kreviews

First Cut: Samurai Duel

2024Action
PCPCWindowsWindowsSteam DeckSteam Deck
Nidhogg Image
86%7.9kreviews

Nidhogg

2014Arcade Sport
PCPCPlaystation 5Playstation 5Playstation 4Playstation 4+5
Boreal Blade Image
This game contains adult content
56%295reviews

Boreal Blade

2020Tactical Fighting
PCPCWindowsWindowsNintendo SwitchNintendo Switch
Sclash Image
86%258reviews

Sclash

2023Arcade Action Adventure
PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|S+8
Hellish Quart Image
This game contains adult content
90%3.5kreviews

Hellish Quart

2021Fighting
PCPCWindowsWindowsPhonePhone+2
Griefhelm Image
77%358reviews

Griefhelm

2020Casual Sport
PCPCXboxXboxWindowsWindows
Two Strikes Image
91%116reviews

Two Strikes

2021Casual Fighting
PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|S+6
Secret Ponchos Image
69%1.8kreviews

Secret Ponchos

2015Arcade Shooter
PCPCPlaystation 5Playstation 5Playstation 4Playstation 4+2
One Strike Image
85%110reviews

One Strike

2017Casual Fighting
PCPCPlaystation 4Playstation 4WindowsWindows+3