Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story

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Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story is a single player action adventure game with a historical theme. It was developed by 求道庵（gudouan） and was released on January 31, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story" is a first-person puzzle-adventure game set in a mysterious manor. Players must uncover the secrets of the manor and its inhabitants while navigating challenging puzzles and eerie supernatural occurrences. The game is inspired by Japanese folklore and traditional ghost stories, known as "kwaidan," creating a unique and atmospheric horror experience.

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Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Kwaidan offers a charming homage to PS1 and PS2 survival horror games, with a unique retro presentation and engaging atmosphere.
The game features a well-developed narrative with interesting puzzles and a variety of enemy designs drawn from Japanese mythology.
Despite some jank and control issues, the game provides a rewarding experience for those who appreciate old-school mechanics and aesthetics.

The controls can be clunky and frustrating, with a confusing point-and-click interface that detracts from the gameplay experience.
The final boss and certain enemy encounters are poorly designed, leading to overwhelming situations that can feel unfair and tedious.
The game is relatively short, and some players feel it does not justify its price, especially given the frequent enemy respawns and limited healing items.

graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of the PS1 and early PS2 eras, successfully capturing the aesthetic of classic titles while maintaining a level of detail that enhances the overall experience. While some players appreciate the retro art style and atmospheric visuals, others criticize performance issues like low frame rates and clunky controls that detract from gameplay. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point, contributing to a unique blend of nostalgia and modern design.
- “The graphics are very good; it definitely captures the look and feel of an old school PS1 game with its visuals while still being pretty well detailed.”
- “It's got that Dreamcast-early-PS2 era graphics and the vibes and quirks of a game from a super small team with a strong vision.”
- “The visuals and sounds create a really good atmosphere and set a strong aesthetic tone all through the game.”
- “I had that PS1/PS2 era feeling while playing; the graphics match that era, along with the clunky controls and the puzzles set around the manor.”
- “The graphics/art style is reminiscent of the PS2 era.”
- “A lot of attempts end up missing the point of what makes older titles engaging, where many just throw in a pixelated filter, low polygon models, fixed camera angles, and call it 'inspired by classics such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill,' ultimately feeling like a half-hearted attempt with visuals that genuinely feel worse than any game from that period.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed experience, with some players finding it boring and simplistic, while others appreciate its unique blend of survival horror and point-and-click elements. Fixed camera angles and backtracking detract from the experience, and combat mechanics can feel underwhelming despite some interesting features. Overall, while the exploration and atmosphere are praised, the gameplay is often criticized for lacking depth and engagement.
- “The gameplay was okay; it's pretty simple. You have three items to deal with certain types of yokai: a spear for big enemies, an energy blast that can hit grounded enemies, and a mirror that can be used to hit enemies that are hard to reach. You can also block by walking backwards using the D-pad.”
- “At the start, a brief tutorial serves to familiarize the player with its movement and combat mechanics, and immediately starts the player off with a boss fight.”
- “Enemies, while repeating across the game, are varied both visually and mechanically, leaving enemy encounters fairly fresh across various situations.”
- “Pretty boring gameplay and story; wouldn't recommend this game to anyone.”
- “If you play on origin mode like I did, the fixed camera angles will fight you a lot. They give the impression of being chosen for cinematic reasons and not gameplay reasons.”
- “The exploration and atmosphere is what really sells this game, but the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The story of "Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story," crafted by a single developer, follows a hososhi apprentice navigating a yokai-infested manor to save its inhabitants and restore order. Set in Showa-era Japan, the narrative is straightforward yet engaging, featuring some unexpected twists that enhance its depth. While opinions on gameplay vary, the story effectively captures a spooky atmosphere, making it a notable aspect of the game.
- “Odd choices aside, it's a very professional, polished and complete action adventure telling the story of a hososhi (basically think 'witcher') apprentice battling her way through a yokai-infested country manor in order to save the people within, and restore order and destiny to the clan.”
- “So what is the likes, the story is pretty good at first I thought it was going to be a simple go to a mansion and stop the bad guy story, but it had some pretty nice twists which was a nice surprise.”
- “Yes, it can be challenging (and sometimes frustrating) but I really liked the spooky atmosphere and the story of the Azuma family.”
- “Pretty boring gameplay and story; wouldn't recommend this game to anyone.”
- “Kwaidan ～azuma manor story～ is a mixed bag of a retro action game, so what’s the story.”
- “The story is quite simple and easy to follow; it has some depth to it but not a lot, which isn't in a bad way.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
15%
23%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming presentation, effective use of music, and strong aesthetic tone, with a mix of jazzy low-fi beats, piano, and electronic sounds enhancing the experience. While some players find the gameplay lacking, the exploration and overall ambiance are highlighted as key strengths that make the game worth experiencing. Despite some frustrations, the atmospheric elements, including the story and visuals, significantly contribute to its appeal.
- “The visuals and sounds create a really good atmosphere and set a strong aesthetic tone all through the game.”
- “The exploration and atmosphere is what really sells this game, but the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired.”
- “Despite the shortcomings this game has, and the kind of obnoxious last area in the game, I still recommend this if you're interested in this kind of setting and atmosphere.”
- “Yes, it can be challenging (and sometimes frustrating) but I really liked the spooky atmosphere and the story of the Azuma family.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
27%
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a blend of jazzy low-fi beats, piano, and electronic elements that enhance the atmosphere. Many players appreciate the quality and variety of the soundtrack, with standout tracks noted, particularly the ending song. Overall, the music complements the gameplay effectively, contributing to a satisfying experience.
- “The music is really good with plenty of nice tracks to listen to.”
- “On top of that, the game has a nice mix of piano and electronic music that serves the atmosphere and mood quite well.”
- “The game has a very nice soundtrack, and the atmosphere is just perfect, in my opinion.”
- “The soundtrack is decent, but the effects are nothing more than what you need.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it easy to tune out.”
- “The overall audio experience is underwhelming and doesn't enhance the gameplay.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game offers decent replayability through its two difficulty modes and the challenge of completing it without taking damage, though some players feel additional environments or a larger main area would enhance this aspect. Despite its short length of 4-5 hours for a first playthrough, many find the game worth revisiting.
- “I feel like I would have liked to see at least one other environment for the price (or at least a slightly larger main area to explore), but the game's short length (4-5 hours for a first playthrough) means that it's very replayable.”
- “There is some replay value in beating the game on the two modes and also for playing without being damaged a single time, but I don't think I'll go for those.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in. The side quests feel repetitive and lack depth.”
- “The game offers a few different endings, but they don't significantly change the experience, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game runs well on the Steam Deck, though some have experienced minor UI and graphical glitches.
- “I'm playing on Steam Deck and it works great, apart from some UI/graphical glitches so far.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story is a action adventure game with historical theme.

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story was released on January 31, 2020.

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story was developed by 求道庵（gudouan）.

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its gameplay.

Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story is a single player game.

Similar games include Alisa, Tormented Souls, Labyrinth Of The Demon King, Hollowbody, Crow Country and others.

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