Musasabi

About

Musasabi is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by Ludumify and was released on October 16, 2019. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Musasabi" is a fast-paced action game featuring 28 levels with various enemies and obstacles across four zones, culminating in boss fights. The game boasts a fluid rhythm, tight controls, and challenges players to think and move quickly to complete levels. The story follows the peaceful gnome village of Oku, which is disrupted by the arrival of the evil vampire gnome Akuyaku. The king enlists the help of a grand mage who uses ancient magic to create a diamond that puts Akuyaku to sleep. Players must navigate the game's challenges to stop Akuyaku for good.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with dynamic mechanics and a fun retro aesthetic.
Crisp graphics, catchy music, and a variety of power-ups enhance the overall experience.
Offers a good challenge with replayability due to different gem spawns and optional collectibles.

The game is very short, with a playtime of around half an hour to an hour.
Some controls can be frustrating, particularly with the flying mechanic and menu navigation.
Lacks depth in content, with limited enemy variety and no additional difficulty levels.

gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The gameplay is engaging and fun, featuring dynamic mechanics reminiscent of classic platformers like Super Mario Bros., with a variety of power-ups and unique movement options such as wall-walking and gliding. However, some players noted issues with the flying mechanic in tight spaces and mentioned that the game is relatively short, lasting about an hour. Despite its brevity and minor bugs, it is recommended for fans of the genre, especially if acquired at a low price.
- “I love the aesthetic and the gameplay was engaging and fun.”
- “Interesting wall-walking and gliding mechanics keep things interesting.”
- “Fantastic pixel art and character design, bouncy music, and interesting gameplay mechanics.”
- “The main flying mechanic doesn't work well, especially when in tight spaces combined with the auto lock onto walls.”
- “It is very short, still has a few bugs, but if you can get it really cheap, and if you're a fan of platformers, it's worth the 2 or so hours of gameplay.”
- “I think Musasabi is too short to be considered a 'hidden gem' (it's only about an hour long and priced accordingly), but if you're a fan of platformers with unique movement mechanics, I would strongly recommend grabbing it anyway.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are praised for their appealing 16-bit retro aesthetic, featuring sharp and crisp sprites that enhance the overall visual experience. While many players appreciate the art style and its contribution to the engaging gameplay, some feel that the graphics alone do not compensate for a lack of fun in the gameplay. Overall, the visuals are a highlight, complemented by catchy chiptunes that elevate the platforming experience.
- “The art style is cool, and the controls (gamepad & WASD) feel great.”
- “Great little platformer with crisp graphics and catchy chiptunes that really shine when it comes to movement options and pace.”
- “I like the graphics because they have that lovely 16-bit retro feel, giving sharp and crisp sprites with some pretty cool backing music.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game is generally praised for being catchy and well-suited to the retro aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users feel that it may not have been specifically composed for the game, leading to mixed opinions on its fit. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay and vibrant music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “Fantastic pixel art and character design, bouncy music, and interesting gameplay mechanics.”
- “The music is catchy, the levels have decent difficulty and there's something fascinating about shooting bats with nuts.”
- “I like the graphics because they have that lovely 16-bit retro feel to them, giving sharp and crisp sprites with some pretty cool backing music.”
- “The music is not written for this game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its lightweight design, allowing it to run smoothly on nearly any PC configuration.
- “It's lightweight and runs smoothly on almost any PC.”
- “The game is optimized perfectly, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how well the developers have optimized the graphics without sacrificing performance.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect to be enjoyable and somewhat unique, but criticize it for becoming tedious due to excessive enemy spam that artificially extends gameplay.
- “Fun and relatively unique; however, it falls short in some aspects where they try to pad out more content by making it tediously long and difficult due to enemy spam.”
- “The grinding feels excessive and often turns the game into a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- “While the game has potential, the repetitive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment and makes progress feel painfully slow.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers some replayability due to the varying gem spawns in each level, providing a fresh experience on subsequent playthroughs. However, many users feel that overall replay value is limited, though the game remains entertaining for its price.
- “There is some replayability because gems spawn differently when replaying the level.”
- “Fun little game, although there is not much of a replay value at the moment; for the price, it's alright as it keeps you entertained for quite a bit.”
- “Some replayability because gems spawn differently when replaying the level.”
- “Fun little game, although there is not much of a replay value at the moment. For the price, it's alright as it keeps you entertained for quite a bit.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the reviews highlight the game's fantastic pixel art and character design, they do not provide specific insights into character development, focusing instead on the visual and gameplay elements.
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is well-received, featuring an adorable main character and a compelling narrative that complements the engaging platforming mechanics.
- “I thought the main character is just adorable, and there's even a full story in addition to the fun platforming mechanics.”