Musasabi

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

replayability1 negative mentions

The game features a charming retro aesthetic with crisp graphics and catchy chiptunes, making it visually appealing and enjoyable to play.
It offers a fun combination of platforming and shooting mechanics, with unique movement options like wall-walking and gliding that keep the gameplay interesting.
The game is lightweight and runs smoothly on most PCs, making it accessible to a wide audience, and it provides a fair challenge with optional collectibles for added depth.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks replay value and additional content after completing it.
Certain mechanics, such as the flying and water movement, can be frustrating and lead to unintended deaths, detracting from the overall experience.
There are issues with enemy design and hit detection, which can lead to frustrating gameplay moments, especially during boss fights and when navigating tight spaces.

gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The gameplay features a nostalgic platforming style reminiscent of Super Mario Bros., with a variety of power-ups and unique movement mechanics like wall-walking and gliding that enhance the experience. However, the main flying mechanic can be problematic in tight spaces, and the game is relatively short, lasting about an hour. Despite some bugs and its brevity, it offers charming pixel art and an engaging story, making it a worthwhile pick for platformer enthusiasts, especially at a lower price point.
- “The gameplay reminds me a bit of Super Mario Bros.”
- “Lots of power-ups add variety to the gameplay.”
- “Interesting wall-walking and gliding mechanics keep things interesting.”
- “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
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are praised for their crispness and appealing 16-bit retro aesthetic, enhancing the overall visual experience. While some players appreciate the vibrant visuals and movement options, others feel that the graphics alone do not compensate for a lack of engagement in gameplay.
- “Great little platformer with crisp graphics and catchy chiptunes that really shines when it comes to movement options and pace.”
- “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.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is described as catchy and bouncy, complementing the engaging gameplay and retro 16-bit graphics. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's charm and atmosphere.
- “The music is catchy, the levels have decent difficulty, and there's something fascinating about shooting bats with nuts.”
- “The game starts off giving you decent clear instructions for controls and objectives, and 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.”
- “Fantastic pixel art and character design, bouncy music, and interesting gameplay mechanics.”
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, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point of the experience. Instead, the emphasis seems to be on the overall aesthetic and gameplay mechanics.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game offers enjoyable gameplay, many users note that its replay value is limited, making it more of a one-time experience rather than one that encourages repeated play. However, for its price, it still provides decent entertainment.
- “Fun little game, although there is not much replay value at the moment. For the price, it's alright as it keeps you entertained for quite a bit.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is well-received, featuring an adorable main character and a compelling narrative that complements the enjoyable platforming mechanics.
- “I thought the main character is just adorable, and there's even a full story in addition to the fun platforming mechanics.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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.”