Princess Kaguya

About

Princess Kaguya is a single player action game. It was developed by Zoo Corporation and was released on August 4, 2015. It received negative reviews from players.

Princess Kaguya is a Japanese-style beat 'em up game where you play as a celestial maiden fighting enemies with a kendama stick and bow and arrows. Battle through hordes of enemies and use special moves to defeat them, all while being immersed in a world inspired by the ancient Japanese folktale, Taketori Monogatari. Your mission is to seal the Wicked God and restore peace to the world.

Genres & Tags

Action

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

36%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

graphics11 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful art style and charming character designs, drawing heavily from traditional Japanese folklore.
The combat system offers a variety of attacks and special moves, requiring players to think strategically rather than just button mash.
The soundtrack complements the visuals well, incorporating traditional Japanese instrumentation that enhances the overall atmosphere.

The controls are often unresponsive and can lead to frustrating gameplay, with issues like awkward hit detection and character direction changes during attacks.
The game is very short, consisting of only four stages, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied and wanting more content.
The narrative lacks depth and emotional engagement, with minimal storytelling that fails to capitalize on the rich source material.

gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay of "Princess Kaguya" is characterized by its classic beat 'em up structure, featuring side-scrolling action and waves of enemies, but it suffers from significant mechanical issues, including unresponsive controls, poor hit detection, and a lack of fluidity. While the game's visual presentation is praised, many players find the combat frustrating and simplistic, often reducing the experience to mere button mashing. Overall, the gameplay struggles to match the game's artistic ambitions, leaving it feeling clunky and unrefined.
- “The gameplay structure is rooted in classic beat ’em up tradition, combining side-scrolling progression with waves of enemies and environmental hazards.”
- “If you approach the game with the perspective that it requires a little thought and finesse to beat, the stiff controls become a little less game-breaking and one can appreciate that there is some depth to the gameplay.”
- “The art style is pretty cool and although the gameplay is simplistic, it's kind of fun.”
- “Unfortunately, the elegance of the presentation doesn’t always carry over to the gameplay experience.”
- “Yet, its mechanical shortcomings, inconsistent controls, and uneven difficulty prevent it from achieving the fluidity and depth of the best modern beat ’em ups.”
- “The hit detection is horrendous and the gameplay feels so clunky that I just couldn't force myself to continue playing it.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The game's graphics are praised for their beautiful 2D artwork and folkloric influences, creating an enchanting atmosphere with vibrant colors and traditional patterns. However, many reviewers note that the technical execution is lacking, with limited character movement and animations that detract from the overall experience. While the visuals and music are appealing, they are often overshadowed by unpolished gameplay and frustrating controls.
- “The game’s aesthetic presentation is one of its greatest strengths.”
- “The art style leans heavily on its folkloric influences, using soft brush strokes, traditional patterns, and luminous colors to create an atmosphere that feels both ancient and otherworldly.”
- “This game has beautiful artwork and lovely music.”
- “Unfortunately, the graphics feel and move like a flash game.”
- “The art style is 2D and most of the characters, with the exception of Princess Kaguya, have limited movement.”
- “The art style is a bit different but also very dull, with very simple backgrounds and not a great deal of animation.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The music in the game is praised for its blend of traditional Japanese instrumentation with modern rhythms, creating a melodic atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. While the soundtrack complements the visuals and fits the game's theme, some players noted a lack of variety, as the music tends to be repetitive throughout. Overall, the charming musical design, alongside the beautiful art, contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.
- “The soundtrack complements the visuals with traditional Japanese instrumentation blended with modern rhythm, giving the game a melodic flow that enhances its mood.”
- “Its visual design, musical atmosphere, and cultural inspiration give it a charm that stands out in a crowded genre.”
- “The battle music has a mix of traditional sounding music and mixed with a bit of rock.”
- “Could use more music variety.”
- “The music is pretty much the same throughout most of the game, but it fits the theme.”
- “While the art and music are great, the game itself is awful.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The story of the game, centered on Kaguya's quest to save her sister, is generally considered underwhelming, with brief dialogue and cutscenes that provide minimal emotional engagement. While the mythological environments and character designs are visually appealing, the narrative feels secondary to the gameplay, leading many players to view it as a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling. Overall, the story is described as short and lacking in depth, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative experience.
- “The environments—moonlit temples, enchanted forests, and mist-covered valleys—evoke a dreamlike quality that perfectly fits the mythological tone of the story.”
- “The story is told through a kinetic visual novel style.”
- “I would also say that this game is not really for the impatient, as both the story and gameplay require a bit of restraint to appreciate -- and this can be a little counter-intuitive for what seems like a simple brawler.”
- “The story of Kaguya’s quest to save her sister is primarily told through brief dialogue exchanges and short cutscenes, offering just enough context to move the action forward but not enough to establish strong emotional investment.”
- “The game’s focus remains firmly on combat and progression rather than storytelling, which fits its arcade sensibilities but feels like a missed opportunity given the richness of its source material.”
- “The story, from what little I read of it, did not capture my attention at all and seems slapped on to the game just because.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highlighted by its exceptional art and charming character designs, particularly noting the appeal of characters like Kaguya. While the visual presentation and unique attack styles, such as the rabbit archery brigade, are praised, some players feel that the overall experience is hindered by stiff controls and a lack of gameplay polish.
- “I love the character designs (Kaguya is adorable), the music is great, and the attacks (both normal and special) are really impressive - I mean come on, a rabbit archery brigade just looks hilarious.”
- “+ superb art and character design”
- “A short brawler with excellent artwork, atmosphere, and character design that is unfortunately marred by frustratingly stiff controls and lack of gameplay polish.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its folkloric art style, featuring soft brush strokes, traditional patterns, and vibrant colors that evoke an ancient and otherworldly charm. While the visual and musical elements create a captivating experience, some players may find the overall execution lacking in precision and polish.
- “The art style leans heavily on its folkloric influences, using soft brush strokes, traditional patterns, and luminous colors to create an atmosphere that feels both ancient and otherworldly.”
- “Its visual design, musical atmosphere, and cultural inspiration give it a charm that stands out in a crowded genre.”
- “It’s a title that invites admiration for its atmosphere and cultural homage but may test the patience of those seeking precision or polish.”
- “It's a title that invites admiration for its atmosphere and cultural homage but may test the patience of those seeking precision or polish.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Replayability in Princess Kaguya is considered modest, indicating that while there are some elements that may encourage players to revisit the game, it does not offer significant incentives for multiple playthroughs.
- “Replayability in Princess Kaguya is modest.”
- “The game lacks significant incentives to replay, making each playthrough feel repetitive.”
- “Once you've completed the story, there's little motivation to dive back in.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its whimsical character designs and absurd attack animations, such as a rabbit archery brigade, which many find amusing. However, some reviewers feel that the overall experience is marred by mediocrity, lacking the charm that could elevate its comedic elements.
- “I love the character designs (Kaguya is adorable), the music is great, and the attacks (both normal and special) are really impressive - I mean come on, a rabbit archery brigade just looks hilarious.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the cumbersome control scheme for switching weapons, which can lead to discomfort during intense boss battles.
- “Grinding in this game feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged; it often feels like I'm just going through the motions.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be overly tedious, making it difficult to enjoy the game as a whole.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, "Princess Kaguya" demonstrates solid optimization with smooth performance and quick load times, particularly during intense combat. However, some users feel that character movement could benefit from further refinement.
- “From a technical standpoint, Princess Kaguya runs smoothly for the most part, with quick load times and stable performance even during busy combat sequences.”
- “I think the movement of the character you are playing could be better optimized.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of Kaguya's quest is noted to be underdeveloped, as the reliance on brief dialogue and short cutscenes provides minimal context, resulting in a lack of strong emotional investment from players.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the art, music, and enemy design are praised for their beauty, the gameplay suffers from significant stability issues, including bugs, lag, and overall non-functionality, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
- “The art, music, and enemy design are absolutely gorgeous, but the gameplay itself is infuriatingly buggy, laggy, and generally non-functional.”