SONOKUNI

About

SONOKUNI is a single player tactical hack and slash game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by DON YASA CREW and was released on March 24, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Sonokuni is a hardcore high-speed action game. In a world of bio-science fiction and Japanese mythology, manipulate time and space to protect your dying country from the forces of a superpower. This experience is truly HIPHOP as you continue to struggle for a solution other than violence.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 41 reviews

music14 positive mentions

Stylish, intense gameplay inspired by Hotline Miami but with its own unique and tactical combat mechanics.
Outstanding, memorable soundtrack blending Japanese hip-hop and rap that greatly enhances the game's atmosphere.
Distinctive visual art style and presentation with psychedelic, bio-cyberpunk, and Japanese folk story influences that create a strong cohesive vibe.

Difficulty can be uneven and very challenging, with some bosses and rooms feeling nearly impossible and frustrating.
Some issues with movement and environmental boundaries causing unintended deaths and occasional lack of clarity in visuals.
Certain gameplay elements like slow-motion and attack cooldowns feel awkward or less impactful, affecting pacing and flow.

music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its unique, high-energy blend of Japanese hip-hop and rap, creating an intense, memorable soundtrack that significantly enhances the overall experience. Many players found the soundtrack so compelling that it alone justified purchasing the game, with its distinct style perfectly complementing the game's visuals and gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is regarded as one of the game's standout features, earning nominations for awards and acclaim for its originality and production quality.
- “Probably the best Hotline Miami-inspired game, even more minimalistic, even more intense and with the perfect and unconventional soundtrack.”
- “Sonokuni has a fantastically stylish presentation on all fronts, with amazing art and music (glad I took a chance on the bundle with the OST).”
- “The first time I've ever gone and bought the soundtrack to a game after beating it.”
- “I think only one of the songs out of the track list managed to feel a bit grating to my ears, but that might be connected to the absurd amount of time I spent trying to beat one of the levels, not gonna lie.”
- “The soundtrack alone is well worth playing the game for.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The graphics feature a distinctive, psychedelic, and surreal art style that creates a visually intense and artistic experience, often compared favorably to Hotline Miami. While some visuals can be chaotic or hard to read at times, the bold colors and unique design strongly contribute to the game's standout identity and atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are praised for their creativity and ability to enhance the game's immersive, stylish vibe.
- “The bright surreal visuals amplify the perception of this whole thing a lot as well.”
- “The bizarre visuals paired with one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a while create such a distinct identity and flavor to the world.”
- “I loved the art style, it's very artistic, and there are some cool setpieces and camera angles.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The gameplay is praised for its rewarding, simple yet challenging mechanics reminiscent of Hotline Miami, with fast-paced, strategic combat requiring careful enemy prioritization and timing. Though difficulty can be uneven and slowdown mechanics sometimes disrupt pacing, the smooth retries and varied enemy attacks create an addictive and satisfying experience. Overall, the gameplay is engaging, stylish, and a key highlight despite minor frustrations.
- “The gameplay loop feels very rewarding partly because it's really simple to play.”
- “In Sonokuni, each enemy type has different attacks you'll need to identify while you either attack, deflect, or bait out attacks with quick movement to clear each area in what is fast-paced, difficult, and addictive gameplay.”
- “So the gameplay loop starts looking sort of like: 'look at each enemy type, decide on the order you should try and finish them off, fail miserably, look at your death animation, recognize who struck you down, and make changes to the order within your hit list.'”
- “Goat art/music but terrible game mechanics and map design. In hard mode, you can only follow the predetermined routes laid out by the level designer to defeat the enemies in each room one by one.”
- “Small mistakes mean you mess up, and when surrounded by large numbers of enemies, the complex enemy types and varied counter mechanics create uneven gaps during counterattacks. The pacing becomes chaotic, and bullet time (or slow motion) is completely useless.”
- “So the gameplay loop starts looking like: 'Look at each enemy type, decide on the order to finish them off, fail miserably, look at your death animation, recognize who struck you down, and make changes to the order within your hit list.'”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The story is described as quirky and unconventional, blending bio-cyberpunk with Japanese folklore to create a unique, mythological narrative. While some find it surprisingly interesting and well-translated, others see it as a lesser aspect compared to the standout gameplay and stellar soundtrack. Overall, the story complements the game's distinctive style but isn't its primary strength.
- “Lastly the story, I actually found it surprisingly interesting, and very well translated.”
- “The story is nonsensical, but the gameplay is really fun.”
- “This is one of the most "indie"-feeling games I have played in a long time for better and worse; feeling uncompromising in its gameplay, vision, soundtrack, art, and even story.”
- “Oozes style, a bio-cyberpunk meets Japanese folk story that takes gameplay cues from Hotline Miami.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is criticized for causing performance issues, resulting in a less smooth experience that feels chaotic and unpolished compared to similar titles.