The Matchless Kungfu
- August 29, 2023
- HuanMos Game
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"The Matchless KungFu is an open-world RPG set in a WuXia-inspired environment, where you can create and customize your own martial arts character and explore diverse lands. The game is frequently updated with new content, including machine-translated English text that is later replaced with more polished translations. You can build and modify your own mini-worlds within the game, with unique environments, resources, creatures, and clans.".
PC
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay290 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this early access title is characterized by its innovative and complex mechanics, particularly in combat, which combines elements of kung fu with a unique deck-building approach. While the game offers a rich sandbox experience with various systems for world-building and character progression, players have noted issues with poorly translated tutorials and mechanics that can be confusing at first. Overall, the game is praised for its depth and creativity, though it still requires refinement in certain areas to enhance player understanding and engagement.
“The mechanics in this game are very well thought out and very good, the combat just keeps on giving (it's so deep and rich with different interactions but at the same time not that hard and it keeps evolving and you discover new stuff in it as you progress in the game).”
“This game has some incredibly fun mechanics, like essentially building your own open world.”
“The gameplay is really innovative, and in spite of not quite resembling anything I've played before, it is easy to learn.”
“Becomes infuriating when the tutorial bugs out, doesn't give me the basics needed to do so much as a groin kick, softlocking me out of itself and crippling any progress in the game by removing my ability to do core and basic mechanics in the game.”
“Some of the mechanics, especially the debate mechanics, are so poorly explained that unless you find a fan guide you are guaranteed to fail.”
“In its current state most of the mechanics just aren't fleshed out enough, and the translations aren't the best.”
- story206 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 88 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as vague and often overshadowed by its sandbox mechanics, allowing players to create their own narratives through quests and interactions with NPCs. While there is a main storyline that unfolds gradually, many players find the English translation lacking, which can hinder immersion and understanding. Overall, the potential for deeper storytelling exists, but it currently requires more polish and clarity to fully engage players.
“The world feels very interactive and lived-in due to the fact all the NPCs have their own motivations and are always out and about doing their thing. It can be a little tricky, but once you figure things out, it's possible to track any NPC at any time and any quest requirements.”
“I love these style of sandbox games where the story is basically what you do. Each quest you complete will allow you to unlock a new tile to add to the map with its own quest.”
“I've been hooked since I got it. You can be an evil cultivator or a good cultivator; you can roleplay as you like to create your own story and also create your own sect, inviting all the cool NPCs you meet along the way, if they accept the sect invitation.”
“The main things lacking due to early access seem to be missions/quests, story, some game balance stuff, and some other things that are kind of typical like optimization and UI.”
“But it needs some polish (interface, translation, sects, skippable cutscenes, etc.), story (island) that is possible to follow without Googling.”
“The gameplay and mechanics are great to work with and the game has a passable English translation, the story exists but the game is more focused on letting you make your own.”
- humor66 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its slapstick and absurdity, with players sharing numerous hilarious anecdotes from their experiences, such as engaging in kung fu battles with animals and encountering comically poor translations. While the humor often stems from the game's quirky mechanics and unexpected interactions, some players note that the translation issues can hinder understanding, adding an unintentional layer of comedy. Overall, the game is described as a fun and lighthearted sandbox experience that delivers a unique blend of humor reminiscent of classic wuxia films.
“The amount of funny stories I have to tell from this game from the 15 hours I have played is crazy, and never before have I found a game that plays like this and has this many features.”
“Absolutely insane game with lots of funny encounters and great mechanics.”
“This game is pretty silly at times; you can have a kung fu fight with a dog, or a chicken, or a snake, and it's pretty funny.”
- graphics58 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of optimization and outdated visuals reminiscent of older titles. While some aspects, such as building designs and cave environments, are praised for their quality, overall environmental graphics are seen as needing improvement. Players express a desire for more intensive graphics settings and better performance, especially given the game's early access status.
“The graphics and art get the job done pleasantly.”
“Developed by a talented team at Huanmos Game Studios, this game combines stunning visuals, intense combat mechanics, and an immersive storyline to deliver an unforgettable gaming experience and successfully captures the essence of martial arts.”
“The graphics are great, the sound is phenomenal, I can't wait to see where this goes.”
“I refunded this one after my initial purchase some months ago, due to the game's lack of proper graphical optimization and horrible English translation.”
“The game has three simple graphical settings: high, medium, and low, with low looking like an absolute potato and still running my two-year-old gaming laptop's CPU/GPU hotter than games that look ten times better and run smoothly.”
“I do not understand why this game runs so poorly with such basic cartoon-like graphics.”
- optimization40 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and decent graphical settings, many others experience significant stuttering and performance issues, especially with larger maps or on mid-range hardware. The game is still in early access, and while it shows promise, it requires further optimization and bug fixes to enhance gameplay experience. Players are hopeful for future updates to address these concerns.
“There are minor bugs and NPCs getting stuck on occasion, but it runs smoothly and seems to be optimized well and looks good.”
“The game is optimized well, is pretty deep but easy to master, and is generally fun to interact with.”
“Runs like a dream, optimized well enough, and artistic as you can imagine.”
“I refunded this one after my initial purchase some months ago, due to the game's lack of proper graphical optimization and horrible English translation.”
“There is one problem I have with the game though, the bigger your world gets, the more the performance takes a hit until it's a low FPS stuttery mess.”
“The game is just unoptimized.”
- grinding40 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; while some players find it tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to the unpolished social and reputation systems, others appreciate the dynamic and engaging nature of skill progression. Many players express frustration with the need for extensive resource gathering and the repetitive nature of certain tasks, although some mods aim to alleviate this grind. Overall, the experience can vary significantly, with some enjoying the grind as a means to become stronger, while others see it as a chore.
“The fact that everything in this game is ultimately done better by solving a puzzle can get a bit tedious considering how this game demands long sessions to get anything done.”
“Currently the only workaround is to find an NPC who is interested in talking about the skill and discuss it, which will give you a 5% bonus experience in that skill. Then do that a total of 20 times with different NPCs each time, which really sucks because each NPC has their own routine and will run all over the map. Logistically speaking, the only reliable way to do this is to build 20 cages and after getting a 5% bonus, beat the NPC into the dirt and lock them in a cage, which while absolutely hilarious, is very tedious.”
“The English translation is kind of bad and incomprehensible at times, and the verbal battles are so long that it's tedious.”
- music38 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its thematic fit and enjoyment, particularly during combat and specific scenes, while others find it forgettable or overshadowed by other audio. Many appreciate the fun and engaging nature of the music, although some note that it can be too soft, requiring adjustments to speaker volume. Overall, while the music enhances the experience for some, others prefer to play with different background audio.
“The music, the animations are amazing, and mechanics are easy enough to understand.”
“Best-fitting thematic music I think I've had the pleasure of hearing in any media.”
“Even the music and atmosphere are nice.”
“- music/sound seems to be very soft, have to turn up my speaker volume just for this game.”
“I killed many with the use of the arhat fist and soultakers song techniques but the last bandit plunged his sword into my chest cavity and my 'budding' empire came to a close.”
“Also, whoever made the music for the mouth-cannon argument battles.”
- stability30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 73 % negative mentions
The game's stability is characterized by a mix of bugs and glitches that can detract from the experience, yet many players find these issues add a certain charm. While some users report a generally solid performance, especially on platforms like the Steam Deck, others note problems with AI behavior and translation quality. Overall, the game is seen as a labor of love, with many players still enjoying it despite its instability.
“Runs great (i.e., made to run on internet cafe computers), plays very cleanly, and is absolutely unique.”
“I've been playing on Steam Deck and it runs great.”
“Came back to update: the negatives were fixed, not sure when, but it runs great for me now.”
“This feels like a true labor of love for the creators, but the buggy behavior and seeming lack of game balance make it tough to play.”
“There are glitches, and there's plenty of things that just feel jank, but it adds to the experience.”
“NPCs and AI - I don't know if they are buggy, or if they are missing some code since it's early access, but I've noticed they have a tendency to get stuck in certain places, either because of terrain or because they just sit there and pace back and forth.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its exploratory nature and the ability to generate new worlds, allowing players to experience different gameplay each time. However, some users note that additional content from the developers would enhance this aspect further. Overall, the replay value is considered strong, with potential for even greater enjoyment as the game evolves.
“Adding land tiles is crazy cool and can lead to high replay value.”
“Very exploratory, lots of things to do; the replay value is crazy because the game is designed for you to be reborn stronger, and you can remake the world as many times as you'd like.”
“Well worth the relatively small price tag, and having the ability to generate your own worlds adds an awesome amount of replay value.”
“Very exploratory, lots of things to do, the replay value is crazy because the game is designed for you to be reborn stronger and you can remake the world as many times as you'd like.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the music and overall ambiance, others criticize the recent "autoleveling" update for diminishing the game's liveliness and sense of player progression. This update has led to feelings of disappointment regarding the developers' commitment to creating an engaging world.
“Even the music and atmosphere are nice.”
“This update with 'autoleveling' demonstrates the developers' laziness and their unwillingness to create a vibrant world, ultimately destroying the game's atmosphere and the player's sense of progress.”
- character development4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted through the transformation of characters, such as a bandit who is seen building a new house and turning over a new leaf. Overall, players find the character progression to be straightforward and engaging, though some aspects may not be fully explored yet.
“So you get bored, and you enter the fray; you find the bandit building his new house, turning a new leaf - character development, right?”
“I have not gotten into building yet, but character development and overall progression isn't difficult.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report mixed emotional responses to the game, with some feeling frustration due to poor balance and lack of quality of life features, yet they continue to engage with it. Overall, the emotional impact appears minimal, with little to no significant feelings elicited during gameplay.
