December 15, 2025
AQUAPLUS

Utawarerumono: Zan

Utawarerumono: Zan abridges the original storyline far too much to be accessible to newcomers while also being fairly thin on content but delivers some solid core combat and plenty of variety with its character’s fighting styles.

64%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

replayability, graphics

89% User Score Based on 27 reviews

Critic Score 61%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

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About

Utawarerumono: Zan is a single player and multiplayer hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by AQUAPLUS and was released on December 15, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Unveil a lost legend in a new light with Utawarerumono: ZAN! This action-packed brawler is a reimagination of the story of Haku, a man with no memories, and the great conflict that consumes the land he calls home. Take control of over 12 legendary heroes from the world of Utawarerumono, and utilize their unique strengths and abilities to engage hordes of enemies in ferocious melee combat. Venture …

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

story5 positive mentions

The combat system is fun and captures the essence of the beloved characters from the Utawarerumono series, making it enjoyable for fans.
The game features solid Musou-inspired mechanics, allowing for cooperative play and character switching, which adds depth to the gameplay.
Full Japanese voice acting and familiar music enhance the overall experience, providing a polished feel for fans of the franchise.

The story is heavily abridged and lacks the depth and emotional development of the original visual novel, making it less engaging for newcomers.
Gameplay can feel repetitive due to limited enemy variety and small maps, which detracts from the overall experience.
The game is considered short for its price, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing.

story
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
The story in this game is a heavily abridged version of the original "Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception," resulting in a compressed narrative that lacks depth and character development, making it less engaging for newcomers. While it may serve as a quick refresher for fans of the series, many players feel it fails to do justice to the original's rich storytelling, with significant content and character omissions. Overall, the game is better suited for those already familiar with the source material, as the focus leans more towards action gameplay than narrative immersion.
- “This is a character-focused title that reconstructs the world of the Utawarerumono series, known for its long-form storytelling, into a musou-style 3D action game.”
- “A fun musou rendition of a shortened version of the Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception story, although a lot of story content from the original visual novel as well as some characters has been cut.”
- “And if you fell in love with the story and characters like I had, then this is a good supplementary game to relive the experience once again.”
- “The story here is a chainsawed cliff notes version, except when it's talking heads.”
- “The story is based on one arc of the original work, but its progression is heavily compressed, with emotional development and relationship building kept to a minimum.”
- “The story is there, but it's been abridged to the point where it feels like you black out occasionally all while dragging on at the same time (more so for those who played the original story).”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The gameplay is characterized as a hack-and-slash experience reminiscent of Dynasty Warriors, appealing primarily to fans of the series rather than those seeking a deep narrative. While it features enjoyable mechanics like hero switching and buffs, it is criticized for its limited scale and tactical depth, offering a fun yet repetitive experience best suited for fans looking for mindless action.
- “Rather than for those seeking a heavy narrative, this is best suited for players who already have affection for the series and want to enjoy the feel of action gameplay and repeated mission runs.”
- “Fun game with solid musou-inspired mechanics.”
- “As for the gameplay itself, it’s good mindless fun.”
- “Gameplay wise, it has a good base, but lacks volume and scale you often see in musou games.”
- “Gameplay is not fun.”
- “This is very much a game that is intended as fan service for people that beat Mask of Deception and want more time with the characters and are interested in the new gameplay.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
While the missions are considered formulaic and lack significant variety in stages and enemies, the game offers solid replayability through character growth and skill unlocking, encouraging players to revisit the content.
- “The missions themselves may be formulaic, and the variety of stages and enemies isn't particularly high, but the replay value is solid due to character growth and skill unlocking.”
- “Each playthrough offers new opportunities for character development, making it enjoyable to revisit the game multiple times.”
- “The game encourages replayability with its diverse character builds and skill trees, allowing players to experience different strategies in each run.”
- “To be frank, the missions themselves are formulaic, and stage and enemy variety is not particularly high. However, the replay value through character growth and skill unlocking is maintained at a solid level.”
- “The lack of diverse missions and repetitive gameplay makes it hard to find motivation for replaying the game.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back, as the experience feels largely the same on subsequent playthroughs.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, particularly highlighting significant discrepancies between the PS4 and PC versions, with the latter suffering from various graphical issues such as poor texture quality and broken rendering effects. Additionally, the lack of customizable graphic settings and options like FPS control and V-Sync has frustrated players seeking a better visual experience.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, with vibrant colors and intricate details that bring the game world to life.”
- “The character models are incredibly well-designed, showcasing a high level of artistry and attention to detail.”
- “The environments are beautifully rendered, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gaming experience.”
- “There aren't any graphic settings, no FPS options, no VSync, and other normal things people like to change.”
- “The graphics look outdated and lack detail, making the game feel less immersive.”
- “Textures are low resolution and the overall art style feels unpolished.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s chapter-based structure leads to a rushed narrative, resulting in missed opportunities for rich storytelling and meaningful character development.
- “This game masterfully explores the complexities of its characters, allowing for deep emotional connections and significant growth throughout the story.”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character facing unique challenges that shape their journey and relationships.”
- “I was genuinely impressed by how the characters evolved over time, making their struggles and triumphs feel authentic and impactful.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and polish, complementing the full Japanese voice acting and enhancing the character-driven experience. Overall, it contributes significantly to player satisfaction.
- “Full Japanese voice acting and familiar music are highly polished, supporting overall satisfaction as a character-driven game.”
- “The music is still good, enhancing the overall experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional depth of the game is limited due to its compressed storytelling, which sacrifices character development and relationship building for a faster-paced narrative.