It’s been almost thirty-five years since Konami’s action-adventure Getsu Fūma Den was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, so it was quite a surprise when the sequel was announced for the Nintendo Switch.
But here we are, with a brand new adventure ready to take centre stage on the latest generation of consoles.
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon takes place one thousand years after the first leader of the Getsu clan defeated the demon lord Ryukotsuki and drove all the demons back into Hell.
But Ryukotsuki has abruptly returned and it's up to the newest leader Getsu Fuma to drive the demon back whilst searching for his brother.
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon has a gorgeous aesthetic, putting a gothic spin on the famous Japanese Ukiyo-e style, the dream-like hues blend well making each scene look like a piece of artwork.
Each of the main character models has a grand design with intricate details, especially the bosses. The enemies that are scattered across each level also have brazen designs but there just isn’t enough variety within the entire game.
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is a side-scrolling roguelike hack-and-slash adventure that will see players traverse procedurally generated levels with simple platforming elements.
The main threat on most levels is the off-screen enemies who will pelt you with projectiles.
This can get frustrating at times, but the extra challenge is fully welcomed. Levels are filled with treasures, with some protected by more powerful enemies and spiked pitfalls.
There are several fast travel points however, there isn’t really a need for backtracking as most loot can be retrieved on the first encounter.
There are loads of enemies scattered throughout every level each with their own distinct attack pattern. However I was always waiting for these enemies to truly bare their fangs, it was way too easy to simply dodge with a roll and attack.
Enemies do get harder as you progress but it is still far too easy to predict their next moves after facing them once.
There is a huge difficulty spike when facing bosses, who not only look menacing but actually put up a fight.
The boss fights may be severely difficult but they are one of the highlights of GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon.
For combat, Getsu Fuma will be able to equip four weapons, two main and two sub. You will always start off with a sword but the Shrine Maiden will sometimes give you something different.
Each weapon feels really unique and affects enemies differently, so part of the strategy is hoping to stumble across a particular weapon before you are able to forge it.
As you can only carry two main weapons, players will be able to either replace their existing ones or dismantle the new one for forging materials.
The sub-weapons are mainly projectiles that work on a cooldown system. The cool-down period lasts for a good duration allowing for a fair amount of usage.
Players will be able to unlock extra skills for each weapon by using a Soul memory, which can be found across each level.
Getsu Fuma will also be able to enhance one of his six base abilities and unlock new ones which are really handy, especially later on in the game.
These enhancements are permanent, hence the reason why the game makes it pretty hard to keep your resources
Getsu Fuma can also enhance these abilities by using the Soul Devour method, these improvements will disappear once you die.
There is a lot of grinding in GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon as dying will result in players losing the majority of their loot.
Those seeking an extra challenge will be able to unlock extra difficulty settings, which is a good incentive to return back to its relatively short playtime.
Verdict
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is an intense follow up with an addictive gaming loop, although once you’ve beaten the game there is little to warrant a return.
Yes, there are additional difficulty settings to unlock and one extra secret, but other than that there isn't anything groundbreaking to urge players back after that first run through. Hopefully, Konami can add some extra DLC in the form of levels or extra bosses.
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is out now on the Nintendo Switch and PC
