2024 is a banner year forDemon Slayerfans, with the franchise expanding across both film and video games. The latest offering,Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board!, takes an unexpected turn, shifting from the anticipated action genre to a board game format reminiscent ofMario Party. This bold pivot away from typical fighting or RPG styles introduces a refreshing, if niche, gameplay experience.
Fun, Party-Style Gameplay Mechanics
Sweep the Board!operates similarly toSuper Mario Party, where players roll dice each turn, moving around a board to engage with various challenges and mini-games. The objective is to amass slayer points by defeating demons – replacing the traditional star collection inMario Party. Players can enhance their rolls and strategic options by recruiting allies like Nezuko, who can provide additional dice rolls, and by utilizing character-specific dice that offer potential high-reward movements.
Review: Super Mario Party
Super Mario Party is a welcome comeback for the series that seemingly plays it safe with its modes, but still manages to be fun.
The game is structured around aday-and-night cycle: players spend the day exploring and gathering intelligence on demons, and nightfall triggers combat scenarios. The mini-games are amix of training exercises and actual demon battles, including interactive elements that can be played with motion controls or traditional button inputs.
A Disappointingly-Anemic Multiplayer Experience
While the game is ideally enjoyed with others, the current online player base is sparse, making it difficult to fully experience multiplayer matches. This limitation significantly affects the replayability and enjoyment, particularly for those looking to play beyond local multiplayer settings. The lack of a vibrant online community restricts the potential, as full matches with human players are often more enjoyable and competitive.
WhileDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board!might not captivate all players, especially those playing solo, it holds aspecial appeal for fans of the seriesand those looking for a party game with a twist. If you can overlook its technical flaws and gather a few friends for local play, it can provide hours of entertainment and lively competition.
The Aesthetic and Sound Design Are On Point
The game effectively leverages the Demon Slayer aesthetic, with boards designed around iconic series locations like theMugen Train and Swordsmith Village. Character models are well-rendered, and players can unlock various outfits through gameplay, adding visual variety and rewards.
The game excels in its visual presentation, with beautifully-designed boards that reflect well-known locations from theDemon Slayerseries. Character models and unlockable outfits add variety and a visual reward system for gameplay achievements. The aesthetic strengths, however, are occasionally overshadowed by technical shortcomings.
The audio experience is robust, featuring a calming soundtrack typical of the series and original voice acting in both English and Japanese, enhancing the authenticity and immersive quality.
There Are Some Performance Issues
Despite its strengths, the game suffers from significant performance issues. Celebration animations frequently cause frame rate drops, severely impacting the overall smoothness of the gameplay. Additionally, the pacing of the game is notably slow – extending the duration of matches beyond what might be expected for a board game of this type, further exacerbated by infrequent mini-games triggered by specific board spaces.
Closing Comments:
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board!offers a distinctive twist to the board game genre, blending the thematic and aesthetic elements of theDemon Slayeruniverse with gameplay mechanics reminiscent ofMario Party. This unique fusion creates a gameplay experience that’s both familiar and fresh, providing fans of the series with a novel way to engage with their favorite characters in a playful, competitive setting. The game’s appeal is tempered by technical challenges, though, notably the frequent frame rate drops and slow gameplay pace, which may detract from the overall experience for some players. Additionally, the sparse online player base presents a significant limitation, particularly for those looking to enjoy its full potential in a multiplayer format. Despite these issues,Sweep the Board!has considerable charm and can be a delightful addition to gatherings, particularly forDemon Slayerfans. It reminds us that even well-trodden paths like board games can be reinvented with creative thinking and strong thematic ties. For those who can play it in a local multiplayer setting, the game offers a chance to experience the joys and frustrations of board game dynamics enriched with a touch of anime flair.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board!
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
