Saturday, September 2, 2017

Akane the Kunoichi (XBLIG, 2011)

Akane the Kunoichi
Developed by Haruneko
Released for XBLIG (5/2011)
Also on PC/iOS


Akane the Kunoichi is a 2D platformer that is an homage to retro ninja titles, specifically the Shinobi games. Don't let the boobs on the cover fool you that this another throwaway indie title! The main difference between Akane and Shinobi is that you play as a female, but your still taking down enemies by throwing your weapons at them, though rather than shuriken you'll be using kunai. The level design is solid and tends to make use of platforming a bit more than the old Shinobi titles did, but the controls are up to the task and navigating the levels is a good time. You have five acts, each with three levels. At the end of each third level you'll face off against a boss. The game also has its own achievement-style challenges you can unlock for a little replay value. Haruneko has shown us with both Akane the Kunoichi and Amazing Princess Sarah that they can design a competent 2D game that's a lot of fun to play! It's a bit of a shame that this one didn't get ported over to the Xbox One like Sarah did, but it did receive mobile and PC ports so it is still playable. I wouldn't count on it coming to the One as I can't see Amazing Princess Sarah selling that well on the platform, but I could be wrong. Regardless, Akane is a solid effort and totally worth your time, though I'd probably stay away from the mobile versions as it's best played with a controller.

Final Verdict: A cool throwback to old-school ninja games, fans of Shinobi should have a good time with Akane the Kunoichi!

Related Links:
Amazing Princess Sarah - Xbox Overview
Akane the Kunoichi - GameFAQs
Haruneko - Developer Page
Akane the Kunoichi for PC - Steam
Akane the Kunoichi Review - Indie Gamer Chick
Akane the Kunoichi Review - Die Hard Game Fan



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