2025 has been a completely stacked yr for video video games — Hades II, Hole Knight: Silksong, Clair Obscur, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Cut up Fiction are only a few video games which have picked up over a 90 common on OpenCritic. However till Hades II arrived, there was a recreation that stood head and shoulders above the remaining, and also you won’t have even heard of it.
Shujinkou launched on PC through Steam and PS5 earlier this yr and the Change model is out at this time (2nd October) on the eShop for £26.99 / $29.99 (or your regional equal). The port was truly introduced a few month in the past, however given the craziness of September, it utterly slipped by us!
Developed by Rice Video games, a studio based by Julian Rice, Shujinkou is a dungeon-crawling RPG the place you can even discover ways to communicate and write Japanese. Anybody with first rate information of Japanese would possibly spot that the very recreation’s title interprets to ‘Protagonist’ and that the three fundamental characters are all named Shu, Jin, and Kou.
However instructing you Japanese is not the first focus — whereas it is part of the sport, it is truly totally optionally available, and Julian Rice has stated in interviews that “It isn’t a Japanese language studying instrument”. That is at first a online game impressed by Etrian Odyssey.
Should you’re within the RPG facet of issues, then this rundown from the eShop ought to assist:
Studying Japanese is totally optionally available. For these extra within the journey, Shujinkou delivers a wealthy role-playing expertise:
• Discover difficult labyrinths and remedy puzzles from a first-person perspective.
• Interact in strategic turn-based battles that evolve over time.
• Change to “English-Solely” mode at any time to focus solely on the gameplay expertise.
• Grasp lots of of Arawasu abilities and uncover highly effective objects.
• Forge dozens of distinct weapons and armor, every with distinctive taste textual content.
• Fish for all kinds of marine creatures at varied scenic spots.
• Full 100 facet quests that discover and increase upon the numerous inhabitants of Genya.
• Play six minigames hosted by members of the Fuu Foyer.
• Revisit your journey by the Artwork Gallery and Jukebox.Having been in improvement for over six years, what actually units Shujinkou aside is its extra, seamless integration of Japanese language studying. Whether or not you’re solely right here for the journey or right here to lastly study Japanese by an actual online game, the power to study a difficult, real-world talent makes Shujinkou stand out within the already-crowded style of wonderful role-playing video games.
The sport is presently at a 94 on OpenCritic after 9 evaluations, and a 90 on Metacritic after 6 evaluations. That is not many, however it’s notable, as lots of these evaluations are fairly glowing.
“Shujinkou is an outstanding recreation, simply making its technique to the ranks of my favourite JRPGs,’ says Noisy Pixel in its overview. Digitally Downloaded was equally filled with reward, saying “It’s an impressed, clever concept and I hope folks give it an opportunity regardless of being as indie as they arrive.” And, equally, RPGFan calls the sport “one of the vital bold indie video games I’ve ever performed.”
Clearly that is only a handful of opinions (there are a number of lower-scores there) and over on Steam, it is solely garnered 14 evaluations. However the fusion of mechanics alone has us . Shujinkou, we now have our eyes on you.
Have you ever performed Shujinkou? Will you be grabbing this on Change at this time? Tell us within the feedback.
