Akai Katana

Last updated
Akai Katana
Akai Katana arcade flyer.jpg
Developers Cave
exA-Arcadia (EXA Label)
Publisher Cave [a] [b]
Director Tsuneki Ikeda
Producer Kenichi Takano
Designer Hideki Nomura
Programmers Tsuneki Ikeda
Shinobu Yagawa
Daisuke Koizumi
Toshihiko Sera
Artist Mushimaro Tachikawa [1]
Composer Ryu Umemoto
Platforms
Release
August 20, 2010
  • Arcade
    • JP: August 20, 2010
    Arcade Shin
    • JP: July 24, 2012
    Arcade EXA Label
    • WW: February 17, 2022
    Shin
    Xbox 360
    • JP: May 26, 2011
    • EU: May 11, 2012 [2]
    • NA: May 15, 2012
    • AU: August 28, 2012 [3]
    Windows
    • WW: December 15, 2022
    Switch, PS4, Xbox One
    • JP: December 15, 2022
    • WW: June 29, 2023
Genres Scrolling shooter, bullet hell
Arcade system CAVE CV1000-D

NESiCAxLive (Shin)

exA-Arcadia (EXA Label)

Akai Katana [c] is a horizontally scrolling shooter bullet hell developed by Cave and released in Japan on August 20, 2010 for arcades. A port to the Xbox 360 with additional game modes, Akai Katana Shin, [d] followed on May 26, 2011. Rising Star Games published the console release in North America and Europe on May 15, 2012 simply as Akai Katana.

Contents

An enhanced arcade port titled Akai Katana EXA Label was released by exA-Arcadia on February 17, 2022. [4] City Connection ported the Xbox 360 release to Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and released it as Akai Katana Shin on December 15, 2022. [5]

Gameplay

Arcade version screenshot. ARC Akai Katana.png
Arcade version screenshot.

Plot

Set in a parallel world resembling Japan's Taishō period, the people have discovered the powerful Blood Swords, the titular Akai Katana. Requiring human sacrifices to unleash their immense destructive power, these swords have been used by the empire to crush neighbouring countries. However, all the bloodshed and power gained through sacrificing close family members has made some of the swordsmen reconsider. With new fighter planes and the powered up swords at their disposal, this small band of rebels now fight back against the tyrannical empire.

Reception

Famitsu gave the game scores of 8, 8, 8 and 9 from four reviewers, adding up to a total score of 33 out of 40. [11] GameSpot gave the game a score of 8 out of 10, describing it as "a well-crafted dose of over-the-top bullet-hell action." [12] Destructoid gave the game a score of 9 out of 10, concluding that "you may just find yourself ascending to bullet hell heaven if you dedicate some time to learning the game’s obscure but absolutely thrilling mechanics." [8]

Mean Machines described it as a "must-have blaster" for the Xbox 360, praising the gameplay, the "masterpiece" 2D graphics, and the "fantastic" hard rock soundtrack. [15] Crunchyroll praised the challenging gameplay as well as Umemoto's "insane guitar" music as possibly "soundtrack of the year," concluding that "anyone interested in the genre should pick this one up and reward said risk with a small swirling bundle of gold." [16]

Notes

  1. ↑ Xbox 360 version published by Rising Star Games in North America and Europe.
  2. ↑ Nintendo Switch, Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions published by City Connection.
  3. ↑ Japanese: 赤い刀, Hepburn: Red Katana
  4. ↑ Japanese: 赤い刀 真

References

  1. ↑ "QUATRE AILES". Mushimaro Blog. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  2. ↑ Burleson, Kyle MacGregor (May 5, 2012). "Cave shooter Akai Katana descending onto the Xbox 360". Destructoid . Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Akai Katana". GameSpot AU . Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  4. ↑ "CRIMSON KATANA EXA LABEL". exA-Arcadia. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  5. ↑ "Akai Katana Shin for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch launches December 15". Gematsu. 2022-08-18. Archived from the original on 2022-08-18. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  6. ↑ "Akai Katana for Xbox 360". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Akai Katana for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Pinsof, Allistair (May 17, 2012). "Review: Akai Katana". Destructoid. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ Patterson, Eric L. (May 15, 2012). "EGM Review: Akai Katana". Electronic Gaming Monthly . Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ Woger, Martin (June 26, 2012). "Akai Katana - Test". Eurogamer (in German). Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Famitsu review scores - Pandora's Tower score". N4G. Archived from the original on November 17, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  12. 1 2 Walton, Mark (May 17, 2012). "Akai Katana Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  13. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (May 16, 2012). "Akai Katana Review". IGN . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ July 2012, p.107
  15. ↑ McFerran, Damien (19 May 2012). "Akai Katana review". Mean Machines . Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  16. ↑ Luster, Joseph (May 15, 2012). "Review: Cave's "Akai Katana" Shoot 'em Up Scores Big". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.