Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! is a bizarre blend of Mario Party action and Anime madness. This strange combination shouldn’t have worked, but occasionally it did. I’m not the biggest anime fan, so many of the crazy nuances were lost on me. However, I am familiar with Demon Slayer, so I was able to identify the key locations and the protagonists. If you have no interest in this Anime series, you can still enjoy the mini-games and the odd action.
This Anime board game experience was developed by Cyberconnect2 and published by SEGA. Moreover, it can be enjoyed alone or with 3 other gamers. If, like me, you tend to play alone, the spare spaces are filled with NPC demon slayers. Though this sounds great, there is an imbalance in the gameplay model that drives you insane. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if the developers can balance things, but it is a shortcoming that disappointed me.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! is a game of 2 halves.
Due to the short board game nature, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! has no plot. Instead, the unfolding action and protagonist’s character traits take centre stage. This was perfect for Demon Slayer fans as you can hear the sound bites of your favourite characters. Additionally, their personalities shine through and this will make you smile. However, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you won’t understand the little snippets of lore.
This could be problematic as the game offers little depth. Additionally, unlike other board games, the mini-game aspect is as deep as a puddle. This was a shame as I love the 3 maps and the demonic layer. Unfortunately, each mini-game lacks finesse and they are mostly a combination of button bashing.
Where Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! shines is its 2 part action. As each hero romps around the board, they must aim for a goal square. Once you hit this mark, you earn special ranking points that can level each character. Furthermore, the action turns from day to night and here is where the demons come to play.
Demonic beings.
The nighttime aspect was great. The demonic square offers a chance to tackle the evil overlord in a crazy mini-game. This should have been amazing, but most of the opportunities focus on mashing buttons or a weird combination of inputs. Yet, once you thwart the beast, they go into hiding and the gameplay loop begins again.
This almost tedious approach quickly became tiresome. However, when I played it with friends, I loved it a little bit more. The competitive edge shines through and the mini-games were enjoyable. Annoyingly, the aforementioned lack of balance between NPC and humans is overbearing and you never feel like you have a chance.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! misses a trick.
Anime and Manga are renowned for an exceptional visual experience. Disappointingly, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! misses a trick. The environment is fantastic and the locations are easily identifiable. However, the characters lack detail and the animation is slow and cumbersome. Understandably, this was way below my expectations and I hoped for better. Luckily, the demonic encounters were good, but this left me wondering why the core gameplay was so ugly.
The audio utilises key sound bites from each protagonist. Additionally, there is larger-than-life music and sound effects to complete the package. If you are not a fan of the franchise, you’ll find this pretty annoying. Yet, if you follow Demon Slayer, you’ll feel right at home. Consequently, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Weird controls.
The overworld is an easy place to navigate. The simple UI and dice mechanics will not take you by surprise. However, the mini-games are a weird mixture of button bashing and strange inputs. This approach was bizarre and it makes the action unnecessarily complex. Moreover, it can be frustrating to play. Subsequently, I found myself getting extremely annoyed as things didn’t go to plan.
If you have like-minded friends, you’ll enjoy the banter and the competitive edge. Furthermore, if you love the franchise, there is plenty to keep you interested. However, if you are a solo gamer or you have never heard of Demon Slayer, you are in for a rough ride. Accordingly, replay value and longevity will depend on which camp you sit in.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! doesn’t quite get it right.
I’m on the fence with this board game experience. On one hand, it is colourful and it captures the theme perfectly. However, the games lack an edge and the control system isn’t good. What’s more, the attention to detail is lacking. Sadly, there are too many shortcomings and I cannot recommend it as a consequence. Yet, more information can be found here! Can you defeat the demons? Pick your slayer, romp around the board, and become infamous.
