NEA’S PLAY NOTE · 01Being able to play for a few minutes keeps me going

Lately, too many things have arrived at once, so finding a long stretch of time for a game is difficult. Even so, I take out my Switch 2 whenever a small gap opens up.

For me, being able to play without choosing a particular place matters a great deal. I do not have to settle in front of a television. Because I can pick it up and continue for a short while, games do not feel so far away even on busy days.

That is why I am glad I chose the Switch 2 version. This is less a verdict based on performance numbers and more a matter of this way of playing fitting my life right now.

NEA’S PLAY NOTE · 02Dohatsuten, was that really necessary…?

Today I defeated Dohatsuten. I won on my second attempt, but the way the first one ended should explain why I am asking that question.

I do enjoy trying again. But when I die like this, I go quiet for a moment. I used the Korean slang word eokka in the video title because it means the game felt absurdly unfair—and that was exactly how I felt.

I won on the second attempt. Still, the victory also showed me that I needed more growth. For now, I am clearing side missions and preparing a little more.

NEA’S PLAY NOTE · 03Meeting the same enemies again is a little disappointing

Side missions are optional tasks away from the main story. I am doing them one by one to prepare for the next fight, and this is where I have felt some frustration: similar enemies and mission patterns sometimes repeat.

The phrase ‘half-open world’ in other reviews bothered me. Perhaps it means that, despite expecting the pleasure of exploring a broad space, repetition is what stands out first. From what I have played, I can understand why people say it.

I have not finished the game, so I cannot say the rest will feel the same. At the moment, whenever a task begins to feel repetitive, curiosity about the next boss pulls me forward again.

NEA’S PLAY NOTE · 04Musashi said exactly what I was feeling

Speaking of presentation, I need to show you this scene too. Musashi sums up in one sentence why I have been playing this game lately.

“Because it’s fun.”

I do not think I have even reached the halfway point, but right now this is my leading personal GOTY candidate. GOTY means ‘Game of the Year.’ I am not talking about an official award; I simply mean it is the game I feel most strongly about among the ones I have played this year.

The repetition can disappoint me, but a boss fight or a scene like this changes the mood completely. I think that is why I keep opening Onimusha.

NEA’S ALBUMI could not just pass these scenes by

I also saved a few screenshots while playing. When a scene looks this good, I want to keep it. Please take a look with me.

If you are still undecided and enjoy sword action and dramatic presentation like this, I think it is worth trying. Players who fit games into short breaks may also appreciate the convenience of the Switch 2 version.

I will play more and come back. Next time, I want to talk about whether the side missions change later on and whether the boss fights remain this exciting.