Developed by Russian developer Sobaka Studio and published by both Ravenscourt (Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition) and Buka Entertainment, 9 Monkeys Of Shaolin blends the real-life monks of ancient China with the action-packed feel of old 70’s Wuxia films and the gameplay of side-scrolling beat-’em-ups.
9 Monkeys Of Shaolin puts players in the role of Wei Cheng, a local fisherman tasked with protecting his village against invading Wokou pirates. Upon being critically injured in a battle against their leader, Cheng is rescued by an ancient order of Shaolin Monks and taken to their temple to rest and train to avenge his slain grandfather and fallen village. Along the way, he helps out various townspeople, makes powerful enemies, and decides to follow the path of the monks to become a legend in his own right.
The game plays out like a classic side-scrolling brawler, albeit with a 3D movement plane that sometimes makes it difficult to aim at enemies at times. Players travel through a given level and fend off these enemies with a variety of attacks from Wei Cheng’s trusty staff, including slashing strikes, thrusting stabs, and leaping kick combos that can close the distance between Wei Cheng and his foes. Additionally, players can parry strikes and dodge attacks (which can also deal a small amount of damage). Finally, players can unleash special strikes and magical attacks using a mystical power known as Qi – which is measured by a yellow power bar.
Foes are split into five separate tribes of Wokou forces and range from simple grunts to undead spirits that require Qi attacks to defeat. Certain attacks work better on these than others, adding a small hint of strategy to the proceedings. For example, if executed properly, parries can deflect enemy projectiles back at them, earning an instant kill. Enemy damage is measured by a small red health meter just above them, just as Wei Cheng’s damage is measured by a bar in the upper left corner of the screen. If Cheng’s health runs out, he will have to restart from the last checkpoint he passed through. At the end of a Chapter, Wei Cheng will face off against the leader of the clan that he is currently facing, who will usually give him a new equipment piece after their defeat.
Outside of missions, players are sent to the monks’ home in the Southern Shaolin Temple, where they can equip new items they collect on their journey, play multiplayer matches, or get ready for the next mission. Missions can be selected by talking to the monks in the Temple and then walking out the door, and can reward players with Golden Wheels that they can use to upgrade Wei Cheng’s attacks, though it can take some time to advance them past the first stage due to a bar that needs to be filled. Sometimes there is more than one mission available, and players will have to choose which one they wish to do for that level. Luckily, they can go back and play through levels that they passed over from a separate map.
9 Monkeys Of Shaolin’s graphics are simple and on par with most 3D indie games, with stylized character models and warm, earthy colors. Environments vary between small villages, rain-soaked streets at night, bamboo-filled forests, and burning towers. Cutscenes play out like calligraphy drawings being scribbled on canvas before being filled out with color, although in-game conversations are merely static text and voice clips.
9 Monkeys Of Shaolin might not break the mold for 2.5D side-scrolling beat-em-ups, but it does provide some solid action and fun gameplay for fans of both the genre and kung-fu fighting epics. Overall, it serves as a decent time-filler for those looking to scratch their ninja-busting itch.
9 Monkeys Of Shaolin will be released on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 16. Screen Rant was provided a Steam download code for the purpose of this review.
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