I’ve been getting back into podcasts lately, and one of them is IGN’s Game Scoop. Not only has that revived fond memories of this blog’s early days, but it also reminded me of a forgotten gem from the past: Muramasa: The Demon Blade.
Released on the Nintendo Wii, Muramasa tells a story centered around the legendary cursed swords forged by Muramasa Sengo. These blades are famous for their demonic nature and bloodlust, bringing tragedy to anyone who wields them.
One such wielder is Momohime, a princess who loses her family and becomes possessed by the spirit of a ronin named Jinkuro. Using her body, Jinkuro seeks to steal the Muramasa blades for his own dark ambitions. Momohime is accompanied by Kongiku, a fox spirit (kitsune) loyal to Jinkuro.
You may have noticed another foxgirl in the image above, that’s Yuzuruha, a kitsune who assists the game’s second protagonist, Kisuke, an amnesiac ninja who also becomes entangled with the cursed swords.
Muramasa is stunning: fast-paced combat, striking art direction, atmospheric music, and memorable boss fights. While it wasn’t their first game, Odin Sphere came before it, Muramasa was the game that really made me take notice of Vanillaware and their signature painted art style. They would go on to create other titles like Dragon’s Crown, along with several more ambitious releases.
Sadly, the game was only released on the Wii and later on the PlayStation Vita, making it harder to experience today. This is one of those titles that deserves a modern port so more players can discover it.
If you ever get the chance to play it, give Muramasa: The Demon Blade a shot — it’s an underrated masterpiece.
So what do you think?