Overview – developed by Madbricks and developed by Amber Studio, Mexican is a 2.5D hack and slash brawler, mixing roguelike elements with chaotic and blood soaked combat. As the Mexican Ninja, take on the Narkuza, the criminal syndicate that has taken over the region of Nuevo-Tokyo. This title is available for the PlayStation, Xbox and Steam, with a link to each version of the game will be at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Amber Studio for providing the copy of Mexican Ninja that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I will be covering the core aspects of the experience, as there are elements that I don’t want to spoil for players.
Story – in a dystopian world, Japan invaded and annexed Mexico with Nuevo-Tokyo being created after the conflict. In this land of chaos, the Narcos and Yakuza combined, creating a neo feudal regime under the new ruling class, the Narzuka. The Narzuka are now the law, and rule with an iron fist. On the outskirts of Nuevo-Tokyo, a group of rebels plot to eliminate the five heads of the Narzuka Clan, with the Mexican Ninja being the one chosen for this task.
Gameplay – Mexican Ninja is a roaming brawler, where the player takes the role of the titular hero. Armed with twin katana’s the Mexican Ninja must make their way through the different parts of Nuevo-Tokyo, cutting down the thugs of the Narkuza that roam the streets. In this bloody campaign against the Narzuka, players will need to make their way through five districts. These include the outskirts of Nuevo-Tokyo, a mysterious laboratory and a ghostly forest.
Each of the districts are split into multiple stages, where the player must make their way through as they beat down the enemies that appear. To take down the Narzuka thugs, the player will have access to a simple moveset. Players can use both light and heavy attacks, the ability to jump and a dash that is used to dodge enemy attacks. The light attacks can be strung together in combos, with the heavy attack capable of blocking some attacks through parrying.
As the Mexican Ninja carves a bloody path through the henchmen, they will drop coins that can be collected when killed. There are a multitude of enemies that appear, with general fodder enemies that are smaller and heavy brutes, who are more resilient and hit harder. Some of the foes that appear will have ranged attacks, which can hit the player from across the screen. There will be multiple enemy encounters during a stage.
When all of the enemy waves have been defeated, the player will be given a reward from the three gods that preside over Nuevo-Tokyo. The gifts that are granted from these gods include Passive abilities, that improve the chances of survival and Death Charms that grant temporary boosts. But their most important boon are the Jutsus, which are special power attacks that can deal massive damage to enemies. Up to two Jutsu powers can be equipped at a time.
During a stage, the player can also come across special prayer altars that will give the player a boost. The special prayer spots allow existing power-ups and upgrades to be enhanced, also offering a monetary boost or health recovery as an option. Players can also come across smaller statues, which will offer the choice between small increases to attack power or total health. These will be important the further the get into a run.
Between stages, the player can select from branching paths, offering the player two routes that they can select from. The stages are selected from a pool of stages, which are randomly designated at the start of the run. After the main stages of the district are cleared, the player will make their way to the boss area. In these arenas, the player will encounter deadly bosses, who have large attacks that will deal devastating to the player if the attacks land.
In order to overcome the dangers of the boss battles, the player will need to learn the patterns for the attacks, with precise timing windows and powerful blasts. If the player can slay the powerful Narzuka bosses, they will be awarded with the chance at special power-ups. There are two power-ups that the player can select from, which are related to the fallen opponent. But if players wish, they can skip these powers and choose an upgrade instead.
If the player falls in battle, they will be sent back to the main hub area, where permanent boosts and enhancements can be unlocked before starting a run from scratch. Many of the upgrades are purchased through a skill tree, with the player unlocking new attacks, combos and buffs for hitting combos. Then there is the Way of the Donkey, which will provide permanent enhancement to health, total damage and recovery during battle.
The last thing to discuss is the quest system, where the player will be given quests from different NPC characters throughout the game. The challenges involve beating target enemies, using specific attacks and skills, or by just interacting with an NPC that appears in the stages. For completing the quests, the player will be awarded with currency and special costumes, which will have perks tied to them. These perks can give boosts that are related to the theme of the costume.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – this game has a rather easy to use control system, with 6 buttons used for all of the actions in battle. All of the buttons are used for the action, with the attack and movement buttons on the face, alongside the special attacks on the triggers. The bumpers are used for interactions with the environment and different characters. All of the inputs for the movement and combat work well, with reactive and responsive controls.
Difficulty – there is a fluctuating difficulty curve with this title, due to the roguelike progression of the game. During the course of the game, the player will encounter traps and hazards, which add to the unpredictability to runs. The spikes of the challenge can cause sudden deaths, which can be frustrating, but the more attempts that are made, the easier the game will get. The difficulty can also be eased by grinding money for permanent upgrades.
Presentation – Mexican Ninja has a dystopian look to the visual style, with a mix of vibrant and dark color, add to the atmosphere. The 2.5D visuals are a perfect fit for the chaotic action, with exaggerated models and effects that blend well together. This title also uses cinematic elements, which enhance the atmosphere and presentation. The sound is pretty solid, with a balanced soundtrack with exciting music, but the voiced dialogue gets repetitive over time.
Final Thoughts – I am a fan of the hack and slash genre, with an appreciation for the chaos and carnage that occurs. So this was an easy accept when it was offered to me, and I wasn’t disappointed with the experience. The action is chaotic and has a feel similar to that of the Grindhouse film genre, with the atmosphere that is presented throughout. This is enhanced with responsive combat that is satisfying as it is bloody.
During play the roguelike elements are done well, with no single death feeling unfair, alongside the randomised branching paths when moving through areas. Unlocking upgrades and costumes can be a little bit of a grind, which may put off some players. Some of the elements can also get repetitive, with background dialogue looping randomly, but it doesn’t hurt the experience. So I am happy to recommend this to fans of both brawlers and roguelike titles.
In the end, I give Mexican Ninja a final score of 4/5. This is a chaotic dystopian hack and slash brawler, with satisfying combat, over the top presentation and roguelike elements that are implemented in a non-intrusive way. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.
Link to Steam version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
