Almost 30 years removed from the height of popularity for the beat-em-up genre, it’s tough to really stand out in a type of game that’s been done in every way imaginable. So, I tempered my expectations going into 9 Monkeys of Shaolin, especially after having a messy experience with Streets of Rage 4 earlier this year. Having never heard of Sobaka Studio or Buka Entertainment, it would take a miracle to gain my interest.

Thankfully, giving it the old college try quickly revealed that 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a strong effort from these previously-unknown names. Taking control of Wei Cheng, the introductory sequence showcases some truly visceral fighting with his trusty staff. More than just mashing the square button, there’s a dive to deal with enemies shooting at you from afar, as well as a poke that allows for mixed combos. You’ll need to switch it up between the standard infantry, armored enemies, and ranged enemies.

Personally, the most important aspect of a game that involves fighting is how good the dodge/parry mechanics feel. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin‘s dodge/parry feels exceptionally-responsive, deservedly-so as some ranged enemies aren’t even in swinging distance. The timing is vital and necessary every few seconds, adding a certain fluidity to the combat that keeps the player on the edge of their seat, instead of just button-mashing. Adding more staffs with unique bonuses is a nice layer to break from the monotony, as well.

The environments on display in the lush, diverse China are flattering to the eye and never feel repeated in the several locales in 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. From rainforests to deserts to your home dojo, no two settings are going to feel the same. Seeing all of these gorgeous visuals while running at a smooth 60fps on a regular PS4 is a treat and should be standard with games of this caliber from now on. I was actually quite surprised it ran this well. It shows the developer, Sobaka Studio, cares about performance just as much as visual fidelity.

If I have anything bad to say about 9 Monkeys of Shaolin, it’s that the humor from a few of the members of the home setting feels very out-of-place and never lands. With a serious tone, comic relief doesn’t necessarily fit, especially with lacking delivery, but this is a nitpick as the dialogue is only a small bit of the greater aspects of the game. With the majority of interactions being on-topic and developing for Wei Cheng, this is far from a dealbreaker. The only other thing is that the screen was a tiny bit cropped on the edges, but it wasn’t enough to cause any issues with my gameplay, so that gets a pass too.

My run of 9 Monkeys of Shaolin was enjoyable and I was left wanting more by its completion. With several difficulty levels, it will definitely be worth running through on a tougher instance later. I actually had a surplus of health restores for most of the game at my difficulty, so the added challenge will only make the combat even more invigorating. Overall, this is definitely worth picking up for beat-em-up fans who will power through 9 Monkeys of Shaolin in a breeze.

A PS4 review copy of 9 Monkeys of Shaolin was provided by Buka Entertainment for this review.

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9 Monkeys of Shaolin

$19.99

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Intense, Refined Combat
• Beautiful Animations
• Non-Linear Progression

Cons

• Humor is Misplaced
• A Little Too Short