“Mahokenshi” review: perfectly marinated with Japanese Mythology

Mahokenshi is a deck-building game set in a world inspired by Japanese mythology and the story of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a warlord of the Sengoku period. 

Highlight:

• The game features an instance-based board game format with deckbuilding mechanics throughout. 
• The game is more of an experience-based strategy game with a focus on going around Japan and defeating the Shoguns who are hindering progress. 
• It has two different game modes, a campaign mode, and an endless mode that is unlocked after playing the campaign. 
• The game requires patience and players should not rush to gain the most out of it. It offers a lot of replayability value and the story is quite interesting.

Table of contents

Mahokenshi, from developer Game Source Studio and publisher Iceberg Interactive, seems to be distinctive relative to the swarm of other deck builders over the last few years. It’s not as much of a rogue-literal rogue-liter and more of an instance-based board game with deckbuilding mechanics woven throughout. This game is full of unique features that the developers spent months implementing. However, it does have some bugs and quirks to watch out for. To discourage players who are familiar with Japanese mythology Patience is important too to get the most out of a tactical game. The more satisfying single-player experience is the one that we are supposed to ignore and attempt to speed up the gameplay as much as possible. In all probability, they will also expect more information in the future.

What is the “Mahokenshi” game about?

The game is based on Japanese mythology and the story of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a warlord of the Sengoku period who dominated much of Japan in the late 16th century. At first, he goes around Japan to defeat his enemies and achieve dominance. Later he is seen sitting on top of Mt. Fuji which tells that Tokugawa won his battle against his enemies which allowed him to rule over Japan as the Shōgun. Tokugawa was a military genius, unlike many other warlords who gained power and wealth by simply bribing or looting their way to the throne. Thus, Tokugawa Ieyasu is the greatest military architect since Sun Tzu.

Story of the game 

The story in most deck builders is light, but it provides a nice backdrop for the level objectives. Mahokenshi’s missions are in a wide variety of settings, so they don’t get repetitive. Some are enduringly difficult to unravel, especially at the initial glance and with restricted upgrades, Many objectives in this game are optional, but they’re often rewarding. Unlocking a currency is one example of these rewards.

Inspiration for the game 

It seems to be inspired by Japanese mythology, it is not a direct depiction. Just like many other games, there are some pros and cons of the game. Some say that the game is unique but there are bugs in the game that may become a problem for gamers. Some reviews claim that the level design is patchy and some levels will take frustratingly long to finish, so unlocking upgrades and permanently increasing your deck size through loot boxes and randomization is necessary. It feels like the creators just wanted to make a new deck-building game and use the Tokugawa Ieyasu story as a backdrop.

Mahokenshi has some good moments of spontaneous creativity, but this Japanese mythology-themed deckbuilder is more gruelling than it is great. Our review – https://t.co/feBfaUIgfP pic.twitter.com/WprtcWOGuI

— Rock Paper Shotgun (@rockpapershot) January 24, 2023

What type of game is this?

The game is more of an experience-based strategy game. The main focus here is to go around Japan and defeat the Shoguns who are hindering your progress. There are two different game modes, one being a campaign mode where you can play through the Tokugawa Ieyasu story as he tries to stop the enemy army on the mainland. The other mode is an endless mode where you have a set number of times to win the level. Endless mode will be unlocked after playing the campaign and it is a much more difficult version of the campaign as in this mode you don’t get any extra turns, so it will take more time to finish the levels.

Review of the game 

In order to gain the most out of this game, you mustn’t rush. The more satisfying single-player experience is the one that we are supposed to ignore and attempt to speed up the gameplay as much as possible. In all probability, they will also expect more information in the future. Although it is quite similar to other deck-builder games, the fact that you are playing on a board makes it feel a bit different.

In conclusion,

In the end, it is a good game and the story is quite interesting to watch. Also, the game does offer a lot of replayability value and the more satisfying single-player experience is the one that we are supposed to ignore and attempt to speed up the gameplay as much as possible. In all probability, they will also expect more information in the future.