Games don't come much cooler than Sonokuni. This is a Hotline Miami-inspired action game developed by the Japanese hip hop group Don Yasa Crew and, just when you thought that premise couldn't get any sweeter, it's coming to Switch.
Inspired by Japanese mythology, Sonokuni will see you playing as a lone assassin, Takeru, tasked with taking down a surreal superpower. To do so, you'll have to punch, kick and parry your way through opponents, all while bending time to make the action feel that bit more cinematic — another mark in the 'coolness' column for additional bullet time.
All of this is accompanied by a hip hop soundtrack from the game's dev, and enough pixel art biopunk visuals to make you feel like you've stepped straight into the year 2077... or something like that.
The game is expected to launch on Steam from publisher Kakehashi Games at some point this quarter, with the Switch release following "soon after".
Sonokuni picked up VGC’s Media Highlight award and the ‘Excellence In Sound Design’ award at last year's BitSummit indie expo, already adding a couple of trophies to its cabinet. We'll be keeping an eye out for more information over the coming months.
Does this one look up your street? Let us know in the comments.
Comments 8
Not sure it's for me personally, but it certainly piqued my interest and regardless, happy to hear that it's coming also to Switch!
Where did you get the news for the Switch version?
Ah, yes, Japanese Hip-Hop. A genre that, for decades, I've tried my best to pretend doesn't actually exist.
"Give us a cooler premise..." How about one that doesn't involve cultural appropriation
After a few duds trying to be Hotline Miami, I’m skeptical of any game that tries to emulate it. Ape Out was great, and Boomerang X and Katana Zero scratched the HM itch for me despite not having top-down action. I’ll keep an eye on the reviews for this game and hope for the best.
Don Yasa Crew, huh? I know some veterans of Japanese rap/hip-hop like RHYMESTER(Mummy-D, Utamaru, DJ Jin), Dohzi-T, Zeebra, Kōhei Japan, and some "new" faces like Salu, but I've never heard about this group before.
Urgh I have to sign up to YouTube to watch the trailer on NL’s channel? Gave someone else the click, it looks… ok. I dunno I guess I was expecting a bit more?
People do know the soundtrack in Hotline Miami was the biggest reason the gameplay felt amazing, right? This trailer song is not it.
Why would a game made by a hip hop group excite anyone?
Their talents clearly lie elsewhere.
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