When I browse for demos, I occasionally do not read anything about the game and just download it. This is what happened this week. I thought the demo was sweet, but after playing it, I had no idea what it was about or what genre it was. Anyway, this week I cut demons down in what initially looked like a 2D soulslike, but then I found out it was a boss-rush game.

This week is the Onikura demo!

Onikura is a 2D boss rush game from Too Dark Studios and Astrolabe Games. The demo is currently still up and has no planned release date.

Onikura knows what game it wants to be; the demo is entirely do-ey. You are dropped into the onboarding, which is just learning how to parry, dash, heal, attack, use the teleport dagger, and use your ultimate. Once you do that, you are well on your way to battling the first boss of the demo.

The player starts with 3 health, and the game is over when a baddie knocks you down to 0. This is where the healing comes into play. Hitting enemies generates purple dust that allows you to heal or, when full, allows the player to activate a devastating ultimate move that deals high amounts of damage.

The dash is incredibly useful in sticky situations. The parry is by far my favorite mechanic because when you hit the parry, enemies (at least in the demo) had a point when they would get stunned, and you can get in for a few good hits before dashing back out. The TWANG of the parry is something that I LIVE for. Onikura’s art style extends beyond the environment here.

Bad guys telegraph their attacks, yellow for blockable and red for unblockable. It is a nice add-on to the game when the art is woven so seamlessly into the gameplay. I think that Too Dark Studios has nailed what makes boss fights fun, to the point where I fought the same boss 10+ times and never really felt bad about losing. It was my greed the whole time!

The movement has me feeling like I am in an anime. Fast, clean movement and tight combat make for a really addictive game.

Defeat a boss and absorb their soul to give to a gorgeous, monumental-looking spirit tree to receive a reward. Talismans come in many forms, and the player can choose two. Upgrades are also present to help the player with subsequent future bosses. Things like longer dashes, an ultimate, more health, etc.

Onikura is off to a great start. I completed the demo in just over 20 minutes, and I think that I will go back to play it again. Being a controller game makes the experience so much better. I could not imagine playing the demo (or the game) on a keyboard and mouse. The gameplay is tight and satisfying, and the game looks phenomenal.

I think I’m on board with a boss rush game.