When I first read the title for Monkey King: Hero Is Back, for some reason my mind went straight towards thinking it was a One Piece game, but after watching the trailer, I knew it was going to be a fun action/adventure game similar to the RPGs I played with a vast, beautiful open-world. Developed by HEXADRIVE INC. and published by Oasis Games, Monkey King: Hero Is Back is a lighthearted new story that can be finished in one sit-in if you have a day off and want something to play.
Monkey King: Hero Is Back is an action/adventure game based off of the animated movie The Monkey King. The player takes the role of Dasheng, a Monkey King who has been imprisoned for 500 years and who is suddenly awakened by a young boy named Louer. In order to break the chains that are binding your full power, it’s your job to help others and rid the world of the evil that has taken over during your slumber and is stealing children and attacking townsfolk in nearby villages. It’s just a simple story that features new episodes not portrayed in the original film. The game is short and sweet, which I like. Plus, you can’t forget how it combines epic, larger than life Chinese mythology with flashy and fun kung fu action for a delightful, pulse-pounding action/adventure!
The gameplay is smooth; however, the game did take a while to load before I got to the title screen when I was playing it before it was released (and was probably fixed with an update, but I will eventually get it when I can because my PlayStation 4 is filled and can’t download anything at the moment), which is pretty much the only downside I found while playing the game.
Controlling Dasheng is easy, and he has light and heavy attacks, which can be made into combo attacks. You can also jump and unlock abilities like using stealth to sneak up on enemies and one hit kill them. I have to say that this game looks fantastic and so beautiful. From the opening, the cutscenes and the regular gameplay, it all looks stunning and vibrant. When you first get control of Dasheng in a cave, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the beauty of the graphics, and when I left the cave and made my way to the outside world, it blew me mind. It reminds me of the first time I saw The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s overworld when Link first wakes up. I spent lots of time just admiring the art and relaxing. I love the character designs as well. The monsters, Louer, his brother, Dasheng, the townspeople, everything was so stunning, and I could see that lots of time was put into making this game so beautiful.
Besides loving the graphics, what I also like and enjoy about this game is that it held my attention and made me want to know more. I never once told myself that I wasn’t enjoying myself, and I wanted to help out every character that I came across. I wanted to complete every chapter and finish every quest. It was so satisfying just helping all the townsfolk and saving the kids that I just wanted to play more until I finished it.
Monkey King: Hero Is Back is that slice of butt-kicking, kung fu pie that is heartwarming and quenches that hunger for a day of gaming goodness. The game may not have a long story, but if you aren’t distracted by its beautiful graphics, it can be finished in under six hours. However, I think that’s what makes it a good and interesting game. At the end of the day, isn’t it about having fun with a game? I surely think so. I think it’s a fun, entertaining, cute little game. However, I think if you can find the game cheaper for a good price, pick it up and give it a shot.
Developer: Hexadrive Inc.
Publisher: Oasis Games
Platforms: PC, PS4
Release Date: 17th October 2019
Do you agree with our review of Monkey King: Hero Is Back? What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments below.
