Code provided with many thanks to the FELICE Inc.
Mochiko the Samurai – Prepare to Samurai
When I first looked at Mochiko the Samurai, I’ll admit the screenshots caught my attention. The bright anime-style visuals and wide open landscapes gave off a bit of a Breath of the Wild vibe, at least at a glance. Add in what looked like some Souls-like combat elements, and it seemed like an interesting mix.
That said, I did have a few doubts after watching the trailer. And unfortunately, once I actually played the game, quite a few of those concerns started to make sense.
Now, to be fair, Mochiko the Samurai has launched into Early Access, which means it’s expected to be unfinished. But even with that in mind, the current build feels very rough around the edges. It genuinely feels like a work in progress rather than a polished early version of a game. That doesn’t mean there isn’t potential here. I think there are glimpses of something interesting, but right now the game clearly has a long road ahead.
The Setup
The basic premise is fairly straightforward. You play as Mochiko, a lone samurai tasked with dealing with a growing demon threat. Some characters close to you have been corrupted by demon blood, and it’s up to you to travel across the land, defeat powerful enemies, and try to save them.
Gameplay mostly revolves around exploring large areas, finding dungeons, defeating bosses, and moving on to the next challenge. It’s a simple concept and one that could work well in an action RPG setting. Unfortunately, a lot of the core systems don’t quite come together yet.
Combat That Feels Rather Clunky
The first thing that stood out to me was the combat. The game clearly wants to lean into Souls-like mechanics, with lock-on targeting, dodging, and stamina management.
But right now, the combat feels extremely clunky. Attacks don’t feel particularly smooth, and the overall flow just feels a bit awkward. Stamina drains very quickly, and when it runs out, your character loudly complains in a somewhat robotic-sounding voice. Instead of feeling tense or strategic, fights often feel stiff and frustrating. The systems are there, but they don’t yet feel refined enough to make combat satisfying.
Interestingly, the first boss fight I encountered was actually fairly easy, which was a bit surprising for a game clearly aiming for that Souls-like challenge.
A Big World That Feels Slow
After the opening section, the game opens up and lets you explore a large area in search of the next dungeon. The world itself is quite big, and the draw distance is actually impressive. You can see far across the landscape, which does help create a sense of scale. But exploration isn’t always enjoyable.
For one thing, Mochiko moves very slowly. There is a sprint button, but it doesn’t make a huge difference. Crossing the large open areas can feel like it takes a long time, especially when you’re not always sure where you’re supposed to be heading. The game does give some hints about your objective, like looking for floating platforms near mountains, but overall, the direction feels quite vague.
Platforming Troubles
There are also some platforming sections scattered throughout the world. Unfortunately, these can be quite frustrating. Early on, there are bouncing platforms that launch you into the air, followed by sections with moving platforms. The problem is that the movement just doesn’t feel precise enough for this kind of gameplay. Jumps can feel awkward and unpredictable, which makes these sections harder than they probably need to be. I managed to survive them, but they definitely didn’t feel particularly smooth. Most certainly not enjoyable.
A Few Visual Positives
One area where the game does deserve some credit is its visual style. The colourful anime-inspired art direction is actually quite pleasant. The character design for Mochiko herself is nicely done, and the environments use bright colours that give the world a lively feel. As mentioned earlier, the draw distance is also impressive. You can see far across the map without much noticeable pop-in, which helps the world feel more expansive. It’s not a graphically cutting-edge game, but the art direction does have some charm.
Rough Edges Everywhere
Unfortunately, there are quite a few technical and design issues that make the experience feel messy right now. The user interface is a good example. A huge section of the screen is taken up by a large display showing your weapon, item slots, and stats. It’s surprisingly intrusive and feels like information that would normally live in a menu rather than constantly filling the screen.
Menus themselves are also quite rough, with plain text and controller prompts that don’t always seem to match what you’re using. There are also noticeable translation issues. The game is voiced in Japanese, but the English subtitles sometimes feel awkward or lacking personality. Occasionally, dialogue boxes even appear with Japanese text mixed in unexpectedly.
I attempted to play the game on Steam Deck, but the game was just not functional.
Early Access Means Early
To be clear, this is an Early Access release, and the developer does mention that the game isn’t finished. But even with that understanding, Mochiko the Samurai currently feels more like an early prototype than a solid early build. Combat needs refinement, exploration needs to feel smoother, and the overall presentation could use quite a bit of polish.
Final Thoughts
Despite my criticisms, I don’t want to be overly harsh. This is a project from a solo developer, and there are signs that something interesting could eventually grow from it. The art style has charm, the world has scale, and the core idea of a demon-hunting samurai adventure has potential.
Right now, though, Mochiko the Samurai feels like a game that simply needed more time before entering Early Access. With enough updates and improvements, it could still turn into something special. For the moment, however, it’s a difficult game to fully recommend based on these early impressions.
Still, Early Access exists for exactly this reason. With feedback and a lot of hard work, it will be interesting to see where Mochiko’s journey goes from here.
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