TEST GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, a Switch port that does the job, with a little “but”

Getsu Fūma Den is a signed production Konami which was released in 1987 on the NES. The Japanese firm has decided to dust off this license in order to offer a more modern, more flashy opus, with a look that is more pleasing to the eye, GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon. During 2021, the title was available in Early Access on PC and over time has been tweaked by the developers. 2022, the publisher brings this “roguelike hack-and-slash” to the beauty of nintendo. Do we have a sympathetic adaptation in sight? Let’s talk about it.

The result is globally convincing.

Visually, GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon has a very particular and colorful style. The 2D title is inspired by Japanese prints, showing off a charming art direction based on art ukiyo e. So the big question is: does it look good on Switch? Let’s say the studio changed some things to turn the beast around. Point that tickles the peepers quite a bit, thealiasing omnipresent spoiling the beauty of certain environments which are in perpetual motion. Thus, in mode TV, when the screen is overwhelmed with props and enemies, the game can become slightly unreadable, with a bunch of drooling pixels exhibited in the image. So what ? We go into mode Portable to get a much finer finish. Indeed, the small of the machine veils the impurities, the graphics are then a little more pleasant.

Contrary to what some may think, handling is demanding. Unsurprisingly, nothing beats a good controller Pro to properly control the movements of our hero. So the question is: what is the value of the gameplay with the Joy-Con ? Well, she’s not bad. Secondary weapons can be used with the rear triggers, and movement can be done with either the joystick or the D-Pad. So we can attack, dodge and counter with ease, the wrists are not tired, it is a real pleasure.

As you will have understood, we have a good little portage here. Admittedly, the team had to make some concessions to run GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon on Switch, but the result is generally convincing, especially in mode Portable. If you love “hack-and-slash roguelikes” with a purely Japanese atmosphere, we can only recommend it.

You can buy a €25 eShop card on Amazon.