9 Monkeys of Shaolin Reviews
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a respectable scrolling fighting game, deserving of more than just an occasional session. Net of the problems related to the degree of challenge, the title of the Russian software house can be seen as an opportunity to take a relaxing journey through the culture and oriental settings, also giving us the opportunity to vent against hundreds of enemies showing off our skills in martial arts.
Review in Italian | Read full review
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a solid package. The story and characters are forgettable, but the action is excellent once you get over a few annoying fights and power up. The game comes in at a decent length, and the presentation is good with a few incentives thrown in to make you want to attempt another run at the campaign to unlock everything. Genre fans may be spoiled with the number of games that have come out over the past few years, and 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is another good title to add to the backlog.
Beat-em-ups are a dime a dozen, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is at the very least different from many of the other offerings on the Switch. From the complexity of the combat system which offers plenty of potential for variety in gameplay, to the inspired visual presentation, it's easy to recommend to any fan of the beat-em-up genre.
I have a keen interest in martial arts, Chinese and Japanese cultures and of course, beating up videogame baddies. This gives a fairly comprehensive explanation as to why 9 Monkeys of Shaolin appealed to me in the first place. It has all the ingredients to be a hit for gamers with tastes similar to mine. Read on to find out what I made of this beat’em up from Russia based developers, Sobaka Studio.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is an enjoyable time for any side-scrolling beat 'em up fan who's eager for some engaging and varied combat, but don't expect to be enthralled by Wei Chang's story.
If it had all of its issues ironed out, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin would be a prime example of rewarding beat 'em up gameplay.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin brings you back to the days of great arcade games like TMNT. It is a very fluid beat 'em up game.
I had a great time with 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. It was a fun time for the most part, and I constantly wanted to experiment with the different gear and skills. It was one that I always found myself jumping back into it just to get a few more levels in. If you’re a fan of the beat ‘em up genre, this is one you will need to check out. It has the style and the complexity to keep players having fun for the entirety of the game.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is an entertaining title that is loyal to the classic street fighting genre and also adds lots of cool new features to it. If you are a fan of the genre, don't miss on it.
Review in Persian | Read full review
9 Monkeys of Shaolin does much more than just join the vast list of beat ‘em ups: it is among the best of its kind. Sobaka Studio not only inserted all the elements that I consider essential, but also knew how to go further, adding aspects that differentiate it from the majority and that work very well with the frantic and exciting style of these games. The character's evolution structure prolongs the title's longevity for those who like grinding without making it mandatory for players who despise this mechanic.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
May the Force of The Shaolin monks be with you! This beat'em game is worth to play...and worth to fight!
Review in Slovak | Read full review
If you’re a beat-’em-up fanatic with a PlayStation Store balance to burn, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin might soothe your fighting spirit for an afternoon or so. But at $30, it’s hard to recommend to all but the most pugilistic players out there. If you’re looking for a PS4 brawler with a bit more meat on its bones, I’d recommend getting your hands on Fight’N Rage or Streets of Rage 4 first. Not only are they cheaper options, but they also offer much more bang for your gaming buck.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin's story is minimalist and fits a multitude of cliches, its gameplay is satisfying but limited, and the general atmosphere is brought down by mediocre visuals and formulaic music
We got the same feeling playing this game and watching classic martial arts movies. It is fun and combat mechanics are great, but it lacks variety and has some technical flaws.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is so close to being a really good side-scrolling brawler that it physically hurts. Hurts worse than a rolling cartwheel kick to the soft and delicates. There's a truly brilliant, satisfying, fun and deep combat system here, but whether you can see it beneath the shadows, silhouettes, staircases and stupid Green Tea meters is another thing entirely.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a complete beat 'em up, with the best characteristics that enshrined the genre. Despite some slippage of pace, some technical limitations and a certain lack of variety of enemies and missions, it has a neat aesthetic and well-implemented mechanics, and manages to tell its story in a very competent way.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
So, if the gameplay isn’t ultimately worth playing the game to completion, the story isn’t worth experiencing, bugs cheapen the gameplay, and the art style is the only thing trying to redeem the experience, is it worth the buy? Well, at a nerve-wracking £15 on Steam and an eye-watering £25 on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, I cannot recommend it at the asking price due to the gameplay annoyances, lacking story, and remaining bugs. Many of the annoyances may feel cheap, but this beat ‘em up certainly isn’t retailed as such.
What 9 Monkeys of Shaolin lacks in typical beat 'em up fashion it more than makes up for with a dynamite combat system. The 5 hour campaign may feel a bit short, but replay-ability and co-op modes offer good value for the purchase. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a great pick fans of the genre, or anyone wanting to get the best gameplay simulation of 70's Kung Fu movies. Don't let the terrible name put you off!
An illustrious tale of a Chinese fisherman seeking revenge quickly escalates to something not entirely of this world. Travel across China with a band of monks, fight pirates with old school beat 'em up action, and even play local or online co-op!
There is a lot of care that went into 9 Monkeys of Shaolin, but the lack of a bigger budget and experience on development team sadly stops this game from achieving it's full potential. If you find the genre somewhat appealing, definitely give this thing a try when it eventually goes on sale.
Review in Russian | Read full review