9 Monkeys of Shaolin Reviews
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.
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.
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
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 shines through its strengths of variety, a surprising amount of combat depth, and the accessibility of quick jump and out gameplay. The package is both complimented and enhanced by its coop multiplayer and intriguing story. While its performance and design oddities are enough to raise an eye brow, we don’t think it’s enough to nix the fun that the game offers. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin comes easy to recommend for fans of the genre and worth a look for anyone who likes some mindless fun.
It might not exactly be the most visually appealing nor polished game out there, but let’s face it, a martial arts-infused beat ’em up set in medieval China will always be intriguing. Thankfully, even though 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is far from perfect, it features a great combat system that just makes you want to play it more and more.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a Beat'em Up with rpg’s touches can give us a few hours of fun, although sometimes it can be repetitive. It has a wide variety of movements, but many times blows can be failed by the perspective. On a graphic level is a very beautiful game, although in terms of soundtrack it lacks too much. It can be perfect to spend a few hours between larger titles.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Though 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a faithful recreation of 70s kung-fu films, it doesn’t contain the same fun factor that its influences provide. There are some aspects that fans of beat em’ ups may enjoy, but it definitely doesn’t move the genre in any unique direction.
This game is a solid pick-up for beat-’em-up fans, particularly if you can find a friend to play with. Give it a play, and unleash your inner monk.
I enjoyed my time with 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. I have always had a soft spot for side-scrolling beat ’em ups going all the way back to the original Streets of Rage games. This is a worthy addition to the genre and even though the story didn’t quite click with me, the gameplay is fun, responsive and varied.
It won’t blow your mind with innovation or story, but 9 Monkeys of Shaolin isn’t trying to. It revisits the 70’s style of kung fu games, and has fun with the source material. Either solo or with a friend, there’s fun to be had here.
Whilst not on the same level of Streets of Rage 4, I did enjoy this more than the over frustration focused Battle Toads. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin fits very nicely into a genre but it definitely could do with some quality of life improvements to fine tune more than fix some of the niggles I feel it has.
A game like 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is appreciated. The usual forms in the woodland runners, an adventurous touch, interesting visual variety, and the Chinorri martial arts cinema as a great backdrop for the story, setting and playable presentation. Fun, with a slightly special rhythm and combat, and a grateful local and online two-player mode. Lovers of action and spanking, we are happy this year.
Review in Spanish | 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
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 brings you back to the days of great arcade games like TMNT. It is a very fluid beat 'em up game.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a short but satisfying romp through a fictional China that should appeal to fans of old marital arts movies and the beat-‘em-up genre of video games. Combat is generally fluid with a nice sense of progression, though the story itself is relatively shallow and the game itself only takes about six hours to complete.
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 a good throwback to side-scrolling action games of old. There is a lot to like, like the intricate combat system that is very satisfying once you master it. Keep in mind that this is very challenging and you will need some patience to master it. However, it's a good amount of fun and won't take you too much time to beat. If you're looking for a quick action game, give this one a try.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a pleasant surprise in a year full of beat 'em ups. This is not just another brawler, but one with an extensive skill tree, different fighting styles, and a lot of fun gameplay. The game is playable in offline or online co-op and in both styles the game works flawlessly. There are a few bugs here and there, but nothing worth mentioning. If you like to fight, buy this game.
Review in Dutch | Read full review