I play to finish. I map every path, clear every side objective, and chase every achievement until the checklist is empty. That approach shaped my time with Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2. My lens is clear: did CyberConnect2 give me a package worth completing, or one that falters right before the end?
Overall Impression
Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a very good arena fighter. It improves on its predecessor in ways that matter to both casual fans and competitive players. Core combat feels tighter. The roster, when stripped of duplicates, offers plenty of variety. Story mode is stronger than in similar anime tie-ins from CyberConnect2.
What holds it back is the uneven online experience and some technical issues. These flaws hurt replayability for completionists who chase online ranks and trophies. The game’s recent reviews are Mostly Positive for a reason. There’s a lot to love, but some big flaws remain.
Gameplay Mechanics
This is where the game shines. Combat is faster and more purposeful than before. Neutral fights reward spacing and whiff punishes. Meter management feels meaningful. New systems — replacement combos, demon duo mechanics, and adjusted parry/heavy inputs — add decision-making depth without needless complexity.
I planned combo routes, saved super meter for clutch moments, and switched demon partners mid-match to shift tempo. Guard break pressure is more common now. You can’t simply mash out of trouble; you must make defensive choices.
Boss encounters and expressive matchups deliver standout moments. Juggling a boosted solo demon, timing a replacement combo to extend pressure, and landing a heavy parry on a late-game boss all feel rewarding. Many fighting fans praise the improved neutral game and character distinctness. One skilled player’s write-up summed it up well: this might be the arena fighter that nails the subgenre.
Online is where it falters. Matchmaking can be slow or uneven. Connection problems turn tense matches into frustration. Players report invincibility super abuse, guard-break oddities that give unintended invincibility, and a bug that can crash or end a match when escaping a combo. For completionists chasing online ranks, these are serious blockers. CyberConnect2 has struggled with netcode before. While single-player got polish, the online layer still needs major attention.
Story and Characters
I’ve come to expect faithful adaptations from CyberConnect2, and this sequel raises the bar. The story mode expands scenes, gives more breathing room to character moments, and stages some of the series’ best boss fights. Gyutaro and Zohakuten stand out — not only as tough mechanical tests but as set pieces with character-driven stakes. The larger explorable areas, horde sequences, and environmental gimmicks added welcome variety to the usual fight-after-fight loop.
That said, some modes are underwhelming. “Path of a Demon Slayer” is a miss for completionists: instead of letting you fight the original bosses in their full boss-mode glory, you face CPU versions of player characters. It’s effective for practice but disappointing for those wanting canonical boss encounters repeated or expanded. The roster also raises questions: some entries feel like reskins or slight variants (academy outfits, multiple Tanjiros), and while variety exists, the count isn’t always the 1:1 depth that some marketing implied.
Visuals and Graphics
This is an easy win. The cel-shaded art pops in a way that matches the anime’s tone: bold outlines, saturated colors, and cinematic camera work make for striking moments. Backgrounds are better realized this time, with larger areas to explore that don’t just repeat the same arenas. The bosses and their animations are especially well-done; hit reactions and special attacks carry weight. Technical polish in visual effects is high, though occasional animation clipping appears in some crowd and horde scenes. Overall, it’s a faithful, energetic presentation that draws you into the Demon Slayer world.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack complements the fights and the quieter scenes alike. Tracks evoke urgency in boss battles and tenderness in story moments. Voice acting is strong — performances match the source material — and sound effects give attacks weight, helping convey impact during combos or blocks. The audio package generally enhances the emotional and combat beats rather than distracting from them.
Difficulty and Replayability
If you’re like me, chasing 100% completion and platinum-style goals, there is plenty to do: collectibles, challenges, character unlocks, and boss variants. Fight trials and move lists encourage mastery. The problem is that online performance, ranked ladders, and online-only achievements are undermined by unstable matches. Players in the community reported matches ending abruptly and networking issues that discourage long-term engagement. Offline, the game has high replay value — I found myself replaying boss fights for mastery and hunting every collectible — but for those who live on ranked competition, the experience will feel incomplete until netcode and matchmaking receive serious fixes.
Developer Notes and Trivia
CyberConnect2 has a long history with anime adaptations — notably the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series — and their familiarity with cel-shaded anime visuals and fast-paced combat shows here. Fans have been vocal for years about improved online infrastructure, and the calls for a rollback netcode or a more robust beta testing cycle are loud. SEGA publishes and supports the title; how quickly they and CC2 address the online concerns could determine the game’s long-term competitive health.
Final Thoughts
Hinokami Chronicles 2 delivers a refined combat core, striking visuals, and a more substantial story package than many anime tie-ins. It is deeply enjoyable as a single-player and local experience, and it has the bones of a competitive arena fighter that could stand with the best — but online instability and a few design missteps keep it from perfection. Completionists will find a lot to love and a few frustrating speedbumps, especially if online progress matters to them.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
If you care about clean, satisfying fights, excellent bosses, and a faithful Demon Slayer presentation, buy this and play it offline while patches arrive. If you live and breathe online ranked play, I recommend waiting for netcode fixes before making this your primary arena fighter.
Add Demon Slayer: Hinokami Chronicles 2 to your game collection!
