Kyurinaga’s Revenge

Kyurinaga’s Revenge is a 2D side-scrolling platformer set in feudal Japan, where all characters are anthropomorphic vegetables. Players control two protagonists: samurai Kaoru Tamanegi and street fighter Broccoli Joe, switching between them to combine unique skills for solving puzzles, battling enemies, and navigating levels. The game features action-focused gameplay with puzzle elements and supports co-op multiplayer, allowing two players to control each character simultaneously.

Kyurinaga’s Revenge: An Ambitious, Blemished Root in the Indie Garden

Introduction
Emerging in 2016 from Spanish studio Recotechnology S.L., Kyurinaga’s Revenge promised a vibrant blend of side-scrolling action, puzzle-solving, and cooperative play set in an audacious feudal Japan inhabited entirely by sentient vegetables. Marketed as a more accessible follow-up to their poorly received 3D title Yasai Ninja, the game aimed to leverage a quirky premise and dynamic character-swapping mechanics. This review argues that while Kyurinaga’s Revenge displayed flashes of creativity and technical ambition against tight indie constraints, its execution was fundamentally marred by inconsistent design, technical shortcomings, and a failure to cohesively deliver on its intriguing concept. The result is a title remembered not for innovation, but as a cautionary tale in uneven development.

Development History & Context
Recotechnology S.L., a small Madrid-based studio, sought to reposition itself in 2016 following the lukewarm-to-negative reception of Yasai Ninja (2015). Embracing the then-thriving indie 2.5D platformer resurgence (e.g., Shovel Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest), they retooled their vegetable samurai universe into a side-scrolling format explicitly designed for broader appeal and local co-op functionality. Developed simultaneously for Windows, PlayStation 4, and later Xbox One, the game operated under evident technological and resource constraints — reflected in its modest visual presentation and scope. Releasing in an October crowded with major AAA titles, it sought foothold as a budget-friendly ($7.99/$2.39 sale price on Steam), co-op focused experience. The shift from 3D to 2D was a clear strategic response to criticism and market trends, aiming for tighter mechanics but exposing the studio’s growing pains in platforming fundamentals and balancing.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive
Set against a backdrop of a vengeful vegetable shogun (Kyurinaga) seeking power, the narrative follows unlikely heroes Kaoru Tamanegi (a stoic onion samurai) and Broccoli Joe (a brash broccoli street fighter) on a quest to save their fantastical realm. The premise is undeniably novel: feudal Japanese archetypes reimagined through the lens of anthropomorphic produce, with locations and dialogue laced with Japanese cultural references surprisingly noted as accurate by some reviewers (OPNoobs). However, the story itself is universally panned as perfunctory, lacking depth or meaningful engagement. Characters remain underdeveloped archetypes, serving solely as vessels for gameplay mechanics. Thematically, the potential for unique satire or commentary on bushido, honor, or even environmentalism (given the cast) is entirely squandered. Dialogue serves basic exposition, and the “wise radish” mentor trope feels uninspired. Critics like Cyril Lachel (Defunct Games) deemed it a “baffling spoof” never evolving beyond its initial gag, while IGN España noted its “certain limitations in its approach.”

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems
The core loop revolves around 2D platforming, environmental puzzle-solving, and combat, with a defining hook: real-time swapping between Kaoru and Broccoli Joe, each possessing unique abilities (Kaoru’s bombs for destructible walls, Joe’s kunai for ranged attacks/triggering mechanisms). This co-op synergy was central to the design, playable solo (switching characters) or shared/split-screen co-op.

• Platforming & Puzzles: Early sections offer competent but simplistic and “overly easy” (Defunct Games) traversal. Level design becomes problematic later, criticized for “aggressively bland layouts” (Cubed3), excessive repetition of obstacles/enemies, and frustratingly “demanding” (TechRaptor) precision jumps exacerbated by questionable character physics.
• Combat: Standard sword-swinging is deemed basic and unengaging. Enemy variety is limited, and combat lacks depth or satisfying feedback.
• Character Switching Mechanic: Praised conceptually for puzzle solutions requiring combined abilities, the implementation suffered in solo play. Critics found the switching cumbersome during fast-paced sections or complex puzzles, breaking flow.
• Co-op Play: Intended as the optimal experience, local co-op was severely undermined by poorly implemented sections, particularly forced “quick-time event” battles. These sequences locked players into defending left/right sides, requiring frantic, precisely timed button inputs under extreme pressure. Reviewers described these as “beyond frustrating” (Defunct Games), “nearly unmanageable” solo, and occasionally “broken” (TechRaptor), citing unresponsive controls and unfair timing windows (“an absolutely chore to play” – XboxAddict). Boss battles were criticized for “unbalanced” difficulty spikes and cheap attack patterns.
• UI & Technical Issues: Controls were frequently cited as “unresponsive” or imprecise, particularly during demanding platforming or QTEs. The UI was functional but unremarkable. Numerous reports of bugs, crashes (especially on Xbox One), and generally “unfinished” (ICXM) feel plagued the releases, particularly outside PlayStation 4.
• Progression & Incentives: Linear progression with basic collectibles and Steam/PSN Trophies/Xbox Achievements offered some incentive, but the core gameplay loop struggled to maintain engagement due to its flaws.

World-Building, Art & Sound
* Setting & Atmosphere: The core concept – feudal Japan populated by vegetables – is visually clear. Environments draw from Japanese locales (castles, forests, mountains), but execution is inconsistent. While some reviewers (Hobby Consolas) praised the “attractive level and character design” and “well-realised world” (Real Game Media), others found backgrounds lacking detail despite vibrant colors (“rough and outdated look” – Defunct Games). The atmosphere struggles to blend whimsy with the earnest Kurosawa-inspired drama, often landing awkwardly.
* Visual Direction: Utilizing a 2.5D perspective (3D models on 2D planes), the art style is cartoonish and colorful. Character designs (onion samurai, broccoli fighter) are the highlight. However, the overall fidelity was repeatedly compared to a “Nintendo 3DS game” (Defunct Games) or considered sub-par for its generation. Animation could be stiff, and the visuals lacked polish overall.
* Sound Design: Music features appropriate Japanese-inspired melodies but failed to stand out memorably (“serviceable”). Sound effects were functional but uninspired. Voice acting for major characters added some personality but received mixed reactions. TechRaptor bluntly called the sound design “proof that some vegetables just aren’t good for you.”

Reception & Legacy
* Launch Reception & Platform Divide: Reception was sharply divided by platform, highlighting port quality issues:
* PlayStation 4 (#1,219 ranked on MobyGames): Averaged 65% (5 Reviews: PS3Blog.net 81%, Hobby Consolas 78%, IGN España 70%, Real Game Media 70%, TechRaptor 25%). Praised for concept and challenge but critiqued for limitations and frustration.
* Windows: One recorded critic review (OPNoobs – 60%). Steam user reviews sit at 81% Positive (11 reviews at launch), suggesting a more forgiving audience appreciating it as a budget co-op curio.
* Xbox One: Universally panned, averaging 23% (3 Reviews: ICXM 30%, Cubed3 20%, XboxAddict 20%). Savaged as “sub-par, unfinished” (ICXM), “offensively boring” (XboxAddict), and “an absolute chore” (Cubed3). One player review on MobyGames gave it 1.0/5.
* Overall Critical Average: 50% (9 Reviews on MobyGames). Moby Score: 5.6 (Ranked #25,042 of 27K).
* Reputation Evolution: Its reputation quickly solidified as a flawed, frustrating experience with a gimmicky premise. Limited sales and minimal post-launch support (minor patches) led to rapid obscurity. Its legacy is largely defined by parallels to its predecessor and as an example of:
* Uneven Development: Showcasing potential through its concept and art, but critically undermined by core gameplay and technical issues.
* Co-op Design Pitfalls: The disastrous QTEs became a case study in how to ruin a co-op experience.
* Port Quality Variance: The stark platform reception difference became a notable footnote.
* Cultural Novelty: It remains a trivia answer for its bizarre vegetable samurai setting, occasionally mentioned for its “so bad it’s almost interesting” factor on Xbox.
* Influence: Minimal to none. It served as a cautionary tale rather than an inspiration, contributing indirectly to awareness about the challenges of indie platformer development, particularly sequels pivoting genres. It offered no discernible mechanics or ideas adopted by others.

Conclusion
Kyurinaga’s Revenge sprouts from fertile ground: a genuinely unique premise, a respected historical setting, and a solid foundation of 2D co-op action-platforming. Recotechnology S.L.’s ambition to redeem their universe and tap into the indie platformer boom was clear. However, the harvest was blighted. Beset by inconsistent and often frustrating level design, poorly balanced difficulty, catastrophic co-op quick-time events, unresponsive controls, technical shortcomings (especially outside PlayStation), and a narrative that squandered its potential, the game failed to blossom. While the vibrant vegetable characters and initial visual charm provided fleeting appeal, particularly at a budget price point for co-op seekers on Steam, these could not compensate for fundamental flaws. Its legacy is that of a missed opportunity – a title remembered more for its intriguing concept and sharp divides in reception than for any lasting merit. Ultimately, Kyurinaga’s Revenge serves as evidence that even the most creative seed needs fertile, well-tended soil to truly flourish; here, execution fatally undermined imagination. Final Verdict: A creative premise shackled to deeply flawed execution, rendering it a minor, frustrated footnote in indie platformer history.