Developer Inti Creates announced at the indie game event BitSummit X-Roads that the Metroidvania game Grim Guardians: Demon Purge will finally be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on February 23, 2023, at a launch price of $24.99 USD.
Grim Guardians is a 2D action game centered around two demon hunters who return to their school after a mission only to find a demonic castle where it once stood. Conquer the castle and solve the mystery of what happened to their school.
Take control of both the tag-team Kamizono sisters. Use both long-distance-focused Shinobu Kamizono and close-range brawler Maya Kamizono as you make your way through the castle. Master each of the sisters’ unique abilities and attributes to overcome the challenging stages with fiendish bosses lying in wait. Find new routes through the game’s stages using the two characters’ abilities, keeping each playthrough fresh.
▍Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Release Date Trailer
▍Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Worldview and Story
The Kamizono family has a long lineage of demon hunters. Kamizono Shinobu and Kamizono Maya—the latest to inherit the family profession—return to school one day after finishing a hunt, only to find a shocking scene before them.
Unbeknownst to them, their school had been turned into a demonic castle in their absence. What could have caused this? And what of the other students? With mysteries afoot and danger abounding, only demon hunters have the ability to set things right. The Kamizono siblings fight once again.
▍Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Gameplay
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a 2D side-scrolling action game focused on two demon-hunting sisters who challenge a demonic castle in order to save their school. Players take control of both characters with entirely different skill sets, proceeding through stages in order to confront the demonic bosses that await deep within. Each boss yields new weapons for them, allowing for more varied exploration in further stages and opening up new routes.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge features two-player co-op with special actions, extensive difficulty options with the Style System, unique changes on repeat plays, and most importantly the quality and challenge players have come to expect from Inti Creates titles, this time with a new gothic horror aesthetic.
Swap Out on the Fly as You Traverse through the Demonic Castle
Take control of both the tag-team Kamizono siblings. Make the most of long-distance focused Shinobu and close-range brawler Maya Kamizono as you make your way through the castle.
Elder sister Shinobu’s long-range attacks allow her to fight while keeping a safe distance, making her the ideal frontline fighter!
Maya is an expert at close-range combat. Though her damage output is high, her HP is low in return. Well-timed dodging is of the essence when using her.
Maya’s small frame allows her to crouch under certain platforms, making her the master of exploration.
Cover your weaknesses by switching siblings out when the need arises. When faced with an enemy that can guard against Shinobu’s bullets, show them who’s boss by switching out to Maya! Identifying which sibling is best for each situation is key.
Each sibling has a range of unique sub-weapons, giving you a wealth of options to switch your strategy up whenever the time calls for it. Most of Shinobu’s sub-weapons can be used flexibly, allowing her to make up for her straightforward attack. Don’t hesitate to make use of them so long as you have Weapon Points in stock! On the other hand, Maya’s sub-weapons mainly serve to close the distance between herself and demons, but in turn require technical precision. Some may even have unexpected functions.
Defeat Bosses to Obtain New Sub-Weapons, Opening Up a Whole New Layer of Exploration
In Grim Guardians: Demon Purge, defeating bosses will yield new sub-weapons, providing the siblings with exciting new abilities. These sub-weapons also open up new routes and means of exploration in other stages.
Meticulous exploration will allow you to uncover the castle’s secret passages, which can lead to power-up items for the siblings, not to mention locating the other students who have gone missing.
Enjoy the Story Your Way with “Pure” or “Refined” Voice Tracks
The story of Grim Guardians: Demon Purge focuses on two main aspects: the mystery behind the school’s transformation, and the whereabouts of the other students.
Enjoy the original experience in “Pure” mode with all of the original Japanese voices for story mode, or choose “Refined” for English voice acting focused on the action, tailored for fans of the genre.
Adjust the Difficulty to Your Playing Needs with the Unique Style System
In Grim Guardians: Demon Purge, a total of three different styles—“Casual”, “Veteran” and “Legend”—are available for selection, allowing players to adjust the difficulty to their needs. This can be changed at any time after beginning the game, and will have no impact on the story whatsoever.
What’s more, co-op with both Shinobu and Maya will be possible should two controllers be available. It’s possible to jump in at any time during the game, so don’t hesitate to invite friends along on your journey to conquer this mysterious demonic castle.
▍Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Characters
■ Shinobu Kamizono – CV: Emi Uema
Elder of the Kamizono sisters, Shinobu is brimming with confidence, but still tends to make careless mistakes. She’s a long-range attacker who deals with demons using her anti-demon submachine gun! As a sturdy fighter with more HP than her little sister, Shinobu’s sub-weapons procured in each stage give her the means to attack in all directions, as well as the ability to restore HP.
■ Maya Kamizono – CV: Chinami Hashimoto
The younger of the sisters, Maya supports her strong-willed sister from the shadows with her reliable personality. As a technical close-range attacker, she creates various powerful weapons from origami. Use these weapons to deal massive damage! As she unlocks more sub-weapons, she’ll earn various special actions, making her a true attack specialist. She has much lower HP in exchange, however, so carefully choose when to switch in from Shinobu as the opportunity to deal massive damage presents itself!
