Mexican Ninja is a roguelike beat-em-up that brazenly fuses cyberpunk anime aesthetics with general Mexican machismo. If there ever was a game for me, a proud Chicano and lifelong anime fan, this is probably the one. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the demo quite lives up to the pitch.
Mexican Ninja absolutely oozes personality, and a pretty unique one at that. From the “Narkuzas” (from Narcos + Yakuza) you do battle with, to the dialogue that color codes its blend of weeb-speak and Spanglish, this is a game with absolutely no shame. I’d even go so far as to say that the game is more than a little bit dumb, and that it’s even a bit proud of how dumb it is. For the most part, this works. You’re going to find yourself quickly caught up in the power fantasy of being, well, a Mexican Ninja. There’s only one real issue that kept me from feeling entirely immersed, but it’s a pretty glaring one.
Mexican Ninja’s Characters Seem Too Shallow for My Taste
I really just could not find myself connecting with the characters whatsoever. In the slice of game offered by the demo, you really only interact with one other character. Called “La Virgencita Nee-San”, she seems to be some mix of the Virgin Mary and the kind of doting older sister that’s pretty commonplace in some anime. It just so happens that I’m not exactly a fan of the kind of anime it’s commonplace in. Having a harem anime trope thrown in with a game that otherwise draws from blood-pumping action series was jarring at best, and even a little off-putting.
Of course, crude humor is one of the many things that is advertised right up front. I simply admit that this particular bit wasn’t for me. While many of the other jokes did work for me, it’s kind of a drag for the dud to be found with the only character we get to talk to. The game pretty clearly draws inspiration from Hades for how the players go about chatting with divine beings that grant them upgrades. Mexican Ninja just happens to lack the depth behind the wit.
The easiest solution to this problem would be if players could interact with the other characters that pass along upgrades. More importantly, I just think that this is a game that could do with some more voice acting. With as much personality as Mexican Ninja promises, it would do a lot more to make good on this promise if there were a greater deal of performance mixed in.
Mexican Ninja’s Demo is a Solid Combat Showcase
There is certainly another saving grace of the demo, and that’s the combat. Like any beat-em-up worth its salt, players can survive by pretty much just mashing away at their controller. It’s a pretty fun time for fans of the arcade experience, but one does walk away wishing they could be a bit more creative with their combos. Seriously, a Devil May Cry-like style meter would go a long way. Even better, developers could add the favorite of any fan of character action games: the parry.
Mexican Ninja does still fall into a couple of stumbling blocks as far as combat is concerned. Namely, enemies do way too much damage. You really shouldn’t feel this squishy to every single mob in the game. The demo does prep you with a message about its awareness of this fact, but it’s still worth monitoring as we reach the game’s release. Moreover, the demo seems to hold back on a proper boss fight, something which would have gone a long way to selling the full range of difficulty players can expect. Boss fights are a hallmark of pretty much any action game, and Mexican Ninja’s major selling points should have plenty to offer in this department. For some reason, the demo doesn’t.
The Verdict
The best advice I can offer to anyone interested in Mexican Ninja is to simply know what you’re getting into. The hack-and-slash combat is a huge selling point, right behind the sheer confidence with which the game embraces its pulpy aesthetic, but the game’s humor is pretty hit-or-miss. Other than that, the gameplay loop only needs a little more refining in order to be a good time.
