99 Spirits

So, I tried playing this game back in 2015, but apparently I only played it for 16 minutes before I ended up shelving it. Fast-forward a decade and I randomly decided to try it again. This time round, I quite enjoyed myself. I'm glad that I read some of the reviews suggesting that you play this game on casual, because having to constantly identify the enemies every time you encounter them would have been quite annoying. The combat was very unique, you first have to attack the enemy to fill up a gauge that lets you use an ability to give you hints on the name of the enemy you're fighting because initially it's covered in a shroud. Then you have to defend to build up another gauge to use an ability that lets you guess the name. Once you guess its name correctly, the shroud is lifted and then you can attack it normally until its health depletes. This is where casual mode helped out, because once you guess the name right once, any time you face that same enemy, you won't have to waste time guessing its name again. That only ever happens during scripted story battles, where I found myself facing enemies I already fought that were still shrouded even on casual. There se…

Guess the enemy name, no thanks !!!! Ignore this !!!!

99 Spirits is an unusual hybrid between a puzzle game and a traditional Japanese role-playing game developed by TORaIKI and published internationally by Fruitbat Factory. Rather than following the familiar structure of many JRPGs that rely primarily on statistics and turn-based combat systems, the game introduces a unique mechanic that blends deduction and word puzzles directly into its battles. Set in a world inspired heavily by Japanese folklore, 99 Spirits presents a supernatural journey that combines mythology, mystery, and strategic thinking into an experience that stands apart from most RPGs in the genre. The story takes place in feudal Japan and centers on a young warrior named Hanabusa. Her life is changed forever after her mother is killed by a malevolent spirit, leaving Hanabusa consumed by a desire for revenge. Determined to hunt down the supernatural beings responsible for the tragedy, she begins training as a spirit hunter. Along the way she obtains a mystical sword capable of revealing the true identities of the creatures she encounters. These enemies are not ordinary monsters but Tsukumogami—spirits born from everyday objects that have gained consciousness after exi…

99 Spirits has a genuinely clever hook — figuring out a spirit's identity by piecing together hints like 'wood' and 'cleaning' to deduce you're fighting a possessed broom is the kind of puzzle mechanic I hadn't seen before, and the Japanese folklore art and story kept me curious. But the battle system, charming as it is at first, wears out its welcome fast; by the time you're re-identifying the same Tsukumogami for the tenth time in a region, the novelty is long gone. The single looping battle track doesn't help, and I ended up muting it entirely. The real dealbreaker is the bugs — the Kirikiri engine crashes often enough that 'save constantly' isn't just advice, it's a survival strategy. It's a shame, because there's a genuinely interesting game buried under the repetition and instability.

A good mix of reactive turn based combat and Puzzle! I am not really familiar with a lot of Tsukumogami and am prety slow when it comes to puzzles so it wouldn't be my style to keep playing. However, the art is lovely, the music sounds great and while it's a bit dialogue-heavy, this is clearly made for those who enjoy that sort of thing. Definitely recommend if you like any of these: calligraphy, japanese folklore, puzzles, reactive combat and Tsukumogami.

Very enjoyable game. This game has a good story overall, very nice atmosphere and very good music (even if at times a little more track variety for some situation would have been welcomed). It slowly increases the usage and application of the tsukumogami captured as the story progresses, leaving time for the player to grasp the process and usage. The combat is simple but effective, only attacking or defending as main commands, but later on the skills add some depth (especially when trying to match gem slots and spirit types to build a composition of assists that suits your wants). Being able to upgrade the gems to increase different aspects is a nice reward for completing the spirit index. That being said, having played both on normal and casual mode, having the tedious grind and repetitive nature of fully identifying the tsukumogamis and acquiring their skills makes the game more enjoyable, as it doesn't feel like it adds much to the game. In the end this is a solid game, and very enjoyable with good content (and extras as a completion reward). As for the DLCs, they are nice visual novels that give more insight on characters. They are relatively short but a good time nonethel…