PlayStation 4 Akai Katana Shin

A romantic Taisho-era shooting adventure: the prayer begins anew

Three titles from CAVE's Akai Katana side-scrolling shooting series, which won many passionate fans, return with online rankings and newly arranged music.

Three Akai Katana games

Akai Katana is the side-scrolling shooting game originally released in arcades in 2010.

Akai Katana Shin renews the game system and uses a 16:9 screen ratio for home-console play.

Zetsu Akai Katana builds on the original Akai Katana system, with a 16:9 screen ratio and adjusted balance.

All three return, each offering different strategies to enjoy.

Story: hope, power and rebellion

The setting is a fictional era resembling Japan's period of rapid economic growth, filled with hope for reconstruction. Its era name is Taisho.

Amid rapid growth and technological innovation, a completely new resource is discovered: Guiding ore, which can replace coal and electricity.

It can serve as any kind of power source. Blades made by processing it, called Guiding katanas, allow people bearing a special mark to wield immense psychic power.

When one of these blades takes a human life, it changes into a red Blood Katana. Its wielder can then demonstrate that power through their own body, without relying on weapons.

Although the nation is small, it chooses war as its cause, seeking both to surpass other countries and to defend itself.

Basho, the empire's leader, forms armed units around these wielders and sends them into neighboring countries one after another, demonstrating overwhelming strength.

These ten people are known as the Celestial Stems and are greatly praised.

The privilege granted to these defenders of the nation is to strengthen national power even at the cost of human lives.

But these acts, which can be seen as dictatorial, cause a rift within the Celestial Stems units, splitting them into two factions.

Those who object to the rules rise up as a rebel army in a civil conflict. At their center stands Kikyou Saionji, Emperor Basho's own son.

Three special Shakevolt fighter aircraft are completed as the rebels' powerful trump card. Kikyou and his companions use the aircraft and their paired Guiding katanas to perform a ritual.

The ritual grants tremendous power when one of a pair gives up their life.

Like the empire, Kikyou and his companions have created Blood Katanas. They confront their bitter regret, turn it into strength and swear to win.

The anti-imperial organization Gekka is formed. A battle that will shake the souls of both justice and evil is about to begin.

Varied attacks, from clearing stages to score attacks

Switch between two forms: Fighter, a combat aircraft, and a giant ninja-like guardian summoned through Soul-shift.

Attack Mode emphasizes firepower, while Defense Mode increases mobility and prioritizes evasion.

Use these four combinations to slip through the enemy's fierce attacks and annihilate your opponents.

In Akai Katana and Zetsu Akai Katana, Soul-shift can defend against enemy bullets numerous enough to fill the screen.

In Akai Katana Shin, you can generate and launch katanas to defeat powerful enemies in a short time.

These complex systems reward mastery with an advantage in battle and dramatic increases in score, earning the series many fans.

Modes and features for beginners and advanced players

A wide range of modes and features lets beginners play with confidence and experienced players pursue satisfying performances.

Training: set detailed conditions for the stage and your aircraft to practice individual situations.

Score Attack: a single attempt with no continues or restarts. Rankings and replays can be saved separately from normal play.

Online Rankings: compete for scores online with players around the world.

Replay: record and save play data through the end of a game. Alongside playback and pause, an editing feature lets you resume playing from partway through the recording.

New arrangements by Daisuke Matsumoto

Daisuke Matsumoto, who worked on music for Gothic wa Mahou Otome and sound effects for the Akai Katana series, supplies newly arranged tracks created for this release.

Switch between three music versions: the original soundtrack, the arrangements added in Shin, and these new arrangements.

The original physical bonus

A clear file was offered in limited quantities as an external bonus for the original preorder and initial release. The retailer's original offer has ended.

As this is a Used item, the presence and condition of this physical accessory depend on the individual copy.