Comedy is a matter of taste, and it changes from generation to generation and comedian to comedian. Some people like raunchy comedians who make frat boy-level jokes about taboo topics. The worst comedians just use words to get a laugh. It’s like the comedian who inserts fuck into everything because lots of things sound funnier with it, but it’s cheap. It must be used tactfully. Mexican Ninja is like the comedian who overuses fuck. The mere insertion of sex, drugs, and mention of the illicit underground life seems like it’s enough to make this developer as they write out the empty sentences. It could actually be funny, but humor is commentary, and Mexican Ninja isn’t saying anything. It comes off as amateurish, provocative slapstick humor that only hits a fraction of the time.
The Mexican Ninja we control seems like a hardened vet, one who used to be on the streets. His sombrero and long mustache give our hero a wise look, and the way he carries his sword is one who looks like he’s been forged in a dojo. The developers nailed his look. It’s simple, but strong. It’s unfortunate that his in-game look makes him appear older, and his fighting stance looks a little crazed.
He fights off enemies in the streets referred to as Narkuzas, a clever (and one of the funny elements) combination of Narcos and Yakuza. Because somehow the Mexican gang and the Japanese gang formed an alliance and became the rulers of the Mexican streets. So we are exposed to a ridiculous exaggeration of the streets. Lots of drug references, sex workers, and fights in strip clubs. Dare I say, it hits hard and fast for a 30-minute demo. It’s so in your face that it feels forced, as if embracing some restraint would make it feel serious. Nothing is dealt in doses. It drenches the game and becomes distasteful by the end of the demo. I can only imagine what the rest of the game feels like.
It’s possible the developers went overboard in the beginning, and it finds a better balance in later levels, but the action will be an adequate distraction if it’s too much. Fighting feels like a classic arcade beat ‘em up, complete with a “Go” icon when you’ve finished all the enemies. Enemies shoot pellets from the big bellies, throw bombs, and try to kamikaze, flaming bikes roll by, bombs drop from the sky; everything is what you’d expect, just with a Narkuza flavor.
Combat is fast, but it’s not fluid. I’ll hit enemies in the air, but it’s hard to continue my combo after jumping. I can somehow hit them while on the ground, and my sword isn’t touching them. While dodging belly pellets, I got stuck on geometry I couldn’t see. I’ve been hit in ways I can’t tell because the effects cover crucial details and action. The animations feel like they could be smoother and given more care. The slightest strike erupts blood out the body like a giant water balloon exploded with blood in it that doesn’t seem to quite match with what’s happening with the body.
A nice homage to Mexican and Japanese culture is that your special moves are fashioned after Japanese and Mexican spirits. The idea adds a peaceful element amidst the chaos, even if it is used to unleash pain. I found it to be a good reminder of what’s beneath the blooshed and sex: two cultures that share core values, and it’s a blend I think would actually work in the real world if given the chance.
Thank you for reading The Daily Demo! Did you play it? What’d you think of it? I’d love to hear your thoughts.