When Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga first debuted in 2016, it quickly became a global phenomenon, resulting in twenty-three collected volumes, an anime adaptation in 2019, and even a couple of video game entries, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles, in 2022 and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board! in 2024. Now we have the release of yet another video adaptation, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2, as well as the highly anticipated film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Infinity Castle, which has just been released. Demon Slayer fans have certainly been feasting well the past few years!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 immediately follows the events of the previous game. It follows protagonist Tanjiro Kamado through the events of the “Entertainment District Arc”, the “Swordsmith Village Arc”, and the “Hashira Training Arc” from the anime in its Story Mode. The Story Mode plays very similarly to the first game, featuring some open areas, multiple locations, and plenty of fun boss fights, instead of following the same formula as most other anime-based video games, which are usually just a chain of arena fights bridged with scenes from the anime.

There’s more exploration and interaction in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2, even if the levels are still fairly simplistic and linear. My one real gripe with the game is that the levels themselves (aside from the boss fights) are extremely easy, and that the secrets often aren’t well-hidden, making exploration feel shallow.

Thankfully, the boss battles are well varied, just like the demons themselves. Attacks are taken straight from the source material and even have some additional moves in their arsenals. The fights are dynamic and fast-paced, adding to the overall beauty of the game.

Naturally, there’s more than just the Story Mode. As is expected in a fighting game, there’s also a Versus Mode, which is even more robust than before. Now there are over forty playable characters to choose from, including all nine Hashira. However, I highly recommend playing through the Story Mode first, as that’s how you’ll unlock most of the characters.

There’s also the Hashira Training Mode, which is a roguelike mode where you train under the Hashira and complete their challenges to increase Character Mastery and unlock new rewards. These rewards include character quotes, profile pictures, additional outfits and frames, and specialist titles.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has some new gameplay mechanics as well. You can have other characters team up with you during fights and perform Dual Ultimates, which are special team-up attacks that vary depending on which fighters are on your current team. There’s also a new Gear system, which allows you to customize your characters with various buffs that activate under different conditions. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with and utilize to better fit your playstyle.

Visually, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is gorgeous. Character models and environments are highly detailed, making exploration a treat for the eyes. The attack animations are filled with flashy flourishes, making each battle a stunning spectacle. The framerate maintains a steady 60fps at all times, which is much needed in high-speed fighting games.

The sound design in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is fantastic. The voice actors from the anime are all here to reprise their roles and rerecord them for the game. Fans of the anime will notice many of the same musical tracks from the anime in here as well. The sound effects are very well done, with strikes resonating with impact and the energy surges during elemental/demon art attacks being acoustically striking.

Much like the first game, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 has a bit of something for everyone. Fans of the anime and manga will appreciate the level of detail and accuracy given to this installment, while gamers who love fighting games will have a blast with the Versus Mode. Even for those unfamiliar with Demon Slayer can still enjoy the game and not be lost, thanks to The Path of a Demon Slayer Mode, which is a mode that allows you to revisit key events from the first game. CyberConnect2 took the formula from the first successful game and added even more polish and depth, making Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 a must-play if you’re already a fan, or have ever even simply been curious as to what all the fuss is about.

Graphics: 9.0 Beautiful graphics and attack effects, with a solid framerate all throughout.	Gameplay: 8.5 Fun, flashy, responsive combat with some slightly tedious exploration sections in between.
Sound: 9.0 All the voice actors reprise their roles for the game, and the familiar soundtracks play as well.	Fun Factor: 8.0 More exploration elements have been added to the Story Mode, which is a welcome addition, even if it’s still a bit underwhelming. The VS Mode is a blast!
Final Verdict: 8.5

 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Reviewed on PlayStation 5.

A copy of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 was provided by the publisher.