Mahokenshi

Those that love Mahokenshi will adore the fully realised blend of deck-building and digital board game, but will forget the threadbare mythological Southeast Asian theming.

While I wouldn’t use the word “perfect,” Mahokenshi offered a truly fun experience that far exceeded any expectations I could have had. It has restored my faith that there is room for innovation in its genre. This game is fun, not too easy or too hard (nor too long or too short), offers a compelling world for its gameplay, and overall is something I feel quite comfortable recommending to anyone and everyone who likes mixing cards with video games, but it also has potential for people outside of this genre as well. Check it out!

Mahokenshi is very different from games like Slay the Spire. Its replayability is limited because you’ll be replaying the same missions with the same enemies and challenges all over again. Once you’re done with the main story, you’re probably not going to return to it just to run the same missions with a different class. That being said, I did like the gameplay loop and those who love games like Across the Obelisk will find Mahokenshi mildly interesting. I say “mildly” because Mahokenshi lacks the complexity of other deckbuilding card games. I definitely recommend it to anyone enjoying these types of games, especially since it brings some new to the table.

While Mahokenshi definitely reminds me of Castle Morihisa, its pacing and balance is a bit better than that unfortunate adventure. Keep in mind this is very much still a challenging and sometimes brutal game, and you’ll have to grind quite a bit to get through every mission. That said, it’s a game with a creative premise, attractive artwork, and many ways to strategize. If you’re at all a fan of deckbuilders and don’t mind some occasional difficulty spikes, I’d definitely check Mahokenshi out.

Mahokenshi has no “endless” mode or anything of the like, and completing each mission and related side objective grants the game a decided and achievable end-state. One would expect that, with good sales, additional quests and modes (and mods) may eventually be added, all of which would inject some more needed bang for its buck. As it stands, Mahokenshi is still a great, session-based deckbuilder, and worth wading through its few snags.

Mahokenshi will test every logical and strategic bone in your body. A mix of deck builders and board games, Mahokenshi pushes the player to try different strategies, and the game is not shy about smacking down your pitiful attempts until you get it right. Come prepared for a unique experience, and put on your toughest armor, and you may get hours of enjoyment from this one. Just don’t take it personally when you find yourself face down in the mud.