“Furi” is a rare breed of game. It combines the classic “bullet hell” style of retro games like “Galaga” with
the quick-witted parry-dependent nature of a “Dark Souls” to make a great blend of action and tactics. This consecutive boss brawler has no grunts for you to do battle with. It’s just you and the fierce warriors who stand to destroy you.
You star as a nameless protagonist, who wakes up in a prison and attempts to get free. As you escape this cosmic entrapment, you will do battle with the guardians. These beings each have specialties and themes relating to the past of your playable character.
Whether you’re zipping and dashing around the map to avoid an onslaught of enemy fire, or getting up close and personal to unleash devastating sword combos, you never stop moving in “Furi.” This game requires a reactive and proactive mode of thinking. There’s room to wiggle on your style, albeit not much. If you decide to be more forward you can trigger attacks from enemies early on.
Enemies have attacks that can be parried, and attacks that must be dodged; there’s never room in this game for comfort to set in. In a sense, this is part of what makes the game so intense. “Furi’s” visual style and atmosphere are reminiscent of the stylings of “Afro Samurai” and some other older anime. It combines elements of urban themes with bushido art, and some pretty deeply rooted philosophy.
For instance, the old sage character in this game has headphones similar to “Dre Beats” on his head. Smaller segments of story come in between the boss gauntlet as you’re given context for some of the characters before you proceed to battle them. This is narrated by a friendly character with an interesting perspective.
“Furi” has interesting combat, unique visuals, consistent style, and underlying culture. All of these elements
make it an example of the truly great content a player can find in modern games. This title, available on PC and PS4, is well worth a purchase.
