SONOKUNI – A Hip-Hop Fueled Biopunk Brawler

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• DEVELOPER: DON YASA CREW
• PUBLISHER: Kakehashi Games
• PLATFORMS: PC, Nintendo Switch
• GENRE: Action
• RELEASE DATE: March 24, 2025
• STARTING PRICE: 14.79€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

SONOKUNI is a game that proudly wears its inspirations on its sleeve — the one-hit intensity of Hotline Miami, the chaotic neon-soaked cyberpunk aesthetic, and a distinctly Japanese flair — all while carving out its own identity through raw, hip-hop-driven energy. Developed by DON YASA CREW, a team of seven hip-hop artists who began making games during Japan’s COVID lockdown, SONOKUNI serves both as an ode to their musical roots and as a brutally challenging action experience.

You play as Takeru, a lone assassin battling against a powerful biotechnological enemy. The world is wild and blood-soaked, filled with strange myths and merciless combat. This is a game that’s fast, loud, and absolutely not for those seeking something relaxing or simple.

Precision in Chaos

At its core, SONOKUNI is a top-down action game where every hit is lethal — both for you and your enemies. Takeru wields a katana, with a parry ability and a time-slowing mechanic, cutting his way through rooms filled with grotesque, genetically mutated foes. Unlike the gunfights of Hotline Miami, combat here is intimate and focused on close-quarters action — instead of bullets, you’ll be relying on precise swings and deadly slashes. The parry system stands out in particular: time it perfectly, and you can deflect projectiles or counter enemy attacks, turning defense into offense in a split second.

The structure is simple but relentless: you enter a stage, clear rooms of enemies to unlock the next one, and repeat until you reach the boss fight. Each room feels like a puzzle of aggression — enemies have unique attack patterns (archers take aim, sprinters rush you, acid spitters lunge), forcing you to prioritize targets, dodge attacks, and strike with precision. Death sends you back to the start of the room, not the whole stage, making retries fast but punishing. For hardcore players, there’s a “Speedrun” mode that ramps up the difficulty even further — levels are mirrored, making them more chaotic and unpredictable.

Clearing a room feels like solving a fast, deadly puzzle. Perfectly blocking, dodging, and executing enemies while DON YASA CREW’s music blasts in the background is incredibly satisfying. But the game isn’t without issues. It explains little at the start, you’re suddenly thrown into the chaos, surrounded by enemies attacking from all directions, bullets flying, and only milliseconds to react. Around the halfway point, the difficulty spikes sharply, and some rooms feel unfair, forcing repeated deaths just to learn what to do.

There is an “Easy” mode that slightly eases the challenge, but it still demands sharp reflexes and plenty of patience, it’s not for everyone. The biggest problem? Repetition. Many rooms can be skipped entirely, and combat in them often feels meaningless since it doesn’t grant rewards or tie into the main story. I wish clearing those areas carried more weight — right now, they’re just optional challenges without real payoff.

Myth Meets Morality

The game blends a biopunk dystopia with Japanese mythology. The story isn’t delivered through long cutscenes; instead, you explore the world via brief character interactions and mysterious videos between levels. These reveal a dark, neon-soaked world where it’s hard to distinguish right from wrong. Takeru struggles with the mass killings she must commit, each enemy defeated represents another difficult choice made to protect her people. The developers say the story is inspired by real Japanese legends about harsh sacrifices. While the game doesn’t explain every detail of its world, it effectively conveys Takeru’s mission as a sorrowful, endless struggle.

Characters speak little, but when they do, every word carries weight. Most of the story is conveyed through the game’s grim atmosphere and Takeru’s actions, rather than lengthy dialogue. Boss fights, especially the final one, tie directly to the game’s core themes — power and sacrifice. However, players expecting deep narrative or character development may be disappointed. SONOKUNI focuses more on creating a strong atmosphere than on fully explaining its story, and its ambiguous ending could frustrate those seeking clear answers.

The true star of the game is the music. DON YASA CREW created 50 powerful hip-hop tracks that drive the action. Deep bass and raw energy perfectly complement every sword swing and block, making you feel like you’re in an intense music video. The soundtrack isn’t just background music — it’s the soul of the game. The excellent sound design has earned awards, including BitSummit’s Excellence in Audio. While the game lacks voice acting, this actually allows the music and combat sounds to stand out even more.

Final Thoughts

Despite its many strengths, the game’s difficulty isn’t always balanced. Once you’ve learned the mechanics and how to use all the combat tools, the game becomes easier. However, it can be extremely frustrating if you keep dying on the same level. SONOKUNI is a fast and intense experience that throws you straight into action, accompanied by loud hip-hop and a bold visual style. It’s not perfect — the story is thin and may lack replay value. But when everything clicks, it’s a unique indie game with a strong attitude. If you enjoy games like Hotline Miami, stylized action, or Japanese underground aesthetics, it’s worth trying. If not, it might not be worth the risk..

Review copy provided by the publisher