Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash

Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash
Developer(s)Racdym[1][a]
Publisher(s)SNK
Hudson Soft (Neo Geo CD)
Director(s)Osamu Kimura
Producer(s)Takafumi Horio
Designer(s)Oyabun
Torajirō Tsujino
Artist(s)A. Ono
H. Ando
M. Kusanagi
Composer(s)Eisaku Nambu
Kennosuke Suemura
Masaaki Nishizawa
SeriesTengai Makyo
Platform(s)Arcade, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD
ReleaseArcade
  • JP: 20 June 1995
  • NA: 1995
Neo Geo AES
  • JP: 28 July 1995
  • NA: 28 July 1995
  • EU: 28 July 1995
Neo Geo CD
  • JP: 24 November 1995
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS

Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash[b] is a fighting game developed by Racdym and published by Hudson Soft for the arcades, Neo-Geo, and Neo Geo CD in 1995.[2][3] It is a spin-off of the popular Japanese console RPG series Tengai Makyo.[4] As of 2023, it is the only Tengai Makyo game to have been released outside Japan.[5]

Gameplay

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Gameplay screenshot showcasing a match between Kabuki Danjuro and Yagumo

Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash is a 2D fighting game, similar in play style to the Samurai Shodown series and The Last Blade series, but with the addition of various power-ups and very over-the-top anime-style special moves.[6] Power-up icons appear on-screen at random, either springing out of the scenery or delivered by the Karasu Tengu.[7] Characters wield weapons, which can be lost and recovered during battle.[8]

Story

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Kabuki Klash is set within the land of Jipang (a reference of feudal Japan). The story follows warriors, often swordsmen, in battles against a range of often comical villains.

Characters

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Playable

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CPU-only

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Reception

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In Japan, Game Machine listed Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash on their August 1, 1995 issue as being the sixth most-popular arcade game at the time.[18] According to Famitsu, the AES version sold over 14,775 copies in its first week on the market.[19] The game has been met with positive reception from critics since its release.[15][8]

VideoGames reviewer Tyrone Rodriguez gave the game a score of 8 (Great), stating: "With its gimmicks and blinding visual style, Kabuki Klash is tremendously fun." The other editors' ratings were 8, 8 and 5.[6] Reviewing the Neo Geo AES version, GamePro praised the advanced graphics and sound effects but criticized the uninteresting special moves and overpowered magic moves. They concluded, "The initial gameplay is arresting, but after a while, it loses its luster. Ultimately, the game doesn't offer more than the state-of-the-art animation and sounds we've come to expect from the Neo Geo."[10] Next Generation criticized the game for having almost nothing to set it apart from the multitude of 2D fighting games already released for the Neo Geo AES, concluding his review with "And now for the standard Neo-Geo fighting game review ending: If you just can't get enough of that 2D fighting action, here's yet another one for you."[11]

Reviewing the Neo Geo CD version, Maximum noted that Kabuki Klash is another one-on-one fighting game for a console already renowned as the preeminent fighting game console, but nonetheless applauded the game for its "fast and fluid" gameplay, "frankly awesome visuals", and original play mechanics.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Additional work by Red Company
  2. ^ Also known as Devil's World Outside of Heaven - The True Legend (Japanese: 天外魔境真伝, Hepburn: Tengai Makyō Shin Den) in Japan.

References

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  1. ^ "その他 -(株)ラクジン". Racjin. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  2. ^ Des Barres, Nicholas (August 1995). "Japan Now - Tengai Makyo comes to the Neo•Geo". GameFan. Vol. 3, no. 8. DieHard Gamers Club. p. 96.
  3. ^ Des Barres, Nicholas (September 1995). "Preview - Neo Geo - Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash". GameFan. Vol. 3, no. 9. DieHard Gamers Club. p. 121.
  4. ^ Setsu (October 2003). "Dossier - SNK Neo Geo: 1995". HardCore Gamers (in French). No. 14. FJM Publications. p. 9.
  5. ^ Kalata, Kurt. "Far East of Eden (Page 3) - Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash / Tengai Makyou Shinden". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  6. ^ a b c Rodriguez, Tyrone (October 1995). "Power Reviews - Neo•Geo - Kabuki Klash - Kabuki Adds a Little Spice from the Twisted World of Anime". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. No. 81. L.F.P., Inc. p. 87.
  7. ^ a b c "Kabuki Klash". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. No. 1. Emap International Limited. October 1995. p. 156.
  8. ^ a b Des Barres, Nicholas (October 1995). "Review - Neo Geo - Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash". GameFan. Vol. 3, no. 10. DieHard Gamers Club. pp. 114–115.
  9. ^ Knight, Kyle (1998). "Kabuki Klash: Far East of Eden [Japanese] (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  10. ^ a b Grinder, The Axe (October 1995). "ProReview: Neo•Geo - Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash". GamePro. No. 75. IDG. p. 78.
  11. ^ a b "Finals - Neo-Geo - Kabuki Klash". Next Generation. No. 10. Imagine Media. October 1995. p. 116.
  12. ^ Knauf, Andreas (October 1995). "Spiele-Tests - NG - Kabuki Klash". MAN!AC (in German). No. 24. Cybermedia. p. 75.
  13. ^ "NF編集部にまる - ネオジオゲームㇱインレビュー: 天外魔境真伝". Neo Geo Freak (in Japanese). No. 25. Geibunsha. June 1997. pp. 124–128.
  14. ^ Delpierre, Christophe (January 1996). "Vite Vu - Neo Geo CD - Far East of Eden". Player One (in French). No. 60. Média Système Édition. p. 116.
  15. ^ a b Betinho, Baby (September 1995). "Neo Geo - Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash". Super Game Power (in Portuguese). No. 18. Nova Cultural. p. 46.
  16. ^ Sol, Bruno (January 1996). "Neo Geo CD a fondo: Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash – Al Este Del Eden". Superjuegos (in Spanish). No. 45. Grupo Zeta. pp. 84–87.
  17. ^ Schaedle, Wolfgang (March 1996). "Neo Geo CD - Reviews - Kabuki Klash". Video Games (in German). No. 52. Future-Verlag. p. 39.
  18. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 500. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 August 1995. p. 25.
  19. ^ "Game Search". Game Data Library. Archived from the original on 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
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