Shujinkou

"An amazing learning tool and an even better game, Shujinkou is an ambitious JRPG that&s;s well worth your time, given what&s;s already an incredible year for independent games."

"Shujinkou is a DRPG that dazzles with a brilliant central idea: transforming the Japanese language into a combat system as original as it is profound. Its learning curve is demanding and its lengthy duration can be intimidating, but those who …"

"Thanks to Shujinkou, I know more Japanese than ever before. I have a basic understanding of sentence structure and logic, and can call upon a limited vocabulary. More importantly, though, I can say I&s;ve played a legitimately great RPG."

"Shujinkou is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year, teaching a beautiful language without seeming like a product that&s;s only meant to be educational, delivering a rich plot, beautiful visuals, well-done soundtrack and charismatic characters."

"I didn&s;t want to make Shujinkou sound so bad. The task he faced wasn&s;t an easy one, and in a way, he succeeded. As a study material, it can be very helpful to those who are afraid or have difficulty …"

"While Shujinkou isn&s;t perfect, the fusion of Japanese language learning and turn-based combat provides a wonderful title that both educates and satisfies the gamer patient enough to learn and engage with its systems."

"An extremely interesting and novel mix of classic dungeon crawling with a potential means of learning a different language, but also then very niche"

"Shujinkou is clearly a love letter to Japanese language and culture, created by a team with passion for both games and language. Despite the technical issues and uneven pacing, I really loved my time with this game. As someone relearning …"

"The game pays a fair homage to several of its influences such as some Atlus entries and also brings some good new ideas to the table. Learning Japanese is optional, but even for casual players vaguely interested in learning, some …"

"Shujinkou ports to the Nintendo Switch with its spirit blessedly intact. The biggest differences come down to the game’s load time and text size, plus the choice for players to check it out at a lower price point. That balances …"

"Shujinkou is a genuinely worthwhile language tool wrapped up in a genuinely worthwhile indie Etrian Odyssey-style dungeon crawler. It’s an inspired, intelligent idea and I hope people give it a chance despite being as indie as they come. On sheer …"

"Shujinkou from developer Rice Games is a surprisingly entertaining JRPG that features a design that harkens back to early elements of the genre, while mixing in a learning experience to further its beautiful complication."

"Shujinkou is a masterfully crafted JRPG that seamlessly blends dungeon crawling, turn-based combat, and an innovative Japanese language learning system. With deep gameplay mechanics, rich world-building, and a clever integration of language education, it’s a unique experience for both RPG …"

"You won&s;t become fluent in Japanese by playing Shujinkou, but it will introduce the basics of both hiragana and katakana to you in a game that features the best bits of the Etrian Odyssey series in a very clever way. …"

"Suffice it to say, Shujinkou is one of the most ambitious indie games I’ve ever played. It not only satisfies the DRPG craving, but also rivals the industry and genre giants in delivering a complete experience. Whether you’re a longtime …"