Draw Slasher Review

On paper, Draw Slasher comes off as a really cool idea. A game where you control a ninja by drawing a path for him to rip through with his katana, RPG mechanics and super attacks sounds like it could be pretty fun. Granted, the enemies being zombie-pirate-monkeys is a little bit silly, but that fact could have turned into a serious charm factor. Sadly, despite Draw Slasher having a promising concept, the parts don't add up to a good experience.

You'll play as Hanzo, a ninja fresh out of training who comes home to discover his village under attack by a band of zombie-pirate-monkeys. As you slash through the undead animals, you'll level up and learn special moves to blow them into bloody chunks. If the story sounds dumb, it's because it is, but the sheer impossibility of it all actually made me laugh as I progressed through it.

Draw Slasher, and its many "sequels" started out on Apple's iOS platform, and they were met with moderate success. The mechanic works well on the iPhone or iPad because the quick missions are tailored to iOS. Minor problems like a lack of diverse enemies can be looked past since you probably aren't playing long enough to notice.

On the PlayStation Vita, however, the game starts to fall apart. While a good story on iOS is usually reserved for big-budget titles like Infinity Blade, on the Vita having a full story is all but a staple of the device. Because of this, Draw Slasher's story, which was just funny and coherent enough to hold up on iOS, is just not up to par with the other offerings we've had so far on the Vita.

The missions were extended in length and total number so that the game would last more than about an hour, and this is one of its biggest hindrances. The game can be broken down into between five and six combat screens bookended by a boss that, when defeated, teaches you one of five special moves. The combat arenas are fun at first, but scribbling on the screen is tiring, feels juvenile and gets old really fast. The best way to have fun with this game, I discovered, is to play it in short bursts since it's so easy to get burnt out with it.

Boss battles try to remedy the monotony by doing things like making you dodge bombs, dodge octopus arms and draw a series of shapes to clang swords with samurai. The boss battles take forever to complete. Even when you aren't getting destroyed by the overpowering differences in how much health you and the boss lose when hit, the fights just too long and they feel truly unfair. The biggest problem with the boss battles is that they oftentimes require precise maneuvering, something that touch controls just can't provide.

One highlight of the game is the graphics. Mass Creation said that they rebuilt the entire game for the Vita, and in this respect, their claim holds up. Animations are fluid and the art is actually kind of cute. The voice acting is also pretty good, and it's admittedly funny in a totally silly kind of way. Turn off the subtitles though, because there are a few annoying typos and misspellings.

Despite only costing $5.99, being mechanically sound and having a unique combat mechanic, Draw Slasher just isn't a game that is worth picking up for the Vita. Improvements like upgraded graphics, more content and new voice acting doesn’t make up for the fact that this game was built around the mechanics of iOS devicies. I purchased it on iOS, and I actually ended up having much more fun with it. Mass Creation does show true talent with what they've created, so I hope that they continue to mature and make a game that’s meant to be played on Vita from the get-go. Draw Slasher is just not a good game for the PlayStation Vita, so if it catches your interest pick it up for iOS devices and save some money and avoid a diminished experience with the game.

5.9/10