Otogi: Myth of Demons, known in Japan as simply Otogi (御伽), is a hack and slash

Hack and slash

Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...

 action game

Action game

Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...

 by From Software

From Software

is a Japanese video game company founded in November 1986 known primarily for being the developers of the Armored Core, Demon's Souls, King's Field, Otogi and Tenchu series.-Games:...

, published by Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

 for the Xbox

Xbox

The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...

. The game was followed by a sequel Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors

Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors

Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors a hack and slash action game designed by From Software. Otogi 2 was published by Sega and was released for the Xbox in 2003. It was released in the West the following year and is based on the legendary Raikoh, his four generals and their guide, Seimei...

a year after its release in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

Story

The protagonist Raikoh Minamoto (based on Minamoto no Yorimitsu

Minamoto no Yorimitsu

, also known as Minamoto no Raikō, served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, taking the violent measures the Fujiwara were themselves unable to take...

) was born into a clan of executioner

Executioner

A judicial executioner is a person who carries out a death sentence ordered by the state or other legal authority, which was known in feudal terminology as high justice.-Scope and job:...

s under the emperor's command. Raikoh was given the order to kill his own father. He couldn't bring himself to do it, so he stole Soul Shrine, his clan's ancestral sword

Sword

A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

, and fled the capital city of Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

.

Upon his departure the seal separating the demon

Demon

call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...

 and human worlds was broken. Kyoto was all but leveled and a wave of demons appeared. Raikoh was almost killed by the flood of darkness, but a princess banished to the netherworld saved him and held him in a state between life and death.

The princess gave him a new body in exchange for his services. She would allow him to repent for his sins as an assassin by saving the world from the demons unleashed upon it.

Raikoh begins his quest to restore the seal and stop the one responsible for its collapse.

Significance

Otogi boasted a number of notable features including destructible environments (which the game awards you for) and an unusually high level count for a 3D action game (29 stages). It was also a surprising release, coming out of nowhere with strong creativity and originality from a development team that has been primarily known mostly for the Armored Core

Armored Core

Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...

 series.

Reception

Otogi holds a rating of 8.4 at GameSpot

GameSpot

GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...

, the reviewer praised the game for its production values and stunning visual graphics. Criticisms of the game stem from its reuse of some level designs and slight frame rate slowdown.