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Taiwanese Indie Game Sparks Fury and Praise from Japanese Monk

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A Taiwanese indie game, 'The Transmigrators,' has become a hit in Japan, drawing praise from a prominent Japanese monk.
  • The monk, known as 'Semimaru P,' shared his frustrating yet ultimately positive experience playing the game for 20 hours, highlighting its challenging gameplay and narrative depth.
  • 'The Transmigrators' is a martial arts RPG known for its difficult cultivation mechanics and branching storylines, achieving widespread acclaim on Steam.

A Taiwanese martial arts role-playing game, 'The Transmigrators,' developed by "Original Bird Bear," is creating a stir in Japan. The game, lauded for its dramatic script and high-difficulty cultivation system, has already gained traction in Taiwan and South Korea.

Its recent surge in popularity in Japan includes the attention of "Semimaru P," a well-known Japanese monk and priest of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism. He shared his intense 20-hour playthrough experience on social media, expressing a mix of frustration and admiration. "Although I was incredibly angry, it is definitely a masterpiece!" he declared.

Although I was incredibly angry, it is definitely a masterpiece!

— Semimaru PThe Japanese monk's reaction to playing 'The Transmigrators' for 20 hours.

Semimaru P, whose real name is Jin-tetsu Saito, gained online fame by blending rigid Buddhist teachings with otaku culture. He detailed his first attempt at 'The Transmigrators' without using guides. After 15 to 20 hours of reading the game's extensive text, he encountered a bad ending, which deeply angered him. He noted that the game's fate often hinges on numerical cultivation, and a wrong turn in development can be difficult to recover from, leading to intense frustration.

If you are a working adult with limited time, I strongly recommend playing with a guide the first time; as for students or idle people, just get deeply immersed in it!

— Semimaru PSemimaru P's humorous advice to different types of players regarding 'The Transmigrators'.

He likened the experience to the tropes found in martial arts novels, particularly the protagonist's fate being decided by "slander and false accusations" without a satisfying counterattack. This, he explained, necessitates restarting the entire cultivation path, not just reloading a save, which he found torturous. For busy adults, he humorously recommended using a guide for the first playthrough. Students or those with ample free time, however, should "immerse themselves deeply."

Despite the emotional toll, Semimaru P acknowledged that the game has a perfect ending, solidifying its status as a "masterpiece." He concluded, "That being said, I'm still super angry!" 'The Transmigrators' was released on PC on June 14, 2024. It places players in the role of an "outsider disciple" in a declining sect, exploring the martial arts world, facing random events, and making decisions that shape their character, the sect's fate, and the story's conclusion. The game has received "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam, with over 10,000 reviews in Traditional Chinese.

That being said, I'm still super angry!

— Semimaru PSemimaru P's concluding remark about his experience with 'The Transmigrators'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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