Muramasa Rebirth is an action-RPG gem with sublime hand-painted visuals in feudal Japan. Sword combat is fluid and spectacular. A visual and gaming masterpiece on Vita.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG1 player12+
Description
A divinely powered samurai journeys through feudal Japan battling gods and spirits in this Vanillaware painted-art action-RPG. Published by Atlus, released in the United States in June 2013. Sidescrolling action-RPG with libido and karma systems, Vanillaware paint-style visuals, multiple storylines. US edition.
Muramasa Rebirth review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Painted like an animated woodblock print, feudal Japan unfolds cherry trees, shrines and battlefields of spellbinding pictorial finesse. The sabre duels trace fluid arabesques over settings that seem alive. This traditional beauty, revisited by Vanillaware, remains a peak of 2D art.
Signed by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Basiscape, the music blends traditional Japanese instruments and orchestra in a feudal print-like beauty. Each province and each sword duel come alive to the rhythm of spellbinding melodies. This sonic richness, refined and exotic, elevates the sumptuous aesthetic of the game.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
A sword-action game from Vanillaware, Muramasa Rebirth unfurls its brisk combat and hand-painted feudal Japan, magnified on the Vita's screen in a thinly printed North American edition. The format's physical scarcity and the studio's aura make it a coveted piece for fans of authored 2D. Its interest combines this singular beauty and this reduced distribution.
Memorable bosses
Carried by Vanillaware's painted backdrops, this journey through a haunted feudal Japan pits the player against a bestiary drawn from folklore: vengeful spirits, wrathful deities and oversized yokai. The dance of blades, which shatter with use, forces you to juggle your arsenal mid-duel. The beauty of the linework and the snappiness of the fights elevate every encounter.
A cult cover
In a hand-painted feudal Japan, the samurai stands out against crimson skies and blossoming cherry trees, faithful to Vanillaware's ukiyo-e touch. The delicacy of the backgrounds and the sheen of the fabrics promise a deluge of colour and blades. This living woodblock print, at once traditional and flamboyant, remains a peak of 2D illustration.
Is Muramasa Rebirth still worth playing in 2026?
A Vita adaptation of the famous Vanillaware 2D action, Muramasa Rebirth offers a feudal Japanese adventure with two heroes of distinct gameplays and fluid sword combat system. The absolutely sublime watercolour art direction by George Kamitani, acrobatic handling and Japanese fantasy scenario make it an absolutely unmissable beat'em up reference on Vita. For anyone fond of Vanillaware, an absolutely essential recommendation today still without the slightest hesitation on the Sony portable machine truly here indeed.
