9 Monkeys of Shaolin

A pleasant enough mission-based brawler, with some special powers and a quasi-levelling system adding a bit of interest to it. It's not unenjoyable but it's also quite forgettable, with a bland story that fails to engage, and too much dialogue between main story missions. It's short, at under 5 hours long, but still felt a bit long for how shallow and repetitive it is. I know I sound very critical of it, but it's a perfectly fine game. A decent enough few hours. It's just not something I'd recommend going out of your way for. I picked it up cheap in a sale, being in the mood for a short game that wouldn't tax my brain, and that's what I got. It's fine.

The (local) co-op feels like an afterthought. Just a second puncher in the fights without any other interaction with the world. The story was kinda nice and I appreciate the native linux support and might recommend it, but I did not enjoy playing the game with a friend. Single player is fine ig.

杀鬼子就是好游戏！！

Отличный битемап, прошли с другом на одном экране под пивас, получили море удовольствия. Рекомендую для тех у кого есть реальные друзья =)

Crash on launch on Win 11 and on Linux CachyOS. Unplayable Devs answered on email, but after their recommendations didn't help, they ignore me

Hidden gem

While the main campaign is not particularly long the combat is very satisfying and packs the appropriate punch. Would have loved to see additional weapon variety or accessories to build playstyles around.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a straightforward, old‑school beat ’em up that delivers exactly what it promises: fast, constant action without filler. The combat feels tight and responsive, with a simple core that becomes more interesting as you unlock new techniques and stances. Every encounter pushes you to stay mobile, time your parries, and manage groups of enemies instead of just button‑mashing. The art style is vibrant and gives the game a distinct personality, while the story is basic but does its job without getting in the way. It’s not a long game, but that actually works in its favor — it never drags, never overstays its welcome, and keeps the pacing sharp from start to finish. If you enjoy classic beat ’em ups with a modern touch and a solid sense of progression, this is a fun, focused experience that respects your time and keeps the action flowing.

nah this isn't it. i saw the pictures and thought this would be a nice alternative to other beat 'em ups, but it feels completely unfinished. UI is weird, the hits are slow, controlls are wonky and can't be re-mapped in game. also it has some very weird historic story(?)

Недавно приобщился к жанру битэмапов и не понимал, почему все так боятся его развивать. В этот жанр прямо просятся парирования и френдли-файр у противников. Оказалось я не первый, кто об этом подумал и уже 5 лет, как создана эта игра. И она заслуживает хвалебных отзывов, наравне со Street of Rage 4. PS: В игре хоть и есть несколько уровней сложности, но "воин" - слишком легко со старта, а "мастер" - сложноват в первой части игры. Просто 2 дополнительные хилки на мастере и было бы идеально в начале. А вот в конце игры, наоборот, становится довольно просто, что в принципе неплохо чтобы закончить игру и если хочется, то начать на "легенде". Да и сложность боссов странно варьируется. Первых двух приходится брать измором, а третьего я даже не заметил.