Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Xi You Ji delivers a classic side-scrolling beat ’em up experience that immediately evokes the golden era of arcade brawlers. Players choose from three distinct protectors—each drawing inspiration from the animal-fighting heroes of the original novel—before marching across vibrant, horizontally scrolling stages. Combat is simple to learn, with light and heavy attacks that chain into satisfying combos against waves of varied devilish foes.

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The game’s pacing strikes a solid balance between accessible pick-up-and-play action and deeper mastery, thanks in part to its three selectable difficulty modes: Easy, Middle, and Hard. Each mode adjusts enemy resilience and aggression, encouraging newcomers to start on Easy while challenging veterans to tackle the Hard setting for the ultimate test. Lives are limited to three per run, pushing players to learn enemy patterns and conserve health.

Xi You Ji also supports two-player simultaneous action, allowing friends to share a keyboard or hook up a gamepad for cooperative mayhem. Teamwork becomes essential when enemy hordes overwhelm lone heroes, and the ability to juggle foes with combination attacks adds both strategic depth and replayability. While there is no traditional scoreboard displayed in-game, the drive to push higher personal scores and clear stages more efficiently will keep enthusiasts coming back.

Graphics

The art direction in Xi You Ji leans heavily on traditional Chinese motifs blended with vibrant sprite artwork. Character designs are detailed and instantly recognizable as the Monkey King’s companions, each imbued with unique color palettes and animations that reflect their mythical origins. Enemies range from ghostly apparitions to horned demons, each rendered with enough clarity to distinguish attack patterns at a glance.

Backgrounds feature multi-layered parallax scrolling that brings temples, mountain passes, and cloud-shrouded landscapes to life. While the overall resolution and color depth are reminiscent of 16-bit era titles, the smooth parallax movement gives the game a sense of depth and motion that belies its modest technical canvas. Fast-paced combat remains fluid even when the screen fills with particle effects and enemies.

Minor technical quirks can be observed—text menus and HUD elements are presented solely in Traditional Chinese, and occasional slowdowns occur when too many sprites populate a single screen. However, these issues never become severe enough to detract from the core visual charm. The occasional burst of in-game music further enhances the atmosphere when paired with these dynamic visuals.

Story

Drawing from the timeless Chinese epic The Journey to the West, Xi You Ji casts players as one of three guardians escorting the Buddhist monk Xuanzang on a perilous pilgrimage. While the game does not attempt to retell every plot twist of the original novel, it frames each level around key mythological motifs—demon ambushes, sacred mountain trials, and celestial interludes—that lend narrative context to the brawling action.

Story beats are sparse, delivered almost exclusively through the title screen and brief stage introductions in Chinese text. There is no English localization beyond a few configuration terms like “General Midi” and “Soundblaster,” so non-Chinese readers may miss finer points of lore. Nonetheless, the core premise remains universally understandable: fight through swarms of adversaries to ensure the monk’s safe passage to India.

For fans of the source material, Xi You Ji offers a faithful, if minimalist, homage. Character animations occasionally include signature moves—such as staff twirls or fiery breath attacks—that nod to their literary abilities. Even without extensive dialogue or cutscenes, the game’s consistent aesthetic and mythic encounters successfully convey the spirit of the original journey.

Overall Experience

Xi You Ji captures the essence of classic beat ’em up gameplay filtered through the rich tapestry of Chinese folklore. Its intuitive combat, varied difficulty settings, and two-player co-op support deliver immediate thrills for both newcomers and seasoned brawler aficionados. While the lack of English localization may pose a hurdle, the action remains clear and engaging without requiring full language comprehension.

The game’s retro-styled graphics and parallax backgrounds create an immersive world steeped in traditional artistry, complemented by dynamic sprite work and a handful of atmospheric musical cues. Minor performance slowdowns and the absence of an on-screen scoreboard do little to dull the core experience, which thrives on fast-paced combat and the satisfaction of clearing challenging levels.

Ultimately, Xi You Ji stands out as a compelling side-scrolling homage to one of China’s most beloved epics. It’s a title best suited for collectors of retro-inspired beat ’em ups and fans of Journey to the West lore. If you can look past the language barrier and appreciate straightforward, cooperative brawling action, this pilgrimage is well worth undertaking.

Retro Replay Score

7.2/10