After a series of delays, the game is finally headed for a launch.

SHINONOME ABYSS The Maiden Exorcist is almost here. After a series of delays, developer Wodan announced that the launch is scheduled on March 26.

The game puts players in the role of the shrine maiden Yono, who follows in the footsteps of her missing Onmyouji brother. She's heading to a terrifying mansion that's said to be haunted by yokai and vengeful spirits called Mononoke. With limited items and traps at her disposal, players need knowledge, experience, and courage to survive the endlessly-changing halls and rooms.

How the game works is that players need to discover the type and number of Mononoke in the next room by listening for sounds and uncovering other clues. Then they'll have to lure that Mononoke into traps they've placed. The trick is to use elements of the mansion like fireplaces and broken floors to their advantage.

One thing to remember is that when Yono is in grave danger, another side of her personality is revealed and she gains new strength. Those who can predict and control this transformation can get another advantage over the Mononoke.

The game has players face down the challenges of the mansion in three unique modes which change the play experience. The first is "Harai," where there are fixed maps that challenge players to solve specific puzzles. Then there's "Misogi," where they need to escape randomly-generated maps for a more casual experience. Finally, the "Gyou" mode features hardcore randomly-generated maps that has a heavy focus on survival.

A Better Experience

The studio revealed that the game has been significantly expanded from the previous Shinonome title. There's now more Mononoke, more traps and items, more dungeons, and a major boss. That latest addition is Yono's alternate personality. The studio went on to say they also made sure to improve the play experience since this was what a lot of players wanted based on feedback.

Production Staff

The team behind SHINONOME ABYSS The Maiden Exorcist is what can be described as a strong one. The Game Designer is Kenichi Iwao, who has been involved in titles like Resident Evil, Einhander, Parasite Eve 2, and Final Fantasy XI. Meanwhile, the character design was courtesy of Tatsuya Yoshikawa, who was also part of the "Breath of Fire" series, Devil May Cry 4 and 5, Last Ranker, and Slitterhead.

Wishlist SHINONOME ABYSS The Maiden Exorcist on Steam now.