REVIEW: ‘Denshattack!’ Thrives On Its Chaos

Denshattack! is Fireshine Games’ crazy train-racing action platformer that is as fun as it is chaotic. It provides an explosively engaging time from start to finish. It’s fast, fluid, and fun, but the experience is sometimes hindered by the double-edged sword that is the gameplay style.

Denshattack! follows Emi Araki, a ramen chef and delivery girl who uses her train to navigate Oita and make deliveries. Her life changes very quickly in the first few minutes of the game when she meets Fernando Tamashiro, a photographer and Denshattack fanatic who commends Emi’s train-operating skills. He educates her about the art of being a Denshattacker, and even recommends that she become one. With very little convincing, Emi decides to do just that.

The game follows her adventures as a new Denshattacker who goes from region to region, challenging champions, improving her skills, and upgrading her train along the way to become the best among the rest. Emi’s story is incredibly simple to follow and features several interesting and endearing characters bursting with personality. However, what makes the narrative especially interesting is the overarching story of the world in which the game is set.

Denshattack! is fantastically fun through and through.

The game opens by letting players know it is set in a future in which Japan was hit by a climate crisis that forced citizens into air-purified domes connected by an underground railway system controlled by a company called Miraido. However, life remains outside these domes, and several people still live their lives the best they can. Emi and the rest of the Denshattackers are among these individuals. It’s revealed early on that the Denshattackers have taken over several abandoned areas outside these domes and have claimed them as their turf in every prefecture.

As the story progresses, players will also learn more details about this version of Japan, what Miraido is up to, and how the Denshattackers are fighting back against the mega corp’s malicious influence. The subtle narrative is executed in a surprisingly refreshing way, blending gameplay seamlessly with certain mission objectives. Dialogue between characters often reveals additional details and developments in the world, which are also revealed through short TV segments between chapters.

Gameplay-wise, Denshattack! is fantastically fun through and through. Players control their trains with blazing speed and perform insane feats like drifting on rails, jumping from rail to rail, grinding on pipes, driving on walls, jumping and slamming into things, performing absurd tricks in the air, and much more. Executing tricks and platforming while avoiding hurdles and other dangerous obstacles and getting combos feels thrilling, especially since everything is incredibly fast-paced.

Performing tricks and avoiding danger flawlessly feels incredible.

Because of this, players must always think on their feet for every scenario. Unfortunately, while performing tricks and avoiding danger flawlessly feels incredible, always moving so fast can also be detrimental, as obstacles sometimes feel like they’ve popped out of nowhere. As such, it can be hard to keep up with things at times.

Additionally, when starting out, players will be bombarded with several gameplay details and information. They’re all important to the regular gameplay loop, and players must master and memorize them to thrive in the game, which can be overwhelming. However, once you get the hang of things and put in hours learning the ins and outs of Denshattack, controlling your train and performing crazy feats quickly becomes second nature.

The game also offers very little challenge from the start. Players looking for more challenging gameplay right from the start can choose to improve their scores on each level to earn as many gold medals and the best times possible. This can be very difficult, especially on certain levels.

Boss fights are one of the many highlights of Denshattack!

However, as players advance through the game, they’ll encounter more challenging levels featuring a variety of objectives that they must meet to reach the next stage, such as completing a set number of tasks within a time limit or finishing first in a race. These challenges provide a more balanced and rewarding gameplay experience.

When players aren’t progressing through the main levels or grinding to get better scores, they can hunt for collectibles and unlock new sprays and customization options for their trains, with more options unlocking as they advance the story.

Boss fights are one of the many highlights of Denshattack! Every rival that Denshattacker players face provides a highly entertaining battle, each of which feels like the main event of their corresponding chapter. They’re all exciting, awe-inspiring, challenging, and cinematic. What elevates the stellar experience even more is the game’s superb soundtrack. It’s filled with tons of tracks and BGM that sound amazing and elevate the high-octane feel of each level. Even the songs heard during the calmer moments in the game, such as the menu tracks and songs for many low-key scenes, sound immaculate.

Denshattack! arrives as a wonderful surprise in all the right ways.

Other impressive elements include the eye-catching visuals. Denshattack! sports a great, colorful punk-anime aesthetic that really fits its theme and setting. This aesthetic comes with amazing effects, vibrant colors, composition, and smooth animations.

The art direction displayed in every prefecture, all of which look visually distinct from one another, is also excellent. Both the Japanese and English casts did a fantastic job voicing the characters and portraying their zany personalities. Lastly, the game runs incredibly well on PS5 with no framerate issues despite its chaotic gameplay.

Overall, Denshattack! arrives as a wonderful surprise in all the right ways. It provides hours of explosive goofy fun, immaculate visuals, an amazing soundtrack, and more, resulting in a truly entertaining and memorable experience.

Denshattack! is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.