Studio Saizensen·Released Jul 9, 2019·Single player
Umihara Kawase is an action game series where the player controls protagonist Umihara Kawase to reach the end of each level. The game is highlighted by its rubber ring action in which the player uses an elastic rope to progress.
All in all, Umihara Kawase Fresh! is presented smartly, if quite bizarrely. Its movement system is fiendish, sometimes frustrating, sometimes free-flowing. Unfortunately, it asks a lot of the player and manages to hide its best bits. The level and boss design are unlikely to inspire anyone, especially when already taken to wit's end by the stuttering difficulty, but that's not enough to undo the game's unique charm. If you're already an Umihara fan then Umihara Kawase Fresh! will give you your fix like nothing else. For anyone else, it's harder to love – but not impossible.
