Weapon Shop de Omasse

Nintendo Life ( )

Weapon Shop de Omasse isn’t going to appeal to everyone, but it’s a fantastic option for gamers interested in its small niche of unusual gameplay and unique staging. Combining RPG elements with rhythm based gameplay, there is definitely something here for fans of varying genres, but what stands out most of all is its relentless charm. It’s a very basic game conceptually, but a lot of care was put into its writing and development to turn this into a new experience worth having. If you’re looking for something new, this is the perfect time to pick up your hammer, start a fire, and get crafting.

Pocket Gamer UK ( )

Between its nods to the RPGs with which we grew up, memorable characters, and moreish gameplay components, Weapon Shop de Omasse is the shining gem of the Guild series

Destructoid (8.5 out of 10)

Weapon Shop de Omasse is a breezy rhythm game, brimming with humor targeted at JRPG fans. I realize that's a niche within a niche, and it certainly won't be for everyone, but I loved it. And if that bizarre concept sounds even vaguely interesting, I bet you'll love it too.

Hardcore Gamer Magazine (4 out of 5)

Weapon Shop de Omasse is sort of what you’d expect from a game made by a comedian, which is to say, really funny and awfully clunky. It can feel a little uninvolving as a player – simply picking a weapon with the best numbers and watching someone else use it – though by the same token, that makes the game weirdly mellow and relaxing. But even though the core gameplay is a little bland, the excellent writing and attention to detail will keep you hooked to the end.

GameZone (8 out of 10)

All of these elements combined make Weapon Shop de Omasse one of the funniest games on the 3DS. Sure it might not have the emotional impact of Attack of the Friday Monsters or the twitch gameplay of Liberation Maiden, but it will make you smile and maybe have a deeper appreciation of all those Weapon Shop owners we passed along in our gaming careers, who made us a better hero on our adventure.

Operation Rainfall ( )

Overall, Weapon Shop de Omasse is a welcome addition to the eShop and a great way to end the Guild01 series of games (Whoa, déjà vu). The gameplay is fantastic. The story is hilarious, even with that one part that came out of nowhere. The music could’ve been more but worked fine. The design was delightful. It was just a blast.

Tech-Gaming (79 out of 100)

Although those seeking role-playing fundamentals might be disappointed by Weapon Shop de Omasse’s inclination toward time-management simulation, players craving creativity should appreciate the title’s spirited take on blacksmithing. Considering players should get at least ten hours of playtime out of the eight dollar title, a residency at the Weapon Shop gets a warm, but not quite red-hot recommendation.

Pure Nintendo (7.5 out of 10)

Like most of Level 5’s Guild Series games, Weapon Shop de Omasse stands out not so much for its gameplay, but because of its unique ideas and interesting story and characters.

Neoseeker (7 out of 10)

Unfortunately the heart of the game, forging weapons, is often a lackluster experience. I found myself wanting to skip weapon crafting and return to the colorful cast of characters. While Weapon Shop de Omasse shows an appreciably high attention to detail, I felt the gameplay offered little to keep my attention. Despite its shortcomings, I hope this isn't the last we see of Yuhan's successful weapon renting business.

USgamer (3.5 out of 5)

If you relish the thought of idly polishing a sword while reading through a stack of cleverly-written in-jokes based around RPGs, then don't hesitate to open shop.

Capsule Computers (7 out of 10)

Overall, Weapon Shop de Omasse is a fun, interesting rhythm game with some neat shop management mechanics built in. The characters are boisterous and memorable, and seeing their adventures through the “Grindcast” system is a hoot. If you enjoy classic JRPGs and rhythm games, Weapon Shop de Omasse is a humorous, toe-tapping fantasy adventure you’ll enjoy hammering out some time with.

Game Informer Magazine (6.25 out of 10)

I liked the quirkiness of Weapon Shop De Omasse, but I was never truly captivated by it. The best simulation games get you in a groove and provide a great sense of progression, making them hard to put down. That just isn't what Weapon Shop De Omasse offers, being too simplistic for its own good. Level-5 is known for putting a great deal of customization and depth into its games, but here it's missing and I was wishing for more control over the weapon creation process. Weapon Shop De Omasse offers a diversion and loses its momentum quickly; if only it had something more substantial to save it from being another humdrum shop simulation.

RPG Site (6 out of 10)

Weapon Shop de Omasse ultimately has a fun, interesting promise, but the game's flaws really bring the title down. What's supposed to be a light-hearted title becomes just a bit monotonous and grind-y, and the reward for making all of these weapons isn't readily apparent. Weapon Shop has a lot of charm, but charm only gets so far when the actual gameplay doesn't stack up.

The Guardian ( )

Thankfully, Weapon Shop de Omasse is rescued by its wonderful story and dialogue. It was written by comedian Yoshiyuki Hirai, and is riddled with jokes that mock RPG conventions. Plus there are brilliant characters, including an axe-loving grandmother, a lovestruck pirate and a menacing, cross-dressing beautician. It is charming – just a shame the gameplay doesn't match the excellent writing.

Darkstation ( )

Weapons Shop de Omasse is a game of missed opportunities: giving you control of forging weapons, then making it nothing more than a rhythm game is a bit of a downer, though the actual experience is still at least decent; making fun of RPGs with the Grindcast is a funny idea and allowed them to write funnier scenarios without you having to leave your shop, but then you rarely get a chance to read it when the game gets more busy. With a few tweaks there could have been a more fun experience and a better way of keeping track of the numerous characters and all of their storylines, but instead it’s just serviceable.

4Players.de (60 out of 100)

Weapon Shop de Omasse ist eine liebevolle, augenzwinkernde Hommage an Japan-Rollenspiele und ihre Eigenheiten. Die skurillen Charaktere, bizarren Dialoge und albernen Gegebenheiten haben mich oft grinsen lassen. Leider kann die Spielmechanik aber großteils nicht mithalten: Der Waffenbaukasten ist zu schnell durchschaut, das Schmieden wird schnell öde und das Schärfen ist nervige Fleißarbeit. Dazu wurde ich mit der Zeit des ständigen Lesens des Grindcastes überdrüssig und ertappte mich dabei, die Spielgeschwindigkeit sehr oft zu erhöhen. Weapon Shop de Omasse ist für mich ein typisches Spiel für zwischendurch, das nicht länger als 30 Minuten am Stück fesseln kann. So erreicht der Waffenladen nur aufgrund seines witzigen Charmes ein knapp befriedigendes Niveau.

Engadget ( )

Because of this, Weapon Shop de Omasse's gameplay feels more like a tedious chore, an obstacle to be overcome. Forging and polishing kills the time between customers, which are Omasse's real highlight. I didn't really want to craft; I wanted Grandma Snow - a sweet, chubby old woman - to return and tell me more stories about how she gave the smackdown to a clan of orcs. It might be appropriate for a blacksmith's life to be full of grinding, but that doesn't make it any more fun.

Digitally Downloaded ( )

Weapon Shop de Omasse is a deeply intelligent game, and it's certainly part of a fine heritage of philosophy that has made for compelling experiences in the past. But we can chalk this one up to the collective learning experience of the game development industry; it's fine to feature philosophy and to shoot for comedy, but you simply can't rely on that carrying the game. After all, if you're not giving people a reason to keep playing, none of them are going to get through to the end of your game to understand the point that you're making.

Invision Game Community (3 out of 5)

Overall I give Weapon Shop de Omasse a 3/5; it can be an entertaining experience, especially if you only want to play it for an hour at a time whilst waiting for something in real life. There isn’t much of a pull to play this game for long periods of time as the repetitive nature starts to grind on you and becomes boring quickly. Fans of Rhythm games will like this new addition to the genre but other than that there is little to excite players.

Game Revolution (3 out of 5)

Anyone with only a passing interest in epic hundred-hour tales of good and evil should stay away. With the game costing only $7.99 as a digital download, those steeped in the Japanese role-playing games will love mixing a massive adventure and Weapon Shop during long gaming sessions.

Metro.co.uk (6 out of 10)

Another amusing look behind the veil of role-playing conventions, although it’s a shame the experience feels so slight and insubstantial.

IGN Australia (5.8 out of 10)

Weapon Shop de Omasse is a comedy game that isn’t particularly good or even particularly funny, but it’s weirdly compulsive nonetheless. Part social-media pastiche, part menial-labour simulator and part interactive fiction delivered in bitesize chunks, none of its elements are much good on their own, but together they form an addictive cycle. It’s certainly different, but it’s also throwaway.

VentureBeat / Gamesbeat (40 out of 100)

Weapon Shop de Omasse is an infuriating, boring game. Only RPG enthusiasts who snigger at jokes about stereotypical Evil Lords, grinding against rats, and “Tutorial Caves” will care to play it — and even then, they would be wise to reconsider. If developer Level-5 set out to make a game that captured the spirit of blacksmithing, it certainly succeeded: This is nothing more than an exercise in monotony and routine.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (4 out of 10)

As a study of life behind the counter, Weapon Shop de Omasse does a fair job - with its monotony and tedium, its simple task stretched out across entire listless days. Perhaps that was the intention of Level-5 and Yoshiyuki Hirai, though somehow I doubt that's the case. As part of the Guild portmanteau it's a curio that earns its place, an eccentric exercise whose existence you can't help but be grateful for. Torn away from its more substantial partners, though, it never does enough to stand out on its own.

GamingTrend (35 out of 100)

Being able to play the other, less glamorous side of the epic quest has the potential to be highly entertaining, by offering an experience rarely seen in video games. Instead, Weapon Shop de Omasse is stretched far too thin — like a long joke whose punchline isn’t worth the set-up.

Gameplay (Benelux) N/A

Wie maakt eigenlijk al die wapens die je in de klassieke RPG shops kunt kopen? Zou je niet liever deze wapens craften, oppoetsen middels het 3DS touchscreen en verhuren aan avonturiers in plaats van zelf op avontuur te trekken? Ja? Wel, dan is deze Weapon Shop De Mosasse zeker iets voor jou. De anderen kunnen beter op avontuur blijven gaan.

Diehard GameFan N/A

If you were in the market for a goofy, rhythm-based, weapon shop owning simulator from Japan, you are in the right place. Weapon Shop de Omasse takes a page out of the book of Recettear and puts you in charge of supplying the world’s heroes with the weapons they’ll need to defeat the Evil Lord. You must tap along to the beat of the music as you shape your weaponry and hopefully do a good enough job at it that it doesn’t break in battle, causing you to lose out on both the weapon and money. While repetition does set in rather early in the game, the humor that comes from the character interactions and the Grindcast will keep you engaged until you reach the conclusion. It’s not the best game in the Guild 01 collection, though it’s certainly one of the most unique.

GamingIllustrated.com N/A

Weapon Shop de Omasse is a great 3DS eShop game and the best of Level-5’s Guild series. The writing is funny and tells a clever story through multiple weaving story lines, while also serving as a great love letter to the RPG genre. The gameplay has some highlights, but crafting weapons, the bulk of gameplay is a bit gummy and not as satisfying as the business sim aspects. Weapon Shop de Omasse is a good looking game full of colorful and eccentric characters. The music is great yet doesn’t integrate as well to the rhythm gameplay aspects and the sound effects are distracting. Weapon Shop de Omasse is well worth the price and is an eShop game RPG aficionados should definitely check out.