Gurei Review

Lobo Sagaz Studio's debut action game throws away traditional progression in favor of skill, strategy, and unforgettable boss fights that get tougher the longer you avoid them.

Indie games have become the perfect playground for bold ideas, and now and then one comes along that proves you don't need a massive open world or a 50-hour campaign to leave a lasting impression. Gurei is one of those games. Instead of filling its adventure with side quests and endless upgrades, it puts everything into one simple but brilliant concept: every boss can be fought in any order, but every victory makes the remaining enemies even stronger.

Gurei is the debut title from Brazilian developer Lobo Sagaz Studio, and it confidently takes a different path from most modern action games. It combines fast-paced sword fighting with roguelike elements, irrevocable repercussions, and a boss-rush structure that keeps forcing players to reevaluate their decisions. The outcome is a short encounter that nonetheless feels far bigger than its running duration.

And the story gets right to the point. Players play as Rey, a human spirit who wakes up in a magical castle overtaken by strong Kami. Her mission is simple: beat them all and discover the truth behind this weird universe. Gurei’s storytelling is purposely understated. There are no cutscenes every 10 seconds to break up the action; the game lets the world unfold naturally, through exploration and interactions.

One of its most interesting ideas happens after you defeat a boss. They don’t just disappear, but each Kami becomes a part of Rey and her adventure, sometimes even communicating as she explores. These exchanges disclose bits of knowledge, offer indications of future conflicts, and eventually establish the personalities of adversaries who at first appeared to be nothing more than terrifying enemies.

There are also ghosts and optional NPCs scattered throughout the castle that provide more context on the realm.

There’s no need for any of this, but if you like piecing together a story yourself, you’ll find many intriguing nuances hiding beneath the surface. The narrative isn't the main attraction, but it gives enough context to make every victory feel meaningful. Gurei's biggest strength is also its boldest idea.

After entering the castle, players are free to tackle nearly every boss in whatever order they like. At first, that sounds like standard open-ended game design, but there's a twist that completely changes how every run plays out. Every boss grows stronger each time another Kami is defeated.

That means there is no perfect path through the game. A boss that feels easy at the beginning may become one of the hardest encounters if left until later. New attacks appear, defenses improve, and battles become significantly more demanding. It creates an interesting dilemma every single time.

Should the easiest-looking boss be defeated first? Or is it smarter to eliminate the enemies that become the biggest headaches later? The game never tells players what the right answer is, because there isn't one. With experience, favorite abilities, and particular strengths, everyone ends up with their own preferred route. That’s what makes every run feel so different.

The second major mechanic is just as important. Gurei uses a roguelike structure where every run has a limited number of lives. Defeating bosses rewards additional lives, but once those are gone, everything resets. No checkpoints. No permanent upgrades. No second chances.

It’s incredibly heartbreaking to lose after over an hour of progress, especially when the finish line is so close.

But that's also where Gurei finds its magic. Every fight becomes incredibly tense because failure always has real consequences. Even smaller encounters become exciting simply because players know what's at stake. It's a risky design choice that certainly won't appeal to everyone, but it gives the game an intensity that's hard to find elsewhere. Thankfully, the combat is good enough to support that pressure.

Rey starts with a somewhat basic moveset that involves sword attacks and dodging. She gets new powers as bosses are defeated, greatly expanding her battle possibilities. She has powers that can prevent attacks with a magic shield. Some make decoys for the enemy to pursue. There are even skills that grant you a last opportunity to survive when your health becomes dangerously low.

This isn’t a small improvement that slightly alters the gameplay. Each new skill really opens up new tactics and forces players to rethink how they plan their next battles. Rey's controls are slick and responsive, so the game feels rewarding right away. Boss design is just as stunning. Every Kami adds something different rather than just being faster or more damaging. Another combat has players looking for the genuine enemy amid several replicas.

Another pit bull Rey versus a cat with incredible agility whose unrelenting attacks punish the slightest error. Some others vary completely based on when you take them on; that makes repeat playthroughs refreshingly fresh. Because attacks are clearly telegraphed, victories almost always feel earned rather than lucky.

That balance between fairness and difficulty is one of Gurei's greatest achievements. One of the smartest things Gurei does is completely remove traditional progression. There are no experience points. No endless grinding. No spending hours farming stronger equipment. Instead, players improve through knowledge.

Every failed run teaches something valuable.

Maybe a particular boss should be fought earlier. Maybe another ability works better with a certain playstyle. Maybe an attack pattern finally clicks after seeing it several times. Gurei constantly rewards learning instead of leveling. That makes every defeat frustrating in the moment but valuable in the long run. Eventually, players aren't winning because Rey has become stronger. They're winning because they have. Surprisingly, Gurei has a lot of reasons to return.

A flawless run is said to take about 25 minutes; however, most players will spend hours trying different boss orders and strategies before finally capturing the castle. Replay value lies in the discovery of better paths, unlocking different discussions with Kami, optional tasks, and monster fights on their hardest difficulty.

Some milestones even demand you beat every boss at its highest strength level, giving completionists another mountain to climb. Still, not all optional activities seem equally worthwhile. Several side events are interesting the first time but don't add enough value during repeated runs. Since wandering away from the main objective also increases the risk of losing progress, many players will likely ignore them after a while.

Ironically, the game's biggest issue isn't the difficulty. It's the downtime between fights. It’s a very small castle, quite walkable and hence easy to get lost. But you become used to it, and running down the same hallways over and over again becomes a bit tiresome. Basically, exploration is just going from boss arena to boss arena.

So often the action is so fascinating that these quieter stretches might feel like unnecessary breaks rather than meaningful investigation. It's not a game-breaking issue but more noticeable after a few missed runs. The Nintendo Switch version is also said to crash sometimes. Fortunately, autosaves mean you don’t lose a great deal of effort, but random crashes could still ruin an otherwise perfect experience.

Gurei demonstrates that having the best visuals doesn’t help much if you don’t have good art direction.

At first glance, its bold black-and-white appearance is eye-catching, but well-placed splashes of color draw emphasis to crucial characters and otherworldly themes. Old samurai movies heavily influence the overall style, but it has its own unique personality. Bosses are visually distinct, animations remain smooth, and the clean visual style makes every attack easy to read during intense battles.

It may not push hardware to its limits, but it rarely needs to. The soundtrack knows exactly when to step into the spotlight. Quiet pauses throughout exploration create atmosphere, until frenetic music builds for boss fights, adding even more suspense to already difficult encounters. The sound effects are just as delightful.

Every sword clash, dodge, and heavy assault feels weighty enough to make fighting feel weighty, but not so much that it becomes overwhelming. Conversations with vanquished Kami add personality to the world between bouts, keeping the castle from ever feeling totally deserted. Gurei does not want to take anyone’s hand.

It pushes players to learn, adapt, fail, and try again until it all comes together. It's not for everyone, but those prepared to accept the challenge will find one of the most innovative action experiences in recent memory. The dynamic boss system turns every playthrough into a strategic puzzle with lasting repercussions to every choice you make. Combined with rewarding combat, memorable boss encounters, and a distinctive visual style, it becomes far more than another indie boss-rush game.

There are certainly rough edges. Repetitive backtracking, optional material that doesn’t offer meaningful benefits, and technical challenges on some platforms are areas that need improvement. But those flaws never overshadow the game's genuinely clever design. Sometimes the smallest games leave the biggest impression. Gurei is one of those games.