Musya - The Classic Japanese Tale of Horror

Musya is a 1992 action-platformer for the SNES where players control Imoto, a surviving pikeman from a bloody battle, who descends into the abyss to rescue the kidnapped maiden Shizuka. Gameplay involves running through eight side-scrolling levels with a long spear for forward stabs, mid-air downward attacks, and spin attacks (A button) that require standing still; triggers allow a unique crouching dodge. Boss encounters reward scrolls for spells like screen-clearing magic, area attacks, or healing; three lives with Qi (health) bars, no continues, and password save. Story follows Imoto collapsing in Tengumura Village after battle, learning Shizuka is trapped in the demonic cavern, and venturing deep into horrors. Characters include Imoto (Jinrai in Japan), Shizuka, and boss entities like a disguised giant tanuki; the village mayor Akagi provides the quest. What makes it stand out is its classic Japanese horror theme of yokai demons and vengeful ghosts, evoking Sengoku-era folklore through shadowy backgrounds and eerie level design, despite mediocre controls and repetition in re-used areas.