Believe it or not, Nier: Automata<\/em> is almost a decade old. Given how successful it\u2019s been \u2014 over 10 million copies sold as of Feb. 2026 \u2014 it\u2019s surprising the beloved game hasn\u2019t gotten a proper sequel yet. Last month, a YouTube video teased \u201cNier: Automata<\/em> to be continued\u2026\u201d and I don\u2019t think Square Enix was referring solely to the Nier collaboration with Overwatch<\/em>. While fans wait for the next Nier game, they can check out the next best thing: Homura Hime<\/em>, a new hack-and-slash with an anime aesthetic.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In developer Crimson Dusk\u2019s debut project Homura Hime<\/em>, you play as an exorcist setting out to battle demons throughout the world via sleek and stylish hack-and-slash combat. Homura Hime has one set of weapons available (a pair of swords that float at her back, like in Nier: Automata<\/em>), but a diverse set of combos and skills to try out. Like in other action games, you\u2019ll collect currency to unlock those new moves. Thankfully, your combat vendor shows up in the middle of levels, meaning you won\u2019t have to wait until completing a mission to unlock a suite of new attacks.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to try out as many combos and skills as possible because they\u2019re all so effective, and so damn cool<\/em>. One skill summons a giant flaming phoenix to rain down fire on your enemies, while another propels Homura Hime forward in a vortex of slashes with her swords. My favorite teleports Homura Hime\u2019s blades to an enemy at a distance, slicing them for a ton of damage while you hang back safely.<\/p>\n Skills are on a cooldown, so combos make up the bulk of the moment-to-moment fighting. They mix up light and heavy attacks, with some juggling your opponent in the air and others ending with your sword lingering in the air as it rotates around like a vertical helicopter blade. No matter how a combo finishes off an enemy, each one is all a visual treat and they all make me feel like a badass demon exorcist.<\/p>\n I love me a good parry, and Homura Hime<\/em> delivers exactly that. The timing isn\u2019t difficult, and an audio cue will tip you off every time you need to parry. Successful parries quicken the cooldown on Homura Hime\u2019s skills, making them vital to the flow of combat if you want to get back to your high-damage-dealing moves ASAP. During some encounters, like boss fights, you\u2019ll need to chain together successful parries to stun your opponent and deliver a spectacle of a finishing move.<\/p>\n Where Homura Hime<\/em> lacks somewhat is with its narrative, which takes a backseat to slicing and dicing demons. Each level will have you tracking down a different archdemon that\u2019s corrupting the world and people around it, and learning about them is interesting. It\u2019s just that plenty of the storytelling occurs during intense boss fights, and it being Japanese audio-only means those of us who don\u2019t speak the language will have to read subtitles during the fray. Your mileage may vary, but I was too focused on dodging bullet-hell projectiles and parrying attacks to glance at the bottom of my screen to figure out what the characters were saying.<\/p>\n I\u2019m only a few hours in, but the boss fights I\u2019ve encountered have been exhilarating. The first is against a demon who wields a giant skeleton as a weapon, and the next pits you against a demon who summons plant enemies from a coffin. They test just how well you\u2019ve mastered the various systems and tools Homura Hime has at her disposal, and are as satisfying to conquer as any boss in a Souls game.<\/p>\n The year is still young, but Homura Hime<\/em> has some of the best action in a game I\u2019ve played in 2026 so far. It\u2019s got everything you\u2019d want, from stylish skills to satisfying parries, and will surely help ease the wait for the next Nier, Bayonetta, or Devil May Cry.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/homura-hime-screen-2.png?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image:\u00a0Crimson Dusk\/PLAYISM<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/homura-hime-screen-3.png?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image:\u00a0Crimson Dusk\/PLAYISM<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/homura-hime-screen-4.png?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image:\u00a0Crimson Dusk\/PLAYISM<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n