New River City Saga: Journey to the West Game Heads West on June 4

Arc System Works announced on Tuesday that it will release the River City Saga: Journey to the West (Kunio-kun no Nekketsu Saiyūki: Tenjiku Rantō-hen) action game in the West on June 4 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. The game will launch in Japan on the same day.

Image courtesy of Arc System Works

© ARC SYSTEM WORKS

The game is a roguelite brawler inspired by Journey to the West but with characters from the Kunio-kun series. The three main characters - Sun Wukong, Zhu Baije, and Sha Wuijing - are all Kunio himself. The game features randomized paths, boss battles, and skill enhancement.

Technos Japan released the first game in the Kunio-kun series in May 1986, and the series has had numerous installments since then. Some of the games in the series were localized in the West with altered titles, visuals, and stories, resulting in such titles as River City Ransom, Renegade, and Crash 'n' the Boys: Street Challenge. Arc System Works acquired the rights to a number of Technos Japan games — including Double Dragon, Super Dodge Ball, River City Ransom, and Kunio-kun games — in June 2015.

Sources: Email correspondence, Kunio-kun no Nekketsu Saiyūki Tenjiku Rantō-hen game's website, Gamer