Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire Review – The Short, Sexy Soulslike

Let’s get the background out of the way first. For the record, I’m not actually a fan of the Soulslike genre. I have absolutely no problem with games being challenging; a lot of folks get a great feeling of reward from overcoming the trials these games offer, however I find a great deal more enjoyment in dominating my foes, rather than simply surviving encounters, and prefer to cover a respectable amount of ground in each play session.

And so, you’re far more likely to find me playing action RPGs with adaptive or customisable difficulty settings, such as Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, or the magnificent Little Witch Nobeta. There are, however, games that slip into the realms of obscurity, not really clarifying their difficulty, and generally just keeping their cards very close to their chests.

As we saw with the likes of Code Vein and A.I. Limit, fusing the Soulslike genre with anime themes and visuals can be a welcome way to soften the tone of some dark and bloody games. It’s in this twist on the formula that we find these unusual new entries in the genre, entries which aren’t always winners, but present themselves in a more colourful and compelling way.

Introduction

Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire is the latest release in the ‘Anime Girls’ series of asset-flipped budget games. The series features a recurring theme of fan-service throughout. However, Fantasy Desire seeks to elevate the genre beyond its copy-pasted roots by creating a game with considerably higher production values in exchange for a small increase in the asking price.

Like its questionable predecessors, Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire has a development and release shrouded in shadow. Several unconfirmed developers and publishers have been named who are seemingly attached to the project, including unidentified brands such as ‘HentaiGames’, ‘porting.guru’, and ‘Tetyana Vysochanska’, however the game’s credits attribute the project to solo developer/self-publisher Ryan Bevins. Make of this what you will.

Fantasy Desire steps away from the janky, flipped assets of its predecessors to deliver an entirely new experience. The game is A.I-developed, which has the advantage of building a game that looks relevant for PS4 hardware, however common issues usually associated with the software still remain. The game is a high-definition, action-adventure ‘Soulslike’ experience, released on PS4 on May 20th, 2025.

Story

In the land of Erendor, two sisters of the legendary Shadowblade lineage dual in order to train themselves to face the prophesied darkness which seeks to consume their kingdom. However, the kingdom, home to the beautiful Maiden Knights, falls in an instant. The castle is invaded by the emissaries of the dark lord Vermilion, forcing the warrior sisters Yuki and Akane to fight for their lives.

The sisters are revealed to be avatars of light, the ancient mystical energy which opposes the darkness. Outmatched, the younger sister Akane is captured to be used as a sacrifice whose light will break the seal imprisoning lord Vermilion. Disheartened at losing her sister, Yuki is defeated and killed. However, Yuki soon revives, resurrected by the long-forgotten goddess of light.

The goddess reveals that Yuki now has the power to defeat Vermilion and his emissaries, as her resurrection has granted her power over both light and darkness. Though confused and somewhat mistrustful of the disembodied goddess who brought her back, Yuki sets out to find Vermilion’s citadel prison and slay his agents before Akane can be sacrificed and fully drained of her light.

Gameplay

For all of the PSN store listing’s promises of an intricate combat system, multiple weapons of varying stats, customisable characters, and multiple party members, the person who wrote the game specifics clearly envisioned a far more ambitious project. Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire features only the most basic of mechanics. It is not an action-RPG at all, as protagonist Yuki is not able to develop or even upgrade her equipment.

In this linear, level-based action-adventure game, Yuki is limited to just two attacks using her only weapon: a two-handed longsword. The normal attack features a single, slow-moving swing, whilst the heavy attack version features an extended wind-up period for additional damage. Both can be easily interrupted by faster-moving enemies.

Yuki does have defensive manoeuvres at her disposal which allow her additional opportunities to counterattack. A successful dodge-roll is the best way to negate all incoming damage and put distance between herself and the enemy, where simply blocking allows her to hold her position but only reduces the damage taken. Lost health can be replenished by consuming one of the ten health potions automatically available per level.

Graphics/Sound

In the game’s defence, it does at least look pretty good most of the time. Once we’ve gotten past those still images in the intro which are partially animated through the use of a slightly janky A.I system, the game shifts into a fully 3D experience. It’s here where the A.I creation shows its strengths. Environments, while linear in design, are surprisingly diverse, detailed and expansive, often needlessly so.

The attention to detail in environmental assets, from floor stones and brickwork to crunchy grass and jagged dead trees make for an impressive setting. Though a short game, a great deal of effort has been placed into make each level as robust as possible, granting us access to extra paths, bridges, rooms, and passageways that encourage at least some level of exploration, despite the need to actually do so.

Levels also have a particular lighting theme, beginning bright and sunny in the earlier stages before progressively darkening as we enter the later stages, with the final level even featuring passageways shrouded in total darkness. For all of the game’s environmental efforts, the gorgeous Yuki will be the focus of the game’s camera, which occasionally zooms in for gratuitous body shots.

The purple-haired beauty is sure to be a happy positive for fan-service aficionados, taking inspiration from early Final Fantasy character designs. There’s very little functional armour worn, and a leotard that barely covers her voluptuous body. All characters are voiced too, with Yuki and Akane possessing some odd yet not unpleasant sexy British accents. Voices are A.I-generated though, so expect a lot of tonal and pronunciation errors. However, the fully-orchestral soundtrack is absolutely top-notch.

Replayability/Trophies

The game flows as a set of mostly linear levels which are split over six chapters, with each of these chapters containing either one or two levels. Completing each chapter rewards you with a trophy (with the exception of the first chapter) for a total of just five trophies available in the whole game. No additional tasks are required, meaning everything will be unlocked in a single playthrough.

Oddly, despite the relative ease with which you can unlock the game’s five trophies, Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire does not include a platinum trophy, which is guaranteed to annoy most trophy hunters. There are no additional game modes to play through, no multiplayer options, no New Game+ feature, and no collectibles or a chapter-select feature.

Conclusion

Unleash the power of charm and combat in a breathtaking anime RPG where desire fuels destiny.

Step into a magical world on the brink of collapse in Anime Girls – Fantasy Desire, an epic action RPG where beauty meets bravery. As the realm’s guardian, you’ll assemble a team of extraordinary anime heroines to battle colossal golems, explore stunning landscapes, and uncover the mysteries behind the ancient magic of Desire.

With each fight, forge deeper bonds with your team, unlocking powerful synergies and heartfelt stories. Customize your heroines with dazzling outfits, legendary weapons, and unique abilities to suit your playstyle. Whether you’re striking down towering foes in cinematic combat or unraveling the secrets of a vibrant, anime-inspired world, every decision you make shapes the fate of the realm—and the hearts of those who fight by your side.

Key Features:

Dynamic Combat: Engage in real-time, combo-driven battles against towering golems and their minions. Switch between heroines to unleash devastating team attacks and magical “Desire Arts.”

Character Customization: Design your dream team with unlockable outfits, weapons, and skill trees. Tailor their powers to match your strategy and style.
Epic Boss Battles: Take on massive golems with unique attack patterns, weak points, and environmental hazards. Use strategy and teamwork to bring these titanic foes to their knees.

Deep Relationship System: Build emotional connections with your heroines through dialogue, gifting, and special missions. Unlock exclusive cutscenes, abilities, and storylines as bonds grow stronger.

Exploration and Discovery: Traverse lush forests, shimmering deserts, and ancient ruins filled with hidden treasures, puzzles, and lore. Each region offers stunning visuals and unique challenges.

Branching Narrative: Your choices matter. Shape the story, forge alliances, and decide the fate of your heroines and the magical kingdom.

Are you ready to lead your team of heroines, conquer towering golems, and uncover the truth behind the magic of Desire? The fate of the realm is in your hands.“

PlayStation Store Product Listing

For all of the game’s promises in its description over on the PSN store, Anime Girls: Fantasy Desire doesn’t deliver on many of them, if any. I think I can say with some confidence that there’s a hefty bit of scamming going on. Even the game’s promotional A.I-enhanced footage featuring the beautiful, bikini-clad Akane isn’t accurate. Not only are the in-game graphics totally different, but she isn’t actively in the game after the opening cinematic anyway.

It you do feel like you’ve been scammed after shelling out for an hour-long Soulslike game with no RPG mechanics, a lack of polish, and multiple quality issues, all I can say is report it to PlayStation as a miss-sell. The game attempts to hide a lot of sins behind its surprisingly beautiful visuals and gorgeous protagonist, but this isn’t going to convince most folks that it’s in any way a good game. After the pretty trailer before release, this is one of the biggest disappointments of the year.