Oriental Legend (西遊釋厄傳, translated as Journey to the West - Battle Against the Demons) is a 1997 arcade Beat 'em Up game developed by International Games System Co., Ltd. from Taiwan. Loosely inspired by the Chinese literary masterpiece, Journey to the West, the game takes players on a pilgrimage to the west as various disciples of Xuanzang.
In a parallel to the novel's storyline, the disciples' journey is disrupted when Xuanzang is captured by demons with the intention of consuming his flesh. To rescue their master, the disciples must traverse iconic locations borrowed directly from the novel, such as the Lair of the Horned Kings, the depths of the Heaven Reaching River, the Cave of Silken Web, and the demon-infested Mount of Flames, all of which would undoubtedly be recognizable to fans of the original literary work.
The game accommodates up to four players simultaneously, allowing for cooperative play. Eleven years later, a sequel (actually a Stealth Prequel) was released in 2008. It revisits much of the original game's plot, featuring redesigned stages and bosses, while also introducing new characters to the mix.
Characters[ | ]
The Pilgrims[ | ]
- Monk Xuanzang / Tang Sanzang: The main protagonist and leader of the Pilgrims. He is a monk on a sacred pilgrimage to the west.
- Sun Wukong: The iconic Monkey King and a close companion of Xuanzang. He exhibits leadership qualities among the group.
- Zhu Bajie: Wukong's loyal and often quarrelsome best friend, forming a Vitriolic Best Buds relationship.
- Sha Wujing: A former river-demon who has repented and joined the pilgrimage to seek redemption. He is the third disciple of Xuanzang.
- Bai Long-ma: Xuanzang's faithful steed, who assumes a humanoid form in the game to join the other Pilgrims in their battles.
- Hsiao Long-nu: The daughter of the Dragon King and Bai Long-ma's younger sister. She decides to accompany the Pilgrims on their adventure.
Introduced in the 2008 version[ | ]
- Erlang Shen: In contrast to other adaptations, Erlang Shen is depicted as an ally rather than an antagonist. He joins the Pilgrims on their journey.
- Princess Iron Fan: The wife of the Bull Demon King, she joins the Pilgrims in their quest to find the source of immortality.
- Chang-er: The Goddess of the Moon, who descends to the earth and takes matters into her own hands upon witnessing the chaos caused by demons.
- Zi-yi: A priestess of the gods, driven to purging evil. Similar to Long-nu from the original, she does not have a counterpart in the novel.
- Zhī-zhū: The eldest of the spider sisters, who develops feelings for Xuanzang. Rather than harming the monk, she vows to protect him violently from the demons.