The peaceful lands of Japan have been terrorized by monsters for many years. The Buddhist priests, known as the Dharma Eyes, found refuge in a secluded temple where they raised young martial artists who would one day free the people from the monsters' grasp. When one of these disciples was kidnapped by monsters and taken to their tower, it was up to another disciple named Oniwaka to embark on a quest to rescue his friend and put an end to the monster invasion.
Benkei Gaiden is a traditional Japanese-style RPG set in feudal Japan with supernatural elements. The player controls Oniwaka as he navigates a top-down map, visiting towns, buying equipment such as weapons and armor, and fighting randomly appearing enemies in turn-based combat viewed from a first-person perspective. As with the early Dragon Warrior games, the interaction menu is similar, requiring players to bring up a menu and choose verb commands like "Talk" or "Search". The game's gameplay system sticks to the classic formula, offering a familiar experience for fans of the genre.