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01-02-2007, 12:00 AM
http://media.ign.com/games/image/wayofthesamurai_ps2boxboxart_160w.jpg
Reviewer: Sasuke
Game Title: Way of the Samurai
Developer: Aquire
Publisher: BAM! Entertainment
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action w/ Mild RPG Elements
Launch Year: 2002
Concept: Way of the Samurai is an... interesting game, to say the least. When you begin the game you are prompted to create a character with the heads, clothing, and weapons you have unlocked (you start with 3 heads and clothing and 1 weapon). After doing this you start. There is not opening sequence. You walk freely until you reach a bridge where people who look like bandits are carrying a woman who is struggling to be free. You can either choose to ignore them or save the woman. Depending on whether or not you choose to save her you continue with the storyline which involves you spending 2 days in Rokkotsu Pass. What you do here is up to you. The pass is plauged by a clan war between the Kurou and Akadama clans and the Meiji Government is even thrown into the mix. You can choose to go with one of the clans, the government, or just fight them all. There are 6 different endings to this game and they are all obtained determined on your actions in the game and you can unlock different things from them like new character parts and a battle mode for on-on-one multiplayer fights. This category is particularly difficult to describe because of the true open-endedness of the story. That just makes it great to play, though. Plus, Don-san the Afro Samurai is a sight to behold. XD
Score: 9/10
Gameplay: The gameplay in this game consists of running and fighting. To move you use either the analog stick or the d-pad. Battles arent particularly mandatory for you can draw your blade at any time with the L1 button. Once in a fight, however, you attack them one on one (If there are more than one fighters then you take turns fighting them.) and it is basically a battle of skill and wits rather than button mashing. You use the Square button and Triangle button to slash, though the power of the attacks from those buttons vary. R1 blocks and once you defend yourself from a slash you can push, pull, or parry your opponent causing them to go off balance and leaving an opening for your next attack. How you use this is what can determine your victory or defeat. You can even choose if you want to kill your opponent by sheathing your sword when they are low on health and they will run. You can get a higher rating for sparing enemies. Around the areas you run around there will be items that you can pick up with the Square button or, in battle, holding the R1 trigger and then hitting the Square button to kick it up and catch it. This works with food, yen, and even your defeated opponent's swords. Speaking of swords, the blades you collect throughout your time in Rokkotsu pass have their own strengths and weaknesses. You can only carry 3 at a time and each one has it's own stats that you can improve at the weaponsmith's house. Each one also has a toughness meter that, whe it reaches the end, the sword will break and there is no repairing it. This makes it hard to win by button mashing because not only do hits drain it (it recoveres quickly), having a special move blocked ot blocking a special move actually makes the meter's max shorter. You must be wary of this constantly. Each blade also has it's own set of special moves that you can unlock by using the sword more and eventually you get one. It's fun seeing what each sword holds. What is left is talking. To talk you hold down the Circle button when a certain icon appears on the screen and then you choose what to say to the persion you are talking to.
Score: 8/10
Graphics: The graphics of the game are decent. The models seem avaerage and the environments are authentically Meiji Era Japan. The textures are what stand out. The detail on the buildings and trees are right on and almost look real. The environments like the field and river are very well-represented and pleasing to the eye. The water effects on the river could be better, but it does act like real water so you don't seem to mind as much. The textures on the clothing are amazingly accurate, though. Not many games get the look of a kimono or yukata right, but Way of the Samurai gets it down to the very threads.
Score: 7/10
Sound: The sound design is really top-notch in this game. The soundtrack rivrals that od Tenchu in greatness. It's possibly some of the greatest music I have ever had to pleasure to listen to in a game. The Japanese score draws you intot he environments. When it is pleasent you feel at ease. When the situation turns grave the music makes you feel like your character is feeling at that moment. There is no voice acting other than a few grunts or squeals from the characters. Most fo it is just reading, which isn't a bad thing. Sound effects are actually authentic. You could tell that Aquire recorded Geta running on sand or grass and actual katana clanging together. The Korean blades even sound different from the Japanese ones from their unique shape.
Score: 10/10
Replay Value: Do I have to tell you this? The replay value for Way of the Samurai is the best I have ver seen. Since the story mode is soo short (The length varies depending on your actions and choices, but the most I have ever spent on a play-through is about 19 hours total. The shortest being 2 and a half.) you are forced to replay it over and over again, but you don't mind it because each play-through is a different experience entirely. For example, in some games, the blacksmith would simply refuse to perform a service you couldn't afford. Here, he does it, finds out you stiffed him, and then tries to kill you. You can fight back, of course, but knocking him off means no sword repairs for the rest of the game. Many other events are structured in a similar way -- it's that added layer of consequence that makes it worth playing so many times. Plus, with everything you can unlock by completing the story mode with different ratings and endings (and there are many) you will want to play it over an over again. This game was basically made for replaying.
Score: 10/10
Overall: Way of the Samurai is an exceptional game. It isn't well-known, but those who do play it should consider themselves lucky for playing such a great game. With an unexpected and open-ended story, solid gameplay, graphics that are somewhat decent yet stunning at the same time, almost unplaralelled sound design, and the best replay value I have ever seen it is a game worth playing. This isn't likely to rise above "cult hit" status, but it should develop a fairly impressive cult. Give it a look, particularly if you enjoyed Kengo or the Bushido Blade games. If nothing else, Afro Samurai has to be seen to be believed.
Sasuke gives this game a(n): 8.8/10
Reviewer: Sasuke
Game Title: Way of the Samurai
Developer: Aquire
Publisher: BAM! Entertainment
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action w/ Mild RPG Elements
Launch Year: 2002
Concept: Way of the Samurai is an... interesting game, to say the least. When you begin the game you are prompted to create a character with the heads, clothing, and weapons you have unlocked (you start with 3 heads and clothing and 1 weapon). After doing this you start. There is not opening sequence. You walk freely until you reach a bridge where people who look like bandits are carrying a woman who is struggling to be free. You can either choose to ignore them or save the woman. Depending on whether or not you choose to save her you continue with the storyline which involves you spending 2 days in Rokkotsu Pass. What you do here is up to you. The pass is plauged by a clan war between the Kurou and Akadama clans and the Meiji Government is even thrown into the mix. You can choose to go with one of the clans, the government, or just fight them all. There are 6 different endings to this game and they are all obtained determined on your actions in the game and you can unlock different things from them like new character parts and a battle mode for on-on-one multiplayer fights. This category is particularly difficult to describe because of the true open-endedness of the story. That just makes it great to play, though. Plus, Don-san the Afro Samurai is a sight to behold. XD
Score: 9/10
Gameplay: The gameplay in this game consists of running and fighting. To move you use either the analog stick or the d-pad. Battles arent particularly mandatory for you can draw your blade at any time with the L1 button. Once in a fight, however, you attack them one on one (If there are more than one fighters then you take turns fighting them.) and it is basically a battle of skill and wits rather than button mashing. You use the Square button and Triangle button to slash, though the power of the attacks from those buttons vary. R1 blocks and once you defend yourself from a slash you can push, pull, or parry your opponent causing them to go off balance and leaving an opening for your next attack. How you use this is what can determine your victory or defeat. You can even choose if you want to kill your opponent by sheathing your sword when they are low on health and they will run. You can get a higher rating for sparing enemies. Around the areas you run around there will be items that you can pick up with the Square button or, in battle, holding the R1 trigger and then hitting the Square button to kick it up and catch it. This works with food, yen, and even your defeated opponent's swords. Speaking of swords, the blades you collect throughout your time in Rokkotsu pass have their own strengths and weaknesses. You can only carry 3 at a time and each one has it's own stats that you can improve at the weaponsmith's house. Each one also has a toughness meter that, whe it reaches the end, the sword will break and there is no repairing it. This makes it hard to win by button mashing because not only do hits drain it (it recoveres quickly), having a special move blocked ot blocking a special move actually makes the meter's max shorter. You must be wary of this constantly. Each blade also has it's own set of special moves that you can unlock by using the sword more and eventually you get one. It's fun seeing what each sword holds. What is left is talking. To talk you hold down the Circle button when a certain icon appears on the screen and then you choose what to say to the persion you are talking to.
Score: 8/10
Graphics: The graphics of the game are decent. The models seem avaerage and the environments are authentically Meiji Era Japan. The textures are what stand out. The detail on the buildings and trees are right on and almost look real. The environments like the field and river are very well-represented and pleasing to the eye. The water effects on the river could be better, but it does act like real water so you don't seem to mind as much. The textures on the clothing are amazingly accurate, though. Not many games get the look of a kimono or yukata right, but Way of the Samurai gets it down to the very threads.
Score: 7/10
Sound: The sound design is really top-notch in this game. The soundtrack rivrals that od Tenchu in greatness. It's possibly some of the greatest music I have ever had to pleasure to listen to in a game. The Japanese score draws you intot he environments. When it is pleasent you feel at ease. When the situation turns grave the music makes you feel like your character is feeling at that moment. There is no voice acting other than a few grunts or squeals from the characters. Most fo it is just reading, which isn't a bad thing. Sound effects are actually authentic. You could tell that Aquire recorded Geta running on sand or grass and actual katana clanging together. The Korean blades even sound different from the Japanese ones from their unique shape.
Score: 10/10
Replay Value: Do I have to tell you this? The replay value for Way of the Samurai is the best I have ver seen. Since the story mode is soo short (The length varies depending on your actions and choices, but the most I have ever spent on a play-through is about 19 hours total. The shortest being 2 and a half.) you are forced to replay it over and over again, but you don't mind it because each play-through is a different experience entirely. For example, in some games, the blacksmith would simply refuse to perform a service you couldn't afford. Here, he does it, finds out you stiffed him, and then tries to kill you. You can fight back, of course, but knocking him off means no sword repairs for the rest of the game. Many other events are structured in a similar way -- it's that added layer of consequence that makes it worth playing so many times. Plus, with everything you can unlock by completing the story mode with different ratings and endings (and there are many) you will want to play it over an over again. This game was basically made for replaying.
Score: 10/10
Overall: Way of the Samurai is an exceptional game. It isn't well-known, but those who do play it should consider themselves lucky for playing such a great game. With an unexpected and open-ended story, solid gameplay, graphics that are somewhat decent yet stunning at the same time, almost unplaralelled sound design, and the best replay value I have ever seen it is a game worth playing. This isn't likely to rise above "cult hit" status, but it should develop a fairly impressive cult. Give it a look, particularly if you enjoyed Kengo or the Bushido Blade games. If nothing else, Afro Samurai has to be seen to be believed.
Sasuke gives this game a(n): 8.8/10