009 4 Way of the Samurai is a game that puts you in the clothes of a samurai fresh to the world around him and lets you progress throught he game as you wish . it presents you with a multitude of choices which set your path till the end . Before you start , you can name your samurai , and choose his looks yourself before you immerge in adventure .
This fact about choices needs good thinking . The player can follow a path of honor , kindness , bravery , or ruthlesness and evil . One can even be dowright disgusting , joining a group and then bringing death and destruction to them , before joining another commune . The different times - day and night , also present a change in gameplay . Some quests can only be made in the appropriate time . This gives you further choice in the game . Slashing up people can earn you new and sometimes quite powerful swords , yet this can deplete you honor . When you meet with characters , you can discuss with them , whether you'ld like to slit them up or join them . The game provides you with characters that show some sense . Unlike some other games , if you unsheate your sword in front of someone , they'll run away or fight . In this last cause , you won't be able to complain that you meant no harm . That is why players must think twice before plunging into battle . If the player finds himself too weak to overpower someone , he can sometimes converse with his foe and beg for his life . Yet this will cost your honor .
Way of the Samurai is a very serious game , with none of that hidden powers and magic . It also has numerous real tactcis to sue in battle such as using pushes and kicks to knock a blocking foe off-balance , and parrying , or using an enemy's strength against him . All of this gives you the chance to use cool and realistic counters . You can also try and get used to the enemy's attack , thus getting used to his / her moves and never need to block that particular attack you got used to ! In order to get some good attacks , you need to fight and as the enemy is at his last ( usually ) , one can try creating a new attack by using an attack he desires to imporve further . This usally creates a new and better move , such as - single thrust builds a double thrust - and so on .
With all this info , you can get the basic idea of how to survive in such a game .
Way of the Samurai has impressive graphics , with numerous facial expressions , realistic backgrounds complete with different time conditions - morning , early sunset and night . The characters are all well designed , with many details about them .
The sound is also good - a few harmonising tunes while you run around and more heated-up music when you battle . the sound effects are varied and quite good . Yet there is one problem that can pull games back in today's mdoern world of brill videogames . When talking , characters only pull of a hmm , grr , ah here and there . There never is full speech . The text is shown in a classic speech bubble .
The controls are standard , and yet not easy to get used to since as the camera changes so do the controls . This doesn't seem tough but in battles movement is limited as your enemy slashes at every chance .
The game has one major problem - it can be finished in a matter of 2 - 3 hours , and sometimes in one go ! It also has an extremely dreary save system . After you complete a particular situation you are given the choice to save . Yet if you save you must quit , and if you reload the data will be erased ! This means that if you do some mistake you won't be able to fix it by just loading . If you die and lose your swords , you can feel bad all you want since you'll need to start FROM THE BEGINNING ! This means saving isn't worth if you plan to carry on . Yet the game provides a surprising amount of replay value . There is a total of around 40 different blades , including boss weaponry of which two are not even swords , and you can only carry three at a time . This sort of gievs the player a lust of finishing the game with new swords to use . This is because once you play again you can choose from the sowrds you collect . And since there are so many choices , the player has quite a lot to do .
This also has to do with the game's ending , rating and point systems . According to the path you follow built from your choices you get a particular ending . After finishing the game , you are rated . if you rate low , you are given more tutorial choices and a few points.If you rate highly you are given more points , and as you collect points you are given new clothes and heads to choose from at the beginning . But that's not all ! The game's two-player mode allows you to use a multitude of different characters and you need to choose from your collected swords to fight . This gives you a furhter want for new weaponry . As you collect points , you also get new characters to battle and use ! All this is what presents addcition to this game .
Even though it's really good , this game is not what every gamer would like . Think carefully before you decide to add it to your collection .
001 4 A very interesting take on the end of the Samurai era in Japan . I just purchased this title earlier today , but so far I am already enthralled with it . The first things I noticed about the game were : one , its very hard , and two , the story is amazingly open and varied . On the difficulty end of things , there are very few save points and you only get one life ; if you die the game is basically over . The story plays out like and old samurai movie or Clint Eastwood western ( think Yojimbo or Fistful of Dollars ; you encounter warring factions in a small town and everyone seems to want to recruit you to help tip the balance of power in their favor . However , the game never pushes you towards a specific direction . Your character's choices remain refreshingly open ended as the plot develops . You can fight , switch sides , or just sit back and watch while the npc's fight it out . The game also has it's quircky Japanese moments , like the afro-haired samurai , and sometimes downright bizzare quips you can choose to taunt your oppents with during battle . The bigest weak point in the game is definately in the graphics department . The character faces are genuinly unique and fairly expressive , but the game itself is somewhat jaggy , and definately displays some texture seaming problems . Another possible quible could come from the intitial dificulty level , which is fairly high . However , starting from scratch often is not as bad in Samurai as in some other titles , because it alows the player a chance to view different possible story arcs . One final not on the music : it's fairly eclectic , I personally enjoy it , but its probably not for everyone . The rest of the in game sounds are fairly minimal , so if you want to listen to your stereo instead of the game you at least won't be missing anything important .
002 4 For those of you who are trying to decide whether or not to buy this game , this is the review for you . This game is not the best PS2 game ever , and it certainly doesn't deserve 5 stars . However , it is a LOT of fun . You just have to go into it knowing what to expect . . . The story is similar to Last Man Standing w / Bruce Willis ( which was a remake of Kurosawa's Yojimbo ) . Two rival clans are preparing for war against each other , and you are a lone Samurai with the power to sway the outcome of conflict . This is what makes the game so much fun . You are free to choose how you want to interact with people , and your decisions cause chain-reactions that ultimately change the entire story line . There's nothing forcing you to be good or bad . You can help those in need . . . or beat them up if you feel like it . Because of this , there are several different endings , giving the game high replay value . The story is relatively easy to follow , but the dialog probably could have used some revisions . Some nuances have clearly been lost in the translation . The graphics for this game are decent , but below the quality of what we've seen capable on the PS2 . The characters are unique and have a lot of personality , but their bodies are blocky , and the ( non-fighting ) animations are repetitive and stiff . The environments are pretty nice , but they are limited in number , and there is little or no exploration to speak of . Most of the areas are noticeably devoid of the presence of humans . Even in the main town area is almost completely empty ( except for when the fighting starts ) . It would have given the game some nice atmosphere to have at least a few random townspeople walking about . The music in this game is very good . It is similar to that which appeared in the first Tenchu game ( no surprise ) . There aren't that many ambient sound effects other than random animal sounds or that of a passing train . Consequently , a lot of times the game seems overly quiet . It would have been better if the characters had speaking voices . All conversations take place in dialog boxes and balloons , and people just grunt or make random noises so you know who's talking . The fighting sounds , however , are great - - on par with any fighting game out there - - and that does a lot to liven things up . The highlight of the game ( other than the changing story line ) is the sword fighting . It is incredibly deep , and it takes a LOT of practice before you even begin to realize how much potential you have . There are air-juggles , throws , blocks and parries . . . and you can even use some items in the environment as weapons . If you play the game on normal or hard , expect to die . . . a lot . But once you get the hang of it , you'll be loving it . You start off with a single sword , but there are dozens of weapons you can obtain along the way . Each weapon has different moves , and you have the ability to improve the stats on them by taking them to a blacksmith . AND the ones you manage to save can be used in subsequent games . Because the fights take place in different environments , the camera sometimes gets stuck in unhelpful angles . Plus , the camera angles often switch , which will cause occasional confusion . But these issues are common in games like this , and they definitely don't ruin the experience . Also adding to the replay value is the fact that , based on your performance , there are plenty of things to unlock , including a 2 - player VS . mode . Well , this review is already way too long , so I'll end it here . I am definitely enjoying this game , I'm sure you will too .
003 4 This is one of the best games I have ever played , period . I am not a hardcore gamer , so take that with a grain of salt . But still , this is an incredibly well crafted and well thought out game . Fans of the PSX Tenchu series will immediately be reminded of Way of the Samurai's roots : much of the background music is similar to that of Tenchu , as is the general approach to the scenery . The swordplay is similar to that of Kengo : Master of Bushido ( an underrated game , in my opinion ) . The graphics are incredible , as is the sound . The camera is moveable with the right analog stick , which is a very nice touch .
You assume the role of a samurai in the early Meiji Period , and as such must make decisions as to how to interact with the many characters you meet as you travel around the map . Each decision affects the outcome of the game . The non-linear aspect of this game is very well created , and makes for interesting gameplay .
But the game is not only about meeting and talking to other characters . Intrinsic to it is sword fighting . In the beginning you are equipped with only a mediocre sword and few fighting skills . As you fight other samurai , you can obtain new swords and new skills . You can also have the swordsmith work on your sword to increase its durability , sharpness , and flexibility . The approach to fighting is interesting : your sword has a certain durability factor that determines how many strong attacks can be blocked before your sword will break . You can parry , cause your opponent to stumble in order to open up an attack opportunity , and even low and high kick while fighting .
I only bought this game yesterday , and have not played it for very long so far , but I can tell you that it is well worth the money . And while some of the reviews of the Japanese version ( or maybe it was a demo version , I don't know ) have claimed that it plays a bit short , I can say that it is not easy to win sword fights against the more powerful opponents . That , combined with the non-linear play , should make for a game with high replay value . In addition , there is a 1P vs . CPU and 1P vs . 2P fighting mode .
Some cons . The map is a bit small . But that is intentional , as the story is supposed to take place in one mountain pass and the immediate environs . Since there are many characters ( some minor , some major ) that you meet along the way , the small map does not detract from gameplay at all . Each area of the map is rather small , meaning that each time you move from one area to another you have to wait for it to load . But load times are really , really short . The only other gripe I have is that sometimes when fighting the view is blocked by something in the landscape ( a small tuft of earth , a fence , etc . ) . It only happens once in a while , though , and is relatively minor .
If you are at all a fan of samurai / sword games then this is a must own . If you are interested in playing a fighting game with stunning graphics and a lot more to offer than the usual hack-and-slash , then this is at the very least a must play .
004 4 After reading some negative reviews about the games graphics and length I was hesitating to buy it . But it definatly turned out better than I thought . The graphics really aren't bad - characters are detailed and the landscapes are nice . In fact at times this game looks quite beautiful , especially at sun rise . Even though the game is short it has great replay value . From what I read there are 6 endings , but even more ways to get there . EVERY time I played it something different happened . There's a great variety of swords and the fighting is awsome and extremely fun . There is an unlockable two player feature wich I haven't tried yet . You can unlock new costumes and head to edit your character . In my opinion the only flaw in this game is the saving system . You can only save when u get to certain points . Then you have the option to either save and quit or continue without saving . Sounds normal right ? But the catch is that every time you load the game your saved game will be erased and you have to play till you reach the next save point . If you do not reach it and turn the ps2 off , the next time you'll play , you will start from the beginning of the game again . This is especially bad when its bed time and your mother keeps shouting at you to go to bed , or when you are late with something and you can't find a damn save point . This flaw doesnt bother me too much though since I think the game is so fun that i dont mind starting from the beginning again . But for some this is quite annoying . This minor or not so mnor drawback schouldn't stop you from getting this great game though . And parents should not be too worried about the M rating . I have not yet heard any foul language , the violence isnt that violent - really and there is an option to turn the blood off wich there isn't so much of anyway .
005 4 Pros :
- Some nice musical pieces - some of it is kitaro-esque , some of it is light rock . ( like I said , you either hate it or like it ) .
- Excellent texture mapping for the faces .
- Beautificul backdrops - makes you feel like you are in a small village in Japan .
- No cheesy dubbing of any kind . Just comic strip voice ballons - which I kind of like .
- Wide range of fighting styles that can be obtained through obtaining new swords .
- Fun to see how the stories weave into each other . Not an easy task to accomplish . Have to play multiple times to try different paths .
- Fight controls are simple to learn and difficult to master .
- Provides dual vs CPU and dual vs another user , after a certain level has been passed .
- Sufficient cheats available .
- Online tutorial provides step by step training . Later tutorials consist of video sequences which are not particularly good .
Cons :
- Save system is awkward . Everytime you save you also delete the saved game . So if you die in the middle of the game that's it ! You have to start all over . I guess that makes it more like real life . So get yourself an extra memory card and backup the saved game before you start .
- Camera tries to blend in a first person shooter viewpoint with a Resident Evil viewpoint . Works sometimes to create a dramatic effect but often times , especially during a fight sequence , it can be fatal .
- Areas are all very limited in size . Likely to be because of all the memory eating up in the texture maps . But they are all well done - reminiscent of the old samurai films .
- No way to skip through dialog quickly so restarting the game means you have to suffer through all the text .
This game definitely deserves a rental . I have both Kengo and Bushido Blade and I like both . This game's major improvement over the aforementioned is a deeper story element that gives the users choices for the path he / she takes .
Buy it if you think you can tolerate the user interface problems .
006 4 This game is a must buy for any fans of samurai action . Way of the Samurai is a very intriguing game that allows you to determine the outcome . There are around 6 different endings to acquire , different costumes to earn , hundreds of swords and moves to learn for each sword , and much more . You can customize your character's face and clothing . Two-player vs . mode is fun and plays much like Bushido Blade . Combat isn't too hard to learn and provides plenty of entertainment though after killing a little over 100 guys . . . it kind of gets repetitive . Camera angles screw you over a few times , but not often enough that it gets frustrating . This game is tons of fun and should be rented at least if not bought . And sometimes it's pretty comical like when you go into the little restuarant , there is a black guy with an afro who has dedicated his life to the ways of a samurai . What are you waiting for ? Go buy it !
007 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
I think I've put about 8 hours into this game now . . . enough to spot some of the misleading reviews ; lots of little blunders I felt were worth correcting :
1 ) There is swearing and ONE instance I found of sexual content ( you have to be a very sleazy ronin to get this ) . Given the fact you kill dozens of people , plus the very occasional and minor swearing AND being able to force the girl to sleep with you to save Don - - all those things do probably justify an M rating ( is that such a bad thing ? )
2 ) Since your starting moves are weak , you must be careful to ' save your progress ' ( ie swords and learned moves . ) You can leave the valley at any point to save the new moves you learned or swords you found . You can also have your swords delivered to your ' sword warehouse ' , meaning that you can take as many swords out of the game as you want ( not just 3 ) .
3 . Game length is only 2 hours ? ? ? Just seeing one ending is not playing this game . You need to play again and again to really understand what is going on . It will probably also take a few sequential plays to discover the moves of your sword ( and that is just one of many ) . OK , maybe this sort of play is more for hardcore gamers - - people who want to explore every aspect of the game , but reviewers who say they played through it once and were dissapointed have not convinced me that they have really played the game .
In WotS you are doing several things at once - - in the bigger picture , you are developing your character , learning new moves , getting new swords and improving them . On a smaller level , you are playing through all the permutations of a two day stretch of time in the valley . I think reviewers who have not put this time into the game have only experienced the frustration of a weak starting character , and probably missed the larger picture of character development / sword collection .
4 ) Boring combat . Well again , each sword has around 20 moves or so , and each sword is different . The combat system is actually relatively deep for a game like this . I'm not saying it is incredible , but pushing / parrying / dodging and awase certainly make this game far more than button mashing - - nevermind the game punishes button mashing by destroying your sword . Did other reviewers see the second or third tutorial explaining these things ?
5 . Bad camera angles . Did anyone notice that the right analog stick can be used to change the camera angles ?
6 . Bad music . OK , I can't really call this an error , but I've always enjoyed the work of this composer , and I think his music stands out well in WotS . Can't please everyone I guess .
OK , so all those things aside , WotS is a fairly strong , but not faultless game . I'd love to have seen an even deeper combat engine , more areas to explore that actually have inhabitants , and maybe an ability to sell swords . WotS doesn't really need those things , but it might have helped in creating a believable world - - where instead you are often forced to remember it is JUST a simulation .
What WotS isn't is a 1 or 2 star game . I understand that it simply isn't going to be for everyone , but if you look back at those reviews , most of the problems stated seem to come from a misunderstanding of the game mechanics ( not understanding the save system , not understanding how you play multiple times both for different endings and to build your character . ) For samurai fans or fans of Acquire , WotS is an easy purchase , while others should probably rent first - - but realize that Way of the Samurai is not a game that rewards you in the first hour of play . Put two to three hours in before you make your decision .
008 4 I think I've put about 8 hours into this game now . . . enough to spot some of the misleading reviews ; lots of little blunders I felt were worth correcting :
1 ) There is swearing and ONE instance I found of sexual content ( you have to be a very sleazy ronin to get this ) . Given the fact you kill dozens of people , plus the very occasional and minor swearing AND being able to force the girl to sleep with you to save Don - - all those things do probably justify an M rating ( is that such a bad thing ? )
2 ) Since your starting moves are weak , you must be careful to ' save your progress ' ( ie swords and learned moves . ) You can leave the valley at any point to save the new moves you learned or swords you found . You can also have your swords delivered to your ' sword warehouse ' , meaning that you can take as many swords out of the game as you want ( not just 3 ) .
3 . Game length is only 2 hours ? ? ? Just seeing one ending is not playing this game . You need to play again and again to really understand what is going on . It will probably also take a few sequential plays to discover the moves of your sword ( and that is just one of many ) . OK , maybe this sort of play is more for hardcore gamers - - people who want to explore every aspect of the game , but reviewers who say they played through it once and were dissapointed have not convinced me that they have really played the game .
In WotS you are doing several things at once - - in the bigger picture , you are developing your character , learning new moves , getting new swords and improving them . On a smaller level , you are playing through all the permutations of a two day stretch of time in the valley . I think reviewers who have not put this time into the game have only experienced the frustration of a weak starting character , and probably missed the larger picture of character development / sword collection .
4 ) Boring combat . Well again , each sword has around 20 moves or so , and each sword is different . The combat system is actually relatively deep for a game like this . I'm not saying it is incredible , but pushing / parrying / dodging and awase certainly make this game far more than button mashing - - nevermind the game punishes button mashing by destroying your sword . Did other reviewers see the second or third tutorial explaining these things ?
5 . Bad camera angles . Did anyone notice that the right analog stick can be used to change the camera angles ?
6 . Bad music . OK , I can't really call this an error , but I've always enjoyed the work of this composer , and I think his music stands out well in WotS . Can't please everyone I guess .
OK , so all those things aside , WotS is a fairly strong , but not faultless game . I'd love to have seen an even deeper combat engine , more areas to explore that actually have inhabitants , and maybe an ability to sell swords . WotS doesn't really need those things , but it might have helped in creating a believable world - - where instead you are often forced to remember it is JUST a simulation .
What WotS isn't is a 1 or 2 star game . I understand that it simply isn't going to be for everyone , but if you look back at those reviews , most of the problems stated seem to come from a misunderstanding of the game mechanics ( not understanding the save system , not understanding how you play multiple times both for different endings and to build your character . ) For samurai fans or fans of Acquire , WotS is an easy purchase , while others should probably rent first - - but realize that Way of the Samurai is not a game that rewards you in the first hour of play . Put two to three hours in before you make your decision .
011 4 Shallow gamers beware : this game has neither the phenomenal graphics or heart-gripping sound of other , more advanced PS2 games ( Devil May Cry or Onimusha , for instance ) . There are several grammatical / spelling errors in an already unimaginative dialogue , and though you are eventually able to play as a female , the game's dialogue still refers to you in the masculine .
The game is also short , with a single play through averaging 1.5 hours ( depending on which storyline you choose to follow ) . This means that you must watch the same cutscenes and go through the same dialogue many times , and there is no way to skip through them ( like pressing select in Devil May Cry ) , so you are forced to sit through the same damn thing again and again .
I'm not going to bother trying to redeem these traits . This game isn't about any of that . This game is completely centered around an amazing battle system . With over 40 swords to choose from , each with 20 or 30 of its own special techniques , there are literally hundreds of different fighting styles . The combat system is extremely difficult to totally master , but fairly easy to learn . Despite all of the above failures of the game , this combat system and its myriad of battle techniques had me coming back time and time again , sloughing through the inane dialogue and storyline to power up my swords and learn newer and more devastating attacks , feints , and throws .
Some critics fail to understand the real point of the game . While it would be good to actually ' beat ' the game , it is really a non-issue ; the focus is training and powering-up your swords . You are allowed to carry two swords into a game from your outside ' Warehouse ' ( which is saved as general , global data , not a specific game session ) . Changes made to these swords , such as upgrades , learned techniques , etc . are all saved when you beat or exit ( via the Railroad exit ) the game . You can also ask the blacksmith to ' deliver ' swords to your warehouse in-game . As you play the game over and over again , you will collect new swords and power up your old ones . The real goal of the game , then , is , in my opinion , to get as many swords as possible up to full strength with all techniques learned .
The Battle Mode ( vs . CPU and 2P ) , once unlocked , provides hours of fun - but only if you've taken the time and effort to build up a good stash of powerful swords .
It takes a while to unlock this game's full fun potential , but it's well worth the effort , in my opinion .
014 4 This game is really good . I got it for christmas and ' been playing ever since . It's got O.K graphics and gameplay . The best thing is fighting . At the start you create yor player ( you unlock more and more accesories as you play the game ) . There are six different endings , which means the games are pretty short . There are lots of differnt kinds of swords . It has also got 2 player fighting ( you unlock it as you play ) .
Overall , this game is good when it comes to fighting .
Jolly
015 4 This is an excellent game . One warning up front , the save system is very silly . In this game you interact with the other characters and you chose from different endings . Basically once you start a game you have to finish it ( takes about 1 - 2 hours ) or walk out . Saving really isn't that necessary .
The cool part is the 50 or so swords and other weapons and the 200 moves that go with them . You learn the moves as you use the swords . One bad point is that if you die you'll lose your swords , so practice your moves and get good before playing a game on hard mode .
It takes a little practice to get good at the fighting but you'll learn surprisingly fast and fairly soon , you'll be a serious samuri . Also , during the game you can modify your weapons .
This game has lots of replay value , and you get enough new items and perks to keep you playing for quite a while . This is a game I'd recommend buying , even at full price . A keeper
016 4 When I first read about way of the samarui , I instantly knew I would buy this game . Although , I usually rent games before buying them . The first time I played it , it was sooooooooo fun . So was the second , third , fourth , and fifth time . I beat it so many times because it is a very short game . But there are also so many paths for you to take its not even funny . The saving system sucks . If you save and quit ( which is the only option since it says save and quit . ) and load up your game again , it will delete your game you just saved . Therefore , you have to keep playing until the next save point , or else you will have to start the game over . Although that is a very big deal and was partially the reason I didnt buy it , you really dont need to save . Yeah , the game is that short . Depending on the path you take , it could be very long . The game can get VERY repetitive after playing it a couple of times . But it is just so addictive . Plus there is no voiceovers . It isnt that big of a deal , but it surprised me to see that a playstation 2 game dosent have voiceovers . The music is really cool , especially the battle music.In my opinion , the overall value of this game is excellent ! ( There are six different endings , and i still have only gotten two after the five times Ive played ; ) There isnt much to unlock , but there are a few . Like two play vs . mode . ( You can fight against a friend , or against a comp . ) About three heads , and three clothing styles . I think you should rent it first and see if you like it . This is a great game , and everyone should play it sometime .
017 4 The single player RPG mode is good fun , especially if you like Samurai movies like Yojimbo or Seven Samurai . I call it RPG mode , because there is a lot of dialog and then you make choices that affect the outcome , but the game is action oriented and the only thing with ' stats ' is your sword . The game is very faithful to that genre ( er . . . except for that one guy with the giant afro ) . You'll cut down hordes of warriors and duel against some very skilled opponents . The outcome is based on the choices you make and your skills with the sword . You can play as a heroic character or a backstabbing villain , or just go with the flow and take on whatever comes your way . You might make a difference for this town , or you might ' die like a samurai ' fighting to the death amidst a sea of enemies ( I almost prefer the latter ) . The more times you play through the RPG the more plot twists and intrigue you'll find . The only issue that I really had with it is that the dialog is slow because you can't do anything to skip along faster than it automatically displays .
All of that is cool , but the best part of the game is the 2 player fighting mode . It's more fun than all the others I own ( tekken tag , virtua 4 , soul blade , capcom vs snk , mutant academy 2 ) . Unfortunately it isn't enabled when you start , you have to unlock it by playing RPG mode . That doesn't take all that long though , about 3 or 4 hours only . Then you have a really great 2 player fighting game . You can combine any weapon with any character and change their fighting style based on that weapon . There are around 60 weapons and 30 characters that you can unlock , which gives you a huge number of combinations to play with . The detail in the fighting system and the number of moves available is fantastic . The moves are all realistic , there's no shooting fireballs , or lightning punches . You also aren't as constrained in your movement as most games . You can sidestep or circle easily , really run around the area , jump up onto a table or knock your opponent back so he trips over it .
018 4 This is one of these short , quite mindless games that are extremely fun and you can play ehn you have a short break . Without the great battle system this game would be a lot worse . Although the plot does develope , there is really no story except for how the samurai age came to an end . In my opinion this game is very entertaining , fun , much thanks to the variety of swords and different fighting styles for each sword . I also like the fact that you can change the way your character looks and that you can keep your swords from the last game , when starting a new game .
019 4 best game i had ever played , you can do anything you want like grand theft aoto and has grafics like lord of the rings the two towers ps2 game and its all about the hard life of a samurai .
020 4 After reading many negative reviews about this game I opted to rent it instead of buying it . Wise decision . The game , in a lot of ways , is very cool . You get to be a samurai and hack people to shreds with many different swords . Also , you can pretty much kill whoever you want and choose which clans you want to fight with or against . You can use deception to get what you want or you can be loyal to one clan . This idea is very cool for a game and I wish more games would utilize it . However , there are many bad points about this game :
First of all , as most people have said on here , the save system is the worst I have ever seen in a video game . It is hands down , terrible . Very sloppy and just plain dumb . Second of all , the camera angles can be unbearable at times . You will be fighting someone and then all of a sudden , oops , you can't see him , or you or anything but a wall or something . Very shotty camera work . This can be overlooked at times , but other times it makes you want to throw your controller through a wall . Also , the graphics leave a little to be desired and sometimes the overall view you get of the game is quite [ poor ] . Also , the game is quite short .
The gameplay is fun during combat . . . when you are having swordfights with enemies , it is quite fun to hack them up and develop new moves to fight with . Combine that with the idea behind the game and you get the reasons I gave it 3 stars .
However , looking at the big picture I would highly recommend renting this game before shelling out the big bucks for it .
022 4 After reading some negative reviews about the games graphics and length I was hesitating to buy it . But it definatly turned out better than I thought . The graphics really aren't bad - characters are detailed and the landscapes are nice . In fact at times this game looks quite beautiful , especially at sun rise . Even though the game is short it has great replay value . From what I read there are 6 endings , but even more ways to get there . EVERY time I played it something different happened . There's a great variety of swords and the fighting is awsome and extremely fun . There is an unlockable two player feature wich I haven't tried yet . You can unlock new costumes and head to edit your character . In my opinion the only flaw in this game is the saving system . You can only save when u get to certain points . Then you have the option to either save and quit or continue without saving . Sounds normal right ? But the catch is that every time you load the game your saved game will be erased and you have to play till you reach the next save point . If you do not reach it and turn the ps2 off , the next time you'll play , you will start from the beginning of the game again . This is especially bad when its bed time and your mother keeps shouting at you to go to bed , or when you are late for something and you can't find a damn save point . This flaw doesnt bother me too much though since I think the game is so fun that I dont mind starting from the beginning again . But for some this is quite annoying . This minor or not so mnor drawback schouldn't stop you from getting this great game though . And parents should not be too worried about the M rating . I have not yet heard any foul language , the violence isnt that violent - really and there is an option to turn the blood off wich there isn't so much of anyway .
023 4 this game i think is pretty good.yeah its kind of short , but u have to go through 6 different endings.it also has a multi-player mode . i have beaten the game with all the different endings , got all the different swords , and all the characters in multi mode.sure it gets boring after a wile , but u also get to fool around with ur teams the kuro family and adakclan.although it gets boring after awile the fighting makes up for that with all the different moves like cuts , slashes , throws , and prayries.if i were u i would buy it now because it is only 19.99 used to 49.99 it will probably go baxck up to cause this is a TIGHT [ hiney ] GAME .
025 4 I really wanted to like this game , but ended up returning it after a few days of gameplay . Since other reviewers have gone over the good points , I'll just highlight the bad points that killed it for me :
1 . There's only one save file allowed and this file is erased as soon as you start playing . Maybe the designers did this to emphasize the story or seriousness aspect of the game , but it prevents you from saving at a decision point in the game and efficiently checking out the what-if's . I didn't have the patience to play ALL the way through the same point over an over to find out how things change based on my answer to the 4th question in a conversation late in story . And especially not when it takes me a good 30 - 40 minutes of walking through mostly-empty environments punctuated by careful combat to get to that point .
2 . When you die , the swords you took with you from your warehouse go away permanently . The game boasts something like 20 different swords with 400 possible moves among them . Great . But are you going to take your best life-enhancing , attack / defense-maxed swords into the story with you knowing you'll lose them if your character dies before reaching one of the story endings ? ( Note : there's at least one path that leads to premature death and it's not in combat , so you have no chance if you make the wrong decision ) . Also , losing the sword means losing all the advanced moves you've learned for it . If you start the game with another sword of the same type , you are forced to unlock the moves all over again ! Like the save-game system , this seems like an arbitrary obstacle to really exploring the depth and richness of the game because it forces you to be very conservative about your choices . They should have made the sword skills part of the character instead of attaching them to the specific swords to encourage people to try out the other weapons . It's a painful choice : you don't take your best , well-used sword for fear you might lose it and you don't take a new fancy-schmancy sword you just got because you don't know any moves for it and you'll get killed ( and lose the sword ) by the first grunt . What's that leave ? Well , I got very , very good at using the basic moves of the default sword . . . .
3 . You can't skip or fast-forward the dialog scenes . Let's face it , by the time you're trying to hunt down that last elusive story path , you'll have read the same dialog bubbles a hundred times . Since they don't change and some of them take a loooong time to unspool , you'll be futilely mashing buttons to try to get them to go faster . The inarticulate grunts that were inserted in place of actual speech don't make these passages any more palatable . I figure they account for about 10 minutes of inactivity during any given 30 - 40 minute playthrough of the story . Given that you'll have to play the story many many many times to get all the story arcs and sword skills , that adds up to a lot of wasted hours .
Too bad . There are a lot of cool story arcs and side-plots in Way of the Samurai and much replay potential in perfecting one's sword combat with each weapon . BUT , the game designers seem to have done everything possible to _ discourage _ you from exploring the game . If your idea of finishing this type of game was to get all the story endings and all the swords with all the moves , then be prepared for a long , tedious journey that has purposely been made much more frustrating than it has to be .
026 4 This game is very interesting but it needs patience to begin with . I am a great fan of samurai so I love this game automatically . Learning new moves and gaining new weapons is very entertaining . Weapons break after using them a long time unlike other games this one is realistic . You can fight anyone but whatever path you choose or decision you make the story changes which makes this game a lot of fun . For those who like samurai they will like this game , but those who are not interested in samurai will not find this game very interesting .
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This game was monumental for its time , and its still a lot of fun to play , allowing you to chose your path through one day of a samurai's life . Mostly comprised of action elements , story path morality based dialog options . Sword collecting / improving , and many multiple endings as well as character customization and unlockables add replay value . The graphics are slightly dated , but the soundtrack and effects are highly aesthetic and relative to the time period the game is set in . . .
That being said , this game is a jem , don't miss it
029 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
This game was monumental for its time , and its still a lot of fun to play , allowing you to chose your path through one day of a samurai's life . Mostly comprised of action elements , story path morality based dialog options . Sword collecting / improving , and many multiple endings as well as character customization and unlockables add replay value . The graphics are slightly dated , but the soundtrack and effects are highly aesthetic and relative to the time period the game is set in . . .
That being said , this game is a jem , don't miss it
030 4 This game was monumental for its time , and its still a lot of fun to play , allowing you to chose your path through one day of a samurai's life . Mostly comprised of action elements , story path morality based dialog options . Sword collecting / improving , and many multiple endings as well as character customization and unlockables add replay value . The graphics are slightly dated , but the soundtrack and effects are highly aesthetic and relative to the time period the game is set in . . .
That being said , this game is a jem , don't miss it
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The fact of having diferent stories is great , but the game is kind of slow , you have to walk and talk a lot to get little action .
032 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
The fact of having diferent stories is great , but the game is kind of slow , you have to walk and talk a lot to get little action .
033 4 The fact of having diferent stories is great , but the game is kind of slow , you have to walk and talk a lot to get little action .
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Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
Ok this my first review the way l do it is by postive and negative
Postives1 . The gameplay is fun
2 . Tons of sword with different skills
3 . You can chose opinions that could change the story
4 . seven diffent endings
Negatives 1 . The game is really short you can beat it in like a hour
you play as kenji a traveling samurai who come in between two clans you have to chose who's side you're on there is over 40 swords with differnt styles and attacks the game has seven endings depending on you're desions the game can be beaten in a short peroid of time overall it's a good buy
035 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
Ok this my first review the way l do it is by postive and negative
Postives1 . The gameplay is fun
2 . Tons of sword with different skills
3 . You can chose opinions that could change the story
4 . seven diffent endings
Negatives 1 . The game is really short you can beat it in like a hour
you play as kenji a traveling samurai who come in between two clans you have to chose who's side you're on there is over 40 swords with differnt styles and attacks the game has seven endings depending on you're desions the game can be beaten in a short peroid of time overall it's a good buy
036 4 Ok this my first review the way l do it is by postive and negative
Postives1 . The gameplay is fun
2 . Tons of sword with different skills
3 . You can chose opinions that could change the story
4 . seven diffent endings
Negatives 1 . The game is really short you can beat it in like a hour
you play as kenji a traveling samurai who come in between two clans you have to chose who's side you're on there is over 40 swords with differnt styles and attacks the game has seven endings depending on you're desions the game can be beaten in a short peroid of time overall it's a good buy
037 4 This game is more of a cartoon where you tell the main character what to do . It should have been named something more to what it is . Some parts are serious others are funny , but if your expecting a deep , rich story of a ronin samurai , wandering the country side trying to spread peace and justice to all those in need , this isnt exactly it .
At first it seems very serious but then characters that are more from the 1970s appear and more modern things appear . Most of your choices are 1 . yes 2 . no and 3 . hey is that a cat ! ?
The best part of this game is by far the fighting . You get all kinds of swords and each 1 has different moves and attributes to it . Its not just slam buttons and do a 50 hit combo . you have to block and push your opponent and that sort of thing , but it doenst get old because you get a lot of really cool moves , you can do everything from Swinging your sword wildly and running at him like a maniac to kicking objects at them , to being a cold hardened warrior waiting for the right moment to strike and break your opponents sword leaving him harmless to your might . In short the fighting rules .
Way of the Samurai is very short and akward at first , i mean really short if you wanted you could go through it in an hour thats stretching it reading conversations and walking and stuff , and doesn't really have much to do with following the way of the samurai . If you want a serious game this isnt it , if you want a fighting game with more plot then i must beat up that guy to save my father this is more your thing . I love the fighting but dont really like the rest of it , its not bad but its not great . i give it a 3 and not a 4 because at 1 part 1 of the characters says im Bond , James Bond . thats when i gave up completly on giving any seriousness to the game and just started swinging my sword . Its a fun game and although short it has multiple endings and so many swords and combos youll play it a lot . If you dont expect a serious game its perfect if you do its not so perfect but its still really really fun .
038 4 I heard this game had a Yojimbo style plot with a little choose your own adventure thrown in so I picked it up . The game starts with you on a mountain pass and some thugs trying to kidnap a lady . At this point you can make some decisions . you can A ) save her and go to lunch walk by not caring or C ) help the thugs grab her with slight variations on them . The whole game is like that and while tha area is small it works fine .
The graphics are pretty bad , neither the characters nor the background , heck not even the blood has a lot of detail and the only real standout is the motion-captured fighting which is actually some pretty spiffy stuff . This is made by the same people who did Tenchu , and there are even a couple of ninjas , though they are fairly sucky .
The combat is pretty basic early on , but once you learn some good moves it feels much more fluid and you can do some very cool stuff . There are many different kinds of swords , 62 to be precise and they are all different , if only slightly .
After you beat the game you get a ranking and that will help you unlock stuff like costumes or a nice two-player Vs . mode , which while not great is pretty decent fun . The game is short taking only 2 hours or so once you get good , though I expect to replay it many more times and get all the goodies , plus there are many different endings and choices you can make which ups the replayability .
039 4 I rented this game not to long ago from a local Hollywood Video , and I loved it ! I for one am quite parcial to role playing games , and this one so far was tops . Not only do you get to play as a samurai , but you really have to train hard in order to get really good with your sword . I like this game also because it is short , I don't much care for really long games . In fact , I finished the game the first time in under an hour . But one of the best things alos about this game is you can go with the Akadana clan , the Kurou Clan , or ( I'm guessing ) you can work alongside the government , or you can just be a drifter , walking around helping people , or an assasin , who works for no one , but kills everyone in sight . ^ _ ~ It's a lot of fun and definitely worth buying .
040 4 There is almost NOTHING wrong with this game . I love it . The graphics are pretty good , considering when it was made . Although , during fights , camera angels sometimes can make you irratable . And don't play on the hardest , or even medium setting when your just starting and you think your the master of fighting games because this game is FREAKIN HARD ! One more thing , is the saving system is HORRIBLE ! I've tried almost everything to fix it , but the fact that the game took me about an hour and a half to beat ( its a short game ! its longest if you join the Kouru family ) . Otherwise , the sword fighting scenes are really cool , the music is breathtaking , and the graphics are usually quite good too . Plus , there's not many Samurai games in America , and this one's probabally near the top . If you liked this game , you'll like Any Tenchu games , Kengo : Master of Bushido , and Onimusha Warlords or 2 ( which is like Way of the Samurai's cusin . . . ) I highly reccomend this game to anyone with enough patience to get by .
041 4 Way of the Samurai is an extraordinary game . You can chose many faces and swords and outfits . You have many stances to use and learn in this game . Though it is short there is 6 different endings depending on who your allies are , how many people you have slain , and other things . This game is a must buy for serious gamers and samurai lovers . Well have a good day to you all bye !
~ Gatlin ~
042 4 Speaking not only as an avid gamer but also as someone who recently discovered the magic of the Akira Kurosawa collection , I think I can safely say that I can appreciate this game to it's fullest potential .
The only drawback is the mutliple paths you can follow to the games conclusion . They are plentiful but in the end you are limited to your choices of what to say / who to follow / where to go and often times you'll find that some of the endings are similar , which isn't all that great of an idea considering that there are only six endings to the game .
Other than that the game offer a wide variety of weapons to choose from ( swords mostly ) and a variety of characters to interact with . ( GEEZ , that old man is annoying ! )
All in all though a good game , especially for the unique who is a hybrid of PS2 and Akira Kurosawa fan .
043 4 This is a great game . The storylines are pretty realistic . There seem to be so many different outcomes that can happen . It is very fun to say different things to the people in the towns . The fighting is awesome . Be sure to buy this game .
045 4 This game is pretty good but it is to short and it is to easy to beat . So that is what I think about this game .
046 4 I was happy playing this game when all of a sudden I realized I had finished it . This was after 3 hours with some of that time spent in the training mode to learn to fight . Story was nice , just way too short .
047 4 BAM ! indeed . This is a a very highquality game . Parents , ignore the mature rating because it has no exual themes at all , and you can turn off the blood . This game has spectacular graphics the vividly depict your sourroundings . The music is nothing compared to games Final Fantasy and Devil May Cry because it is just little tinkles in the background , and sometimes hard to hear over the awesome sound effects of swooching and clanging swords , or the ripping of flesh . You can bust out a total of thirty nine swords and a magic wand .
The story line is entirely up to you , and the path you choose will lead you to one of five endings . The first ending and fifth endings are impossible to get if they're even real , or maybe are just really hard to find , but the three I did find were very well done . The two downsides of the story line is that it is very short and it's stream deep .
Proabably the nicest feature in this game that makes up for it being short is that for the number of people you kill gives you a rating which gives you a certain amount of points . The points unlock tutrials , characters , clothing , battle modes , and battle maps . The ratings range from ordinary and inexperienced to random slasher and heretic .
The two player battle mode is stellar , there's no other way to describe it , especially when you can be Chelsea ( my favorite ) or Suzu fighting on the moon .
048 4 This game has a very high fun factor , backed up by good graphics , and a nice soundtrack . Although the game is quite gory , it has many little features all woven together to make a truely great game , such as being able to kill whom ever you want , and all the customizable features for your character .
049 4 This is a combination of almost 5 different games . It is sort of billed as a dramatic RPG for serious gamers . Not quite . It is more a lighthearted game for action fans / casual RPG gamers . It has a fight style similar to Dynasty Warriors . A do-what-you-feel-like storyline like Grand Theft Auto . Swords that give you different moves and power similar to an RPG . And it has a HUGE tone to it that reminds me of those books where you could choose the storyline at the end of each chapter . Great game , but not for everyone . The only drawback is that its somewhat short , but it has so many paths to the end ( as well as different endings ) that is stays fresh and fun . No one game plays out the same .
050 4 This game is closer to the reality way of the samurai than onimusha . The fight scenes really were coreiographed & precise for the different types of swords . ( Apology for spelling errors ) Pros : * Choose up to 6 different heads & 7 different outfits . * 3 Secret Characters include : 1 . Woman in the turtorial ( She is still addressed as a if she were a man during the game ! - That ( is ) sht is getting old . . . . ) 2 . A ninja warlord ( ? ) ( Is highly respected or feared by the games foes . ) 3 . A space age robot simular to Huitzuil . ( I wouldn't use his head even for a hundred yen ! ) Secret Clothing includes 4 costumes : Flower design outfitNinja outfitCowboy outfit ( Blazing Saddles ) Robot outfit ( Lost in space ) Cons : The save system could of been better ! If Amaguri was a motel as well as a restaurant than it would be easier on the character & us . ( Does the main character sleep in a tree or by Dojima's Hut ? ( No , He doen't sleep but is a way better fighter than Ryo Hazuki ! ) Don Dontalouse . . . . ? - UGH - He should of been more helpful in his role as a samurai ally . . . . but . . . He reminded me of Kareem from Enter the Dragon so he wasn't that annoying . ( Some of his haiku was taken from the script of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey , the part where they practice marriage proposal to the princesses . . . ! ! ( Cheesy ) Summary : This game has a high replay value but the saving system is [ bad ] , I got all of the endings with only the restore health cheat . BUTI used a gameshark to unlock everything after getting the ultimate ending due to not getting the majority of the game unlocked ! ! Over 50 hours of work for 1 new outfit , 2 characters in battle mode , & the last 2 tutourials . ( CHOMP ! )
051 4 I was a little catious towards this game at first when I found out that Acquire had opted to create this game instead of another sequel to Tenchu . But after playing the game , there is no doubt , this game is awesome . A multi-faceted story that made unique and ever changing by your actions , words and timing . A great story about the fall of the Samurai empire brought out by vivid landscapes and a great event structure . Not to mention and involving fighting system that utilizes swords that carry with them a variety of fighting moves . Now there is some speculation as to the length of this game . If you are one to just run straight thru a game just to get to the end , then you may find this game very short indeed . But playing through to get the different endings , trying out various ways of behaviour and actions to see where the story takes you and to try and get the various swords in the game will bring the length of this game up greatly . The replay value is through the roof . This game is a majestic masterpiece and well worth checking out .
052 4 I've spent many hours playing this game . And that makes me want to curl up into the fetal position and cry , because those are hours I will never have back . They weren't BAD hours , by any means . There were even times I became so captivated with reaching a new ending that I would play it the same way over and over . I know . I'm an enigma .
Don't buy this game . Rent first , then buy if you must . Makes a good gift for the terminally ill , because they'll be dead before they realize what a waste of time it is . It sure took me a while .
But here's a rundown of the pros :
Engrossing , multi-plot storyline ( w / six endings )
Ability to choose sides
Ability to double-cross those morons and CHANGE sides
You can kill anyone you want ( even innocent bystanders )
And who said there's no multiplayer ? You have to unlock it .
Now the cons :
PS1 quality , RPG-style , caption-only cutscenes ( say that three times fast ! )
Some lame characters ( at least you can kill them )
What happens in a given location is dependant on the time of day in the game . This means that if you don't make it to a specific place on time , you lose your chance at that part of the story .
Almost no ability to save
The game is short
The people in the * & ^ % ing Station get really annoying really fast .
Too few options of things you can say ( sometimes it's just the same answer reworded )
Some opponents are just too hard - - at least for me
Some fights get repetitive
Graphics are sub-standard
Rotoksu Pass is TINY . . . there's nothing to explore
It's fun for a while . Maybe $20 is worth it if you like this kind of game , but I bought it for fifty freakin ' dollars ! I have a family to support ! ! ! Well . . . no , I don't , actually . I've spent too much time playing this game for that .
053 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
I played the second one first and let me tell you , the sword fighting is much better in the second one . In fact I think it is the best sword fighting i have ever seen in a game , period . And that game has voice acting and some overall polish compared to this game . Overall I recomend playing the second one , the battle is great . Its short like this one . It has a crappy save system but I think the makers wanted u to sit down for 5 hours and play it and feel like a samurai and that u cant just turn off the system if u did something u regret . I wish they didnt do this but i can seee the intention .
054 4 I played the second one first and let me tell you , the sword fighting is much better in the second one . In fact I think it is the best sword fighting i have ever seen in a game , period . And that game has voice acting and some overall polish compared to this game . Overall I recomend playing the second one , the battle is great . Its short like this one . It has a crappy save system but I think the makers wanted u to sit down for 5 hours and play it and feel like a samurai and that u cant just turn off the system if u did something u regret . I wish they didnt do this but i can seee the intention .
055 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
Way of the samurai is a game that i looked over for small little mishaps but overall is a very good game . It give a new feature of fighting that is so life-like that it leaves games such as Dynasty Warriors in the dust . It gives you a solid story lines that are enjoyable to play over and over again . The detail of the Weapons is marvelous and they give you a reason to play it again . My only critisisms are the camera the lack of characters to select from the short gameplay , and the grunts for words
056 4 Way of the samurai is a game that i looked over for small little mishaps but overall is a very good game . It give a new feature of fighting that is so life-like that it leaves games such as Dynasty Warriors in the dust . It gives you a solid story lines that are enjoyable to play over and over again . The detail of the Weapons is marvelous and they give you a reason to play it again . My only critisisms are the camera the lack of characters to select from the short gameplay , and the grunts for words
057 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
this game was great , ok graffics , and great action , you can basically kill and take anyones sword , or weapon.i loved this game and i beat it all 6 different ways , but the problem is that it isnt much fun after you beat it , and i beat it all 6 different times in one weeks rental.i highly suggest renting it , but not buying it .
058 4 this game was great , ok graffics , and great action , you can basically kill and take anyones sword , or weapon.i loved this game and i beat it all 6 different ways , but the problem is that it isnt much fun after you beat it , and i beat it all 6 different times in one weeks rental.i highly suggest renting it , but not buying it .
059 4 This game is funny as hell . You are a Samuri and you can do whatever you want . This inculdes fighting a disco kung fu master , stabbing a guy with a gun , and killing the blacksmith and taking his weapons . While that stuff isn't really funny , the way the game runs and the dialouge are what will make you lol . I bought this game and appreciate my purchase because it never gets old .
060 4 I'm a HUGE samurai fan so it's no surprise that I would have bought Way of the Samurai . After a slow start , I found it really interesting !
First , the game is a combination fighting game and role playing adventure . You have a over-the-shoulder view of your Samurai , which you can customize with a few choices of clothing , face / hair , and the name . You start out with basic button-mashing attacks - the quick attack , slow powerful attack , plus jumps and blocks . As you progress , you learn other more interesting combination attacks .
There is limited ability to use items . You can pick up swords that you find along the way ( i.e . from the corpses of those you kill ) and a few items like radishes and mushrooms that heal or hurt you . Try to walk out of the inn with the Happy Cat statue and the girl there chides you . You can pick up explosives and toss them at things to blow them up . No real inventory though , and you normally can't do actions while carrying one of these things .
The role playing goes along the Yojimbo route - the famous movie by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune . In Yojimbo , a small village had two warring factions that Yojimbo in essence played off of each other . It's pretty obvious that this story was based on that - from the high bell-tower in the center of town to the obnoxious police officers to the swordsmith coming out and commenting how the poor were always the one most abused .
In essence , as you come across various situations in town , you get a choice of one or two responses , or you can ignore the situation completely . Usually your choices are to help the person or to hinder them . You can help out the bandits as they steal the young girl , or step in to interfere . You can stand by while the old man is beaten up , or try to do something about it .
The graphics are reasonably good , and the moves of the individuals as they walk and fight are good as well . Controls are a bit kludgy , but really there isn't much moving to do . The town itself isn't very large , and the game doesn't last that long - just a few days . The transitions from day to evening to night are nice , the train rolling along past town .
Yes , you can customize swords a bit , and pick up yen to spend on it , but really , you can't save well and the game is so short that it's not worth saving . You can save at one spot if you have to turn off your machine , but when you turn it back on and restore from that spot , it erases your save game . Some might find this annoying , but the game is so short that it doesn't matter much .
Really , you play it a number of times to unlock all the characters , rooms and so on , and to see the various endings . Then you spend the rest of the time doing the multiplayer combat with all the people and areas that you've unlocked , and have fun !
061 4 This is an OK game . Actually it's not even OK . I got more and more annoyed with it the more I played it . I thought it was good , I beat the 6 endings . Then I saw how much more I had to do to unlock even 1 / 4 of the stuff and so I sold it . Diminishing returns on the replay keep it from being worthwhile . I liked that your fighting style changes when you equip a new sword and you unlock the moves as you fight with it . I liked that part . Another plus is the different endings . However , there are things in this game that keep it from being outstanding and really bother me . One is that you cannot advance the text during conversations , so the dialogue really slows down the game . That bugs me the most . Secondly , and I've seen this complaint the most , the camera angles while fighting can be annoying ! A slight shift in position and the camera can lose you and get stuck behind a tree or a hill or a wall . Finally there is the messed up saving system . That is the most annoying part of the game . I went in hoping that this would be more like Tenchu 1 and 2 , but it was more like Bushido and I found that to be disappointing , but that was my fault . I'd say rent it first and then see what you think .
062 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
ok . . . some of u people dont know how to save the game . . . well some of u know how to save it . . . but u dont know how to keep it saved . . . if u save it and then u die . . it will ask u to save the game after u die . . . dont save it if u want to keep that same exact save file . . . i have finally figured this out after like 20 times of game play .
063 4 ok . . . some of u people dont know how to save the game . . . well some of u know how to save it . . . but u dont know how to keep it saved . . . if u save it and then u die . . it will ask u to save the game after u die . . . dont save it if u want to keep that same exact save file . . . i have finally figured this out after like 20 times of game play .
064 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
Now don't get me wrong I loved this game so much . I honestly don't want to buy it . I just rent it every now and then when I want to play it . But if you want to get tired of it then go ahead and buy it . See the thing about it is . . . it's like this . . . there 6 endings . . . I've beaten them all but then after that theres like nothing really to do . You beat the game ( takes like an hour ) 6 times and you're basically done . Unless you want to get all the swords and whatever the heck you wanna screw around with . I would buy it just to say I have it and have beaten it lol ! That's the only purpose I would have it for . I rent it every now and then and its great but . . . I can resight lines I've seen the text so much . The cut scenes could be better . The controls are simple , that's what I love about it . I love the Meiji time period in Japan as well . Playing this game was really cool , I love it . Only . . . like I've said before . . . its reallllllllllllllllllllllly short and it shows the same thing like all the time . So anyways , that's about it . . .
065 4 Now don't get me wrong I loved this game so much . I honestly don't want to buy it . I just rent it every now and then when I want to play it . But if you want to get tired of it then go ahead and buy it . See the thing about it is . . . it's like this . . . there 6 endings . . . I've beaten them all but then after that theres like nothing really to do . You beat the game ( takes like an hour ) 6 times and you're basically done . Unless you want to get all the swords and whatever the heck you wanna screw around with . I would buy it just to say I have it and have beaten it lol ! That's the only purpose I would have it for . I rent it every now and then and its great but . . . I can resight lines I've seen the text so much . The cut scenes could be better . The controls are simple , that's what I love about it . I love the Meiji time period in Japan as well . Playing this game was really cool , I love it . Only . . . like I've said before . . . its reallllllllllllllllllllllly short and it shows the same thing like all the time . So anyways , that's about it . . .
066 4 This game is pretty cool , it is a little short though , i beat it in about an hour , but there are multiple endings . the main thing i found unrealistic was that there is a samurai wearing what looks like a stocking for a shirt and jean jacket , they didnt have clothing like that in 1878 ! but i did like the fact that you can ally your self with who ever , and you can pick up swords and have your sword worked on .
067 4 This is a very good game , it is fun and free roaming and has multiple endings [ which is what gives it such a high replay value ] . This games multiple endigs are pretty different from one another.The graphics are pretty good , and it has a very fluid and easy to pick up combat system.I only rented it but it is definently worth buying . And F ! @ # anyone who says otherwise .
068 4 I would start by telling you that I love feudal Japan and everything associated with it . Samurai , ninja , the entire caste system of this era fascinates me . I think the idea of this game is a good one , however the excecution of it couldn't be worse .
To start lets review the dialog system and the music . The dialog system is nothing more then an occasional grunt from a male character , or what can only be described as nervous laughter from a female character . The rest of the time you are reading from dialogs boxes ( game designers trying to save money and not hire actors to actually speak ) . I can only hope they didn't spend any money on the soundtrack . Why would anyone thing that a game called Way of the Samaurai should have chamber music as its soundtrack ? What's worse they then mix in some horrid acoustic guitar solos . It not only dosen't fit or set the mood for this mid evil japanese game it is a distraction . The graphics are average at best especally the design of the villages that all look like ghost towns .
I won't even spend any time reviewing the save system as many other reviewers have noted it is poorly designed . What you have here is a game that was done as cheaply as possible to make a quick buck . If you have played onimusha warloards you will know exactly what I am talking about . The graphics , music , dialog in Japanease with english sub-titles make it a much better game .
069 4 At first when I read all the reviews I thought this game would stink but I went and bought it anyway . To my suprise this is one of the funnest games I have ever played ( I play video games alot ) . You start off as a drifter from nowhere but as soon as you control your player you can join a clan ( the Kurou Family ) or help a young woman ( a station member ) in the first 30 seconds . The two other clans are the Japanese government and the rivel clan of the Kurou Family the Akadamas . You can choose who you want to be with as the game progresses and some clans help you in different way ( like the Kurous give you the most money ) . There are about 40 weapons and most are just regular swords with different names and attacks . There are however other weapons like ninja swords , a commaners golden sword , another commanders silver sword , and a blacksmith's hammer just to name a few . The cons in this game are that the save system is the worst I have ever seen in a game . It repeats alot and is also short ( depending on what path you take ) . Over all though you must get this game no matter what if you like a good RPG or are in to samurais like me . Although if your low on cash you might want to wait for the second Way of the Samurai to come out on July 6 .
070 4 Here's my Haiku :
Great Idea
Original and Unique
Very Badly Done
I rented this game with no instructions . The first thing I noticed was that there was a tutorial . This tutorial was slow torture , but I learned some things . Then I started the game . The Graphics were pretty good , and I sensed that some great stuff was going to happen . I started off nicely , explored around , and I got killed . So I started again , explored some other parts , and got killed again . This time I decided to avoid getting killed .
That's when this game got dull . Really , really dull . I played for two hours , painfully walking from one place to another . The fighting , though interesting at first , was monotonous . The setting soon became boring . Worst of all , I wanted to save . For the love of Goodness I kind not find out how to save . The controls and tutorials taught me everything else but how to do . After playing for three hours straight , I turned off my PS2 , hoping the game was saved automatically . It wasn't , and I wasn't going to repeat those three hours of gameplay , so I said forget it .
I promptly returned it to the video store , hoping that the few hours that the game resided in my house didn't lower my property value . This game was cheap . First of all , there were no voices at all . Voice actors are not expensive , yet they couldn't even afford that . Secondly , there is no compass . Many times I would want to go north , but I could only hope I was walking there . I could only check when I reached a new area whether I went north , south , east or west . Finally , you can not save immediately . Granted , I could have looked it up how to do it on the internet , but by that time I realized this game wasn't even worth it .
It's a great idea , terrible execution . Avoid this game at all costs .
071 4 This game does have some cool features . . . i mean the swords , the whole samurai concept , the fighting system . . all great . But who wants to spend more than $10 on a game that takes 30 minutes to beat ? Maybe i missed something , but that is how long it took me to save everybody , and get the ending . Dunno why you would buy this . . .
073 4 way of the samuri is the definite best game for ps2 . the end of the game is completely up to you , on what words you choose.and the combat is totally awesome and the graphics are the best around there are so many weapons to choose from ( mainly swords ) you can also pick up more on the way to your destination the Ai is also really good so if you want a game that has good graphics great gameplay and awesome story this is the game for you ! ! ! ! !
074 4 This was a very disapointing game . I bought it after reading the reviews on line and I must say that I was thouroughly disapointed . I totally wasted my money . First off , the players move way too slow , and you are limted with only a few moves . I kept playing hoping that it would be better , but gave up after a couple of days out of bordom . I would compare the gameplay , fun rating and overall playability to that between atari and the first nintendo . Don't waste your money . It just goes to show you that some of these reviews are illegitimate .
075 4 A great idea with a not so great execution .
There was a lot of potential here , its a shame that the quality control wasn't better .
The save system is terrible . Because when you die the game is over . Even after you beat the game and you win many swords and moves , if you die the next time you play , you lose everything . The game is basically unplayable without two memory cards ( as a backup ) .
This game would be worth it if it costs about $20 .
076 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
Words cannot express how much I hate this game . There are very few games that I flat out HATE , but this is one of them . This could actually be the worst game I've ever played , so that's saying alot .
The game tries to be a choose your own adventure samurai story set in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate era of Japan , but completely fails . Here's why :
- Even though there are multiple paths you can take through the game , you can beat the game in about 45 min . either way . Not even most 16 - bit games are that short , and those are certainly a helluva lot more fun !
- The swordfighting is boring , due to the slow pace , lack of moves , and under-evolved fighting engine . And since that's the main gameplay hook , it leaves you with little reason to play . Dynasty Warriors and Devil May Cry both sweep the floor with this one .
- There's no voice acting . Just grunting and giggling sound effects . For a game that wants to have a story , this sure is a raw deal . . .
- The save system is just messed up . Period . There were occasions where I'd save my game , die , and find out that my file had mysteriously been erased . And a quick look at some of the other reviews tell me I'm not alone on this one . . .
- The black guy with the afro . Seriously , what the hell is this guy doing here ? Maybe if he actually said something funny once in a while , it'd be pretty neat , but as it is , he has no personality , and seems to just take up space . Leave him alone .
- The game world is tiny . It consists of 9 ( I think ) areas , that are each about the size of a football field . For a game that wants to have adventure game elements , this totally destroys everything , and is the final nail in this game's coffin .
077 4 Words cannot express how much I hate this game . There are very few games that I flat out HATE , but this is one of them . This could actually be the worst game I've ever played , so that's saying alot .
The game tries to be a choose your own adventure samurai story set in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate era of Japan , but completely fails . Here's why :
- Even though there are multiple paths you can take through the game , you can beat the game in about 45 min . either way . Not even most 16 - bit games are that short , and those are certainly a helluva lot more fun !
- The swordfighting is boring , due to the slow pace , lack of moves , and under-evolved fighting engine . And since that's the main gameplay hook , it leaves you with little reason to play . Dynasty Warriors and Devil May Cry both sweep the floor with this one .
- There's no voice acting . Just grunting and giggling sound effects . For a game that wants to have a story , this sure is a raw deal . . .
- The save system is just messed up . Period . There were occasions where I'd save my game , die , and find out that my file had mysteriously been erased . And a quick look at some of the other reviews tell me I'm not alone on this one . . .
- The black guy with the afro . Seriously , what the hell is this guy doing here ? Maybe if he actually said something funny once in a while , it'd be pretty neat , but as it is , he has no personality , and seems to just take up space . Leave him alone .
- The game world is tiny . It consists of 9 ( I think ) areas , that are each about the size of a football field . For a game that wants to have adventure game elements , this totally destroys everything , and is the final nail in this game's coffin .
078 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
This is a great game . It has a good rpg-action based game . Buy it or Rent it .
079 4 This is a great game . It has a good rpg-action based game . Buy it or Rent it .
080 4 Just imagine that you have spent hours playing this game and your dog comes walking by your PS2 console and pulls the plug from the wall . No problem right ? WRONG ! You will have to start from the begining of the game . You lose all of your game data because this game allows you to only load the data one time ! So if you can't make it to a save point while playing ( which there are very few ) or you reset your PS2 by accident , you have to go through everything all over again . In all fairness it would have been a great game if it wasn't for that small detail . Depending upon the decisions you make , you can determine the outcome of the game which is pretty cool . I should also mention that the game has also frozen up on me a few times and of course , I had to start ALL over again . A good idea for a game but just not playable . Save your money , maybe the game developers will get the message .
081 4 This review is from :
Way of the Samurai ( Video Game )
This game is garbage . It is all talk and no action . The first one was much better .
082 4 This game is garbage . It is all talk and no action . The first one was much better .
083 4 Based on the screenshots I've seen of this game , the graphics look very PS1 - like , so don't expect anything groundbreaking in the category .
084 4 From so many reviews , they suggest highly for this game and give it a 5 star rateing . I trust in the bad reviews , why write a bad review if it is'nt honestly true . I usually would rent it and write my own pearsonal review on the game but not this time . Theres alot of samurai , ninja , and whatever else there is in a name for martiel arts games comeing out . I'll wait for Onimusha 2 , Shinobi and many others that seem to have boggled my expectations . This Way Of The Samurai tends to lack alot for me just from reviews , images and personal recomendations that suggest , don't bother . Don't waist your money , save it for a future release . I give this game 1 star for attempting to scam me , and I give BAM ! $0.00 of my money for there badly designed game .
013 4 Way of the Samurai is an excellent overall game experience . Following the events of a place called Rokkotsu Pass , you are a wandering ronin who can choose to simply pass through or get involved . It is exactly that aspect that makes it ground breaking , on a console game at least . The story is NOT set in stone . You DO NOT have to get involved . If you do choose to get involved , your level of involvement and the way you get involved are ENTIRELY UP TO YOU . Furthermore , the actions you choose to make will alter the rest of the game in entirety . This is a beautiful , well thought out game design that I think a lot of console gamers have been waiting for .
I say that Way of the Samurai is an excellent OVERALL game because the whole is better than the sum of its parts . The graphics and animation , while occasionally brilliant , are never better than decent . The dialogue and voice acting are utilitarian at best . Even the storyline will seem VERY familiar to anyone who has ever seen Yojimbo or any other samurai movie . But the beauty of this game lies in the overall package . The ability to have a major , minor , or non-existant impact on the plotline is brilliant , and makes for endless replay value . Every decision you make during your three day stay in Rokkotsu Pass will affect the next set of decisions you face , kind of like , oh , real life ! This game refuses to assume that the player is an idiot , and it will never steer you in one direction or another . If you decide to work for one of the fueding sides and their leader gives you a job , you are under no obligation whatsoever to complete that job to advance the story . Your non-action will have consequences though , and THAT is what is truly genius about this game . Even in a game as great as Grand Theft Auto 3 , nothing you could ever do in that game will have long-standing consequences . Kill a few hundred people , blow up a bunch of cars , shoot a bunch of policemen , and you end up arrested or killed , then you pop right back up on the street to do it all over again . Not in this game . For example , the town blacksmith will fix or improve your weapons for you , for a price , of course . But he will not refuse to do the work if you cannot afford it . He does the work , and it is your choice to pay or not . Naturally the blacksmith will not like it if you refuse to pay and attempt to kill you . If you end up killing him , you no longer owe , but you will not be able to fix or improve your weapon for the remainder of the game . Dead people STAY DEAD . Your actions lead to consequences which will affect everything after it . Genius .
It is hard to believe no one has bothered to put this much thought into making adventure games until now , but I for one am very happy that someone has . An excellent experience that no serious gamer should deprive himself of , simply for the sheer scope of it . Highly recommended .
012 4 THE GOOD :
A vast amount of swords and other weapons each with their own stance and sets of moves keep the game alive even after how many times you beat it . Create and customize your own samurai , chose his face , hair , clothes , weapon , and attitude . You can do what ever you want to . . . . . don't feel like paying for the work on your sword . . . . . kill the black smith . . . . don't like the way someone looks at you . . . . . kill him . . . . . loseing and don't want to die pleed for your life or run . . . . And a multiplayer battle mode to decide which one of your friends is the best samurai .
THE BAD :
If your sword is shattered in battle or you die that sword is gone for ever ( I spent 2 days maxing out one sword tried hard mode and died loseing that sword forever ) . The town is a little small , and almost deserted .
SUMMARY :
If you liked the anime series Kenshin you'll like this game.So fellow batosai get your sword ready and walk the path of a true samurai . . . . .
021 4 This is a great game because there are lots of veriety on how the game goes . There are about 62 or 64 different swords and they all give you different moves and fighting stlye's . Another cool thing is when you attack a main character they will remember it and seek revenge when they get a chance . If you kill a main character they will stay dead and that can hurt the family they come from at the end of the game cause their not here to help .
When you unlock they Vs . mode you can use characters that you unlocked and use swords that you finished a game with . The Verses mode itself is a lot better then some of the other fighting games out there , like DOA and Marvel vs Campcon .
All in all it's probly the best PS2 game I own other then MGS 2 or GTA 3 .
027 4 right away i'll admit . . i was excited about this game months before it came out . ( yes i am partial to all things samurai )
upon playing this for the first time ; it lived up to all my expectations . . . it is a true samurai simulator .
here is a brief synopsis . . . . you play the part of a wandering samurai ( ronin ) the look , name and sword of your ronin are of your choice , and you earn other options as you play the game .
on your travels you enter rokkotsu pass and this is where your scenario begins .
the scenario of this game never changes , however the events and the ending are entirely up to you . the game may seem short at first , but i have gone through it six times and each time it has been different .
the combat is very similar to KENGO-MASTER OF BUSHIDO in fact if you were a samurai fan i would recommend having both games as this seems a progression of KENGO where kengo concentrated on creating a samurai WAY OF THE SAMURAI picks up after you have become a master .
samurai also follows a grading system . . . similar to TENCHU . . . so it is hard to believe this game would ever become tiring as the replay value is extremely high .
with this said . . . if you are a samurai afficionado this is a must buy , if you think you are interested in samurai . . . . this is a must buy . If you are not familiar with samurai RENT KENGO and SAMURAI . . . . . then watch SANJURO , YOJIMBO AND SEVEN SAMURAI . AND REMEMBER - HONOR AND INTEGRITY COME BEFORE ALL ELSE
044 4 my opinion of whay of the samirai is it is a unigue yet fun game andthis is why first ther is a lot of sorde you can colect . secont you choos how you look . therd you can unlockstuff like close . foth what ever you do will chang the the stoey ends . fith it is short so you cangit all the endingsand all the unlockbels . this is a game you will come back for more .
072 4 this is the perfect game to rent . you might be afraid that you won't beat it in give time . . . IT TOOK ME 5 HRS to beat it three times . good lord . . you will see just what i mean . . .
RENT ITT . . . DO NOT BUY IT .
OH yeah it's good game , too short . . and saving point . watch out , save every chance you get . . . and dont die . . you will have to start whole thing over . . .
