Way of the Samurai - PS2

Way of the Samurai is set in the year 1878, during the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogun and the rise of the Meiji Restoration Era. For centuries, Japan has remained untouched and separate from other cultures. But now Westerners have finally arrived on the island nation, rocking a culture that has developed in seclusion over hundreds of years. Born to a time that no longer needs or welcomes them, these samurai are a far cry from the heroes and legends that preceded them. This is the story of the Way of the Samurai in their final days.

At the beginning of the game, the player takes on the role of a wandering samurai drawn into a conflict between the Kurofu family and the Akadama Clan over an iron foundry. As the player meets the both sides in the dispute, the player will have to make the choices that will shape the outcome of the conflict. Deception and betrayal are tools at the player's disposal, but ultimately combat will be the final deciding factor.

Featuring a new and dynamic combat system, sword-based combat is at the heart of Way of the Samurai. As the adventure begins, the players have their own sword and basic knowledge of its use in battle. Moving through the game, the player becomes more adept at the art of combat and learns new attacks. The player also has the ability to pick up dozens of different swords, each representing a different fighting style. With attacks specific to each sword, it requires a true samurai to master all of them and their individual attacks. Additionally, sword combat isn’t simply a matter of hacking and slashing - timing, blocking and balance all play equally important roles.

Way of the Samurai is a finely balanced combat game, similar in style to Capcom’s Onimusha and Koei’s Dynasty Warriors, and deserves credit for its technical achievement. Well worth playing. more