The Last Blade 2: Heart of the Samurai

"Awesome old shool fighting..."

I love 2d fighters. I have played a lot in my day, and this is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to play. This game is exquisite. It is made by SNK, and it very much resembles the Samurai Showdown series, the better ones that is, only better.

The game play is where Last Blade 2: Final Edition really shines. It is classic, old school, 2d fighting bliss. It uses a weapons based fighting engine, similar to Samurai Showdown, only a little better. The game has a very nice cast of characters, each with their own style, personality, and moves. Most characters are samurai style characters, armed with weapons, with a few freaks thrown in for good measure. Each character has about 6 moves, including specials. This game has some great specials, or death moves that do a lot of damage. The end result is your character dashing across the screen, weapon drawn, through your opponent, giving them a fatal injury, sometimes ending their life, with blood gushing into the air. A very cool, satisfying event for you and an honorable way for your opponent to meet their maker. The weapons range from samurai swords to metallic arms, each with their own style, speed, and damage. The game has a very good combo system, with strikes including kicks, weapon strikes, and strong weapon strikes. The forth button is the parry button, much like the Street Fighter 3 series. With the right timing, moves can be parried and leave the opponent open for a few quick slices.

The graphics in Last Blade 2 are decent, nothing special animation wise, but it keeps running at a good frame rate. The animation looks dated compared to the likes of today’s fighters like Street Fighter 3 and Guilty Gear X, but this isn’t a game about graphics, its a game about, what all games should be about, game play. The graphics aren’t exactly bad, just not like some of the other games out now, but thankfully, the game play more than makes up for it.

The sound is not very special, but good. The background music is typically what you would find in a fighting game; not that it’s a bad thing. The game does have some cool sound affects, like the sweet, sweet chime of a parried move and then the gush of a cold, hand sharpened to perfection, steel blade entering an opponents warm body tissue. The game also has some cool voiceovers; too bad I can’t understand what their saying, but cool non-the less.

This game will keep you entertained for a long time. With its variety of characters, you will have lots of room to experiment. The game’s excellent game engine will keep you coming back for more, which, to me is more difficult than most 2d fighters out now, especially the cheap last boss.

Is this a good game, you my ask, and the answer is no. This is not a good game, it is an excellent game that will keep you happy for a long time to come. It is only available for import, but all the menus are in English so getting to the excellent game play won’t be a problem. If you want an awesome, old school fighter, get this game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/09/01, Updated 04/09/01