Way of the Samurai

"Carve your own path to glory!"

Way of the Samurai is an incredibly addictive game where you assume the role of a nameless samurai in a quest of your own design. At the beginning of the game you can pick a name, face and outfit. At certain points of the game you can choose who you work for, what you stand for, and ultimately who you are.

Graphics-8/10: This game is good, but still just looks like a game. It has all the PS2 smoothness, but the characters still have blocky parts to them. Faces are lifelike, but mostly lacking in expression. Good graphics, but no better than Onimusha, which came out more than a year ago. The game is probably historically accurate, but certain characters dress in fashions that haven't even been invented yet! One character sports a humongous 1970's style afro, another looks a bit like Squall Leonheart, and still another looks a bit like Twiggy Ramirez.

Sound-7/10: Could have been better. The voices are limited to a few grunts and groans, but in the cut scenes it seems they are saying more than they are. It seems as though the Japanese voice overs were cut out and replaced entirely with word bubbles. I felt as if something was left out. Hopefully there is a code to restore the Japanese voice dialogue. Either that, or they never bothered to record more than a few grunts from each actor.

Music-9/10: Ranges from serene, classical Japanese music to some kind of rhythmic funk. It fits the mood of the game. Some of the tunes will stay in your head all day, while others are forgettable. It would have been better if each character had his or her own theme, which would only be natural in a roleplaying/adventure game. Also, a music/soundtest mode should have been put in. That way players could enjoy their favorite theme over and over again.

Gameplay-7/10: The worst part of this game is that it's about as long as the Bouncer. However, the various paths you can take make up for it, plus the battle mode. The controls are easy to learn, and the moves aren't that difficult to pull off. Once you sharpen and toughen your sword a bit though, you can just mash through a horde of enemies without much strategy.

Overall this game is a satisfying experience, but it won't appeal to anyone who isn't already interested in the samurai. It gets an 8/10 in my book.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/18/02, Updated 06/18/02