Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors

"The enlightened pinnacle of mindless hack-n-slash."

Otogi 2 is an incredible hack-n-slash from developer From Software. Though technically outstanding, fun to play, and challenging, what really sets Otogi 2 apart from Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and most other third-person action games is its style.

The Otogi series is, by far, the most unique take on the third-person hack-n-slash genre that I've experienced. The game is steeped heavily in Japanese mythology: Raikoh, Sadamitsu, Suetake, Kintoki, and Tsuna, 5 of the 6 playable characters in Otogi 2, are based on the figures of Minomoto no Raikoh and his 4 retainer generals, subjects of 11th century Japanese folklore. Enemies, weapons, items, and spells in the game are also based on folklore. Despite this inspired authenticity, even for a hack-n-slash, Otogi 2's plot is on the lighter side. However, even if this is to be expected from an action game, the atmosphere in Otogi 2 is surprisingly tranquil. The general mood during cutscenes and at other points of narration is not one of panic and urgency, but rather of controlled stoicism, which, I'm sure you'll agree after playing the first couple of levels, is an interesting choice for a high-octane button-masher like Otogi 2. An example of this is from an encounter which Raikoh has with a demon spy. Though at the time Raikoh is being burned alive and dragged to the underworld, not once does he show any sign of pain or resistance, rather he seems completely resigned to the fate set upon him by the demon infiltrator. The whole scene is very ethereal, an adjective which aptly describes Otogi 2 as a whole.

Otogi 2 manages to provide frenetic action without feeling frenetic or stressful at all. All six playable characters are absolutely devastating in combat, yet move with such a soft grace and fluidity that destroying an entire legion of demons ends up feeling just as much like choreographed ballet as it does visceral slaughter. Characters twirl around while jumping and swinging their weapons, float rather than fall to the ground, and have the ability to walk on water. In addition, each character has the ability to chain weak and heavy attacks together, double-jump, dash, and use a variety of spells. The really neat thing is that executing any of these moves while airborne will cause your character to remain suspended during the duration of the move, which often means that a character will float weightlessly in the air during even the most hectic of battles. There is also a lock-on feature which may be used to target a single enemy. The lock-on feature may be used in conjunction with dashing, and is particularly useful against bosses when it comes time to dodge powerful blows and perform counterattacks.

Each character essentially fits into a different, basic archetype: Sadamitsu is your fast yet weak character with a very long dash move and the ability to chain many hits together, while the giant, axe-wielding Kintoki represents the opposite end of the spectrum. In between is a mage-turned-tree stump, a warrior with the head of a wolf, a priestess who uses two fans and unique spells in battle, and Raikoh himself, who is the most balanced character in terms of speed, power, and constitution. The game is broken up into a series of phases, each of which contain 4 or so individual missions. A character may only be used once per phase, so if Suetake is taken on a mission, he won't be available to use again until after all the missions in that particular phase are completed and the next phase begins. In addition, each character is given a rating during the mission selection process which represents his or her relative ability to complete it. This helps the player to choose the best character for a mission, thereby eliminating what could be a frustrating process of trial-and-error. Because of the once-per-phase rule and the concept of character affinity, the player is forced to become familiar with all 6, and, by the end of the game, it is a safe assumption that the player will be comfortable using any of them.

Combat itself in Otogi 2 is extremely satisfying, and this is due in large part to both a very robust physics engine and fully destructible environments. With a heavy attack, enemies can be sent flying across a stage, which often causes them to crash headlong into some sort of destructible element of the environment, such as a house or statue. Even the ground may be damaged, as enemies sent crashing downward make a small crater when they land. Destructibility is such a key element in Otogi 2 that the player is actually graded at the end of a mission based on the amount of destruction she has wrought. Receiving an “A” on missions (meaning that the environment had been completely leveled) will sometimes reward the player with some otherwise unattainable item. Of course, obliterating large structures with a single hit and watching them crumble to the ground is intrinsically rewarding anyway.

Against bosses, using the physics engine creatively can prove to be the most effective strategy. The fight against the king of fire spiders comes to mind: the careful player may actually blast the king's own offspring into him with a heavy attack, not only ensuring plenty of distance between the player and this melee-combat oriented boss, but heavily damaging the king as well due to his offspring's tendency to explode after being sent hurtling through the air. This makeshift grenade launcher is one of many interesting applications of the physics engine: others include throwing enemies into magical barriers to pulverize them, deflecting magical attacks by hitting them back at the caster, and using large enemies to crush entire groups of demons at once. In a confined environment such as a cave, it's extremely fun simply to smack an enemy into a wall and watch it bounce around like a tennis ball until it finally comes to rest (in addition to being fun, this is also quite hilarious). However, the player may also be sent flying by foes as well. Enemies often strike the player hard enough to send her backward, and being knocked into a wall or other obstacle can easily double the damage incurred from the initial blow. It is this exchange of raw power that makes Otogi 2 so interesting, and is often what will bring a sadistic grin to your face while playing. Some of the more fantastic encounters in the game involve the player against a single adversary, the two of them buzzing around like hornets and beating the crap out of each other.

Otogi 2 looks fantastic: it might be the best-looking game on the Xbox. Beautiful particle effects abound, textures are crisp, environments are extremely colorful and detailed, animation is fluid, and lighting is absolutely superb. Depending on where the camera is situated, the environment glows softly with ambient light, slightly blurring the outline of the player and her surroundings. This soft glow, along with traditional Japanese music that is minimalistic and sometimes fiercely abstract gives Otogi 2 a very dream-like quality. This aesthetic blends well with the characters in the game, who tend to be very abstract themselves. Of especial note graphically are the in-game spell effects, which are absolutely incredible. Lightning is represented by a giant dragon which chases a single enemy, while ice manifests in a swarm of deadly butterflies which are released in an arc in front of the player. Not only beautiful, these spells are devastating in combat and may be chained together with other attacks.

The flaws and limitations of Otogi 2 are mostly inherent characteristics of the hack-n-slash genre. Namely, Otogi 2 is very repetitive. VERY repetitive. VERY VERY repetitive. Starting to get the point? Unfortunately, though it's an interesting and refreshing take on third person action games, the newness of Otogi 2 wears off eventually as one comes to realize that most situations may be solved by any character with the use of the same, basic combo. Light attack, light attack, light attack, heavy attack is a series of button presses which no doubt will become very familiar to anyone who plays through the game. It would be nice if the combo system were a little more complex, but, as it is, performing a heavy attack ends any series of attacks with a wide-range, unblockable tour de force which can displace entire groups of weaker demons if not killing them outright. Sending a demon halfway across an open field into the side of a building never gets old, but the more mundane act of killing groups of weaklings feels more like trailblazing than true combat. While some sections of the game are overly easy like this, there are some situations in which the player will find herself cheated out of all her health through no fault of her own. Culprits range from a few over-powered enemies to explosions which are unavoidable, with the occasional boss with no clear way to beat it thrown in for good measure. This isn't too much of a problem, as cheap deaths are more the exception than the rule, and there are a good many battles which are very challenging, yet fair.

One aspect of Otogi 2 which is downright ugly throughout the entire course of the game is the massive framerate hits which occur frequently. Oftentimes, there are just too many enemies and particle effects on the screen at once, and the engine just can't handle it. Add to this a complex spell or character animation and you've got the perfect recipe for a ground-to-a-halt action sequence. Personally, I've never really had too big a problem with framerate issues in general, but I must say it is a rather common and noticeable flaw in the game.

To be honest, though, the only reason I even brought these things up is because some gamers might not be able to overlook them as easily as I have. Here's the bottom line: Otogi 2 is a third-person hack-n-slasher which both transcends and is a victim of its own genre. At the very least, it is the most refreshing, interesting take on this type of game since the first Otogi, except the core gameplay has been improved with the addition of more playable characters and a wider variety of mission objectives. For its brilliant mixture of a zen-like aesthetic and over-the-top action, I heartily recommend Otogi 2, and would even go so far to say that slaying demons has never been so satisfying.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/13/08

Game Release: Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors (US, 10/21/04)