Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors

"Chaotic Beauty..."

How can something be so unbelievably destructive, but at the same time be absolutely breathtaking? Why don't you ask Sega? They seem to know exactly how to translate two completely different ideas into almost seem-less poetry. I speak of Otogi. Otogi 2 Immortal Warriors is the sequel to the less popular Otogi: Myth of Demons for Xbox. Even though the first game seemed like it was bound for obscurity because of it's extremely lackluster performance, Sega decided to release a sequel with even more mayhem and carnage. This is everything the first game was and more.

It seems that once again, the world has been attacked by demons and denizens of hell. Who better to deal with it than the undead warrior Raikoh? But wait, now Raikoh has allies this time around. Five other warriors join in his quest to rid the world of these foul creatures. There's Kintoki (the slow but powerful axe wielder), Tsuna (a duel sword wielding wolf of destruction), Sadamitsu (the weak but quick/nimble female), Suetake (a rather odd looking warrior is the best way to describe him), Seimei (she seems to be the leader of the bunch) and Raikoh (the well balanced hero of the first game). Seimei awoke Raikoh from his eternal slumber and joined forces with the five other generals so she could lead them against the demons.

Gameplay 8/10

If you've played Otogi Myth of Demons, then you'll pretty much know what's going on with this one. The game controls and plays almost identical. The control layout is the same, so veterans of the first game should have no problem. You've got you're light attacks, heavy attacks, jump, spells, and a weird dash type move featured in Sega's own Shinobi and Nightshade. The flow of the game is similar to the first game. You are given a mission from Seimei and you must meet all the criteria in order to "purify" the area. For example some missions have you exorcise a whole bunch of demon while others have you destroy demon spider eggs. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of variation from the first game.

Once again, the same combo system remains from the first game. You have you're light and heavy attack somewhat like Ninja Gaiden. However, Otogi 2 lacks the depth of other action games like Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry. While a new combo system has been added, many of the characters have 3-5 hit combos which are either ended in a finishing heavy attack or a spell. What makes it even worst is that almost all the combos are performed exactly the same. Only Sadimitsu can string together a nine hit combo. Then again most of her combos require you to press the same button several times. While the lack of depth is a little disheartening, the game is certainly fun in it own right. There's something cool about playing as an ancient undead warrior who can smash buildings, walls, pillars, and other sturdy architecture to splinters with a single heavy blow. It's also extremely satisfying to send a large number of demons hurtling into the air and walls after performing a simple yet elegant combo. The absolutely chaotic and frenetic pace might suit many people's tastes, but the lack of depth in the combat system might turn a few other off.

If you hated the fact that you only had a limited time for each stage due to you're magic gauge constantly depleting, then prepare to face it again. If at any time you're magic gauge should ever run dry completely, you're game will end because you're character cannot exist without this meter having some signs of life. This discourages you to use magical attacks. This might present a problem to some because magic attacks are very powerful against some foes, and almost a necessity at times. This tactic is also similar to another Sega game known as Shinobi. While Hotsuma of Shinobi was able to kill enemies in order to satiate his blood-thirsty sword Akujiki, the same is not the case in Otogi 2. The magic gauge slowly depletes. You must beat the stage before this gauge depletes because it will never regenerate. In shorter mission this isn't such a problem, but on other harder missions, it may prove to be a challenge. Yet, it poses as a big negative for those gamers who really want to sit and soak up the beautiful environments in this game.

Graphics and Sound 9/10

As far as the graphics go, this has got to be one of the most ravishing looking titles on the Xbox. It's not just that the graphics are good, they have a certain aura to them that makes it a bit strange as well. It looks like an actual dream considering the fact that everything has an ominously beautiful haze to it. Everything is beautifully done and reflects feudal Japan clashing with ancient demons perfectly. It's difficult to put into words. This is something you have to see to understand it's true beauty.

Just like the first game, Sega impresses in terms of musical quality. The music has a strikingly strong Japanese flavor to it. It not only fits the game perfectly but it's also easy on the ears. And it must be said that the introductory screen music is hauntingly beautiful. I tip my hat to the man or woman responsible for it's creation. The sound effects are once again similar to the first game. They aren't anything fantastic, but they convey the message quite well.

Replayability 7/10

If you're looking to replay this game over and over like you did with Devil May Cry's Dante Must Die mode or Ninja Gaiden's very hard mode, then you're best off just sticking with those two games. Otogi is not as replay friendly as these other two games, but Otogi 2 is one hell of a ride while it lasts though. The game that best relates to Otogi 2 in terms of replayability would be Genma Onimusha. While it has some nice action and some interesting high points, there isn't a whole lot to keep you coming back; unless of course you like to play games you've beaten multiple times (which isn't a bad thing by any means).

Otogi 2 is indeed a wonderful package and a worthy addition to any Xbox owner's collection even if it's more or less the same as Myth of Demons. The game might not be the deepest in terms of combat, but it's absolutely chaotic fun. It's not a whole lot different from it's predecessor, but it's prettier and there's more mayhem to be had. For those of you who were oblivious to the first game (which is a lot of you), if smashing demons and just about everything else in you're sight appeals to you, then you might want to give this a spin. For the few of you that tried the first game and despised it, stay away! The new characters and slightly improved combat system may not be enough. For veterans and those who found the first game to be a blast, this is easily worth the bread.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/16/04