PC and console games

Developer: Acquire	Graphics:
Publisher: Eidos Interactive	Sound:
Year: 2002	Difficulty:
Genre: Action/RPG	Lastability:
Number of players: 1*	Rating:	6/10

(*) There’s a one-on-one combat mini-game, playable with two players or against the computer. Different characters unlock progressively as you complete the “story” mode multiple times.

Way of the Samurai is a 3D samurai game combined with an original narrative experience, created by the studio behind Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PlayStation, 1998). The same musician (Noriyuki Asakura) composed the original soundtracks for both games (as well as the famous anime Rurouni Kenshin, also known as Samurai X).

You play as a wandering samurai (or rōnin) who stumbles into an isolated hamlet in Japan at the end of the 19th century (Meiji era), shortly before a war breaks out between two samurai clans. That’s about all the context provided. Enter, and do as you please!

The game is very short. It won’t take you more than two hours to see the ending, or rather, one of the six existing endings. The plot revolves around moments of tension between the protagonists, which can be resolved in various ways and lead to different branches. The main appeal lies in its replayability: starting over, having fun acting differently and observing the consequences of your actions. For instance, upon your arrival, a young lady is being harassed by four armed men. You can choose to defend her, join her attackers, or walk in the shadows looking the other way…

To prevent abuse and give weight to your decisions (and preserve the game’s longevity, I assume), only one save file is allowed, and it disappears when you load it. Consequently, each story branch is explored in a new game and followed through to the end. There is, however, an “emergency exit” provided in case you find yourself on a path you’ve already visited; an exit that leads your avatar to immediately leave the region, abandoning the protagonists to their fate, and allowing you to start again from the beginning without penalty (without losing your weapons).

Dialogue is omnipresent, even during combat, and player freedom extends to the ability to remain silent or even walk away mid-conversation, which I find appreciable (and too rarely implemented). However, dialogue choices are generally limited to two lines, often without consequence.

Presumably due to budget constraints, the lines aren’t fully voiced; they’re merely punctuated with sounds or syllables. Typically, male characters grunt, whilst female characters emit suggestive moans… I wonder if this “technique” of semi-voicing has a name. In any case, as usual, the French version seems dodgy, but I doubt the English translation is of better quality.

The adventure takes place over two days, divided into six “acts”, after which time advances by about eight hours, and all characters change location (somewhat like Cruise for a Corpse—today’s totally random reference). This is the point where you start to wander in circles, waiting for something to happen. You quickly realise the “explorable” environment proves to be ridiculously small and dreary. There are only a handful of protagonists (in ridiculous attire), whose shonen-style personalities can be summed up on a postage stamp; and despite multiple epilogues, it becomes tedious to witness the same scenes repeatedly without being able to interrupt them.

Sword combat functions similarly to Tenchu and Bushido Blade. You have access to a variety of weapons (not just swords, mind you), associated with different stances (high guard, low guard, side guard), which grant distinct sets of techniques. Through practice, short and easily executable combat combinations gradually become available. It’s also possible to block, dodge, and unbalance opponents by pushing or kicking them. As a side note, weapons can break, including those of your opponents!

During your first playthrough, you’ll probably play the good Samaritan and get your rear handed to you! Death comes quickly at the start, and that’s fine. It’s intended. Games follow one another rapidly. It’s advisable to start on “easy” until you’ve learned enough techniques. Later, you’ll increase the difficulty to obtain rare weapons more frequently. Furthermore, your favourite combat instruments can be retained between games and improved by the village blacksmith. Different outfits can also be earned by achieving certain “accomplishments”, and can even unlock parts of the tutorial!

The game isn’t without flaws, though. First of all, the camera is all over the place. It’s a mixture of fixed-camera angles (like the first Resident Evil) and traditional camera placement behind the character. Unfortunately, it’s common to lose sight of both protagonists on screen during combat. Rather bothersome…

Moreover, enemy behaviour doesn’t vary enough for my taste. Late in the game, particularly in “difficult” mode, enemies have lots of health and spend their time blocking. This makes fights frustrating and interminable. Furthermore, the final battle is practically identical each time, hastening my weariness.

It’s a unique and memorable title that I quite liked at the time, but I must admit it hasn’t aged well. Don’t look for realism or depth, either in the story (as clichéd as they come) or in weapon handling. On top of that, the game seemed to take itself very seriously until the very end, where I felt a sudden disconnect when passersby started carrying saws, scythes, spiked maces … instead of traditional swords.

Way of the Samurai nevertheless generated enough interest to spawn several sequels, which considerably developed the narrative tree, combat system, and the number of cosmetic bits and bobs to collect. Personally, I only played the first one and revisited it out of nostalgia. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it offers nothing special, and I suggest skipping it.

• Way of the Samurai 2 (PlayStation 2, 2004) is set at the end of the Edo period (mid-19th century).
• Way of the Samurai 3 (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 2010), during the Sengoku Jidai era (16th century).
• Way of the Samurai 4 (PlayStation 3, 2012), at the beginning of the 20th century.

The latter goes completely off the rails. This isn’t a criticism, but do expect a farce.
Note that both 3 and 4 were ported to PC in 2016 and 2015 respectively. Be warned, 4 is known for its instability on certain configurations. Be prepared to request a refund if you’re affected.

The developer, Acquire, is also known for other “out there” games that are regardless worthy of interest: Samurai Western (PlayStation 2, 2005) and What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? (PSP, 2007).