The continuation of the Way of the Samurai franchise comes to us as Way of the Samurai 4 as a downloadable on the Playstation Network. While there are a lot of samurai games on the market (though still not enough for my taste) the Way of the Samurai franchise has always been my favorite. The custom sword-making system introduced in Way of the Samurai 3 returns. In addition to normal parts like blade, hilt and grip, players can also add a charm that will give a special effect. In addition to normal parts like blade, hilt and grip, players can also add a charm that will give a special effect.

Way of the Samurai, known in Japan as Samurai (侍), is a PlayStation 2action-adventure game developed by Acquire and released in 2002.

Set in 19th century Japan, the player takes on the role of a rōnin who wanders into a remote village and becomes involved in a conflict between rival clans. A notable feature of the game is the branching storyline, which allows player decisions to radically alter the course of the story.

An updated version titled Samurai Kanzenban (侍〜完全版〜, 'Samurai Complete Edition') was released in Japan in 2003. It features bug fixes and additional content. The game was followed by three sequels. Way of the Samurai was also released on PlayStation Portable on September 18, 2008 in Japan, prior to the release of Way of the Samurai 3.^[1]

• 1Plot
• 2Gameplay

Plot[edit]

The story of Way of the Samurai takes place in 1878, after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the start of the Meiji period, during the Satsuma Rebellion, a time when the samurai who were once at the top of Japanese society are all but outlawed. The game begins with the player, taking the role of a wandering rōnin by the name of Kenji, arriving in a fictional outpost called Rokkotsu Pass.

Rokkotsu Pass is a sparsely populated village, whose main attractions include a railway crossing, a small restaurant, and an iron foundry. Three separate factions are competing for control of the Pass, each with their own agenda. The first is the new centralized government, whose army has been sweeping through the country securing power from the local warlords. The government army is well funded and equipped with modern weaponry, including firearms and cannons, making them formidable opponents for the former samurai lords.

The second faction is the Kurou family, who previously held sway in Rokkotsu Pass and continue to exert their influence on the people through extortion and intimidation. Led by Tesshin Kurou, the family is resisting the government's attempt to take control of the pass, however the samurai cannot compete with the modern army. In an attempt to secure funds, the Kurou intend to sell the iron foundry to the government.

This decision by the Kurou puts them in direct opposition to the Akadama clan, whose leader, Kitcho, is the illegitimate son of Tesshin Kurou. The Akadama wish to expel the government forces from the pass, and plan to sabotage the Kurou family's attempt to sell the foundry.

Caught in the middle of this power struggle are the village peasants, who are likely to be oppressed regardless of who is in control.

Branching plot[edit]

Although the story in Way of the Samurai follows the basic framework provided above, the actual events that the player participates in depend greatly on the decisions made while playing. Immediately upon entering Rokkotsu Pass, the player is confronted by a group of samurai attempting to kidnap a young girl. The player has the choice of helping the girl, joining the abductors, or ignoring the situation altogether. Each of these decisions will lead the player down a different path, resulting in a vastly different view of the main plot points.

The player's decisions will also have a direct result on Kenji's allegiance within the storyline. The player may choose to join either the Kurou family or the Akadama clan, to support and protect the innocent villagers, or to take no side and observe the events as an outsider with minimal direct involvement. The player may also choose to help one faction and then switch allegiance later in the game.

As a result of these branching storylines, Way of the Samurai has six different endings; the particular ending obtained by the player is based on which faction, if any, Kenji has allied himself with and the actions taken during the course of the game.

Characters[edit]

• Kenji: Very little is known about the protagonist, aside from the fact that he is a samurai. Due to the nature of the game, Kenji's motivations are entirely decided by the individual player; he can be a selfless hero, shameless villain, or indifferent spectator. The player has the option of changing Kenji's name at the start of the game, as well as altering his appearance using various head and body models unlocked during repeated playing.
• Tesshin Kurou: The patriarch of the Kurou family, Tesshin comes from a long line of samurai and is one of the most formidable swordsmen in the game. He has a famous sword named Dai-Kuronama. He is also the father of Kitcho—Head of the Akadama Clan. Kurou laments the waning influence of the great samurai families, but can see little option but to provide for his family. He has been driving villagers out of the station for months so that he can sell Rokkotsu Pass and his failing iron foundry to the Meiji government.
• Kitcho: A charismatic revolutionary and head of the Akadama Clan—a group of samurai who have recently arrived in the pass with the intention of overthrowing the Meiji government and bringing the samurai class back into prominence. Kitcho is the son of Tesshin Kurou through a previous marriage, and at least equal to his father in terms of swordsmanship. Kitcho opposes Kurou's treatment of the villagers and his plan to sell Rokkotsu Pass to the government, seeing it as surrendering to their enemy.
• Madam Murasaki: The wife of Tesshin Kurou, Murasaki is widely respected in Rokkotsu Pass, and is the first to discover the truth behind the Meiji government's interest in purchasing the iron foundry. Although the family credits her with revitalizing the Kurou family's dwindling fortune, she silently opposes selling the iron foundry. She is having an affair with Inokashira the police officer.
• Chelsea: An Englishwoman, Chelsea is a prominent member of the Akadama clan and hinted to be Kitcho's lover. She is deeply devoted to Kitcho and his dreams, and makes an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Tesshin Kurou, thwarted by Tsubohachi.
• Karibe: Another primary member of the Akadama clan, Karibe feels that the clan should strike out against the Kurou family, which leads to tension between himself and Kitcho. He has great sword skill but is volatile and unstable.
• Soichiro Shiretoko: A Kurou family's adviser who is trusted by Tesshin to do important tasks. Although he seems to prefer delegating tasks to lower level members of the Kurou, he is a formidable opponent when forced to draw his sword.
• Hachiro Tsubohachi: A Kurou family enforcer, he is one of the first people Kenji encounters when arriving to the pass. He is easily distinguished by the tattoos on his upper body (which appear similar to those used by the Yakuza). No matter Kenji's allegiance, Tsubohachi sees Kenji as a rival.
• Hyuga: Prominent member of the Akadama clan. Hyuga is actually a government ninja sent to manipulate Kitcho, persuading him to take control of the Rokkotsu Pass quickly, so when the Akadama Clan and Kurou Family clash, both forces will be weakened, and then the Meiji forces can take over without having to deal with much resistance. He is responsible for the animosity between the Kurou and Akadama Clans, making it easier for the Meiji Government to dominate the events in the pass.
• Kintaro Kurou: The infant son of Tesshin Kurou and Madame Murasaki and half-brother of Kitcho. Although too young to have any significant purpose, he is also sought by Kitcho as he sees him as a future threat.
• Josui Tamagawa: Commander of the Meiji Government army with a strong disliking to samurai. Tamagawa manipulates the various characters in an attempt to secure control of Rokkotsu Pass, as well as putting an end to the reign of the samurai era.
• Inokashira Mokichi: A police officer in Rokkotsu Pass, he is both arrogant and corrupt, using gun as his weapon of choice and accepting bribes at every turn. He is discovered to be in a secret relationship with Madam Murasaki.
• Jose: A giant lackey employed by Inokashira, whose preferred weapon is a large bludgeon. Probably the physically strongest character in the Pass, but also the least intelligent.
• Gunji Dojima: The town swordsmith, the player may enlist his services to enhance the attributes of any of the swords collected during the events of the game. Dojima also participates in several of the plotlines, as he feels that the weak and poor are victimized by those around them and chooses to defend the villagers in the Pass.
• Suzu: One of the first people encountered by Kenji, Suzu is a waitress who runs Amaguri, a restaurant in the station. She lost her parents during the war, and was saved and raised by Kurikichi. She is frequently harassed by Tsubohachi who has a crush on her, she on the other hand is not interested.
• Kurikichi: Owner of the small restaurant named Amaguri in the Rokkotsu Pass station. Kurikichi saved Suzu when she was a child and raises her as his own daughter. Though he is hunched and sometimes can barely walk, he is resilient and refuses to be pushed around by the opposing factions.
• Don Donatelouse (Dona Dona): A foreigner who wishes to be a samurai. Notable for his large afro, he is often referred to by the villagers as 'Dona Dona' and has taken the role of protector for Suzu and Kurikichi. He is in love with Suzu, but cannot find the right way to express it. Though canonically he is a poor fighter, in actual gameplay he can be quite a formidable opponent.
• Enzan Toyoko: Another rōnin wandering around Rokkotsu Pass, Toyoko will sometimes provide Kenji, and the player, with useful information.

Gameplay[edit]

Aside from the player's direct involvement in choosing the plot, gameplay in Way of the Samurai focuses heavily on combat. Fighting is done almost entirely with various samurai swords available in the game. Way of the Samurai features over 40 different types of swords, however the player begins with access to only one. By defeating enemies, the player can then take the fallen character's sword to add to his or her own inventory. The player may only carry a maximum of three swords at a time. Once per game, the player may leave one additional sword with the swordsmith, Dojima, and have it delivered to his or her sword collection.

Combat[edit]

The player will often have the choice of whether or not to engage in combat with a specific NPC, however once combat is engaged the player is likely to be forced into fighting several opponents at once.

Kenji has a basic set of moves that are available with all weapons, consisting of a regular attack, a strong attack, a block, and a kick. There are numerous variations and combinations of the basic moves available depending on the particular sword equipped at the time. By defeating opponents or collecting special items Kenji can also unlock special attacks and combinations specific to each weapon. There are also several different fighting stances, depending on the particular sword equipped, each of which comes with its own fighting style.

This is the only installment in the series so far that offers a versus mode for 2 players.

Sword enhancement[edit]

Each of the swords available in the game has several attributes which influence its effectiveness in battle. These attributes can be enhanced using special items found in the game, or by visiting the in game swordsmith.

• Sharpness: Attack strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage caused when an opponent is struck with the sword
• Flexibility: Defensive strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage suffered when the player is struck by an opponent
• Durability: Sword strength, increases the amount of heat the sword can generate before breaking (heat is generated by striking or blocking, and displayed using an on-screen meter)
• Life: Increases/decreases the total number of the players hit points.

Reception[edit]

On release, Famitsu magazine scored the game a 31 out of 40.^[4]

References[edit]

1. ^[1]
2. ^'Way of the Samurai for PlayStation 2'. GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
3. ^'Way of the Samurai for PlayStation 2 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
4. ^プレイステーション2 - 侍~SAMURAI~. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.90. 30 June 2006.

External links[edit]

Way Of The Samurai 4 Do Charms Stack

Way of the Samurai 4 (侍道4, Samurai Dou 4) is a video game developed by Acquire and published by Spike for the PlayStation 3.^[3] It was released in Japan on March 3, 2011.^[3]

An English version was announced on January 19, 2012 by Rising Star Games. The release of the game in Europe was on October 5, 2012.^[4] On April 4, 2012, XSEED Games published the game for the U.S. as a downloadable title on PlayStation Network with a release date of August 21, 2012.^[5] The game was initially PlayStation 3 only, however the game was later released for Microsoft Windows by Ghostlight on July 23, 2015.^[6]

• 2Gameplay
• 4Reception

Plot[edit]

The game is set in a fictional port town called Amihama during the last days of the Shogunate. Players can create their own samurai^[7] and choose to align themselves with one of three factions: the pro-government forces, the anti-government rebels seeking to repel foreigners, or the British Navy stationed in the city to negotiate a peace treaty. When the negotiations between the local government of Amihama and the British goes wrong after a Prajna attack at the meeting point, the Tokugawa Shogunate sends one of their Tairō to quash the revolt.

The main story takes place over the span of five days. The character's decisions and actions will shape his/her path, and ultimately, his/her fate.

Gameplay[edit]

Endings, Events, and Customization

Acquire promised that 4 would be much longer than previous games, and there are 10 endings. The game also features flexible events and cutscenes such as deciding whether you want to explore a cave or just turn around and walk away.^[8] Events are easier to follow, compared to previous games. There are more customization options than in the last game, allowing to choose features such as face, hair, clothing, footwear and accessories.

Health and Energy

An energy meter is added in this installment. It regenerates life points (which are set at 1000) if the player is stationary or moving away in combat, and depletes when your samurai fights, nightcrawls, or is regenerating health. Food and sleep regenerate the energy meter. There are straw blankets in set locations outside (or in) the dojo, inns around Amihama where you pay to sleep in, and any bed you can stand on can be used to sleep and recharge energy.

Way Of The Samurai 4 Dual Wield Charms

Combat

There is a wide variety of fighting styles and skills that a player can master. Swords can now be switched to any stance; and skills, once learned, are bound to the player, not the swords. Players then can assign learned skills to their own 'school' of fighting style.

The 'push and pull' mechanics in the first and third games are kept. A new special mode is introduced, in which the samurai enters slow motion for a limited duration and can slash enemies repeatedly, then he sheathes the sword and all dead enemies fall down at the same time.

The sword 'heat' mechanics was removed and replaced by 'durability points', which will drop gradually with use, and eventually weapons will break. This forces players to visit the blacksmith regularly for repairs, unless their weapons are 'unbreakable'.

Sword Enhancement/Creation

Players can go to the blacksmith and choose to enhance their weapon's attributes (attack, defense, durability), repair it, or appraise it. Player can also ask Dojima to melt a sword and then use the metal to recast another sword.

The custom sword-making system introduced in Way of the Samurai 3 returns. In addition to normal parts like blade, hilt and grip, players can also add a charm that will give a special effect. Beside swords and spears, pistols and muskets have been added as weapons. Muskets are primarily used by British soldiers.

New features[edit]

Proof of Life

Player's actions will affect the game world in the next replay. For example, if players killed a lot of town people in the last game, there will be more guards to hunt them down.^[9] There are many foreigners in the game; but unlike the previous game, at the beginning the protagonist will not be able to understand what they say (the texts will appear as '?????'). Players can convince the Shogunate to open a school to teach foreign languages, and later the player will be able talk to foreigners.^[9]

Night Crawling

There is a minigame called 'Yobai' in which a samurai can romance a NPC by sneaking into their home at night, avoiding or knocking out family members, and pulling out the right futon to find them.^[10] Even then, they will offer playful resistance, and player must try to throw them into bed. A turtle head will guide the samurai to their target. The player can practice 'night crawling' with most male and female characters in the game, as long as the requirements are fulfilled.

Torture

Once arrested for doing bad deeds, the player's character will be sent to the torture room, to play some hellish minigames with the three beautiful Kinugawa sisters.^[11] The tortures include riding a flaming wooden horse, being tied to a water wheel, and being pelted by huge stones. If the samurai survives the torture, the sisters will be impressed, and he can then practice 'night crawling' with them.

Minigames

Beside various jobs that the samurai can get from different sources, players can earn money by going fishing, working as an assassin, delivering love letters, or by flirting with foreign women.^[12] The samurai can also play poker at the casino, and hanafuda at the gambling parlor.

Dojo

Players can open their own dojo, take on apprentices, and fend off challengers. The reputation of the dojo depends on the number of apprentices, and their quality. The player can tell any of the apprentices to 'follow me', and they will fight alongside him.

Crossroads Killing

When connected to PSN, character data will be automatically uploaded and transferred into other players' game worlds, where he would appear as a wandering samurai (NPC), and players can defeat him to obtain the custom sword that another player created.^[13][14] This is called online tsujigiri.

Downloadable content[edit]

A Shinsengumi costume DLC pack was offered for free from March 24 to April 27, 2011. After that, it was priced $6. Players need to apply a patch before using any downloadable content.^[15]

Hijikata Toshizō and Kondō Isami are among the downloadable Shinsengumi characters.

Dona Dona from the original Way of the Samurai and a grown-up version of the character Sayo from Way of the Samurai 2 are also available for download. Sayo will appear in the road and offer rice balls.

Reception[edit]

Upon the release the game received mixed reviews, with PlayStation 3 version scoring 58 out of 100 on review aggregator site Metacritic.^[17] Many critics praised the story, customisation options, various non-combat activities and multiple endings,^[18][19][20] however, the gameplay, bugs and technical issues were criticised.^{[18][19][20][21]}

PC port received mixed to positive reviews, scoring 72 out of 100 on Metacritic.^[16]

Plus version[edit]

On January 26, 2012, Way of the Samurai 4 was repackaged, bundled with all DLCs, and re-released as 'Way of the Samurai 4 Plus' (at half price). Sakamoto Ryōma is available as playable character in this version.^[22]

References[edit]

1. ^'Way of the Samurai 4 Pushed Back'. 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
2. ^Rising Star Games announces 2012 release schedule
3. ^ ^ab'First Look: Way of the Samurai 4'. 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
4. ^Two New PlayStation 3 Exclusives Confirmed for Europe
5. ^[1]
6. ^'Way of the Samurai 4 is out today'. Gamasutra. 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
7. ^Your First Look At Way of the Samurai 4
8. ^Way of the Samurai 4: PS3 Exclusive
9. ^ ^abYour Actions In Way Of The Samurai 4 Affect Your Next Life
10. ^Way Of The Samurai 4′s Stealth Scenes Have A, Well, Different Goal
11. ^Way Of The Samurai 4′s Mini-Games Are Truly Torturous
12. ^Ways To Make A Living In Way Of The Samurai 4
13. ^How To Create Your Own Sword (Or Steal Another Player’s) In Way Of The Samurai 4
14. ^Barge Into Another Person’s Game And Kill Them In Way Of The Samurai 4
15. ^Way Of The Samurai 4 DLC Starts Off Free, A Month Later It’s Paid DLC
16. ^ ^abhttp://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/way-of-the-samurai-4
17. ^ ^abhttp://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/way-of-the-samurai-4
18. ^ ^abhttp://www.hardcoregamer.com/2012/08/24/review-way-of-the-samurai-4/
19. ^ ^abhttp://www.egmnow.com/articles/reviews/egm-review-way-of-the-samurai-4/
20. ^ ^abhttp://www.destructoid.com/review-way-of-the-samurai-4-234358.phtml
21. ^'Review: Way of the Samurai 4 (PC) - Digitally Downloaded'. www.digitallydownloaded.net. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
22. ^Way Of The Samurai 4 Finds Path Back To Retail With 'Plus' Edition

External links[edit]