Way of the Samurai 3

Set during the Sengoku period, this story takes you back to the time of Samurai. Travel through Japan and fight many enemies, decide what kind of person you are going to be hero or villain. Fight during the years of the warring clans in Way of the Samurai 3 by Acquire Corp.

Gameplay

This is an RPG, which means there’s a lot to see and do. After you go through what seems to be a limited character creator, you do gain access to more customisation options later on; you are released into a feudal Japan with enemies to fight and friends to make. This is one of those odd games that didn’t get a lot of attention but remains to be incredibly well made. I am strongly reminded of Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen, which this game shares a great deal with; mostly they both have a strong attention to detail throughout.

I get a similar feeling when running around and speaking to people. There’s multiple choice answers in conversations to even giving you the ability to draw your sword at any point, even during those conversations.

The game takes many things into consideration like reputation alongside mini quests, crafting and random encounters. Your decisions have tremendous impact on the world around you and those who inhabit it. An incredible amount of replay value is offered in this title, far more than I have seen in most other RPGs. The game gives you up to 22 possible endings all based on who you killed, who you spared, what conversation you took part in and which you walked away from and much, much more. It categorises everything that you do and funnels it all into a concise ending, my only gripe is that the ending comes far too soon.

Combat

One of the best Katana fighting simulators I have ever seen. Easy to learn but hard to master, the combat offered is diverse and unique with the ability to use many different styles with different swords and it even gives you the option to dual wield. Timing is the key to making sure you block and attack effectively and the responsive controls accent that beautifully.

You can level up and learn new techniques, one I really enjoyed was the “Instant Kill” ability which as just awesome. You don’t have to be a killer if you don’t want to be. You can switch to blunt mode, where you use the back of your sword to avoid killing anyone. It’s all these small things that give the game an incredible immersion that has nothing short of impressed me.

Setting

Set in the gorgeous Japanese landscapes during the Sengoku Period, the world is pretty and interesting to explore. The story takes place right before the Oda Nobunaga invasion of Japan. The game focuses more on gameplay than the story. It includes realistic events that occurred during the time period, specifically “Crossroads Killing,” where Samurai would attack unsuspecting bystanders to test new techniques and blades. So cool!

Pros

• Great Combat
• Incredible replayability

Cons

• Very short story.
• Lacks a satisfying conclusion