Sisay
Liturgist
This was my second favorite console game of last year after Demon's Souls. There are 22 possible endings, though some differ very little from each other. You advance the story by witnessing events some of which you can alter to a degree. After a certain number of events the game puts you on a different end game path depending on what you've been doing earlier. The game is quite short, you can easily complete it in an hour if you know what you're doing. It's more about replaying the scenarios in a different way and seeing how things could've gone. The number of events is not that high and sadly you end up going through many of the same ones for the majority of the game when replaying.
Edit: In the third game time passes only when you go to an event. Events don't happen "in real time" with or without you like in the first two games.
The character design is quite good but there are some light weeaboo influences especially with the Ouka clan. Graphics are just fine if a bit dated. Sadly the performance suffers quite a bit in the massive end game fights (of some endings). The music seems to fit the period. Japanese voice track is included and you would have to be some sort of a fucking cretin not to use it.
The combat is adequate but nothing special. If you go in expecting Bushido Blade you will be severely disappointed. Combat is HP based unless you play on the instant kill mode mentioned by Aarne. The game should've been fully designed with one-shot kills (/serious wounds) in mind, though, and everything just pales in comparison to Bushido Blade. The worst part is attacking multiple enemies when everyone just stands around waiting while you go one on one with one of them.
There are very few RPG elements other than the choose your own adventure theme (or "C&C"). There is no character system but you can forge better swords and level them up to gain new moves. The moves are tied to the sword you are using, and each one also has a damage and a defence attribute. Your character keeps the swords and HP from playthrough to playthrough.
Anyone's time is certainly better spent watching Throne of Blood or Seppuku than playing this game, but overall it's quite an interesting mix of a Kurosawa-inspired choose your own adventure book and a feudal Japan fighting game.
Edit: In the third game time passes only when you go to an event. Events don't happen "in real time" with or without you like in the first two games.
The character design is quite good but there are some light weeaboo influences especially with the Ouka clan. Graphics are just fine if a bit dated. Sadly the performance suffers quite a bit in the massive end game fights (of some endings). The music seems to fit the period. Japanese voice track is included and you would have to be some sort of a fucking cretin not to use it.
The combat is adequate but nothing special. If you go in expecting Bushido Blade you will be severely disappointed. Combat is HP based unless you play on the instant kill mode mentioned by Aarne. The game should've been fully designed with one-shot kills (/serious wounds) in mind, though, and everything just pales in comparison to Bushido Blade. The worst part is attacking multiple enemies when everyone just stands around waiting while you go one on one with one of them.
There are very few RPG elements other than the choose your own adventure theme (or "C&C"). There is no character system but you can forge better swords and level them up to gain new moves. The moves are tied to the sword you are using, and each one also has a damage and a defence attribute. Your character keeps the swords and HP from playthrough to playthrough.
Anyone's time is certainly better spent watching Throne of Blood or Seppuku than playing this game, but overall it's quite an interesting mix of a Kurosawa-inspired choose your own adventure book and a feudal Japan fighting game.
