This is a very unique and good game! I was always turned off by it by the thought it has a timer, but to my surprise it actually doesn't! Yes it tracks your days, yes events happen at certain times of day, yes it is designed to be replayed over and over, yes there is an end. But it actually isn't timed! When I learned that the game really opened up to me and made sense.
This really is just one of the most immersive worlds I've played in a video game. Experience life in Sengoku Japan, walk around town, make friends, fight and kill who you want, rob people blind, do honest jobs, romance people, join one faction and betray it for another! All of this is possible and more. The emphasis on factions especially is very neat, reminds me of how Gothic and Morrowind handled factions! Decisions actually matter due to the smaller scope of the game, and bearing over 20 distinct endings!
The combat is so fun, like a mix of Yakuza, SoulCalibur, and Ghost of Tsushima! Mix up distinct fighting styles, weapons, and hundreds of unique moves. Craft, find, and upgrade highly customizable weapons. This game is designed around lock on fighting but big battles feel suitably epic and large scale and for that matter so fun! You feel like you're in a Kurosawa movie, slashing down person after person then finding one who is harder to fight, timing parries and blocks.
The music and sound is fantastic. From relaxing calm themes to upbeat and fast combat music mixing traditional Japanese instruments with modern. The Japanese voice acting is top quality, it doesn't feel overly goofy or anime-esque, it is done very straight like watching an old black and white samurai film. The sword slashes and cries of battle all sound great.
The story while simple is interesting and sucked me in as a fan of this historical period. The writing can be very serious and dramatic and also very funny and wacky. But what truly makes the story for me is just how free you are to do anything, this is an action figure of a story, a sandbox. Twist it, play with it, mess it up completely if you want!
The game is built around New Game+ and it makes for a unique and innovative system of progression. I am going to replay this so many times. I think this may become a comfort game for me due to just how replayable it is. Set a new goal for a playthrough or just see where it takes me and be surprised by new outcomes! Hell, the game could even let me simulate the mercenary or farmer life if I wanted to, ignoring the main story completely.
For those into historical Japan and samurai in general this is a gaming wish come true! Check it out! Allow your first playthrough to just be a free exploration of discovery, don't be afraid to mess up or miss something, just wander around and discover this great world! (Note, definitely have a controller for this one. Keyboard and mouse is a nightmare!)
This really is just one of the most immersive worlds I've played in a video game. Experience life in Sengoku Japan, walk around town, make friends, fight and kill who you want, rob people blind, do honest jobs, romance people, join one faction and betray it for another! All of this is possible and more. The emphasis on factions especially is very neat, reminds me of how Gothic and Morrowind handled factions! Decisions actually matter due to the smaller scope of the game, and bearing over 20 distinct endings!
The combat is so fun, like a mix of Yakuza, SoulCalibur, and Ghost of Tsushima! Mix up distinct fighting styles, weapons, and hundreds of unique moves. Craft, find, and upgrade highly customizable weapons. This game is designed around lock on fighting but big battles feel suitably epic and large scale and for that matter so fun! You feel like you're in a Kurosawa movie, slashing down person after person then finding one who is harder to fight, timing parries and blocks.
The music and sound is fantastic. From relaxing calm themes to upbeat and fast combat music mixing traditional Japanese instruments with modern. The Japanese voice acting is top quality, it doesn't feel overly goofy or anime-esque, it is done very straight like watching an old black and white samurai film. The sword slashes and cries of battle all sound great.
The story while simple is interesting and sucked me in as a fan of this historical period. The writing can be very serious and dramatic and also very funny and wacky. But what truly makes the story for me is just how free you are to do anything, this is an action figure of a story, a sandbox. Twist it, play with it, mess it up completely if you want!
The game is built around New Game+ and it makes for a unique and innovative system of progression. I am going to replay this so many times. I think this may become a comfort game for me due to just how replayable it is. Set a new goal for a playthrough or just see where it takes me and be surprised by new outcomes! Hell, the game could even let me simulate the mercenary or farmer life if I wanted to, ignoring the main story completely.
For those into historical Japan and samurai in general this is a gaming wish come true! Check it out! Allow your first playthrough to just be a free exploration of discovery, don't be afraid to mess up or miss something, just wander around and discover this great world! (Note, definitely have a controller for this one. Keyboard and mouse is a nightmare!)