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twmac

Way of the Samurai 3

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Just wanted to mention that this game is great. I've dropped about 30 hours into it and it incorporates elements from games that have been talked about enthusiastically in both the forums and the Podcasts.

I will either edit this post with a longer explanation or post again later when I don't have to get up and go to work.

Has this popped up on anyone else's radar (out on X360 and PS3 in North America and due out in Europe in February)?

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For some reason, I assumed this would be terrible. I guess I was subconsciously associating it with the Dynasty Warriors games for some reason. I thought it was a spinoff of those.

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I played the original Way of the Samurai on the PS2. It had great potential but was kind of shitty in some ways. It sounds like they may have realized that greater potential in 3. I should probably check it out.

Has anyone played both the original and the new one? How do they compare?

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"...don't expect it to be the GTA of feudal Japan." (ign.com)

that's a real quote.

TwMac, can you be a little more specific as to what you like about the game? The review I read does sound good, but I'd like your input.

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Arrgh, trying to do this before going to work again.

The main concept is that you enter this small area and there are two warring factions. The game is open ended pretty much from the first cutscene (the two villagers that come to help you can be dismissed or you can even draw your sword mid-cutscene and scare them away) and decisions you make throughout the playthrough can drastically alter the outcome. The really good thing is that some choices and story tree choices don't seem like a big deal but can make the difference between aligning yourself with a guy and stopping the 'Evil' Fujimori clan and uniting the province or taking on a solo assasination mission which although well-meaning actually makes the province weak and Nobunaga Oda invades (it is always Nobunaga in these things).

There are 21 definite endings but really the game leaves you to your own devices (the events of the story unfurl on a time scale so it is possible to miss important story plot and essentially 'break' your playthrough) most of the time and you can wander around talking to the inhabitants, taking on sub-missions learn new moves, craft and forge new swords, get a partner (who will move in with you if they like you enough and then the game becomes a dating sim of sorts whereby if your partner likes you enough they will do nice things for you but if you neglect them and don't talk to them for ages they will do things like randomly break your swords that you have stored or spend some of your money)etc.

Also you won't really be able to get an ending the first time you play as the main characters are so much more powerful than you in the beginning and this game encourages you to learn the mechanics of the game (you keep all weapons, money, skills and the like when you restart) and do multiple playthroughs.

With over 30 hours sunk into it now I'm still finding stuff like a dojo with a tiny sub mission. I also randomly discovered this killer that the vilagers had mentioned and uncovered his sad tale of why he has turned into a psycho.

The graphic quality is pretty low and there are some niggling bugs but that isn't enough for me not to love it.

***Edit for some of my terrible mistakes while hurriedly writing this. And also this might be my GOTYsey.

***

Further edit after having listened to most of the Podcast and not being able to contain myself.

This is EXACTLY what Chris and Nick were pining for during the podacast. The obsession that I have developed with perfectly crafting the sword, the individual challenges taht can be aimed for that have nothing to do with the larger story. The larger story that can be played through in around 3 hours where you will remember exactly what you did last time in the same position and potentially change the storyline.

Also the combat evolves over time, things that you were doing to get through on palythrough one will be thigns that you will laugh at as a concept by playthrough 5.

Also I ahev no idea how this stacks up versus Way of the Samurai 1, this being the first of the series that I have palyed.

Edited by twmac
Barely beign able to contain myself after reading podcast

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Giantbomb recently did a quicklook of this and it's so PS2 (not graphics-wise but just...sensibility) It looks batshit insane in the best possible way.

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