I was curious about this game, wondering how much content was actually packed in it. I was pleasantly surprised since it can be a bit of a coin toss with smaller games. This game does a beautiful job of delivering nifty visuals, game play, and replay value in a fun little package.
Once the game has been accessed, you are greeted by a beautiful start screen that leads you into an impressive experience. I really like the way they set up the prologue, though it would've been cool to see a cut scene bring the player in, they've used a very creative and minimalist way to tell the back story instead... sort of reminds me of a pop-up book. As far as cut scenes are concerned, you will experience those in various parts of the adventure.
The story is a bit cliche in my opinion, the princess gets taken by the bad guy, and you have to go on a journey to save her. Hmmm… where have I seen this before? It’s not exactly new, but I didn't mind it at all because it’s not bad and doesn't take away from the game play.
This game uses the 3D feature quite well, and I’d expect no less from Nintendo. They position the samurai on the screen in a way that’s justified without the character getting in the way. Fans of Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) will really be able to appreciate the fact that you’re rewarded for precision in this game, it’s not a hack & slash adventure. You have to put thought into your attacks, dodging, blocks, and how you use your items. The better your strategy, the more you’re able to preserve your items until you absolutely need them. Ever watch a movie with a samurai taking on several enemies that attack one by one? That’s sort of how battle feels at times (which is cool), and this is the way you may prefer it to remain. Position yourself in a bad spot, and you might end up paying for it with back to back attacks from multiple enemies.
In regards to the precision, you build up points (precision points to be exact) every time you successfully evade an attack, and the total number of collected points are able to be traded for coins at village shops. If you aren't that good at dodging, you may want to cash in the points that you've collected, because they are literally on an easy come easy go basis. If you successfully dodge an attack, you’re rewarded, but if you get hit or time an attack too late and it’s blocked… kiss those points goodbye.
Speaking of villages, I assumed that there was going to be various types of people to interact with in each village, until I noticed that everyone in each village looks exactly the same and serves the exact same purposes. In villages, you get the option of saving your progress, going to the sword smith to forge and sharpen your sword, buying items at the shop, playing mini games, etc.
Boss battles feel good, look good, and will prove to be challenging enough, especially the second time around. Why? Well, after beating the game for the first time, the game’s difficulty level will be increased to expert mode (just select “continue” to experience it). Enemy attack strength is doubled, and you really can’t afford to make mistakes in battle this time around because you won’t receive additional petals to increase your health capacity (though beating the game won’t change the game play, it’s a bit more unforgiving). Castle’s require you to take on a slew of enemies as you make your way to the boss, so I really looked forward to this in expert mode.
Keep in mind that this game is not following in the footsteps of action games, and every game won’t be the same (which is the great thing about variety). Is the game worth the purchase price? Yep, though I feel that it would be perfect at $4.99 USD… they have delivered a nice experience that wouldn't be regretted at the current price of $6.99 USD.
Fun factor: 4
Visuals: 4
Replay value: 5
Price: 4
“4.5 / 5 Mushrooms”
You can find the game here: http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/Dzb_C6ViEXIHAWfDvi7BsDPQ7JIwcrfC
#Nintendo #eShop #SakuraSamurai #ArtoftheSword
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