Way of the Samurai II screenshots   The Final Say! Gameplay 8.5 Graphics 9.0 Sound 8.4 Value 8.8 Way of the Samurai 2 - reviewed by Andrew B Review Date: June 2004 Review Score 8.7/10 Distributed By: THQ

Although I've never played the original incarnation of the Way of the Samurai, I must admit that I've always been a huge fan of any Samurai game so when we first received this title to review, I was a little more than excited. Similar to other games in the genre, the Way of the Samurai 2 on the PlayStation 2 is a combination of RPG meets fighting game and puts gamers into the role of a mighty Samurai during feudal Japan. The story revolves around the faithless village of Amahara where three forces have come together to claim this village as their own. Unfortunately, these three factions have their own ideas on whom to protect and it's up to you to decide who will get your protection. When a village girls saves you from starvation and death, it is up to you whether you should repay her debt or join forces with either of the power holders. The game also revolves around a ten-day timeframe that means whatever actions you take will have grave consequences towards the end of the game. Before gamers can start, they must first create their very own Ronin to interact with the gaming environment. This character creation allows the player to fully customise their character such as their appearance, what kind of weapons they will use and of course the items that they will carry on their adventures. It should also be noted that not all things are available but once the player has successfully completed the game, they will have more options in their second character generation which goes a long way in the replay value of the game. The gameplay of title is reminiscent of other RPG titles (especially Japanese style of RPGing) as the player is given a map with various locales that they can visit. As you progress through the game, you are given more areas that you can access that slowly builds the entire storyline of the Way of the Samurai 2 together. These locations also give you various mini-quests to complete that are generally linked to the main storyline of the title. Probably one of the most impressive features of the game is combat system that I must say had me hooked immediately when I faced my first combatant. Although the game is a RPG, the combat aspect of the title is almost like you are playing Tekken because your characters can virtually do a plethora of moves from slashes, hacks, blocks, cuts and even throwing.

Although I must admit that the combat did take some time getting use to but once you have mastered the combat system, it almost becomes second nature, especially when you learn how to do more powerful attacks.

Graphically, the Way of the Samurai 2 is a very impressively looking game. The characters in the game look quite realistic and move with a human-like grace. Match that with some gorgeous looking textures and it's almost like you have travelled back in time to see the actual people of Feudal Japan. Apart from the impressive looking characters, the game also contains some authentic backgrounds of Japan to help immerse the gamer into this brilliant and addictive RPG.

The title also contains a authentic Japanese soundtrack and add some professional sound effects and voice acting and this game is truly a match made in gaming heaven. Although I did notice that on some occasions, the sounds did glitch but I'm not sure whether this was a PS2 problem or something in the game because when I replayed the level again, the sound problems were absent.

In conclusion, the Way of the Samurai 2 is an impressive RPG that goes way beyond of the first game. If you are looking for a game that is something different than Dynasty Warriors or Advanced Dungeons & Dragons than this game may be the title for you. With awesome gameplay, impressive graphics, you cannot go wrong with the Way of the Samurai 2.

- Andrew B