![]() This is very much a port and little effort has been made to adapt it to mouse and keyboard controls: I recommend a gamepad if you decide give the PC release a try. The graphics, whilst not terrible, are nothing to write home about but the fact the framerate is locked at 30 FPS adds to the disappointment. The PS3 version was released in 2012 (the series started in 2002 on the PS2) and no new content has been added despite the long wait. These cheap thrills don’t mask the many problems with Way of the Samurai 4. Things end when you’re invited to a private boudoir, the screen fades to black, a horse neighs and the caption “that was fantastic” flashes up. This mini-game sees you seduce random characters before sneaking into their homes (despite having been invited), knocking out any rival suitors and then pulling the covers off different beds to find them. These weird sequences will not appeal to all, but if you thought that was strange just wait until you go “nightcrawling”. Here your half-naked samurai may have to dodge bricks thrown by masked slaves or dangle skillfully on a short rope above a burning metal horse which threatens to do more than just chafe. This starts a mini-game where the objective is to survive. Constables will target you and if you’re arrested you’ll be up against the Kinugawa Sisters who will torture you. However, behaving badly does have some consequences. The swordsmith was much more rugged-looking so I didn’t mess with him and always paid promptly for my cold hard steel. Regrettably that meant I had to play the rest of the game with no trousers – but it illustrates the fun you can have with the game. In one act of hot-headed delinquency not at all befitting of a true samurai, I refused to pay for an expensive suit jacket and put the tailor to the sword when he protested. You can also buy new outfits in-game and modify and create weapons with the help of the swordsmith. It’s not all tough guys: you can select the so called “tender” option if being a baby-faced assassin is more your style. From the get-go you can decide on the hair, face, body type and clothing of your samurai. There is also a limited RPG element as you can strike up conversation with characters throughout the town to buy and sell items and take on side quests. You can block and parry and as things progress you can learn different moves, but everything ultimately boils down to strong attack and weak attack. Although you will be engaged by groups of opponents you can only fight them one at a time. Most of your time is spent hacking and slashing, but the combat is uninspiring. There are also multiple endings which are responsive to your allegiances and your conduct. Moreover, you take your reputation into the following play-through which adapts accordingly, so if the townspeople grew to fear you then expect more law enforcement the next time. This adds replay value to the game as it’s worth playing again to do the things you didn’t the first time. You can choose which faction to line up with, and the missions you’ll play are different depending on who you’re allied with. The Prajna are hell-bent on opposing these foreign invaders whilst the Shogunate are trying to keep the peace. Yes that’s right, the British Navy are docked off the coast of Amihama and the town itself even has a “Little Britain” where you can buy sweets and watch horse drawn carriages roll by. As a lone swordsman, you arrive by boat to Amihama, a small town being torn apart by three warring factions: the Prajna, the Shogunate and the British. Historical accuracy is not a priority in Way of the Samurai 4. It’s fun but unfortunately, not enough to overlook the fact that it’s flawed in many ways. This title is unconventional, wacky and downright weird at times. On the contrary, as a samurai in Ghostlight’s PC version of Way of the Samurai 4 you can disavow honour, forget loyalty and sidestep self control. This is not a realistic interpretation of life according to the Bushido Code.
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