Samurai and Ninja! To make plural, leave it!

xWonderboyx

So I'm reading through James Clavell's Shogun. It is an awesome story about an Englishman who was piloting a Dutch ship and wrecks himself in Japan back in the 1600s. There are also lots of talk of samurai and some pretty badass fight scenes with lots of decapitations and limbs lost and people killing themselves and intrigue and politics and sex and whooooo boy.

I read this book back when I was in college and due to reading it I really wanted to play a game about me some samurai. At the time I picked up Way of the Samurai and it was pretty cool at the time, although I never beat it. How are the sequels?

My charge to you, G&T, find me some good games about samurai. Hell, ninjas will do, too. In fact, I just goozex'd Tenchu Z. I know it's supposedly a mediocre game, but I have loved Tenchu since the first one, and I get to kill some samurai (there is that tenuous connection to my topic) so I figure it was worth the 450 points.

Renzo

Genji for the PS2. Lots of magic and mysticism, but you play as a badass samurai. Two badasses, to be accurate. One of them is a samurai.

xWonderboyx

Renzo wrote: »

Genji for the PS2. Lots of magic and mysticism, but you play as a badass samurai. Two badasses, to be accurate. One of them is a samurai.

How is Genji for the PS3? I want to fight historic giant enemy crab battles.

Edit: Fuck it, just goozex'd those two as well.

cj iwakura

Samurai. Western.

xWonderboyx

cj iwakura wrote: »

Samurai. Western.

And this is in the Way of the Samurai series, right?

cj iwakura

xWonderboyx wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

Samurai. Western.

And this is in the Way of the Samurai series, right?

It's made by the same team if I remember right, but it's not connected to the WotS games.

It's my favorite action game ever. Dozens of cowboys on screen at once, all capable of dying within seconds.

xWonderboyx

cj iwakura wrote: »

xWonderboyx wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

Samurai. Western.

And this is in the Way of the Samurai series, right?

It's made by the same team if I remember right, but it's not connected to the WotS games.

It's my favorite action game ever. Dozens of cowboys on screen at once, all capable of dying within seconds.

TO THE GOOZEX MOBILE

Edit: And there go all my points.

Jubeh

Way of the Samurai 2 stole endless hours away from my life. Pretty much a samurai simulator. You can kill anybody you want and take their weapon. I didn't play the first one so I have no idea what's changed.

Glenn565

Alas, I am too late in mentioning that the PS3 Genji is no good. Unless you take perverse pleasure in playing terrible games.

Bioptic

Might be too obvious, and not at all what you're looking for, but what about Shogun: Total War? Based off a board game based off the book, and first in a line of probably the best strategy games ever released.

There are hundreds and hundreds of samurai, and as many ninjas as you can crank out - plus you get neat little FMVs of them on their missions. It's surprising accessible for an epic strategy game, is wrapped up in some fantastically authentic period Japanese presentation, can be run on your crappy laptop bought 6 years ago and costs next to nothing. Only reason to avoid it would be if you have a violent aversion to strategy.

Graviija

Are you looking for like...ninja ninja, or just completely balls to the walls badass ninja?

Because Ninja fucking Gaiden (XB/PS3) is just...insanely awesome.

xWonderboyx

Glenn565 wrote: »

Alas, I am too late in mentioning that the PS3 Genji is no good. Unless you take perverse pleasure in playing terrible games.

I put it on hold until I can read more about it.

Way of the Samurai 2 is 650 points holy hell. Is it hard to come by for some reason?

A friend of mine was really into Onimusha back in the day. Are they any good?

Graviija wrote: »

Are you looking for like...ninja ninja, or just completely balls to the walls badass ninja?

Because Ninja fucking Gaiden (XB/PS3) is just...insanely awesome.

Have Sigma for the PS3. Want number 2 for 360 but I don't want to punish myself just yet.

Jubeh

I just realized I missed the obvious Samurai Warriors.

It's basically Dynasty Warriors set during the Sengoku Era. The game is historical, but it kind of takes a lot of liberties with the character designs. Not that it's bad, or anything. You will get to play out real battles. In the second game, you can actually play out Sekigahara (I believe).

There is also the Kessen series. I only have 3, which follows the story of Nobunaga. It's HIGHLY romanticized, though, so if you're looking for a history lesson look elsewhere.

And um. Devil Kings? *Pelted with rocks*

Edit: I played Onimusha 2 and liked it. Nothing groundbreaking though. Also Way of the Samurai 2 is somewhat rare.

Glenn565

xWonderboyx wrote: »

Glenn565 wrote: »

Alas, I am too late in mentioning that the PS3 Genji is no good. Unless you take perverse pleasure in playing terrible games.

I put it on hold until I can read more about it.

Way of the Samurai 2 is 650 points holy hell. Is it hard to come by for some reason?

A friend of mine was really into Onimusha back in the day. Are they any good?

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is the best action gave I've ever played. It takes a few liberties with the whole Samurai and Japanese history bit, but it's awesome. There's even a few RPG elements in it, if that's your thing.

The plot it pretty nonsensical though, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a great game.

Edit: forgot to mention: Dawn of Dreams gets rid of the tank controls used in all of the previous games. It uses a normal behind the shoulder camera system.

xWonderboyx

Argh too many games! I will play them all eventually (or my zeal for these types of games will run dry).

Chance

Jubeh wrote: »

Way of the Samurai 2 stole endless hours away from my life. Pretty much a samurai simulator. You can kill anybody you want and take their weapon. I didn't play the first one so I have no idea what's changed.

Renzo

I wouldn't recommend Genji 2.

Samurai Western is a good choice.

xWonderboyx

So I have Genji, Samurai Western, and Tenchu Z (I've always loved Tenchu games, shut up) on their way to my house. I'll make sure and try out the other games at a later date!

Edit: HA! I just realized I have the original Bushido Blade lying right here on my desk.

I'm going to scurry off and play it right now!

Jubeh

I can't say I approve of scurrying, but I do approve of bushido blade.

Cymoro

Did you know that Shogun was made into a TV show in the 70's, complete with decapitation and people speaking in japanese with no subtitles?

I'm actually surprised it got aired back then. It's pretty cool, give it a watch if you find the DVDs.

DisruptorX2

Cymoro wrote: »

Did you know that Shogun was made into a TV show in the 70's, complete with decapitation and people speaking in japanese with no subtitles?

I'm actually surprised it got aired back then. It's pretty cool, give it a watch if you find the DVDs.

It has John Rhys-Davies in it, too, unless I'm mistaken. Which is always awesome.

PunkBoy

Damn, I really should pick up Samurai Western and Way of the Samurai 2 someday. Seems like they're fun times.

On a related note, I so want Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan to get a US release.

EDIT: Seriously, this game looks awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvgFej40scU

Impersonator

Wow, that video's fucking cool :shock:

Is the player controlling the fight or are they cutscenes? I can't tell

PunkBoy

Well...they're in fight, but those moves look to be HEAT actions a la the Yakuza games. Basically you charge up a meter, and when it's full, you press a button you do those moves. They're like finishers, and a lot of them are location sensitive (by walls, etc.). I'm not sure how they work in Kenzan, though.

EDIT: Odd, embedding this video doesn't work. Follow the link in the title, and it should show.

glithert

I think Ninja Gaiden 2 is easier than the first, but that's probably just me. You could just play it on acolyte.

Tiemler

Kengo: Master of Bushido is a good samurai dueling game for the PS2. Definitely worth checking out.

Anyone know if Legend of the 9 is really as bad as reviews seem to indicate?

Airking850

Way of the Samurai is a great game, though it's largely a make-your-own-fun sort of affair so some people have trouble getting into it. You can 'beat' the game in a few hours, but there is so much joy in exploring all the different paths in the game and creating your own samurai adventures.

My friends and I played it through so many times back in the day, each time role playing a new character. Our exploits were the stuff of legend (especially the samurai who took orders from a ceramic cat that he carried with him), and to this day I'm called Wrong Way Rob because my friends and I had differing opinions on the proper path to take to get to the onion field.

Jubeh

Tiemler wrote: »

Anyone know if Legend of the 9 is really as bad as reviews seem to indicate?

Unfortunately, yeah. I only got it because it was dirt cheap, but then.. I still got rid of it.

I wanted really really bad to like it, and I tried to overlook the flaws but it was just too much. The fighting lacks polish, and the whole game feels almost incomplete. It was fun for the first day, but that's all there is with this game. Like the initial, "oh that's cool". But then you realize how much the game really hates you.

The redeeming factors are the historical characters (I'm a history nerd) and the the animations. But that's it.

Also, it's stupid hard. Like, I've seen people become really good at it, but I didn't feel like putting so much effort into a game that seemed put out as a weird joke or something. The bosses can kill you easily in normal mode. I know it's supposed to be realistic, but after the tenth time of starting a level over you start to wonder if it's worth it.

Man I feel like I'm talking about a fucked up relationship I had or something.

Sheep

What's that old ass DOS game where you're a Samurai and you can go out as a Ronin, raid enemy castles at night, challenge other samurai to duels, kidnap daughters, etc?

Horrible controls, awesome game. Wish something modern had such an approach.

Jubeh

Sheep wrote: »

What's that old ass DOS game where you're a Samurai and you can go out as a Ronin, raid enemy castles at night, challenge other samurai to duels, kidnap daughters, etc?

Excuse me, but did you just describe the greatest game ever?

jogernaut

Jubeh wrote: »

Sheep wrote: »

What's that old ass DOS game where you're a Samurai and you can go out as a Ronin, raid enemy castles at night, challenge other samurai to duels, kidnap daughters, etc?

Excuse me, but did you just describe the greatest game ever?

Sword of the Samurai

I loved that game. It was like Sid Meier's Pirates only with samurai.

Jubeh

So looking for that I found this:

http://www.tothegame.com/ps2-1954-sword-of-the-samurai-for-sony-playstation-2.html

Anybody know anything about this game?

Edit: Nvm I think this is just Kengo 2 with a dumb name.

Sheep

Jubeh wrote: »

Sheep wrote: »

What's that old ass DOS game where you're a Samurai and you can go out as a Ronin, raid enemy castles at night, challenge other samurai to duels, kidnap daughters, etc?

Excuse me, but did you just describe the greatest game ever?

Damn near it.

RoyceSraphim

I am going to search the Mount & Blade forums for a Samurai mod.

BRB

edit:http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,44063.0.html only compatible with .960, sadly.