From the Manufacturer
---------------------
A compelling story and amazing graphics aren't all that make
this title a must-have. Bushido Blade completely redefines the
genre of fighting games and does it with panache. 6 fighters 8
weapons and one winner-take-all round of the fiercest combat
you've ever seen on a videogame.
Review
------
Forget life meters, combos, and all that three-round rot. Here
comes Bushido Blade, a straightforward fighting game that totally
redefines the genre. Bushido Blade is a bold undertaking, but a
remarkably successful one - it's fresh, unique, and could never
have happened without today's technology.
Bushido Blade opens with a stunning demonstration, and the
game's visual integrity becomes obvious within seconds. The
game's graphics, while not the sharpest or fastest, are the most
detailed ever seen in a polygonal fighter, and, at a consistent
30 frames per second, rank among the smoothest in existence. The
soundtrack, which combines traditional Japanese instrumentation
with a fast-paced, modern rhythm section, is also striking. While
the in-game speech is somewhat limited, the sounds of each battle
are dazzling in their variety. The game's most remarkable
feature, however, is each stage's continuous fighting
environment. For instance, you can race through the snow (leaving
tracks in your wake) past a garden and over a wooden bridge to
the village beyond, then leap into a mud hole and race your way
to the train station, where you can escape into an underground
river and clean yourself off. Did I mention you're battling all
this time? A brief load time separates the different areas of
town, but it hardly detracts from the experience.
Of course, running around isn't what Bushido Blade's all about.
You choose from six honorable samurai warriors and select from
the following eight classical weapons: katana, rapier, naginata
(Japanese polearm), broad, war hammer, short , nodachi
(Japanese long ), and saber. Each battle-hardened fighter is
proficient with at least one weapon, though you can use any. Once
armed, you can switch among high, middle, and low combat stances
at will and attack in at least three different fashions.
Different weapons demand different strategies; the lightweight
katana is ideal for midlevel slashes, while the hammer is best
for crushing overhead blows. You can parry the nent's attack,
attempt to counter it, or swing right through it, but defending
will only take you so far; the moment a clean hit connects, it's
all over. This is Bushido Blade's most exciting and preous
feature, destined to earn it just as many fans as detractors -
each match consists of one round, and if you survive an enemy's
attack, consider yourself lucky.
Of course, you needn't go straight for the kill every time -
consider laming your nent (the legs make easy targets) or
slashing his arm (he will continue fighting one-handed). The
story mode reflects damage from match to match, with bloody
bandages on your character and more. But as good as Bushido Blade
is, there's still some room for improvement. For instance, the
fighter will never drop his weapon. Likewise, though the
sman's arm or leg may be injured, it is impossible to damage
both. Not to mention that grappling of any kind is conspicuously
absent.
Bushido Blade also features a number of very cool gameplay
options. These include a terrifyingly well-done first-person
battle mode (complete with two-player linkup) and the option to
toggle between winter and spring settings for various backdrops.
Each fight also has a number of dramatic outcomes, namely the
different death throes that change with each killing blow, which
are nothing short of awesome. Combined with the selection of
stylish fighters and weapons, the replay value in this title is
vast. Hard-core fighting-game fans should consider Bushido Blade
a welcome breath of fresh air; it's a vastly different combat
experience that makes for one of the classiest, most serious
fighting games ever. --Greg Kasavin
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot
logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc. -- GameSpot Review
- Disc plus hard plastic protective case only. Disc condition ranges from flawless to scratched but is guaranteed to work..