Genji: Days of the Blade
So pretty, so pointless.
Published: November 28, 2006
I mentioned in the Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom review that a mediocre game is a dangerous thing -- more dangerous than something that's just outright terrible. The problem is that you're never really sure if the game will get any better, and since it never gets any worse, you end up playing far too much of it to know. Most dangerous of all, however, is the game that could be good -- really good -- but blows it with just one or two really dumb moves. In the case of Genji: Days of the Blade, it's but a single major thing, and it kills the entire freaking game.
The camera. Fucking. Sucks.
There's nothing like marveling at a game that quite honestly blurs the line between CG and real-time graphics (a couple of times I was convinced something was pre-rendered only to find out it was, in fact, the PS3 pushing that kind of detail all on its own)... only to have some guy from off screen stick a sword in the small of your back. It's a problem that ranges from mildly annoying to absolute scream-inducing, controller-chucking frustration. There's a mini-map in the upper right corner of the screen, which you'll use all the time, but it's a poor replacement for being able to actually see what's hitting you.
And things started off so well, too. Taking place three years after the events of the first game, things pick up with the Heishi clan building strength after seemingly getting wiped out by Yoshitsune and meathead buddy Benkei. Given that history has shown the Heike would eventually come to rule Japan, this isn't entirely surprising, but nevertheless, the pair head out to divine exactly how they're making a comeback (hint: it involves the Amahagane, the crystals that were apparently used to turn Heishi into monsters). This time around, though, their joined by Lady Shizuka and Buson, the ruler of the underworld that is possessing the body of Kagekiyo, the final boss of the last game.
With a bump up in playable characters, something had to be done to make it easier to switch between them. The solution was to adopt a Marvel: Ultimate Alliance-style on-the-fly switching system using the d-pad. This was carried over into the game's much-lampooned real-time weapon switching system, allowing two different equipped weapons to be swapped out with the shoulder buttons.
It's a great system, actually, allowing you to tap particular characters for specific situations; Yoshitsune is agile and well-balanced, Benkei has the muscle but not the speed, Shizuka has the range and Buson has great crowd control and attacks that last for as long as you can hammer the attack buttons. Each also have their own side abilities; Shizuka can cross long caps, Benkei can move heavy objects with a kick, Yoshitsune can kick off walls to move higher or run along them Prince of Persia-style and so on.
So clearly there was some thought put into using all the characters, and none of them feel anything like their friends, and the game allows for switching enough that you'll want to pick the right character for the fight. And fight you will; there's enough hacking and slashing here to satisfy even the most hardcore button mashers. That's not a problem, except that, again, you can't actually see some enemies until you're right on top of them thanks to the camera being so messed up.
The camera. Fucking. Sucks.
There's nothing like marveling at a game that quite honestly blurs the line between CG and real-time graphics (a couple of times I was convinced something was pre-rendered only to find out it was, in fact, the PS3 pushing that kind of detail all on its own)... only to have some guy from off screen stick a sword in the small of your back. It's a problem that ranges from mildly annoying to absolute scream-inducing, controller-chucking frustration. There's a mini-map in the upper right corner of the screen, which you'll use all the time, but it's a poor replacement for being able to actually see what's hitting you.
And things started off so well, too. Taking place three years after the events of the first game, things pick up with the Heishi clan building strength after seemingly getting wiped out by Yoshitsune and meathead buddy Benkei. Given that history has shown the Heike would eventually come to rule Japan, this isn't entirely surprising, but nevertheless, the pair head out to divine exactly how they're making a comeback (hint: it involves the Amahagane, the crystals that were apparently used to turn Heishi into monsters). This time around, though, their joined by Lady Shizuka and Buson, the ruler of the underworld that is possessing the body of Kagekiyo, the final boss of the last game.
With a bump up in playable characters, something had to be done to make it easier to switch between them. The solution was to adopt a Marvel: Ultimate Alliance-style on-the-fly switching system using the d-pad. This was carried over into the game's much-lampooned real-time weapon switching system, allowing two different equipped weapons to be swapped out with the shoulder buttons.
It's a great system, actually, allowing you to tap particular characters for specific situations; Yoshitsune is agile and well-balanced, Benkei has the muscle but not the speed, Shizuka has the range and Buson has great crowd control and attacks that last for as long as you can hammer the attack buttons. Each also have their own side abilities; Shizuka can cross long caps, Benkei can move heavy objects with a kick, Yoshitsune can kick off walls to move higher or run along them Prince of Persia-style and so on.
So clearly there was some thought put into using all the characters, and none of them feel anything like their friends, and the game allows for switching enough that you'll want to pick the right character for the fight. And fight you will; there's enough hacking and slashing here to satisfy even the most hardcore button mashers. That's not a problem, except that, again, you can't actually see some enemies until you're right on top of them thanks to the camera being so messed up.
