Genji: Days Of The Blade
SCEE/Game Republic
PS3


This game has been the whipping boy of the initial wave of releases for the PS3 platform. American and online reviews have been scathing in their attacks, however, it's important to remember it was produced largely with the Japanese consumer in mind. Genji: Days Of The Blade is the sequel to the PS2's Genji: Dawn Of The Samurai - both games loosely based on the historical 12th century conflicts recounted in the Heike Monogatari (or Heike Story). For the Japanese people the characters of Yoshitsune, Benkei and Shizuka Gozen - who are playable characters in this game - are iconic and mythic historical figures in much the same way Hercules, Achilles and Odysseus exist in western culture. The inability to translate this cultural knowledge in the game has led to western reviewers focusing on the negatives rather than the positives. To be fair though, these negatives actually do exist.

The biggest problems lie in combat movement and overall repetition. My biggest annoyance was with the badly positioned fixed cameras which really got in the way of fighting and movement. Also, for experienced gamers, the challenges and puzzles are childish and one-dimensional; most of the boss battles are far too easy with instant "first try" success somewhat disappointing. The real challenges of this game come instead in the four extended battle play sections - based on real battles led by the real-life Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune during the war between the Genji and Heishi clans in medieval Japan.

Enough of the negatives. This game does have its fair share of positives. Firstly, with one touch of the directional keypad you can change between four playable characters with unique skills or fighting styles which are best suited for some sections of the game. Also, the animation of this game is, in a word, glorious. The gameplay animation and textures are fantastic and rich, but it's in the CG animation that this game truly astounds. The light effects, environments and facial animation are unsurpassable. The music and design are also expertly interwoven to create an authentic Japanese experience. Add to that a separate fighting system where you can use button sequences to defeat enemies in a separate astral plane (great when you're up against overwhelming odds) and this game does have enough to keep you interested.

This game has been greatly misunderstood by western audiences, but then again, there are significantly better options out there.

Anthony Paxton