When most people talk about their
most anticipated games of the year, the list often includes the latest Madden,
Call of Duty and Guitar Hero/Rock Band releases, along with whatever big-name
sequel Nintendo is currently planning.
If you were to ask me which
individual game I have been anticipating most, the answer would be a rare and
unlikely action game: Muramasa: The Demon Blade. Though most of the world will
never know it, Muramasa is the spiritual successor to Odin Sphere, an unheard
of, underappreciated masterpiece for PS2. If you’ve heard me talk about Odin
Sphere before but never took the time to investigate (that is, if you haven’t
tracked down a copy and played it for yourself), allow me to fill you in on what
you’ve been missing: some of the most exhilarating, well-crafted hack-n-slash
gameplay ever conceived. To call it a hack-n-slash action game is almost an
insult because of the bad reputation set by other hack-n-slash titles. But
there’s no avoiding it: Odin Sphere was very much a part of that genre, albeit
with a style of addictive and inventive gameplay not seen in any other game.
While that may seem irrelevant
today, the same development philosophy that made Odin Sphere a joy to play has
gone into making Muramasa for Wii. Vanillaware (the developer of both titles, as
well as the stellar PS2 strategy game GrimGrimoire) has produced a spiritual
sequel that is as unbelievable as it is unforgettable. The combat is aggressive
and intense, the boss battles are wonderfully crazy, and the graphics – though
you’ll never be able to tell by the screenshots – are astonishingly beautiful.
Glorious Bastards
In its simplest form, Muramasa could
be described as a game that’s all about killing monsters. There are tons of
monster species in this game, and it must be mating season because there are
dozens of each kind. Some are in the form of ghosts, emitting light colored
blasts from the beyond, while others are more traditional beasts, favoring our
fears of animal mutations. Artistically, the monsters are a treat – none of them
are entirely unfamiliar, but the way each one is brought to this game (their
attacks, aesthetics, etc.) is very original. What’s more, because of how
frequently new enemies are dropped onto the battlefield, the patterns at which
these monsters attack is constantly changing.
As a 2D side-scroller, players are
not able to escape as easily as they might in a game with worlds set in the
third dimension. Escaping wouldn’t do you much good anyway because, just like an
RPG, Muramasa’s character growth is based on EXP. Thus, you’re better off
fighting to gain as much experience as possible.
This could have put the
player in a very difficult position: nobody wants to hack-n-slash their way
through a game. But you will now. Also like an RPG, enemies are dispersed at a
predetermined rate within each section of a level. If you’ve played Odin Sphere,
you already know the formula; if not, think back to the old Zelda and
Castlevania games, which had enormous levels that were divided into smaller
sections. In Muramasa, battles occur as soon as you walk through enemy-guarded
territory. When all of the enemies have been defeated, your EXP is tabulated,
any items that are dropped are collected, and your ninja warrior – Momohime (a
princess) or Kisuke (a seemingly vicious and unforgiving fighter who suffers
from amnesia) – sheaths whatever sword is currently drawn.
Swashbuckling
Swords are a big part of Muramasa.
Only three may be equipped at one time, but you’ll be able to collect and forge
many more. As you’d expect, this creates another RPG connection: over time,
you’ll need stronger weapons to combat the increasing strength of your enemies.
This is especially true of the optional battles (found in slightly obvious
locations), which are typically the most challenging of any given level.
The catch – or penalty, perhaps –
for using your sword is that it will eventually break. Unlike most games with
breakable swords, the damage is not permanent; they can be repaired and used
again. But to repair a sword you’ve got to collect souls, and to collect souls
you’ve got to kill monsters. See the challenge? Broken swords aren’t very
effective at cutting into the flesh of a monster that’s three times your ninja’s
size.
This gameplay style, basic as it may
sound, is insanely engaging. The difference between Muramasa and every other
game that has attempted a similar style of gameplay is that this time it
actually works. While playing Muramasa, you can almost imagine that this is what
Onimusha and Devil May Cry would have been like had they wound up in the second
dimension. Even in 3D, those games weren’t very complex. But they were so
action-packed and so out-of-this-world exciting that nobody cared. That
is the quality of gameplay that Muramasa has achieved.
A Work of Art
Muramasa has a few flaws, but it’s
hard to say the game isn’t perfect. Looking at what others have done with the
genre (side-scrolling hack-n-slash), I have a hard time believing that anyone
except Vanillaware is ever going to come up with a better game.
Visually, however, Muramasa is
something that everyone can appreciate – as long as everyone takes the
time to play it. Don’t bother with the screenshots; they’re nice, but not nice
enough. Instead, go straight to the
trailers. In motion, the gorgeous 2D artwork comes to life in a way you
never imagined. Vanillaware has essentially combined the beauty of several
different paintings into one game, and then made it more beautiful by adding a
hint of three-dimensional (graphical) depth that is unique to this franchise (Muramasa/Odin
Sphere).
Like every great game, Muramasa
isn’t flawless – it’s a tad easy, it’s a bit repetitive (less painfully than
most games, but repetitive nonetheless), and it doesn’t expand on or bring any
innovation to the genre. Basically, the game says, “This is how you do
it,” and walks away. Regrettably, that may not be enough to help Muramasa win
any awards outside of its various E3 accolades. But it’s enough to win a
permanent place in the hearts of everyone that plays it.
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Gameplay: 9.0
At its most reduced mechanical form, the gameplay is little more than
frequent taps of the A button. Despite this, Vanillaware has managed to turn
Muramasa into a game that is impeccably addictive and undeniably fun.
Graphics: 9.3
Muramasa’s stellar artwork is doubly beautiful; first for its originality,
and second for its breathtaking presentation.
Sound: 9.1
An epic score for an epic game, with songs that are not only powerful but
are perfectly suited for their respective levels and battle scenarios.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Less challenging than Odin Sphere but no less entertaining.
Concept: 8.9
Muramasa may not be a groundbreaking title, but it’s hard to argue with a
game that makes its competition look pathetic.
Overall: 9.0
The best hack-n-slash side-scroller of the generation. Muramasa is a
masterpiece from beginning to end.
