Want a story that adapts to your actions? Then don't let this one slip by Words: Mikel Reparaz, GamesRadar US On Oct. 13 – next Tuesday, as of this writing – two of the most hotly anticipated games of 2009, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Brutal Legend, will drop into stores and kick the fall release schedule into high gear. Amid the excitement, you could be forgiven for completely ignoring a third game that also hits that day, the recently announced and little-publicized Way of the Samurai 3. If you did, though, you’d miss out on one of the more fascinating and endlessly replayable experiences of the current generation. A free-roaming, RPG-tinged adventure set in Japan’s warring-states period, Way of the Samurai 3 might seem a little dated, with chunky-looking graphics, stiff animations and dialogue relayed mostly through word bubbles. And its standard sword-fighting action (while deceptively deep and a lot of fun) still feels like run-of-the-mill slash ‘em-up stuff, with enemies that insist on fighting you one at a time. But don’t let that fool you – underneath its ropey exterior lies a versatile, wildly customizable game that anyone who cares about story in games should at least try. Here’s why: 1. You can reshape the story If you’ve delved into either of the first two Way of the Samurai games, then you already know that their main selling point isn’t the fighting, the graphics or even the customization. It’s that the games thrust you into a clockwork, Kurosawa-esque plot, which you can influence and dramatically alter, depending on your actions. The story is always fairly short, but that’s made up for by the fact that you can play through it repeatedly and experience a different outcome – and a completely different side of the story – every time. Way of the Samurai 3 is no exception, casting players as a nameless samurai who’s one of the few survivors from the losing side of a gruesome battle. Over the course of the next few in-game days, you’re introduced to three factions, which you’re free to join, ignore or antagonize. Their story will develop with or without you; you’re there to change its events as you see fit. Think of it as like the movie Groundhog Day, but with swords. The Fujimori Clan (the bad good guys) are the de facto rulers of the rural province of Amana, and although they represent law and order, they’re seen as usurpers and are also the ones who wiped out all your comrades. Then there’s the Ouka Clan (the good bad guys), a self-styled resistance movement who pay lip service to the people of Amana, but who’ve been taken over by thugs out to rob and live like outlaws. Finally, there are the townspeople of Amana, who kind of hate you – but only because they see samurai as the instruments of their oppression. What happens next is up to you; you can join up with a faction and adopt their goals as your own, or subvert them from within. You can join both the Fujimori and the Ouka and play them off against each other for the benefit of the townspeople, Yojimbo style. Or you can just relentlessly attack and kill everyone you meet, which probably won’t get you very far. However you decide to play, there are more than 15 endings to discover – and with Achievements and Trophies to be earned as you unlock them all, just seeing what happens isn’t your only incentive. 2. Most cutscenes can be skipped – with violence The cutscenes in Way of the Samurai 3 can be, at first glance, irritating as hell. This is mainly because they’re filled with long, seemingly meaningless pauses during which your samurai just stares blankly at the object of his attention after being asked a question. Really, though, these pauses serve a purpose – they’re so that you can interrupt them by unsheathing your sword, an action that the game will constantly remind you is available by flashing a little drawn-sword icon onscreen. Drawing your sword won’t just be perceived as just a warning, either; if you do it during a conversation, said conversation will immediately turn violent. And you can do it in nearly every cutscene, with or without provocation. Don’t like the looks of the peasants who’re trying to save your life? Flash some steel and scare them away. Feel like picking a fight with one of the faction leaders while they’re deciding whether or not to hire you? Go right ahead, but be aware they’ll probably wipe the floor with you. Granted, there’s very little to be gained from this, unless A) you’ve been through the game a few times and you just want to throw down with a key antagonist before they turn dangerous, or B) you hate cutscenes so much you just want to jump straight to the action, regardless of its consequences. The converse of drawing your sword like a goon is the “apology” action, which drops you to the floor in a low, groveling bow. Like flashing your sword, this can immediately end cutscenes – and fights, if you want it to. 3. You never have to kill True, getting into fights is part of the appeal of a game like Way of the Samurai, but that doesn’t mean they have to be lethal. Hitting Select or Back on your controller will flip your weapon backwards, enabling you to beat your foes senseless with the blunt edge (or end, if you’re using a spear). Above: On the other hand, going lethal increases the likelihood your foes will realize the value of life and surrender Not only will this give you the warm feeling of being a merciful hero-type, but it’ll also spare you the grief that comes from killing a member of a rival faction and increasing their dislike for you. Above: It’ll also spare you the grief of maudlin last words like these Alternately, it’s possible to apologize your way out of fights, which seems like a coward’s way out, but can be extremely useful if you’ve accidentally drawn down on a key character (or just a more powerful warrior). Above: Note that it doesn’t always work 4. Sidekicks are cool – and optional Also, apologizing is one of several ways you can turn an enemy into a friend – even to the point that certain characters can be convinced to follow you around and (theoretically) watch your back. True, they have an irritating tendency to run slowly, thereby forcing you to wait for them, and their usefulness in battle is questionable – the game’s one-guy-attacks-at-a-time combat system also extends to your partners, meaning they’ll only fight your enemy’s allies. Some of them will also leave when it gets too late, so you might need to keep a second partner in mind for any late-night ramblings. However, there are a whole lot of them to discover and recruit, and they range from interesting – such as a spear-toting widow and a vengeance-seeking swordswoman who you’ll have to convince not to murder you – to weird, including a ghost and a cat. Also, having them along enables you to participate in some of the game’s more lucrative minigames, which include catching a sword between your hands and making mochi. Speaking of which… 5. The minigames don’t suck Like a lot of other sandbox games, Way of the Samurai 3 keeps its action varied by throwing in a few simple minigames, which are useful mainly for earning money. A few of them are excruciating, like the ones in which someone tosses vegetables at you (along with stone lanterns, for some reason) to chop or dodge. But the aforementioned sword-catching is fun, as is – strangely enough – ringing a giant bell with carefully timed swings of a huge log. Above: More enjoyable than it looks You’ll also occasionally be asked to fillet a giant tuna, something that can rapidly level up your sword skills while giving you something to just haul off and violently slice apart. 6. You can make your own weapons Way of the Samurai 3 is littered with swords and spears to find, whether you take them from the corpse-strewn battlefield of Kuchigahara or from the bodies of slain enemies. (And if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can try wielding a twig, a hoe, a green onion or your bare hands, although these won’t be as effective as a sword.) Above: Careful, though – they can still kill But you’ll also be able to find and buy weapon parts, which you can combine (with the help of a blacksmith) to create weapons that are uniquely “you” – or, at least, as close as the 200 or so pre-made parts will let you get. 7. You can look ridiculous and still conquer If all else fails, you can at least have some fun buying weird trinkets and using them to make your samurai (who can already be customized with a variety of unlockable heads and costumes) look as weird as possible. Some of these will confer defense, attack or other bonuses, but most of them – despite frequently being expensive – are useful only for making you look like a giant tool. But hey, there’s always something to be said for ditching things like dignity and honor in exchange for watching super-serious samurai treat a freakish clown with calm, measured respect. Above: HISTORICALLY ACCURATE Oct 7, 2009 Click Here to Go to Games Radar Review! - www.gamesradar.com