Way of The Samurai 3

Cover art

Way of the Samurai 3 is the third game in the series, and was released in 2008-2009 for the Playstation 3, and Xbox 360. It was later converted to PC in 2016.

The reason I haven't covered Way of the Samurai 2 is simply that I never played it.
The Japanese title for the series was slightly altered in the second game, from simply 侍 (Samurai) in the first game, to 侍道 (Samurai dō) in the second. Appropriate since it then coincides with the English title.

Trailer for the PC version

Unlike the first game, that took place during the fall of the samurai, this game takes place during the Sengoku era (ca. 300 years before the events in the first game), which may be considered the heyday of the samurai.
Furthermore the game is not limited to only two days, but can probably be played for an almost infinite time-space. One character doesn't even appear until the 30th day, although that is probably far longer than the average play-through.

In many ways the game is quite similar to the first game; the story centers around two opposing factions, you can get and improve swords which gives the player new moves. Although now there are also spears and dual sword stances.
The game even features two smith named Dōjima (like the smith in the first game). and a colored samurai with an afro, called Donna (although this time it's a female).

Key-event

You can also get companions that helps (or hinders) the player.
Once you get a companion to like you enough you can even get her to move in with you.
All companions are female, and although you can alter the main characters appearance he is always male. Until you unlock the ability to look like NPCs that is, but the game considers the main character to be male nevertheless.

Rather than a time-based progression of the story, the story only progresses when you trigger a key-event (marked with '!' on the map), and the possible routes changes depending on what key-events you trigger and how you interact with them.

Receiving a quest

Unlike the first game, that only had 6 endings, this game has 22 possible endings.
It is quite difficult finding out how to get the endings on your own, and despite multiple play-troughs you will likely get the same ones over and over.

This is quite characteristic of the game; it is quite similar to the first game, only much bigger and with more content (and the fact that you can take it in your own pace and never need to feel rushed).

Despite all this, I can't make myself like this game nearly as much as the first game, although it seems like it should actually be way better.
I wonder if it is simply too big, and has too much contents for a game and a story-line that really doesn't benefit from it?
Or perhaps it is simply not enough of an improvement considering it is 6 years newer? Especially since it graphics quality was still on the level of PlayStation 2 games.
Whatever the reason reviewers seem to agree, giving it average ratings.

Loosing a fight

I must admit the lure of progressively unlocking more and more contents has driven me to play this game way much more than it deserves.
After unlocking the instant-kill mode it did in fact speed up the play-through time, making "boss" battles insanely easy, but en-masse battles ridiculously difficult (since the instant-kill goes both ways, and includes allies accidentally scratching you).
I really like this mode since it reminded me of more realistic games like Bushido Blade, but unfortunately the game-mechanics of this game was never intended for this mode, which shows and can get really frustrating at times.

En-masse, all-against-all fight.

I would hesitate to actually call this a gem, but at the same time I can't really understand Why it isn't more fun to play.
Nevertheless, if you enjoy this kind of game, or if you're a fan of the series, and are able to get it for cheap, it might be worth to waste some time on.

You can get a used copy for Xbox 360 for around €5, PS3 for €10, or a Windows copy on steam for €20.

Rescue: The Embassy Mission

NES cover

"Rescue: The Embassy Mission" is a NES game released in 1989 in Japan 1990 in the U.S. and 1991 in Europe.
This is actually the NES edition of a game called "Hostages" (1989, multiple computers).
The title was changed to "Hostage: Rescue Mission" in the U.S. and "Operation Jupiter" in France.

Mike making his way to his sniping position

The premise is simple: Terrorists hold hostages at an embassy and the player, leading a team of anti-terrorists must rescue the hostages and take out the terrorists.

Mike sniping

The game is essentially split up in to four distinct parts:
First, four snipers (Mike, Steve, and Jumbo) must move in to position, while avoiding searchlights by walking, crawling, jumping and hiding. As long as one of them makes it to their position alive the game continues.
Second, the snipers takes out terrorists by shooting through the windows.
Third, three people (Ron, Dick, and Kemco) rappel from the roof (actually you are free to change between this part and the second freely).
Fourth, when one of the people rappeling from the roof enters trhough a window they start moving trough the embassy to shoot terrorists and resucue hostages.

Hostages (ZX Spectrum)
(For comparison)

There are three difficulty settings: Lieutenant, Captain, and Commander.
Essentially they change how fast the terrorists move and how easy it is to get killed.

Ron reppeling down the building and entering trough a window 

There are three missions: Training, Target, Ultimatum, Trigger, and Jupiter.
Essentially theese are the same, but with increasing difficulty. The time limit gets tighter and the number of terrorists increase. The training missions does not have any hostages and doesn't give you a rating when you complete the game.

In practice this gives the option of 15 different difficulty settings.

No matter the settings there will always be three hostages (except in Training).

Map showing starting position and sniping position.

If all of your snipers are killed on the way to their positions it's Game Over, but as long as one survive the game continues. After that you loose the game if all other three characters die. Of course if the time runs out at any point that is also Game Over.

Once the mission is complete you will get a rating, listing what characters in your team was killed and how many of the hostages you accidentally killed.

For a complete victory all hostages and all anti-terrorist must survive.

Hostages (Amiga)
(For comparison)

As fun this game was it was just way too short. Sure there are several difficulty settings, and I don't remember ever clearing Jupiter. But every mission is the same, only increasingly more difficult.
I always cleared the missions on an average of 5-6 minutes, and that's just way too short by any standards.

I do think this game would have been better as part of an anthology of games, or at least if it wasn't sold at full retail price.
But on the other hand the length of the game is really the only real grievance I have with this game.

You can get a used copy in poor quality for around €3.
A brand new is about €50, which is basically the original retail price.

Way of the Samurai

Way of the Samurai, known in Japan simply as 侍 (Samurai) is a 2002 action adventure game for the PS2.

Game cover

Admittedly it may not seem like a very good game at first, but judging it too quickly would be a mistake.
This is not, like most gamers might be used to, a linear game. And in fact, by only doing one play-through, it would appear to be extremely short, and almost completely lacking in story.

This is a perfect example of a game with a tree-branch structure to the story.
The choices you make, from the beginning of the game effects how the story develops, ending in 6 possible endings (7 if you count just leaving the village mid-game).

Also, people do things at places regardless of what you are doing, so to figure out what people do, their motivations, and who they really are, you need to play through the game multiple times, being in different places at certain times.

Main screen

The game takes place in a fictional outpost town called Rokkotsu Pass in 1878, after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the start of the Meiji reformation, during the Satsuma Rebellion.
A time when it became illegal to be a samurai, not a very good thing for the protagonist; a Ronin named Kenji, who just arrived in Rokkotsu Pass.
As such most endings are not very positive, and the one(s) that are is quite hard to achieve.
Indeed the game's back even declares "Die with Honor", and it might be the best ending to hope for.
You are of course free to do almost anything you like, including just randomly slaughtering peasants.
Your actions will of course effect how people react to you, and your rating at the end of a play-through, so doing so will most likely earn you the title of "Random Slasher", which is one of 13 possible rankings.

The first choice in the game is whether to rescue a girl being kidnapped, or ally with her kidnappers.
Of course, doing nothing is also a choice.

Kenji arrives in the middle of a power struggle between two factions of samurai, with the commoners stuck in between, suffering the consequences. This makes the premise quite familiar for anyone who's seen the classic Kurosawa movie "Yojimbo" (1961).
(For those interested the 1964 movie "A Fistful of Dollars", starring Clint Eastwood, was an almost complete rip-off (scene by scene) of Kurosawa's movie, but set at the Mexican border, during the "Wild West" era.)

The game takes place during a 2-day period, each split into: Morning, Evening, and Night.

You have a basic set of moves that are available with all weapons, consisting of a regular attack, a strong attack, a block, and a kick. There are numerous variations and combinations of the basic moves available depending on the particular sword equipped at the time. By defeating opponents or collecting special items you can also unlock special attacks and combinations specific to each weapon. There are also several different fighting stances, depending on the particular sword equipped, each of which comes with its own fighting style.

This is the only installment in the series so far that offers a versus mode for 2 players.

Each of the swords available in the game has several attributes which influence its effectiveness in battle. These attributes can be enhanced using special items found in the game, or by visiting the in game swordsmith.

Sharpness:
Attack strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage caused when an opponent is struck with the sword

Flexibility:
Defensive strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage suffered when the player is struck by an opponent

Durability:
Sword strength, increases the amount of heat the sword can generate before breaking (heat is generated by striking or blocking, and displayed using an on-screen meter)

Life:
Increases/decreases the total number of the players hit points.

Unlike games with somewhat more realistic fighting, like Bushido Blade or Kengo, both you and the enemies can take quite a lot of damage before being fatally wounded, sometimes leading to quite long fights, especially when attacked by multiple opponents.

People also react to you if you draw your sword, and might feel threatened and attack you, so it's generally a bad idea to run around with your sword drawn.

This is a rather overlooked gem of a game, for reasons explained earlier, and it can be yours for between €8-25, depending on quality.

I actually sold this game back in the day, and for way too cheap. I really regret that.