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Way of the Samurai 4

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Way of the Samurai 4
UK cover art
Developer(s)Acquire
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Keisuke Kanayama
Designer(s)Tetsushi Saito
Programmer(s)Hiroshi Marumoto
Composer(s)Noriyuki Asakura
SeriesWay of the Samurai
Platform(s)PlayStation 3
Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 3
Windows
  • WW: July 23, 2015
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Way of the Samurai 4 (侍道4, Samurai Dou 4) is a video game developed by Acquire and published by Spike for the PlayStation 3.[3] It was released in Japan on March 3, 2011.[3]

An English version was announced on January 19, 2012, by Rising Star Games. The game was released in Europe on October 5, 2012.[4] On April 4, 2012, XSEED Games published the game in the U.S. as a downloadable title on PlayStation Network with a release date of August 21, 2012.[5] Initially available only for PlayStation 3, the game was later released for Microsoft Windows by Ghostlight on July 23, 2015.[6]

Plot

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The game is set in a fictional port town called Amihama during the last days of the Shogunate. Players can create their samurai[7] and choose to align themselves with one of three factions: the pro-government forces, the anti-government rebels seeking to repel foreigners, or the British Navy stationed in the city to negotiate a peace treaty. When the negotiations between the Magistrate of Amihama and the British go wrong after a Prajna attack at the meeting point, the Tokugawa Shogunate sends one of their Tairō to quash the revolt.

The main story takes place over five days. The player character's decisions and actions shape their path.

Gameplay

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Endings, Events, and Customization
Way of the Samurai 4 is much longer than previous games, as the game has 10 endings. The game also features flexible events and cutscenes based on player decisions.[8] Events are also easier to follow compared to previous games. There are more customization options than in the last game, allowing players to choose features such as the face, hair, clothing, footwear, and accessories.

Health and Energy

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An energy meter is added in this installment. It regenerates life points (which are set at 1000) if the player is stationary or moving away in combat and depletes when the player's samurai fights or is regenerating health. Food and sleep regenerate the energy meter. There are straw blankets in set locations outside (or in) the dojo and inns around Amihama where the player pays to sleep. Any bed the player can stand on can be used to sleep and recharge energy.

Combat

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There is a wide variety of fighting styles and skills that the player can master. Swords can now be switched to any stance, and skills, once learned, are bound to the player, not the swords. Players can then assign learned skills to their own "school" of fighting.
The "push and pull" mechanics from the first and third games are kept. A new special mode is introduced, in which the samurai enters slow motion for a limited duration and can slash enemies repeatedly. After the samurai sheathes the sword, all dead enemies fall simultaneously.
"Durability points", which gradually decrease with use and eventually break weapons, have taken the place of the sword's "heat" mechanics. This forces players to visit the blacksmith regularly for repairs unless their weapons are "unbreakable".

Sword Enhancement/Creation

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Players can go to the blacksmith to enhance their weapon's attributes (attack, defense, durability), repair it, or appraise it. The player can also ask Dojima to melt a sword and then use the metal to recast another sword.
The custom sword-making system introduced in Way of the Samurai 3 also appears in the game. In addition to normal parts such as the blade, hilt, and grip, players can also add a charm that will have a special effect. Along with swords and spears, pistols and muskets have been added as weapons. Muskets are primarily used by British soldiers.

New features

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Proof of Life
The player's actions affect the game world in the next playthrough. For example, if the player has killed a lot of townspeople in the last game, there will be more guards to hunt the player.[9] There are many foreigners in the game, but unlike the previous game, the protagonist will be unable to understand what they say at the beginning (the texts will appear as "?????"). Players can convince the Shogunate to open a school to teach foreign languages, and the player will eventually be able to talk to foreigners.[9]

Night Crawling

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There is a minigame called "Yobai" where a samurai can romance an NPC by sneaking into their home at night, avoiding or knocking out family members, and pulling out the right futon to find them.[10] The NPC will offer playful resistance, and the player must try to throw them into bed. A turtle head will guide the samurai to their target. The player can practice "night crawling" with most male and female characters in the game, as long as the requirements are fulfilled.

Torture

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Once arrested for doing bad deeds, the player's character will be sent to the torture room to play minigames with the three Kinugawa sisters.[11] The tortures include riding a flaming wooden horse, being tied to a water wheel, and being pelted by huge stones. If the samurai survives the torture, the sisters will be impressed, and he can practice "night crawling" with them.

Minigames

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Besides various jobs that the samurai can get from different sources, players can earn money by fishing, working as an assassin, delivering love letters, or flirting with foreign women.[12] The samurai can also play poker at the casino and hanafuda at the gambling parlor.

Dojo

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Players can open a dojo, take on apprentices, and fend off challengers. The reputation of the dojo depends on the number of apprentices and their quality. The player can tell any of the apprentices to "follow me", and they will fight alongside him.

Crossroads Killing

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When connected to PSN, character data is automatically uploaded and transferred into other players' game worlds, where he will appear as a wandering samurai (NPC). Players can defeat him to obtain the custom sword that another player created.[13][14] This feature is called online tsujigiri.

Setting

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The game is set in the fictional port city of Amihama. The city is divided into several distinct sections. To the north, you'll find the government office. To the east, you'll discover the foreign settlements. To the south, the port and a bustling casino await. And to the west, you'll find the residential area where the local population lives.

Characters

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  • Protagonist: The main character is a nameless rōnin who just came into the town of Amihama.

Foreigners

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  • Laura Rita is the orphaned daughter of a British millionaire and a member of a ducal family. She serves as a goodwill ambassador to Japan, representing her country during a significant trade agreement. She dislikes violence and ghosts and has a sweet tooth and keeps a stash of chocolate on her desk. In the game, she becomes the central figure for both the Foreign Power and Hidden routes.
  • Count Jet Jenkins, or "JJ," is a 24-year-old count with a penchant for thrill-seeking and gambling. As Deputy Envoy to the United Kingdom, he assists Laura. Despite his flashy exterior, JJ is a skilled swordsman and marksman, even using a handgun in battle. His left arm is a prosthetic, a result of a lost bet. In his free time, JJ can often be found gambling at the local casino.
  • Melinda de Cameron is a formidable female knight and Laura's bodyguard. As the captain of the Royal Marines, she commands the "Patzkin Corps." Known as a "demon captain" for her strict discipline, Melinda is a fearsome warrior in golden armor. However, beneath her stern exterior, she is vain and appreciates male attention. In battle, she wields a British-style greatsword with exceptional skill and possesses the "Fudoshin" ability, which protects her defenses from being breached. Unlike the other main characters, Melinda can be killed at any time without affecting the story if she dies, she is replaced by a character known as the New Captain.

Magistrates

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  • Hikaru Kotobuki, Magistrate of the Amihama. He is a hot-blooded man who is hot-tempered, and for better or worse, he has a straight personality. Although a little idle, he is a good person at heart. As soon as it unfolds, it will break away from Kinugawa. His hobby is caving. It uses a compound school that can use both the middle and upper stances, and among them, the "Biguban", which accumulates qi and then releases it all at once to blow away the surroundings. It also has powerful and unmatched performance.
  • Shigeru Moro is Hikaru Kotobuki's friend and manager of customs. He is unserious and always looks sleepy, but deep down in his heart, he is always thinking about the future of the country. He aspires to incorporate cutting-edge foreign culture and technology because of his crisis with the current old shogunate, but the shogunate forces view him as an enemy as a result. He is a master of physical skills and a "handless" user who can go toe-to-toe with opponents without swords. Also, although he does not have many opportunities to show off, he has a high level of sword power. In addition, it is said that he is married from the mouth of the person himself.

Tokugawa Shogunate

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  • Onsen Kinugawa: A ruthless Daimyo and Tairo in the Shogunate, Kinugawa arrives from Edo with the mission of eradicating the Shangyi Shishi. Driven by a desire to restore the shogunate's prestige, he delights in torture and execution, particularly the gruesome method of boiling victims alive. Beyond his personal guard, the Maringumi, he commands the secret group Kurayami no Uten and employs a Kagemusha who is his exact double. Kinugawa's mastery of a unique swordsmanship style, which incorporates three stances, makes him a formidable opponent. He serves as the ultimate antagonist in the hidden route, representing the root of all evil in the narrative.
  • The Kinugawa Three Sisters: Mayu, Chika, and Yuri are the daughters of Onsen Kinugawa, known collectively as the "three cruel sisters" for their fondness of torture and execution. While they typically wear kimonos, they don special combat uniforms when engaged in battle. Each sister possesses unique fighting styles: Mayu is a skilled swordsman, Chika is a dual wielder, and Yuri specializes in spear combat.

Disciples of Prajna

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  • Reddo Akagi - Leader of the Disciples of Prajna.
  • Jinrai Kogure is Swordsman and a close friend of Akagi, the leader of the Prajna. He serves as Akagi's right-hand man. Kogure may have been inspired by the Japanese samurai Izo Okada. Izo was a Japanese samurai of the Tosa Domain and Assassination, he's also called Assasin Izo. Moro called Kogure Assasin Kogure.
  • Akemi

Downloadable content

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A Shinsengumi costume DLC pack was offered for free from March 24 to April 27, 2011. After that, it was priced $6. Players need to apply a patch before using any downloadable content.[15]

Hijikata Toshizō and Kondō Isami are among the downloadable Shinsengumi characters.

Ryoma Sakamoto pack is also available.

Dona Dona, from the original Way of the Samurai, and a grown-up version of the character Sayo from Way of the Samurai 2 are also available for download. Sayo will appear in the road and offer rice balls.

Reception

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Upon its release, the game received mixed reviews, with the PlayStation 3 version scoring 58 out of 100 on the review aggregator site Metacritic.[17] Many critics praised the story, customization options, various non-combat activities, and multiple endings.[18][19][20] However, the gameplay, bugs, and technical issues were criticized.[18][19][20][21]

The PC port received mixed to positive reviews, scoring 72 out of 100 on Metacritic.[16]

Plus version

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On January 26, 2012, Way of the Samurai 4 was repackaged, bundled with all DLCs, and re-released as "Way of the Samurai 4 Plus" (at half price). Sakamoto Ryōma is available as playable character in this version.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Way of the Samurai 4 Pushed Back". 2011-01-13. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  2. ^ Rising Star Games announces 2012 release schedule
  3. ^ a b "First Look: Way of the Samurai 4". 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  4. ^ Two New PlayStation 3 Exclusives Confirmed for Europe
  5. ^ "Way of the Samurai 4 Coming Exclusively to PS3". 4 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Way of the Samurai 4 is out today". Gamasutra. 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  7. ^ Your First Look At Way of the Samurai 4
  8. ^ Way of the Samurai 4: PS3 Exclusive
  9. ^ a b Your Actions In Way Of The Samurai 4 Affect Your Next Life
  10. ^ Way Of The Samurai 4′s Stealth Scenes Have A, Well, Different Goal
  11. ^ Way Of The Samurai 4′s Mini-Games Are Truly Torturous
  12. ^ Ways To Make A Living In Way Of The Samurai 4
  13. ^ How To Create Your Own Sword (Or Steal Another Player’s) In Way Of The Samurai 4
  14. ^ Barge Into Another Person’s Game And Kill Them In Way Of The Samurai 4
  15. ^ Way Of The Samurai 4 DLC Starts Off Free, A Month Later It’s Paid DLC
  16. ^ a b "Way of the Samurai 4". Metacritic.
  17. ^ a b "Way of the Samurai 4". Metacritic.
  18. ^ a b "Review: Way of the Samurai 4 - Hardcore Gamer". 24 August 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Way of the Samurai 4 review". 22 August 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Review: Way of the Samurai 4". 18 September 2012.
  21. ^ "Review: Way of the Samurai 4 (PC) - Digitally Downloaded". www.digitallydownloaded.net. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  22. ^ Way Of The Samurai 4 Finds Path Back To Retail With "Plus" Edition
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