Searching for Genji: Dawn of the Samurai

I happened upon Genji: Dawn of the Samurai at E3. The first thing I thought was hey, another Samurai RPG. Well, I was wrong. After playing the demo, I knew this is a big hit. Graphics that rock, game play that is spot on, and characters that have more depth than the usual 'I'm big, I smash' mentality makes this game one of the better games out this season.

When Mr. Okamoto Yoshiki decided to jump ship and start his own company, it was good for all. Well maybe not good for Capcom who would not let him make Genji in the first place. However, for fans of the samurai as well as new gamers this game is made from pure love of game play.

My first impression came while the intro ran. Genji is beautiful, well illustrated, and a style that is explicitly Okamoto Yoshiki. The game is simple and complex at the same time. Controlling any of the characters is simple and precise.Game controls are usually awkward and it takes a while to actually get the hang of any game, whereas any beginner should be able to pick the controller and play. For the more advanced players you will find that the attacks are relatively easy and yet there are more advanced attacks that will make you excited to see yet another enemy. I especially enjoy the fact that each character has a real life mentality. The smaller the character the quicker you tend to be. Yet, the larger the character the slower it moves. This gives a since of realism that many RPG games lack.

Enough with the game play on to the graphics. One word,beautiful, stunning, fanciful, and wonderfully rendered okay so maybe that is more than one word. However, the more you play the more you enchanted by the graphics you become. The little things really bring Genji to life. Things like falling leaves as you battle your enemy, moonlight that brings extreme shadows to your characters, and the vibrant colors that bring that little extra fantasy to life. From a graphic design point of view, Okamoto Yoshikireally understands the branding as well as the overall color design. I give Okamoto thumbs up on this. At the heart of this Genji you have that magical presence that RPG's areal about. The Amahagane, which is a set of ancient stones that help you along the way, helps you to bring out some of the more advanced game play. As you gather the Amahagane you can use them to harness the Kamui, a magical power from your foes. These Kamui allow you to go into a Matrix like bullet time. This can help or hinder you depending on how your reaction time is. While in the Kamui you can easily slide out of the way from on coming attacks as well as do some 'special' damage when prompted to. With the simple one button action, you should be able to master the Kamui rather quickly.

The downfall of Genji it is far to short. The story is wonderful, but the game is by far just to short. Anyone of any gamer level will beat it within one day. However, it is a game that you can play repeatedly without getting to tired of it.