The Way of the Samurai series is widely renowned for allowing players to make far-reaching decisions that can radically alter the course of the story and this, the fourth entry in this thrilling series and previously exclusive to the PS3, is no exception! Now all the sword wielding action, adventure and drama of the Way of the Samurai series comes to PC for the very first time, continuing the series’ blend of customization, exploration, action gameplay and quirky humour. Way of the Samurai 4 takes place in the humble port town of Amihama during the mid 19th Century, several years after the arrival of the “black ships” from the West ended Japan’s long history of cultural isolation. Amihama’s downtown area has slowly been converted to a “Little Britain,” complete with European-styled buildings, occupied by an influx of adventurous foreign settlers.
Not everyone welcomes these new residents though, and three distinct factions with opposing ideals begin to take shape. You must take on the role of a master-less samurai looking to establish yourself in this conflicted land of opportunity and uncertainty. It is up to you to decide which faction to support in an almighty conflict amongst the region’s three powers, and so direct the course of Japan’s history.
Will you aid the shogunate pro-government in their attempts to keep the peace and establish cordial relations with the foreign contingent? Will you help the nationalistic isolationists in their attempts to exile this potential threat to the Japanese way of life? Or will you ally with the foreigners directed by the British Navy in their attempts to establish silk trade and foster cultural exchange? Who will you support? Who will you betray? Become the ultimate bastion of virtue or the ultimate disgrace to humanity, and do it however you'd like. The choice is entirely your own….
A must-have samurai sandbox title for those who treasure player agency and reactive narrative above high-level production values. WotS 4’s absurdist videogame take on Yojimbo is surreal, funny and magnificent.
A nameless ronin sets his foot in a seaside town of Amihama, where he immediately gets entangled in the conflict between nationalistic rebels and pro-British shogunate. What happens next? Whatever you want to happen, because WotS4 gives you such freedom of choice that every adventure lasting two hours can be different. [10/2015, p.56]
Surely the WotS is not a blockbuster that will turn the lights on it, as it is mainly addressed to the so-called fans of the genre. Everyone who adores this era and loves films like Seven Samurai and Yojimbo, will surely find a warmth in this title, the rest can try it in a break from their usual preferences and live the "Eastern Western" dream.
Slightly unpolished, but a strange and enjoyable blast from Japan's (fictional) past.
This game reminds us how important is not to judge a book by its cover. Under its ugly exterior and behind the low-content veil a full-featured Samurai sandbox with sophisticated combat system is hidden. Not everyone will like it, but if you are interested in this topic, you would have hard time to find a better samurai game on PC. You just have to get over the bad script.
The amount of freedom is a huge plus point, however, this is a port, so don’t expect 60fps and amazing graphics.
An open-world samurai adventure with an interesting structure and a lot of personality that is, unfortunately, not very good.
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