Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Based on ancient Japanese lore, Muramasa: The Demon Blade plunges players into the mystical Genroku era, ruled by the skilled shogun Tsunayoshi Tokogawa.  But this culture is threatened; Tokogawa's thirst for power leads to a conflict over the enormously powerful, though cursed, Demon Blades. 

Used in hatred, drenched in blood, the cursed blades condemn those who use them to tragedy, madness and ultimately deaths.  As chaos spreads, denizens from the netherworld breach their realm as these malevolent swords summon evil spirits - and the Dragon and Demon Gods as well.  Featuring hand-drawn 2D art reflecting the heritage and tone of the storyline, Muramasa transports plauers into a little known mythology, envisioned by the creators of the critically acclaimed Odin Sphere.  Players take on the role of a male ninja or female kunoichi, utilising their ninja prowess to traverse the clever side-scrolling levels that feature vertical progression as well as the traditional horizontal stage advancement.

Features

• From the subtle movements of a character's clothes to their explosive battle animations, every detail is expertly animated by hand for amazing visuals
• Playing as a male ninja or female kunoichi, a wide variety of ninja skills are at your disposal as you progress through levels horizontally and vertically
• Gameplay transitions seamlessly from player-controlled elements to story sequences to keep the player engaged within the world
• Take a journey through a tale influenced by the lesser-told, but equally rich and mysterious, Japanese mythology

User reviews

I haven't played yet. But telling from the reviews and this saucy boxart, it's gonna be a blast.

Will edit this soon!

Erdogan44

I picked this up today. Very beautiful game, beautiful art style and music. Storyline is great and the gameplay is really easy to get into. I am not really impressed with the fighting when using the wiimote and the nun-chuck (the GC controller is my preferred option for this game), I feel this could have done a bit better and smoother, but hey!

Overall very playable, easy to pick up and enjoy. If you are into Japanese art style and a really good soundtrack then grab it now!

MarcusFenix

Muramasa is a masterpiece! It has everything gorgeous visuals, a deep and satisfying combat system, a wonderful soundtrack and an intriguing story. This title is one of the best 2d titles ever made and should find a place in every Wii owners collection, I can't recommend it highly enough!

dru192

This is a must-have game. Its graphics and music are awesome and a pleasure to your senses. I have played only for a while but I am so amazed that I have the moral obligation of recommend it.

MorPheuS

A wonderful game with amazing graphisms, I am enjoying a lot playing it. The two characters have their own story, which gives a story line very interesting.

Milenib

Following closely in the traditions of its predecessors, such as Odin Sphere and Princess Crown, Muramasa: The Demon Blade continues with much of the same formula that made those games popular and entertaining: beautiful hand drawn backgrounds and characters combined with an interweaving storyline connected to the playable characters. Also found in Muramasa is a heavy influence of Japanese folklore that permeates the game with impressive results. For fans it is easy to see after a few minutes of playing this title that Vanillaware has ‘upped its game' so to speak. So what did I think? Read on.

Muramasa's strongest point is probably its beautiful visual style. I am a sucker for hand drawn art and this game delivers in spades. The art design is in a word, phenomenal. Backgrounds are richly coloured and feature deceivingly detailed architecture that drops you right into ancient Japan. From blowing cherry blossoms, bamboo forests to imperial cities, each region really has its own personality and style. I must admit I really didn't think that the Wii was capable of this level of detail and motion. Just when you think you have seen it all the game throws something else at you, like incredible boss battles that are fantastic and monstrously huge in size while still keeping the animation smooth and fast. The little details are something to behold as well, such as the silhouettes of people in their homes or the sparks from fires blowing around the town. This game has some of the best graphics I have seen on the Wii.

Technically speaking, Muramasa runs very smoothly, with very short load times and virtually no noticeable slowdown. Granted the gameplay is so fast and furious, you may not notice the odd bit of frame rate or clipping issues.

Muramasa has a soundtrack that blends traditional Japanese orchestral music with a pinch of electronic flair. I think most gamers will like it as it lends to the gameplay so well. It does not matter if you dash across sprawling rice paddies or fly up an ancient castle wall, the music fleshes out the experience superbly. It is a treat for the ears, as is the rich and authentic classical language. The decision to use the Japanese voices fits the game very well, much like its predecessor Odin Sphere. Once again the voice work is so traditionally engrained you would almost think you were in the land of the rising sun. Finally, the game's weapons, equipment, and all other sound effects are equally impressive with most swords having their own distinct sound. It is quite gratifying to take out multiple enemies with such panache and flair and the battle sounds are part of the whole experience.

As for the gameplay, Vanillaware took inspiration from their past titles. If you are a fan of their previous games then this title will almost seem like playing a whole new game. Combat is so fast paced that early on it will seem like you do not know what you are doing; however, you will soon realize the combat engine is a simple yet well designed system of stunning enemies in the air and chaining combos with visual timing. Initially boss battles will seem overwhelming, but with the right items and mastery of combat they are brought down to size easily and effectively. The ability to equip three blades simultaneously might seem overkill at first, but since enemies are able to break your weapons you are going to need backups. Often you will be faced with up to 30 enemies attacking at once and your sword will break more often than not which will force you to switch to the next one very quickly. Much of the game is based on this mechanic of switching swords, which is a benefit to you because each sword has its own hidden technique which you will figure out as you progress.

With the ability to use the Wii Remote, Classic Controller, or GameCube Controller, you have some variety that suits a plethora of gaming styles. That being said you cannot customize the button inputs. This is particularly annoying because the game lacks a dedicated jump button as you have to press up and use the control stick to navigate platforms in the air. You should get used to it, but it is far from ideal. In addition, there is no regulating your movement speed, it is either stand still or run at full speed. Practice will come in handy here, and the frustration level will also ramp up considerably as you learn the nuances, but in the end you should get the hang of it.

One thing some people might have a hard time with is the size of the game. Muramasa is a free roaming game, meaning that after you complete an area, like in a Metroid type of title, you must travel back through it to get to a different area if you are directed to do so. The downfall here is having to go through the same area over and over again. Unfortunately you will have to do this more than a few times throughout the game. The benefit though is added experience from more battling, thus gaining more HP to level up your character. The resulting actions also open up more areas of the game allowing you to cross into areas where you could not previously access. This in turn keeps the game from being truly free roaming until close to the end of the game. One good point is that after completing the main story you have the ability to warp to different provinces via save stations.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is dying breed given its roots are in the realm of 2D side scrolling and the lush and rich visuals are lost in the polygon markets of most videogames we play today. The game is an amazing visual feast with some excellent gameplay which most gamers should at least try as if they don't them may be passing on having a chance to experience something truly great. If is wasn't for its repetitiveness this game would have gotten 5 stars however, the game is still highly recommended with 4 stars.

Pochama014