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Genji: Days of the Blade

EMAIL PRINTps3

5.8 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 46 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 16 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Developer: Game Republic - SCEJ

Genre(s): Third-Person Action, Adventure

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: November 17, 2006

Summary

Based on the PS2 game "Genji," and set three years after the last chapter of Genkuro Yoshitsune's life, this sequel continues to expand on the historical accounts of feudal Japan. By doing so, the game unveils beautiful next generation visuals and sword slashing gameplay as an exclusively developed title for PS3. In gameplay, Genji 2 is presented as a "traditional" action/adventure gaming experience and features more than double the amount of gameplay than its predecessor. Gameplay includes more diverse levels of fighting, and more playable characters - all underlying an epic tale of a warrior's honor that promises to deliver a genuine next-generation experience. Features over 15 hours of gameplay continuing the story of Yoshitsune and based on the historical battle between the Genji Clan and the Heishi Clan. Swap between Four Playable Characters, At Any time – Take advantage of each of the four characters' unique fighting style or unleash devastating team-based fighting combos by interchanging characters between attacks. Gracefully articulated swordplay captured by Mitsuhiko Seike, Japan's finest sword fighter, provides the heart and soul of intense authentic action. Lead Yoshitsune and his men against hundreds of warriors, as you strive to reach, and defeat, the enemy warlord in epic battle sequences based on Japanese history. [SCEA]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Genji: Dawn of the Samurai

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats

Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview(s) Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

PGNx Media

The gameplay in Genji isn’t superb but it’s fairly satisfying. It isn’t the most memorable game available, but you will have fun for the 10 hours or so that the game lasts.

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VGPub

Many people won’t bother getting far enough into the game to appreciate the visuals, but if you give it a chance there’s a good game here. The camera problems unfortunately keep it from being great, but it’s a welcome diversion from the FPS and sports titles that have flooded the PS3 launch.

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Da Gameboyz

A good showcase of the PS3’s graphical ability but the controls felt too rushed and made very little use of the new features of the SIXAXIS controller.

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DailyGame

Although flawed and derivative, Genji: Days of the Blade still manages to offer a bit of enjoyment for those willing to seek it out.

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Just RPG

Even though it is a beautiful game, the actual gameplay is somewhat hampered by repetitive combat, a difficult camera, and lack of exploration.

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GamingExcellence

Despite all the flaws in Genji, it is still a rather enjoyable game. The environments and characters look amazing, but looks don’t necessarily translate into a great action title.

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GamePro

Graphically, it's almost there but the gameplay felt like something I'd seen from multiple PS2 games in the past.

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Gaming Target

It’s twice as beautiful as the PS2 version and twice as long with twice as many characters, too. Sadly, its near-perfect presentation tanks because of awful camera angles and poor controller mechanics, both choppy and unsuitable for an action game like this.

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Kombo

Next-gen looks that plays like a last-gen title.

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GameSpot

While this action adventure game flexes a bit of the PlayStation 3's graphical muscle with its mythical Japanese scenery, its rather shallow, derivative gameplay makes it difficult to recommend.

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Play.tm

At times, you'll be fighting enemies who are off-screen behind the camera - or worse again, trying to clear jumps and obstacles you can't even see.

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AceGamez

If only the developers had fixed that camera. If only they had thought harder about the puzzles. But they didn't and that leaves Genji as a disappointing experience overall.

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Pure Magazine UK

Looks beautiful but plays like a prawn cracker riding a motorbike. [Mar 2007, p.61]

Playstation Official Magazine UK

Boss battles are fun, but overall it feels like hard work. [Apr 2007, p.110]

GameZone

The visceral experience is everything we would want from a 1080p title but this does not truly make up for the lack of innovation in the way the game plays out. There is much of been there-done that feel to the game.

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Game Informer

All the beautiful graphics in the world can’t save a game as badly designed as Genji. Unless you’re looking for nothing more than a pretty face, stay well away from this mediocre-at-best effort.

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Games Radar (in-house)

When stacked against some of the PS3's other launch titles, Genji certainly looks impressive, but it almost feels more like a polished tech demo than a robust hack-and-slasher.

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1UP

This lack of ambition keeps Genji from achieving any enduring success...it'll suffice for launch-time thrills, but likely won't linger long in your mind.

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Eurogamer

As it is, Genji is undercooked. It's not terrible, but it's not good enough to rise above the baggage of ridicule hanging over its shoulder.

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IGN

Beneath the gleaming surface lies an old heart that’s just about had it. Days of the Blade gets half the formula right. Sadly, it’s the wrong half. In the end, fans of the original should take a look, but anyone looking for a true next-generation action title will need to wait.

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Play Magazine

Genji is best played, and possibly enjoyed with patience, in chunks. [Jan. 2007, p.72]

PSM Magazine

It's still fun in bursts, but there's very little here that hasn't already been done on the PS2. [Jan. 2007, p.84]

PSM3 Magazine UK

It's slick and it's fast, and when the fighting flows you can almost forget about the flaws. But really, it's just another game where you run from one area to another, clearing room after room of enemies and, graphics apart, it never truly surprises or impresses. [Jan 2007, p.78]

PSW Magazine UK

Genji looks great, and bodes well for what PS3 will be able to do, but as a game it feels like a technical demo.

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GameTrailers

The lack of camera control is a travesty, especially since the right analog stick’s defensive dodges are redundant with the Sixaxis controller’s tilting functions.

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GameBrink

A launch title in every sense of the phrase and you should steer clear of it. You might want to rent it just to see how it looks and impress your non-techie friends but other than that there’s no reason to put down $59.99 for this clunker. [JPN Import]

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Games Master UK

Not a total abomination, but certainly one of the weaker PS3 launch titles. Avoid. [Apr 2007, p.64]

PSX Extreme

There is definitely a lot of potential behind the series, but Genji is far too broken to be enjoyable. The gameplay lacks flow and fluidity, and begs for Devil May Cry-like speed. Moreover the combat is clunky and just isn't fun.

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TotalPlayStation

Little more than an illusion; it looks pretty, but you can't peek at what's beyond the view you're given, and that view will happily allow someone to stick a katana in your eyeball.

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ZTGameDomain

The combat gets repetitive too fast and there just isn’t enough here to really immerse the player into the game. The biggest problem with this game is that you have seen it before a million times and on most occasions it was done bigger and better.

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Cheat Code Central

Genji: Days of the Blade may have passed for a launch-title on the Playstation 2 in terms of gameplay, but on the Playstation 3 it is bland, repetitive and asinine.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Finally, the vague puzzles and unhelpful map also had me questioning whether this was next-gen. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

Edge Magazine

It's certainly got strong production in its favour, but needs better direction - what's been gained in grunt and intensity has been lost in terms of poise and refinement, resulting in an uncomfortable middle ground between truly outrageous action and the disciplined choreography of the original. [Jan 2007, p.74]

DarkStation

A hack and slash game should have been a decent choice for a newly launched console, but this one is made nearly unplayable by its frustrating camera system and shallow gameplay.

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Gaming Age

It has some really nice HD visuals and a keen sense of style, but some fairly typical current-gen gameplay and game design annoyances to go along with them. It's overall a very average launch game.

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Yahoo! Games

As much as we're sometimes awestruck by Genji's eye candy, we're more frequently struck dumb by how unwieldy the camera is. Isn't this the next generation? Wasn't the irritation of being attacked from off-screen and being unable to control your perspective distinctly last-gen?

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GameDaily

Stunning visuals, a lush soundtrack and interesting, semi-historical storyline get lost in a lackluster game experience riddled with annoying camera angles, repetitive hack-and-slash action, confusing missions and load times that should never be seen on a next-generation gaming system.

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VideoGamer

A solid hack 'n' slash adventure let down by poor level design and a bad camera system.

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Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

As a PS2 game, Days of the Blade might have been good. But this is next-gen country, where the expectations are high. [Jan. 2007, p.74]

Game Revolution

While pretty as a picture, Genji has only managed to strike my wallet for massive damage. My advice is to switch away from buying Genji, and get your giant crab with some garlic butter instead.

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GameSpy

Make no mistake about it: It truly feels as though the camera in this game hates you and wants you to die. Enemies attack from off-camera. Players can't see what's around the corner. And God forbid there's an important jump that needs to be made.

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G4 TV

A beautiful but deeply flawed game whose mediocrity is all the more frustrating when you consider that gameplay could have been vastly improved with a few simple fixes. With a controllable camera or targeting system, the game would easily transition hateful to average.

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Gamestyle

Fabulous graphics can only do so much damage limitation in the face of so many fundamental design flaws.

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PALGN

Despite the fact it looks rather pretty, Genji: Days of the Blade is a poor effort that does just about everything worse than its predecessor.

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Play UK

The worst thing about Genji: Days of hte Blade is that it doesn't just feel like a dated Playstation 3 game, it feels like a dated PS2 game also. [Issue 148, p.64]

games(TM)

An archaic combat engine, pitiful level design, a crushingly dull and unnecessary story and level of galling frustration that reaches and often surpasses even Stuntman for sheer annoyance all add up to the one PS3 launch game nobody should consider for even a second. [Feb 2007, p.122]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 5.8 (out of 10) based on 16 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Thomas M. gave it a6:
I really wanted to like this game, I mean I REALLY wanted to like it, but the developers make you crawl through the dirt before you can even remotely start to like it. The Camera angle is absolutely horrible, it craps out on you in the most precious of times which are of course boss battles. Most of the time you find yourself hitting into the camera just swinging away and the only thing guiding you is your minimap/radar which is still pretty useless as it only tracks movements and attacks it seems. What I did like about Genji, is the beautiful graphics and being a launch title, extremely impressive graphics show casing the PS3, the dodge system is impressive (rotating R3 to perform dodges). Long story short, your not missing much if you choose to avoid this title, other than crabs.

Mark K. gave it a6:
Quiet dated for a PS3 game. So dated it may as wel have been on PS2. The terrible camera Still, if you get a good handle on the combat you may enjoy this 12th centuary Japanese slasher.

Ian I. gave it a6:
You REALLY need to fight hard to like this game. Its sad because under the horrible controls, camera system and mini map the combat is actualy quite fun. Slapping the analog stick to quickly dart out of the way of an incoming atack and then flipping backwards to attack an enemy behind you in mid air is extremely fun. Unfortunately...very rarely do you see a player behind you or an enemy about to strike because the camera system is in my opinion the worst I have EVER seen on any game on any platform. The game has other minor glitches and could use a quick save and mission log feature as the instructions given on screen are not always the best. How can a company poor soo much money into the graphical side of a game and then never play it to see what problems hide good game under the surface. I'm tempted to score this a 0 because of how horribly they messed up a game that was good underneath...but it seems everyone did score it low so I will say there are some enjoyable aspects here...its actually quite fun if you can take the camera system in stride.

Erich S. gave it an8:
I am a fairly demanding gamer and own all the major systems except a Wii (can't find one). I have to say that the reviewers got this one wrong. This is a great game, especially if you like the Devil May Cry series. The graphics are stunning (I'm not sure the 8800GTX in my PC could equal this game) and the game play is incredibly fun. Buy it -- you'll be amazed I think.

Rez A. gave it a9:
I will be honest, the camera angles may not be the best but thats one thing I like about it. Even on normal its challenging, which I like. Tthe visuals are amazing and I personally find gameplay not bad. The story and graphics already have me, so what if the camera angles aren't that great.

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Genji: Days of the Blade

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