Way of the Samurai 4

The most open ended series on the planet returns. You are free to carve your own path, make allies and disrupt or keep the peace. It can be confusing and slow at times, but leaving your story is great fun.

Way of the Samurai 4 is an "acquired" taste (pun intended), and tends to demand that players give a little to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, most players won't, once again dooming it to the ghetto of niche interests and "quirky" Japanese titles. Those willing to stick with the game, however, will find a unique, rewarding experience that to date, can't be found anywhere else.

Way of the Samurai 4 is plain simple fun, but it is still fun!

Definitely not for everyone. Unlike the original title, this one is not for the general public, but for those who just want to relive the experiences from past games. Stuck in the same old mechanics, Way of the Samurai 4 won't give you what you expect from a game released this year.

All in all, Way of the Samurai 4 is a decent game that some players will enjoy.

If you crave a slice of nudge-nudge, chop-chop weirdness, it's a curio shop worth visiting. [Dec 2012, p.105]

Way of the Samurai 4 places a lone samurai straight into the conflict between the local Shogunate, a British trade attaché and a local extremist faction near the end of the Edo era. Through five very busy days, the fate of a small town may be decided. What could have been an interesting period piece falls a bit short due to shallow combat, a reliance on repetition and relatively low production values.

Structurally, this is a really clever game. To get the most out of this remarkably liberal samurai-playground, though, you should be willing to make some compromises when it comes to the stiff and stuttering fighting engine and the colorful, but somewhat ancient-looking graphics.

Even with receding quality in the series over the years in mind I was looking forward to this game. But just like the 19th century became a cultural breaking test for Japan, this becomes a breaking test for even the hardest advocate of samurais in an open world.

Way of the Samurai 4 targets medieval Japan lovers, for sure, with a adventure in a classic and major era for this country. But it's too short, combats lack dynamism, and its production values are below average. It's still a satisfying adventure thanks to the various choices and consequences available.

We love that Way of the Samurai 4 is batshit insane, and about as Japanese as a toilet that sings and shoots rainbows. Even still, that quirkiness quickly gives way to seriously rough edges. Clunky, repetitive combat isn't helped by comically bad animations, and when the visuals aren't bland, they're shredded to pieces by screen tearing. [November 2012, p78]

Strange and funny, complex and disturbing, Way of The Samurai 4 is an interesting take on the genre, but it features silly situations and a poor combat system.

Way of the Samurai 4 isn't the prettiest package, but for those with a taste for weirdness and a measure of patience, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

It never pretends to be a serious game, and though it might be a little too pricey for dumb entertainment, it does provide some fluffy sandbox fun. [Oct 2012, p.85]

An involving, evolving story and effective customizability just aren't quite enough to save a game marred by annoying graphical issues and uninspiring gameplay.

Genuinely bizarre and often-comedic situations generated charm, but Way of the Samurai 4's dated visuals, control difficulties, and stiff combat makes it needlessly frustrating.

For those that can look past the issues, the game can open up into a decent hack and slash with fair amount of depth; you just have to invest the time to get there.

But if you find yourself hungering for a new experience, I think Way of the Samurai 4 can certainly fill a bit of that need. Just be prepared for a little lack of refinement along the way.

In Way of Samurai 4, players will find the gameplay elements that made the second episode so successful, but with a new sensation of liberty. If the story had clearly some potential, Acquire couldn't drop some of their bad habits linked to Tenchu, proposing an adventure full of bugs that unfortunately hides major ideas and a good atmosphere. Two positive points, followed by a realistic gameplay experience with sabre, that yet won't be enough to forget its main flaws.

With the freedom of an open world combined with inconsistent tone, it's very hard to tell just what the development team at ACQUIRE Corp was aiming for. While the story has branching paths, none were especially engrossing or entertaining, and the repetitive combat quickly took its toll.

Acquire's joyously unusual samurai series, totally unmade by some seriously questionable gameplay tweaks. [Jan 2013, p.76]

Way of the Samurai 4 is the perfect mirror of the modern Japanese videogame industry. Good, old ideas are still cool enough to entertain, but the clumsy and dated technical side can prevent people from buying the game.

Presentation and plot charms aside, the most glaring issue with Way of the Samurai 4 is that despite the number of activities, exploration, and new wrinkles to the formula, it's an anachronistic experience.