Bushido Blade

Bushido Blade is an unusual fighting game, the action of which takes place in the modern Japan. The game focuses on realism and allows fighting with the use of several different types of weapons. The game was released exclusively on the PlayStation console. It was developed by the Light Weight studio.

Plot

The plot of Bushido Blade tells the story of a conflict in the Meikyokan dojo, the cause of which is the cursed sword Yugiri. The player takes on the role of a warrior who has escaped from the Kage, an assassin organization that is part of the aforementioned dojo and whose leader is under the influence of the evil blade. His trail is followed by several others and the fugitive must fight to escape with his life.

Mechanics

Bushido Blade is a fighting game, in which the action is observed from the side-scroll perspective (theoretically FPP mode is also available, but it is more of a curiosity). Controlling his character on the vast 3D arena, the player tries to defeat his opponent by deriving various types of attacks and combinations. It's worth mentioning that the arena is divided into many smaller locations and we can not only walk on it, but also run, jump and climb. There are several warriors available with different fighting styles. We also have the opportunity to choose different types of weapons.

Unlike other games in this genre, in Bushido Blade we won't find the classic health bars, which decrease after receiving wounds. Instead, the creators decided to focus on realism - a duel can end even with a single well-aimed attack, and those that are not lethal often result in serious wounds making further combat difficult (the game implements a complex system of injuries related to body parts).

Dodging and parrying blows therefore play a key role. It's also important to get into the right position so you can hit a gap in your opponent's defence. There are three stances to choose from - high, neutral and low - and many of the attacks can only be performed if your weapon is properly positioned.

In the story campaign, gameplay is further enhanced by the Bushido Code mechanic, which makes certain behaviours (such as attacking in the back or blinding an enemy by throwing sand in their eyes) considered dishonourable. If the player resorts to this too often, they will not be able to complete the scenario.

Game modes

In Bushido Blade we can play both solo and with another person. We have a story campaign, a local multiplayer mode and the Survival mode, which is all about eliminating enemies one by one, until we loose.

Technical aspects

Bushido Blade has a quite outdated 3D graphic design (even on the day of release, the graphics were not impressive). The game features a charming soundtrack with flutes and violins, which refers to the atmosphere of feudal Japan.