I swear, there was just this obsession with Japanese voice directors or something with Saturday morning cartoon voices.. like it wasn't just that they didn't know what they were doing, they wanted it! It's a lot of those guys that do that voice like they could do good voices they could do good acting.. It was chosen! And if I can never hear that voice again.. it'll be too soon. Those are dark times, these are dark times don't get me wrong because they don't make games like this anymore.. was it worth the trade? Was it a trade we made? Who knows.. God knows I guess. He's probably already cringed off the screen.
One of the ending in 3rd game stuck with me to this day. The one where you get close with the villagers, change their minds about you by resolving a situation without violence sacrificing your honor in the process, and later sacrificing your life for a girl you barely knew. The villagers then made a shrine making you their guardian deity, worshipped through generations. It wasn't as epic and climactic as the main story, you didn't get the girl, the villain is still out there and you basically die to him, but there's something special about this ending. Like it wasn't a story, but a myth, a parable told by the village elders to their kids
I became a myth/parable as well as the Demon of Amano. It was the first time I unalived every NPC in a game and it acknowledged me for it. I imagined Fujimori having some heroic dialogue about slaying me since I left him for last. One of the best RPG's out there immersion wise.
@@Salamander676 Absolutely, Way of The Samurai is a pretty "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of series, down to having "lol you died, start over" choices.
Fun fact but in way of the samurai 3, attacking the peasants at the very start is the most adequate reaction given the time period, in sengoku era peasants would often come to the battlefields in order to loot the bodies, those looters were infamous for finishing off any injured or left behind soldiers to get more loot, it's just your character being cautious and playing it safe
ive been praising these games for SOOO many years. I feel like they never got the recognition they deserve for their game design. its so unique, replayable, and narratively satisfying.
One thing I enjoyed about Way of the Samurai 3 was how it didn't rush you through the story. COuld take jobs, rest, practise and explore without worrying about how many days you have left. The ability to just bow out of a scene you didn't want to trigger was a great addition, and I liked the fact pulling your sword actually didn't always lead to combat but could lead to other dialogue or paths. Also enjoyed the cameo of Zaji the Hawk from Shinibido, as that game and Way of the Samurai were my go to games when I got home from school.
>Cool game ive never heard of >Straight forward and informative review > No annoying zoomer loud noise edits Its sad that these are rare traits for a modern video game review but im glad I found this channel
Yeah this series is niche enough to me,not many people will talk about it,even the youngster i meet didnt know or want to delve into the series despite ive been recommending them to tries atleast one title
@@Zero_Tester that’s sad I really miss the days of the ps2 era it feels like today all we have is triple a or Indy games and these kinds of games were somewhere in the middle
Way of the Samurai is a special series of my childhood. The late nights of just exploring the many branching outcomes and refusing to look them up on the internet. The heartbreak of accidentally breaking your favorite sword you've carried over from other playthroughs. The memorable characters. Dojima! Don Donatelouse! Those sketchy cats! Beautiful memories. I still go back to the Way of the Samurai games at times. Truly a hidden gem of gaming history.
It boggles my mind that we don’t have hundreds more games of this style. A samurai rpg (or adventure with rpg elements) we saw the response ghost of Tsushima got, and now the new Ass creed is gonna be in Japan (but I’m leery of it) I started learning unreal engine a few years ago because I want more samurai rpg/ adventure games, and I hope to make one or be part of a team that wants to make the same thing
@@Jaguarsclaw no I have not, as I don’t have a PS5, but rise of the ronin is the reason I want a ps5 lol. My buddy has it and he loves it. That and ghost of Tsushima 2 if it doesn’t come out on ps4
You would Think after Games like Red dead you would have more westerns or more Pirate games after Black Flag. I would love an open world Acient Rome RPG AC Odyssey in Greece is the closest but I was thinking more along the lines of games like Kingdom come and RDR2 which really feel like living worlds.
Even the wandering music you have in the background is giving me a nostalgia attack. That 1st entry was the perfect game to play while watching Rurouni Kenshin back in its day.
Way of the Samurai is the game I completed the most times and truly such a unique experience I think it's worth forever owning a PS2 for . It feels so alive , it is such a joy to explore and see how a characters death or a slight intervention can have significant downstream effects. When I got the best ending it was after several dozen runs and was truly an absolute joy of an accomplishment. . I never got to play the second one and didn't have great feelings for the 3rd but the first Way of the Samurai is everything I've ever wanted in a Samurai game and a game I've " completed" 70 times and oculd happily complete 70 more. .
WotS 3 has such a special place in my heart. It's such a jank and fun mess that doesn't look like you should take it seriously, but after a couple runs I started to care for most of its cast and really wanted to dig into their stories.
I was obsessed with WoS1 as a kid. It was the only game similar to Shenmue, which is one of my favorite games ever. Both games also have such a deep and satisfying combat system. The later WoS games kind of drop the ball on the combat side.
I love WOTS 3 a lot, also my favorite game in the series. I love the story, the countryside setting, the OST, the characters, the spooky nights where the streets are empty except dogs, drunkards, crazy murderers and ghosts, the story's twist and turns, the cathartic true ending... I love it all. Same as you I didn't vibe with WOTS4. Too comedic, and the moment I realize you can't kill any of the named character in the early part of the story, I was like "This sucks." Though still I hope there will be a new entry someday. Great video!
I played the first game because of this video and am convinced it is a masterpiece and have since gotten the rest of the games can't wait to get to the 4th
Eyy I’m so glad you gave it a go. This series is a gem, even if I don’t love 2 and 4, I hope you do. They’re all worth a shot and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the first game
The first Way of the Samurai was the only game I know that implemented the concept of time in a semi-openworld game. You can't participate in every events in the world. You make choices and miss out of very important events that might have changed alot of things. The first Way of the Samurai is still one of my favorite games of all time. It is the first game that taught me about choice in life that can change outcomes drastically.
You just unlocked some core memories for me, I remember playing these as a kid on the PS2. All I remember from Tenchu is the scary tigers, and I had no idea there was so much replayability in WotS. Never played the later games, but I would love to see a re-release or something.
4th comment here. Dude i thought you're like a super famous youtuber here. Your production quality is really great, and so is your editing. I watched this with a bowl of Miso. Totally warmed throughout the video. Not too boxy and restrictive but relaxing and wanderign like the Tenchu.
I played the first when i was a kid and have spent the last 20 years trying to remember and find the game! Thank you so much! Im so excited to find an emulation to replay this gem.
I remember one cool thing that you can experience in Way of Samurai 3 which is an encounter and fight against Zaji, a ninja character from another AQUIRE game (Shinobido: Way of the ninja). I can't remember the details but it was a very cool moment and a nice touch. Very great video :)
I've spent so many countless hours playing these games. I remember going to my local movie rental shop to grab a copy of this when I was young and was hooked ever since. As someone who loves sword fighting games, it's always a blast to play. The only thing that was difficult sometimes was figuring out what exactly you needed to do to get a different ending. Collecting all the different weapons requires you to do certain routes and it's easy to default choosing something that locks you out of other routes. Killing the Sakura clan's leader for the 1,000 Yen daily allowance and the ridiculously powerful sword is always too tempting as an example. I'd love to see you do a let's play of any of these.
I remember first stumbling on way of the samurai 3 years and years ago and playing it on my shitty laptop at the time. It was unlike other games I've played and hooked me like crazy until I got fed up with it 😂. Seeing this show up in my recommend and being reminded of the series really makes me wanna replay 3 and play through the others. And for that you got my thanks.
I'm really happy to see that there's lots of other people who played and still remember it, while watching your vid, I remember when I played it on PSP and PS2, and later on PS3, I'm that kind of guy that gets a bit emotive by simply hearing the classic songs in the video haha. Also thanks for showing Katana Kami, never even heard about it, and definitely will going to buy that along with 3 and 4. And also I remember grinding for the best stats for the perfect "Kubirabasara" in 2, was so locked on it that I even had a dream with the game haha, so much fond memories.
I own the first entry for PS2 and gave it a few tries. The freedom overwhelmed me. On the first few tries, I never located the safe room to save my game, so if I died, I had to start all over again. If for whatever reason I killed any thug, the guards would be on me everytime. I never got far, even if it was 2-3 hours long. But I want to get back to it eventually. I had no idea even the first encounter had that many outcomes! Surely a unique saga.
i'm very glad to see that someone has made this video. through the years i've used this as a really good example of branching narrative dynamics that allows player to proceed along some of the branches or entirely pass by without participation as the world turns.
Wow! I'm glad to know there is another video explanation about the Way of the Samurai series. As for the series itself, I really like the environment and story in WotS 1.
What a GEM. Way of the Samurai 2, one of the first games I picked up for my PS2 back in the day. This game was released only in english, french and german here in europe. Being spanish I had to improve my english to understand what was happening and discover the different endings. To this day I still mention it. This and Gothic 2 are the games that helped me become proficient in english when I was a teenager.
Way of the Samurai 3 also got an updated re-release called Way of the Samurai 3 Plus but sadly its Japan only. They really added a ton of more stuff to unlock, you can even get more 4 more companions like Itsuse which is neat.
im 28 now, this game is my childhood, i played soooooooo much as a kid. i just hope they make a new way of the samurai game, it would be a dream come true
hell yea, someone finally giving a shout out to way of the samurai!! if your into these Aquire styled short but meant to be played sandbox games, I also Highly recommend the akibas trip games (also made by Aquire) as well as Kenka Bancho (sadly only the 3rd game badass rumble got an eng localization but its still worth a playthrough or 5)
Awesome break down on Way of the Samurai bro! I played the life out of these games growing up. Especially the first entry. I remember my cousin would come over for some vs mode battles. It was a blast at the time, and still today! Keep the content rolling in man
I remember renting the first game from Blockbuster and wondering why the credits appeared so quickly. Took me a few hours to realize how many different ways I could play it lol.
I need to thank you SO MUCH for this! Short backstory: I was a great fan of the Tenchu games at the time. Then, all of a sudden, I just didn't follow them up and even though that there were no more tenchu-like games, specially from the same producer. It's so great to see that I was so wrong until now! So, I', definitely giving these games a chance, thanks to you and your video. Thanks a lot, really really thanks!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the Way of the Samurai series. You could also check out Way of the Thief and Samurai Western which are the same developers.
I loved that game especially 3. It was hilarious and kinda scary at times but every choice made you discover new things. The combat could be unforgiving but damn I loved learning new styles.
It's kind of sad that one of my favorite series growing up with, as a later millennial, took the next generation to get anyone to talk about it besides me.😅 I played these games as they came out, at least in america, and revisited them several times throughout my late teenage and early twenties. And every time I'm blown away with just the amount of versatility, customization, exploration, that can come out of a simple premise. 'let the players have as much freedom as possible'. Not to mention no other game got the whole wandering ronin aesthetic down, whether it's from the warring States era type ronin(think blade of The stranger) in the earlier games, or the black powder era-esque ronin in the later game(think samurai champloo but with more guns and cannons), then way of the samurai. PLEASE BRING IT BACK. YOU GOT THIS OLD LOSER BEGGING. 😂
I played the first Way of the Samurai game religiously back in the day. I spent countless hours getting all the swords and doing every scenario. Until one day, my friend Mike stayed the night at my house and broke both of my maxed out swords, that I used to play hard mode with, while I was sleeping. I pretty much quit the game after that. Over 20 years later I still bitch at Mike for breaking my swords.
Awesome video. I love how it covered so much while being straight to the point. 4 has been sitting in my steam library untouched for years, but after watching this I might start with 1 lol
The best thing about Way of the Samurai 4 was that styles and techniques were independent from the sword, like in the first three games, to perform a certain style with certain moves you had to use a sword that used that style, but in #4, you could switch between styles no matter which sword you used. Other than that, #3 is the best one.
11:24 This is actually a reference to a very particular thing that used to happen in certain eras of japan. The preferred way of testing sword quality was with human bodies, often corpses but living people was considered better. Particularly unsavory individuals among nobility or samurai who just acquired a new sword would, if lacking access to corpses or condemned prisoners, go out wandering at night wearing face concealing headwear looking for alone people to murder just to test the sword. I can't remember the particular name for this practice.
@@HarbingerOfMorningWood Shenmue is way better than way of the samurai plot wise. Stop the bullshit. The first and second aged but still are engaging. The third is ass but the way of the samurai are genuinely ass from 1st to 4th lmao
Ive never heard of this series before, and your rundown of each was truly excellent! I really want to go and explore each one, with faults and successes, and see all they have to offer! Unique games such as these are rare to find since they take a lot of work to make and carry a ton of risk for the developers, so it’s beautiful to see that so many of them came out! Thank you for sharing them with us! Time to go play them!
Damn, this video is making me wanna replay the whole series again. WotS is such an underrated series. I remember finding the first game for PS2 and having such a comfy time, feeling like I found a gem. Really a shame the series died.
I rented the first game ages ago and really liked it! Im gonna have to find a way to play it again! Thanks for reminding me of a game I had completely forgotten!
I'd be thrilled if they came out with another one. I remember playing The Way of the Samurai 3 back in the day, and it blowing my mind. I'm definitely gonna have to start a playthrough again. It's been a long while.
One thing I use to describe these games is that your weapon _is_ a player character and your avatar is just holding it. You level up by repeatedly going to the smithy and spending to make your weapon (character) more potent and unbreakable.
I loved the first one. I was young when it came out and I remember after playing it several times, I went to play it one day and when I turned it on, I seen a multi-player mode and couldn't believe it. I had no idea how I had gotten it but it was my favorite part of the game once I unlocked it.
I'm so glad to finally see people talking about these amazing games. I've wanted them to get the same boost in interest the Yakuza series got a few years back.
With no familiarity with the series, I bought Way of the Samurai 3 the day it released in the US. The game took a little while to click, for me, since the story beats are revealed through "inklings," interactions with characters in a particular place. But these are helpfully called out on the map, unlike in Dead Rising, to which the game often compared with its branching story and multiple playthroughs. And I was hooked after the first ending I unlocked, where you become a bandit king. I just got back into it on Steam, after 15 years, and got pulled in again. Great video, thanks for spreading the word on this series.
The way the options affect the first game, is one of the most in-depth systems ever implemented yet. It’s so deep, it really set the bar for me as a kid for what games could be.
Helpful addition: Samurai Western is not a sequel obviously, but it's deserves a shout out in the adjacent WotS games. It's a game that seems to exist in that universe. The theme music for WotS literally plays in the music with the final boss. (Also, WotS 3 is the best IMO)
Only thing I hated about 3 were those damn night thieves! Dudes’ gave me PTSD so bad, every time I entered an area, I was jumping & sprinting till I was sure the coast was clear. Great video & please keep it up🤙🏽
Thanks for such an interesting and useful review, I already want to try part 3. I used to try 4, but I wasn't carried away by it and now I understand why.
Great to see more people talking about way of the samurai! I’ve never found another game series quite like it. I’ve only played 3 and 4, but I agree in preferring the 3rd
Way of the Samurai was the first ps2 game I ever got to fully play, I was 13 and it blew my mind. Just walking around and watching the world exist no matter what you do was mind blowing.
Finally someone talked about Way Of Samurai,as longtime fan of the series,i would say the branching storyline from all the choices system(from goofy,epic and sad type of ending,especially some in WOTS 2),great battle system is the defining factor of what make this game so fun to me,alongside it amazing replayablity value. I hope this series would make a return near future,with more faction and sides to choose,hella missed this kind of game nowadays.
I've never even heard of these games, shame on me. But this video made me want to play part 3 so bad... I wish there was a remake or something. Anyways, great video man!
Small correction! There is 14 endings in Way of the Samurai 2, not 10. There are multiple versions of different endings.
I swear, there was just this obsession with Japanese voice directors or something with Saturday morning cartoon voices.. like it wasn't just that they didn't know what they were doing, they wanted it! It's a lot of those guys that do that voice like they could do good voices they could do good acting.. It was chosen! And if I can never hear that voice again.. it'll be too soon. Those are dark times, these are dark times don't get me wrong because they don't make games like this anymore.. was it worth the trade? Was it a trade we made? Who knows.. God knows I guess. He's probably already cringed off the screen.
@@JackWse what... the fuck
schizophrenia @@no-oneyou-know1558
@@no-oneyou-know1558 I mean...he is right? Kinda?
One of the ending in 3rd game stuck with me to this day. The one where you get close with the villagers, change their minds about you by resolving a situation without violence sacrificing your honor in the process, and later sacrificing your life for a girl you barely knew. The villagers then made a shrine making you their guardian deity, worshipped through generations. It wasn't as epic and climactic as the main story, you didn't get the girl, the villain is still out there and you basically die to him, but there's something special about this ending. Like it wasn't a story, but a myth, a parable told by the village elders to their kids
I became a myth/parable as well as the Demon of Amano. It was the first time I unalived every NPC in a game and it acknowledged me for it. I imagined Fujimori having some heroic dialogue about slaying me since I left him for last. One of the best RPG's out there immersion wise.
I always sold the villager ❤
@@alexanerose4820that's so cool! So you can choose to be either the hero or the villain?!
You are the myth and legend ❤️
@@Salamander676
Absolutely, Way of The Samurai is a pretty "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of series, down to having "lol you died, start over" choices.
Fun fact but in way of the samurai 3, attacking the peasants at the very start is the most adequate reaction given the time period, in sengoku era peasants would often come to the battlefields in order to loot the bodies, those looters were infamous for finishing off any injured or left behind soldiers to get more loot, it's just your character being cautious and playing it safe
That’s a good point, haha
All i dream of is a new way of the samurai 😢
It'll disappoint you.
We kinda have that already, with Yakuza/Like a Dragon: Ishin, Ghost of Tsushima and Rise of the Ronin
@@TooToo246 except none of those are anything like Way of the samurai
@YourSaddestDeer Ishin is the closest one but it doesn't scratch the imsim itch that way of the samurai does
@@TooToo246 all of those games are not the same as way of the samurai
ive been praising these games for SOOO many years. I feel like they never got the recognition they deserve for their game design. its so unique, replayable, and narratively satisfying.
One thing I enjoyed about Way of the Samurai 3 was how it didn't rush you through the story. COuld take jobs, rest, practise and explore without worrying about how many days you have left. The ability to just bow out of a scene you didn't want to trigger was a great addition, and I liked the fact pulling your sword actually didn't always lead to combat but could lead to other dialogue or paths.
Also enjoyed the cameo of Zaji the Hawk from Shinibido, as that game and Way of the Samurai were my go to games when I got home from school.
Man i gotta get my hand on the 3rd one. I have only played the 4th one and hated its time limit.
>Cool game ive never heard of
>Straight forward and informative review
> No annoying zoomer loud noise edits
Its sad that these are rare traits for a modern video game review but im glad I found this channel
Didn't hear one *bwoooom* 0/10 vid.
ok Boomer
I’m honestly just happy to see I wasn’t the only person that played these games
There are dozens of us. I still remember trying to save the resturant and getting my ass kicked lol
Yeah this series is niche enough to me,not many people will talk about it,even the youngster i meet didnt know or want to delve into the series despite ive been recommending them to tries atleast one title
@@raogzero1842 I was just so surprised to see this pop up on my recommended feed I have never met someone in person that played these games
@@Zero_Tester that’s sad I really miss the days of the ps2 era it feels like today all we have is triple a or Indy games and these kinds of games were somewhere in the middle
I played anything with samurai in it.
Love Way of the Samurai. Wish we could have more games with a focus on a small but detailed world and player freedom.
This is my dream game to be honest. If I got to make one.
Try Yakuza 0
Try Gothic 1
@@haekalsz4062
Yakuza is a linearly focused game with non-interactable cutscenes, what the heck are you talking about?
Well, there is Alpha Protocol, it fulfills the player freedom desire in terms of choice. A detailed world? Not as much
Way of the Samurai is a special series of my childhood.
The late nights of just exploring the many branching outcomes and refusing to look them up on the internet.
The heartbreak of accidentally breaking your favorite sword you've carried over from other playthroughs.
The memorable characters. Dojima! Don Donatelouse! Those sketchy cats!
Beautiful memories.
I still go back to the Way of the Samurai games at times. Truly a hidden gem of gaming history.
Pulling out the sword feels like someone watched The Office episode where Michael constantly pulls out a gun every improv session.
Bro: "Cool sword, unsheathe it."
Me: "No, are you crazy? We're in town."
It boggles my mind that we don’t have hundreds more games of this style. A samurai rpg (or adventure with rpg elements) we saw the response ghost of Tsushima got, and now the new Ass creed is gonna be in Japan (but I’m leery of it) I started learning unreal engine a few years ago because I want more samurai rpg/ adventure games, and I hope to make one or be part of a team that wants to make the same thing
Have you played rise of the ronin it’s pretty good the combat system is great
@@Jaguarsclaw no I have not, as I don’t have a PS5, but rise of the ronin is the reason I want a ps5 lol. My buddy has it and he loves it. That and ghost of Tsushima 2 if it doesn’t come out on ps4
Have you tried skyrim with sex mods
@@caralho5237 I couldnt get em to work lol so if ya have a tutorial I'd greatly appreciate it
You would Think after Games like Red dead you would have more westerns or more Pirate games after Black Flag. I would love an open world Acient Rome RPG AC Odyssey in Greece is the closest but I was thinking more along the lines of games like Kingdom come and RDR2 which really feel like living worlds.
Even the wandering music you have in the background is giving me a nostalgia attack. That 1st entry was the perfect game to play while watching Rurouni Kenshin back in its day.
One of my favorite and only games as a kid. This series does not get talked about enough. The vibes of the first game were just so good.
Vibes?
@@AlanMichaelJackson Common word thrown around when one isn't able to explain something in a convincing manner.
This game was peak
@@Steak818 no, vibes is a great word to describe the feelings this game brings. Don't be a condescending prick.
@@AlanMichaelJackson”vibes” means it felt nice. Like how you feel vibrations.
Way of the Samurai is the game I completed the most times and truly such a unique experience I think it's worth forever owning a PS2 for . It feels so alive , it is such a joy to explore and see how a characters death or a slight intervention can have significant downstream effects. When I got the best ending it was after several dozen runs and was truly an absolute joy of an accomplishment. .
I never got to play the second one and didn't have great feelings for the 3rd but the first Way of the Samurai is everything I've ever wanted in a Samurai game and a game I've " completed" 70 times and oculd happily complete 70 more. .
Its those games that youll forever remember as "wayyyyyy ahead of its time"
The first game was a large chunk of my high school life. Fond memories, for sure.
Oh man, Way of the Samurai 3's one of my all time favorite games. So happy to see a series retrospective in my feed! Subscribed
WotS 3 has such a special place in my heart.
It's such a jank and fun mess that doesn't look like you should take it seriously, but after a couple runs I started to care for most of its cast and really wanted to dig into their stories.
i only just discovered the series like two or three months ago thanks to a gameranx video, but they are fantastic games
I love that game also wish I got all the ending
I was obsessed with WoS1 as a kid. It was the only game similar to Shenmue, which is one of my favorite games ever. Both games also have such a deep and satisfying combat system. The later WoS games kind of drop the ball on the combat side.
My first WoS is 2,the little mute girl storyline was the one make me engrossed with the story
How did you feel about Shenmue 3 after the long wait?
I love WOTS 3 a lot, also my favorite game in the series. I love the story, the countryside setting, the OST, the characters, the spooky nights where the streets are empty except dogs, drunkards, crazy murderers and ghosts, the story's twist and turns, the cathartic true ending... I love it all.
Same as you I didn't vibe with WOTS4. Too comedic, and the moment I realize you can't kill any of the named character in the early part of the story, I was like "This sucks." Though still I hope there will be a new entry someday.
Great video!
I liked the one with the little girl you save and protect.
@@cheshire_skatkat9093
So 2?
@@CatBxtchNami yeah it is. Looked it up.
@@CatBxtchNami yes
I played the first game because of this video and am convinced it is a masterpiece and have since gotten the rest of the games can't wait to get to the 4th
Eyy I’m so glad you gave it a go. This series is a gem, even if I don’t love 2 and 4, I hope you do. They’re all worth a shot and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the first game
The first Way of the Samurai was the only game I know that implemented the concept of time in a semi-openworld game. You can't participate in every events in the world. You make choices and miss out of very important events that might have changed alot of things. The first Way of the Samurai is still one of my favorite games of all time. It is the first game that taught me about choice in life that can change outcomes drastically.
I'd argue Brave Fencer Musashi on the ps1 did it first. Still one of the all time favorite games from my childhood.
@@RainxYue
They're talking about their own experiences though so unless you're close I dunno if that's true.
Still a good game though, no doubt.
You just unlocked some core memories for me, I remember playing these as a kid on the PS2. All I remember from Tenchu is the scary tigers, and I had no idea there was so much replayability in WotS. Never played the later games, but I would love to see a re-release or something.
I absolutely loved playing Way of the Samurai 1 & 2. So many hours, so many swords and so many endings. Great games. Thank you for this video.
Ps congrats on the response you got from this video!! That is also a sign that we want more samurai games!
Seeing more Way of the Samurai videos makes me really happy.
Love your style. Subbed
thanks for bringing these games to my attention, subbed
just realised this was recommended during the 40th anniversery and thus a sale, very nice
4th comment here.
Dude i thought you're like a super famous youtuber here. Your production quality is really great, and so is your editing. I watched this with a bowl of Miso. Totally warmed throughout the video. Not too boxy and restrictive but relaxing and wanderign like the Tenchu.
This made me double check the sub count, crazy they have less than 1k subs. For sure giving him a sub
I played the first when i was a kid and have spent the last 20 years trying to remember and find the game! Thank you so much! Im so excited to find an emulation to replay this gem.
Eyy I’m glad to hear I helped you rediscover this series!
I remember one cool thing that you can experience in Way of Samurai 3 which is an encounter and fight against Zaji, a ninja character from another AQUIRE game (Shinobido: Way of the ninja). I can't remember the details but it was a very cool moment and a nice touch. Very great video :)
I've spent so many countless hours playing these games. I remember going to my local movie rental shop to grab a copy of this when I was young and was hooked ever since. As someone who loves sword fighting games, it's always a blast to play.
The only thing that was difficult sometimes was figuring out what exactly you needed to do to get a different ending. Collecting all the different weapons requires you to do certain routes and it's easy to default choosing something that locks you out of other routes. Killing the Sakura clan's leader for the 1,000 Yen daily allowance and the ridiculously powerful sword is always too tempting as an example.
I'd love to see you do a let's play of any of these.
exactly calming and intense plus wholsome ambiente for its technical limitation
this game is so well done
I played this game so religiously and thoroughly when I had it. Thanks for reintroducing it to the world.
I loved this game. The branching story paths/ choices were so unexpected.
Never thought I would see a video essay about this franchise. You are doing God's work! Ty
I remember first stumbling on way of the samurai 3 years and years ago and playing it on my shitty laptop at the time. It was unlike other games I've played and hooked me like crazy until I got fed up with it 😂.
Seeing this show up in my recommend and being reminded of the series really makes me wanna replay 3 and play through the others.
And for that you got my thanks.
I'm really happy to see that there's lots of other people who played and still remember it, while watching your vid, I remember when I played it on PSP and PS2, and later on PS3, I'm that kind of guy that gets a bit emotive by simply hearing the classic songs in the video haha. Also thanks for showing Katana Kami, never even heard about it, and definitely will going to buy that along with 3 and 4.
And also I remember grinding for the best stats for the perfect "Kubirabasara" in 2, was so locked on it that I even had a dream with the game haha, so much fond memories.
I own the first entry for PS2 and gave it a few tries. The freedom overwhelmed me. On the first few tries, I never located the safe room to save my game, so if I died, I had to start all over again. If for whatever reason I killed any thug, the guards would be on me everytime. I never got far, even if it was 2-3 hours long. But I want to get back to it eventually. I had no idea even the first encounter had that many outcomes! Surely a unique saga.
i'm very glad to see that someone has made this video. through the years i've used this as a really good example of branching narrative dynamics that allows player to proceed along some of the branches or entirely pass by without participation as the world turns.
Wow! I'm glad to know there is another video explanation about the Way of the Samurai series. As for the series itself, I really like the environment and story in WotS 1.
The only youtuber I know that's keeping WOTS alive!
We Way of the Samurai fans need to stick together and demand 5!
I loved this franchise as a kid, glad to see someone taking the time to talk about it.
What a GEM. Way of the Samurai 2, one of the first games I picked up for my PS2 back in the day. This game was released only in english, french and german here in europe. Being spanish I had to improve my english to understand what was happening and discover the different endings. To this day I still mention it. This and Gothic 2 are the games that helped me become proficient in english when I was a teenager.
This is one of my favorite game series of all time thank you for doing a video on it. It was good. Way of the samurai 3 was my first
Way of the Samurai 3 also got an updated re-release called Way of the Samurai 3 Plus but sadly its Japan only. They really added a ton of more stuff to unlock, you can even get more 4 more companions like Itsuse which is neat.
im 28 now, this game is my childhood, i played soooooooo much as a kid. i just hope they make a new way of the samurai game, it would be a dream come true
hell yea, someone finally giving a shout out to way of the samurai!! if your into these Aquire styled short but meant to be played sandbox games, I also Highly recommend the akibas trip games (also made by Aquire) as well as Kenka Bancho (sadly only the 3rd game badass rumble got an eng localization but its still worth a playthrough or 5)
You helped me a lot with this video. Thank you so much. Really
Ey nice, my first super thanks haha
Was playing rise of the ronin and was reminded of the way of the samurai games
Awesome break down on Way of the Samurai bro! I played the life out of these games growing up. Especially the first entry. I remember my cousin would come over for some vs mode battles. It was a blast at the time, and still today! Keep the content rolling in man
That's awesome to hear, and I really appreciate the comment!
I remember renting the first game from Blockbuster and wondering why the credits appeared so quickly. Took me a few hours to realize how many different ways I could play it lol.
I need to thank you SO MUCH for this! Short backstory: I was a great fan of the Tenchu games at the time. Then, all of a sudden, I just didn't follow them up and even though that there were no more tenchu-like games, specially from the same producer. It's so great to see that I was so wrong until now! So, I', definitely giving these games a chance, thanks to you and your video. Thanks a lot, really really thanks!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the Way of the Samurai series. You could also check out Way of the Thief and Samurai Western which are the same developers.
Wow. That first scene really blew me away with how open it is.
I loved that game especially 3. It was hilarious and kinda scary at times but every choice made you discover new things. The combat could be unforgiving but damn I loved learning new styles.
It's kind of sad that one of my favorite series growing up with, as a later millennial, took the next generation to get anyone to talk about it besides me.😅
I played these games as they came out, at least in america, and revisited them several times throughout my late teenage and early twenties.
And every time I'm blown away with just the amount of versatility, customization, exploration, that can come out of a simple premise.
'let the players have as much freedom as possible'.
Not to mention no other game got the whole wandering ronin aesthetic down, whether it's from the warring States era type ronin(think blade of The stranger) in the earlier games, or the black powder era-esque ronin in the later game(think samurai champloo but with more guns and cannons), then way of the samurai.
PLEASE BRING IT BACK. YOU GOT THIS OLD LOSER BEGGING. 😂
I’m glad to help share the word of this series, a few have been telling me they checked it out too
Finally, someone talks about this amazing franchise, and actually sits down to analyze it.
I played the first Way of the Samurai game religiously back in the day. I spent countless hours getting all the swords and doing every scenario. Until one day, my friend Mike stayed the night at my house and broke both of my maxed out swords, that I used to play hard mode with, while I was sleeping. I pretty much quit the game after that. Over 20 years later I still bitch at Mike for breaking my swords.
This video got me to try 1 and 3 and I can't belive I never heard of this series until now! I love it!
Oh man that soundtrack brings back memories
Awesome video. I love how it covered so much while being straight to the point.
4 has been sitting in my steam library untouched for years, but after watching this I might start with 1 lol
the first game is one of my all time fav games
finally, someone on youtube giving this insane series some love
The best thing about Way of the Samurai 4 was that styles and techniques were independent from the sword, like in the first three games, to perform a certain style with certain moves you had to use a sword that used that style, but in #4, you could switch between styles no matter which sword you used. Other than that, #3 is the best one.
I was feeling weird and bad for comino to this game every time I can because they're all very unique. Glad to this video showing up
I stoppedthe video at the 1:28 mark and went to go get it!~!
Awesome, I hope you enjoy it, it's such a cool game
Was it because of Yasuk- I mean the black samurai Donatello from Ninja Turtles?
I've played the first two games so many times I cannot count. I love this franchise so much, I really hope it makes a comeback someday!
11:24 This is actually a reference to a very particular thing that used to happen in certain eras of japan. The preferred way of testing sword quality was with human bodies, often corpses but living people was considered better. Particularly unsavory individuals among nobility or samurai who just acquired a new sword would, if lacking access to corpses or condemned prisoners, go out wandering at night wearing face concealing headwear looking for alone people to murder just to test the sword. I can't remember the particular name for this practice.
Loved the older games, haven't played the newer ones but I want to. Thanks for the nostalgia hit!
It’s like a cross between Kingdom Come Deliverance and Shenmue.
Those games have actually good plots. Way of the samurai is way too goofy
@@hennyspiderman9974KCD is goofy as hell😭
@@hennyspiderman9974 I can tell you’ve never played shenmue or haven’t played it in years because you think it’s good
@@HarbingerOfMorningWood Shenmue is way better than way of the samurai plot wise. Stop the bullshit. The first and second aged but still are engaging. The third is ass but the way of the samurai are genuinely ass from 1st to 4th lmao
at times but the Quest with Johanka is amazing and really hits hard.
Ive never heard of this series before, and your rundown of each was truly excellent! I really want to go and explore each one, with faults and successes, and see all they have to offer! Unique games such as these are rare to find since they take a lot of work to make and carry a ton of risk for the developers, so it’s beautiful to see that so many of them came out! Thank you for sharing them with us! Time to go play them!
Damn, this video is making me wanna replay the whole series again. WotS is such an underrated series. I remember finding the first game for PS2 and having such a comfy time, feeling like I found a gem. Really a shame the series died.
I rented the first game ages ago and really liked it! Im gonna have to find a way to play it again! Thanks for reminding me of a game I had completely forgotten!
Wow, I can't believe you just ate the future legacy of that poor old save man. 😤
deserved
I'd be thrilled if they came out with another one. I remember playing The Way of the Samurai 3 back in the day, and it blowing my mind. I'm definitely gonna have to start a playthrough again. It's been a long while.
Imagine rd2 but samurai 👀
👀
And character customization 👀
One thing I use to describe these games is that your weapon _is_ a player character and your avatar is just holding it. You level up by repeatedly going to the smithy and spending to make your weapon (character) more potent and unbreakable.
Loved these games. 1 and 3 are the best. 4 was too goofy and stupid. I had no idea 4 was popular. I think it's the worst.
Thanks mate, now I definitely know what I'm going to play again! 💪😎 These games are really awesome. Fingers crossed they make a new one.
play this instead of that trash Ubisoft is coming out with
Are you capable of enjoying things without complaining?
@@Rad-Dude63andathird Complaining is enjoyment
@@Salvo_Your_Problems
Liking your own comments doesn't make you throwing words together actually mean anything.
@@Rad-Dude63andathird Watch me do it again
a black gay samurai 🤣
I loved the first one. I was young when it came out and I remember after playing it several times, I went to play it one day and when I turned it on, I seen a multi-player mode and couldn't believe it. I had no idea how I had gotten it but it was my favorite part of the game once I unlocked it.
I'm so glad to finally see people talking about these amazing games. I've wanted them to get the same boost in interest the Yakuza series got a few years back.
Man that soundtrack was made from the heart… rip to the great underrated games
With no familiarity with the series, I bought Way of the Samurai 3 the day it released in the US. The game took a little while to click, for me, since the story beats are revealed through "inklings," interactions with characters in a particular place. But these are helpfully called out on the map, unlike in Dead Rising, to which the game often compared with its branching story and multiple playthroughs. And I was hooked after the first ending I unlocked, where you become a bandit king. I just got back into it on Steam, after 15 years, and got pulled in again. Great video, thanks for spreading the word on this series.
The way the options affect the first game, is one of the most in-depth systems ever implemented yet. It’s so deep, it really set the bar for me as a kid for what games could be.
One of my favorite games of all time. Probably top 3, definitely top 5. Thanks for the nostalgia!
Helpful addition: Samurai Western is not a sequel obviously, but it's deserves a shout out in the adjacent WotS games. It's a game that seems to exist in that universe. The theme music for WotS literally plays in the music with the final boss. (Also, WotS 3 is the best IMO)
I’m stoked to see that someone is talking about this game.
This got randomly recommended to me and now I know what I'll play next.
Only thing I hated about 3 were those damn night thieves! Dudes’ gave me PTSD so bad, every time I entered an area, I was jumping & sprinting till I was sure the coast was clear. Great video & please keep it up🤙🏽
I'm glad I found someone who loved this game as much as I did.
Glad I found this video. I played the second game loads but couldn't remember what it was called anymore
Thanks for such an interesting and useful review, I already want to try part 3. I used to try 4, but I wasn't carried away by it and now I understand why.
Great to see more people talking about way of the samurai! I’ve never found another game series quite like it. I’ve only played 3 and 4, but I agree in preferring the 3rd
Way of the Samurai was the first ps2 game I ever got to fully play, I was 13 and it blew my mind. Just walking around and watching the world exist no matter what you do was mind blowing.
I loved the combat system and expansive story choices you could make in these games. I had a lot of fun playing the trilogy and collecting swords.
Finally someone talked about Way Of Samurai,as longtime fan of the series,i would say the branching storyline from all the choices system(from goofy,epic and sad type of ending,especially some in WOTS 2),great battle system is the defining factor of what make this game so fun to me,alongside it amazing replayablity value.
I hope this series would make a return near future,with more faction and sides to choose,hella missed this kind of game nowadays.
I played all four of these games religiously from childhood til I was a teen. Such a good series.
Love Tenchu: Stealth Assassins and Shinobido and my kids love the Way of the Samurai series. I never go into it because of work.
Way of the samurai ran so that Yakuza could walk.
I loved this series and I want it to come back.
I've never even heard of these games, shame on me. But this video made me want to play part 3 so bad... I wish there was a remake or something. Anyways, great video man!