Genji: Dawn of the Samurai
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| Genji | |
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| Developer(s) | Game Republic |
| Publisher(s) | SCE |
| Release date(s) | September 20, 2005 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | Third-person action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Genji: Dawn of the Samurai (released as Genji in Europe) is a PlayStation 2 game released on September 20, 2005. It is loosely based on The Tale of the Heike. A sequel, Genji: Days of the Blade was released for PlayStation 3.
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[edit] Storyline
The story follows the adventures of Minamoto Yoshitsune as he descends from his mountain retreat and eventually embraces a quest to defeat the Taira clan, thereby avenging his father. Early in his journey, he meets the Tamayori clan who are the guardians of the Amahagane – stones of power that allow select individuals to release magical powers known as kamui.
[edit] Gameplay
Gameplay is third-person combat, similar to what is found in the Dynasty Warriors series (produced by Koei). The player controls Yoshitsune or Benkei, and both characters are equipped with two basic attacks: Normal and Special.
Yoshitsune is your archetypical fast and agile warrior, making up in speed what he lacks in strength. He is able to jump on small platforms (which, if jumped on by Benkei, would collapse). He wields two swords, and can also use his sword to 'hang' onto a ledge before jumping again, allowing him a double jump of sorts.
Benkei is more powerful but slower character, with greater range than Yoshitsune. He uses a large war club,[1] which can also be used to destroy certain structures and heavy doors in the game.
There are two ways to improve your character: By levelling up normally through defeating foes, or by using Essences of Amagahane to level up certain stats. Both methods are independent of each other. Normal experience can be gained by defeating enemies - the more enemies defeated in a row and the more strikes scored, the higher the experience. Benkei and Yohitsune share this experience total. Amagahane experience is increased by using three Essences of Amahagane to increase a stat (either health, attack, or defense). This level is independent for both characters.
[edit] Kamui
Yoshitsune and Benkei both have a number of kamui bars under their health bar. The number of kamui bars a character has depends on the number of Amahagane collected in the game. While in battle, the character's kamui bar will build up and the player can release this stored power for devastating attacks which slowly evolve as the story progresses. While in this state, time slows down allowing the player to enter what is essentially a "critical counter hit" mode where each correctly timed button press will defeat a standard foe with relative ease. A player can also use kamui while already in kamui mode. This enhanced kamui causes enemies to move even slower than a single kamui.
Note that in normal battle, the counter hits that happen in kamui mode can also happen. The scren turns negative for a moment, and the character scores a critical hit. However, this is quite rare out of kamui since timing the button press would be beyond the range of normal human reaction.
[edit] Genji and Heishi
The word Genji is a reference to the Minamoto and is an alternative reading of the kanji. Equally, Heishi (or Heike) is reference to the Taira and an alternative reading.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Minamoto Yoshitsune
The hero of the story, Yoshitsune is the youngest son of the late Minamoto Yoshitomo who was defeated and killed by Taira Kiyomori during the Heiji Rebellion. Never knowing about his father's death, He has spent a lonely childhood at the remote mountain shrine of Mt. Kurama. After one day being attacked by members of the Heishi Clan, who were seeking possession of his Amahagane, sixteen year-old Yoshitsune follows a mysterious warrior down the mountain to find his destiny.
[edit] Musashibo Benkei
A giant warrior monk who was loyal to the Minamoto clan and now roams the land, fighting against the Taira in the hopes of one day serving the Minamoto again.
[edit] Minamoto Yoritomo
Older brother to Yoshitsune who is the current leader of the Minamoto. He plans to restore the clan and defeat the Taira.
[edit] Hogen Kiichi
Leader of the Tayamori clan and guardian of the Amahagane. He helps to rescue Yoshitsune and teaches him about his kamui powers.
[edit] Historical and literary references
The storyline of the game follows roughly the third section of the Tale of the Heike which deals with Yoshitsune’s rise against the Taira clan while the character’s early life is based off information from the Gikeiki. Many of the characters in the game also appear in the Tale of the Heike.
The game’s storyline and time period corresponds with the Genpei War where the Minamoto and Taira clans fought for dominance. The Minamoto won and established the Kamakura shogunate ushering in the Kamakura period. This is considered the beginning of the samurai and hence the reference in the title.
[edit] References
- ^ Benkei uses his super human strangth to pulverize his enemies with a giant war club that is taller and heavier then most full-grown men, Genji: Dawn of Samurai Users Manual.
