Way of the Samurai 2

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Way of the Samurai 2
Developer(s)	Acquire
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date	July 07, 2004 (North America)
Genre(s)	Adventure
Mode(s)	Single player (main game)
Rating(s)	ESRB: M (Mature)
Media	1 DVD
Input methods	Controller

For the samurai code of conduct, see Bushido.

Way of the Samurai 2 is a PlayStation 2 action-adventure game released in 2004.

The game is a sequel to Way of the Samurai, however despite similarities in gameplay and style the events and characters in each game are unrelated.

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Combat 1.2 Swords 1.3 Enhancements 2 Groups in Amahara 3 Major and minor characters 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Gameplay

The story of the "Way of The Samurai 2" does not pick up where the original game left off. Instead, it covers events many years before the events of the original "Way of The Samurai". The player starts as a hungry ronin who collapsed at the gate of a famous trading island-city called Amahara. Soon thereafter, a little girl shares her riceball with the ronin, giving him (or her, depending on your choice) energy. A choice appears, introducing the player to the diverse life of a samurai.

[edit] Combat

Keeping true to the name, the combat systems from the original Way of the Samurai are carried over, albeit with some changes. Amongst them are the inclusion of "stance-breaker" attacks on nearly every weapon (which were previously available only to a select few of swords), simplified guard/parry system, and "instant kill" techniques. Also, many new combos have been added.

[edit] Swords

Many swords have been added from the previous game. Some special swords from the previous Way of The Samurai are even available throughout the game. Way of The Samurai 2 added two more stances, "Fencing" stance in which the swordsman keep the sword sheathed until it is required to attack, and "Two Hands" stance, in which the player is able to hold two swords at once. Also, there are new weapons installed such as handclaws, and even odachi and bokken.

[edit] Enhancements

Dojima from the previous game also makes an appearance, though not relating to the main plotline. Here he still serves as a blacksmith to enhance the player's swords. The stats, however, are simplified:

• Attack: Attack strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage caused when an opponent is struck with the sword

• Defense: Defensive strength, increases/decreases the amount of damage suffered when the player is struck by an opponent

• Durability: Sword strength, increases the amount of tension the sword can generate before breaking (tension is generated by striking or blocking, and displayed using an on-screen meter)

• Quality: The number of upgrades left that can be performed.

Also, the "Appraise" feature is able to make the swords upgraded more powerful. Their effects include addition to attack, defense, durability, tension resistance, or a combination of the above. These, however, requires certain conditions to be met, such as number of kills, attack power, etc. Some special swords are able to be appraised based on their name.

[edit] Groups in Amahara

Like its predecessor, there are multiple sides in the seemingly peaceful Amahara.

The first is the Magistrates who "control Amahara with an iron fist". Headed by Chief Kuroha, the alert and vigilant magistrates arrest anyone they think breaks the law; even the villagers themselves. They do not hesitate to use forged evidence or inventing ludicrous reasons either. This oppressive rule made them feared by the townspeople.

The second is the Aoto Gang. Under the leadership of the "Old Boss" in the past, Aoto Gang is a group that upheld chivalry, protecting the people from the exploits of the magistrates. All changed when he died. The elections for the new leader hadn't been made yet, but a powerful warrior named Hanzaemon stepped in and filled the void, much to the dismay of the previous boss's daughter Kasumi. Now they are a ravaging group of thugs, doing all sorts of crimes from extortion to assassination.

The third group is the townspeople itself. Centered around the immense brothel of Amakaze, the townspeople's livelihood was very much depended on the brothel and the resulting trade that occurs around the vicinity. While they lacked specific forces, they do possess a meager amount of cash large enough to occasionally hire ronins or warriors to solve their problems. However, given the situation, they might not have that many days before they fell into the hands of the Magistrate, the Aoto Gang, or worse...

...into the hands of the Shogunate. Amahara is an island trading post who is allowed to govern its own affairs. However, the Shogunate have been taking a high interest in the area. Rumor has it that their spies have safely made their way in, blending with the crowd, and are watching every single movement within Amahara.

[edit] Major and minor characters

Apart from the return of Dojima the swordsmith, characters with strong resemblances to the game's prequel are seen within the game. Tsuhobachi bears resemblance to the fighting child Kotsubo, Chelsea as Nami and Tesshin Kurou as a martial arts instructor named Tessho.

At the start of the game, the characters default name is Mifune, a possible reference to Toshiro Mifune.

• Sayo - Sayo is Maikaze's errand-girl. She is the first person that the player meets when starting the game. She offers the player food at the start. Voiced by Asuka Tanii

• Aoto Three - Members of the Aoto Gang who take pleasure in extortion. They all look the same, but have different weapons. Their leader seems to be Ichikichi, followed by Santa and Nihei, the dumb one. Sometimes, they can be seen walking around town at different places in a pack. Killing them may ruin the storyline. Voiced by Taido Kusuyama

• Chiyo - Chiyo is Dr. Genan's friendly assistant. In reality though, her real name is Oboro and she is a spy working for the Shogunate. Voiced by Yuki Hamano

• Danpachi - A citizen of Amakaze, a man who somewhat looks after Sayo. Danpachi is a kind man who does only the best for Amahara. He is a skilled fighter and somewhat of a playboy. He is married and has two children. Voiced by Hiromichi Kogami

• Kagenuma Kyojiro - Crazy, yet the strongest member of the Aoto Gang, she likes violence and blood very much. Even though she serves Hanzaemon, she values bloody fights more than anything, meaning she would leave him any time if someone could provide her that. She hates it when she is called as Okyo. A girl from Numata-cho loves her along with a thug but it seems like she has feelings for the player, though it isn't clear if she is actually sexually attracted to him or carries a twisted thirst for his blood. Voiced by Akiko Koike

• Takanuma Hanzaemon - The current leader of the Aoto Gang, he is determined to take over Amahara at any cost. Voiced by Toshitaka Shimizu

• Yasuno Kuremon - A corrupt magistrate actually working for the Aoto Gang, he is quite mischievous and serves as a lapdog for Hanzaemon. Voiced by Masayuki Kato

• Kasumi - The daughter of the former boss of the Aoto Gang, she tries to do whatever to save the town from their terror. Voiced by Masako Inui

• Kusaburo - A painfully shy medicine peddler, who roams around in town. In reality though, along with Chiyo, he is a Shogunate spy helping out Beniya with his plans. Voiced by Satoru Tsugawa

• Muto Goshiro - A true follower of the Chief Magistrate Kuroha. Will maintain law and order in Amahara at any cost. Voiced by Toshiaki Kuwahara

• Nakamura Sosuke - Perhaps the most powerful magistrate in town, Sosuke has a very strange appearance, wears make up and talks in an effeminate voice. Certain characters in the story hint that he is a homosexual. Voiced by Masakazu Suzuki

• Chief Kuroha - The head Magistrate, who strives to bring peace and order to Amahara. Voiced by Naomi Kusumi

• Nami - Nami is the lover of Yasuno and is a courtesan working at the Amakaze Inn. She has blond hair and fights using a naginata. Voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro

• Dr. Genan - The town's doctor, he actually grows the drug Soma that has the Magistrates so worked up. Later, Goshiro finds this out and kills him. Voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka

• Beniya Kakube - An undercover merchant working for the Shogun Government. At the end of the game, if you had decided not to follow any of the other storylines, you are either forced by him to assassinate Hanzaemon or leave Amahara. Voiced by Takahiro Yoshino

• Maikaze - The most popular geisha of Amakaze who owns Sayo. Despite being strict, she is a very kind and helpful person. Voiced by Takako Kodama

• Kotsubo - A boy fixing matches for people at the shrine. It's quite likely that he is actually Tsubohachi, given that his name can be read as 'little Tsubo'. Voiced by Soichiro Shibata

• Otomi - Kasumi's friend who is targeted by the Aoto Gang because she owes them money. She suffers from Soma's side effects and shows signs of withdrawal. Voiced by Hikari Yono

• Nishino - A ronin that is targeted by the Aoto Gang because he owes them money. He escapes after fighting the player. Voiced by Naoki Bando

• Dojima - The town's blacksmith, located in Numata-cho. He does not actually play a role in the storyline as he did in the first WOTS. Voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka

• Master Tessho - The town's dojo master. Voiced by Yosuke Akimoto

[edit] See also

• Way of the Samurai 3

[edit] References

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