Hardcore Gaming 101: Samurai Shodown

Table of Contents

Page 1 - Introduction / Character Bios
Page 2 - Samurai Shodown
Page 3 - Samurai Shodown II & III
Page 4 - Samurai Shodown IV & V
Page 5 - Samurai Shodown V Special & Tenkaichi
Page 6 - Samurai Shodown 64 I & II (Arcade)
Page 7 - Samurai Shodown Warriors Rage (PSOne)
Page 8 - Samurai Shodown! (NGP) & Samurai Spirits RPG
Page 9 - Anime & Assorted Info

Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage / Kenkyaku Ibunroku - Yomigaerishi Soukou no Yaiba - Samurai Spirits Shinshou - Playstation (1998)

American Cover

Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage

Samurai Shodow's third and final foray into the third dimension is titled Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage and was exclusively released for Sony's Playstation console in 1999. Due to weird region-naming issues, it was originally released in Japan as Samurai Shodown Warriors Rage 2, following the naming convention of its predecessor, Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage. (The 64 is omitted due to the game not running on the Hyper Neo Geo 64 system like the previous two titles.) The full Japanese title is "Kenkyaku Ibunroku - Yomigaerishi Soukou no Yaiba - Samurai Spirits Shinshou", which roughly translates to "Story of the Swordsman - The Revived Blue Crimson Blade - Samurai Spirits - A New Age." Developed around the same period that SNK was porting titles like Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition to the PSOne, they decided to create a completely new 3D Samurai Shodown title for the home audence. The product we received turned out to be worse than anyone could have thought possible.

Chronologically, Samurai Shodown Warriors Rage is the final installment, occuring in 1810 (about twenty years after the original series). The character roster is almost entirely changed, and only two characters from the previous titles remain: the aging Haohmaru and a younger relative of Hattori Hanzo. Both have lost many of their signature attacks from earlier games. Nakoruru and Rimururu make appearances as well, but only as spirits. The story revolves around how the age of the sword is coming to a close, and the aspirations of a faction called the Razor Trio located on a criminal island called Ritenkyo. There's nothing wrong with the story, really -- there's quite a bit of dialogue in between fights which correlate to your character. But the new cast just feels so generic and flat.
Much like the Warriors Rage arcade game, this installment is strictly regulated to the x and y-axes, save for a sidestep maneuver that briefly moves the character into the background. The battle system shares several functions with its brethren, such as the Rage Gauge and Rage Explosion. The control and feel are also similar to the last two games -- and all similarities end there. The system is almost entirely combo based, the input system has been changed entirely to format the Playstation controller (two buttons for slashes, one for kicks, one for the dodge function mentioned above, and another to activate the Rage Explosion technique).
The input for special attacks and maneuvers is, at best, floaty and unresponsive. The quarter circles we've been performing for years come out easily enough, but most others seem to only activate at their conspicuous fancy. A dragon punch maneuver is already tricky; this input system makes it nauseating. Many characters have combo-based movelists (perhaps to make up for the shoddy input system), but it's unnecessarily complicated for an SS game. The computer opponents don't even bother with special attacks or combos, and just hit you with regular slashes since the combos aren't even that damaging.
There's also a new life meter system. It's separated into three decreasing "intervals" and there's a short break in the action every time one is depleted. After the second is gone, the attacking character will taunt the opponent. I think maybe the developers were striving for dramatic effect, but it ultimately just disrupts the action. This is irritating because you have to face droves of generic characters, including Iga Ninjas, Amazons or Samurai. This quickly gets annoying because they have the same amount of life bars you do. Each and every one of them. I suppose the idea was to make your character feel really powerful by taking on mooks by the barrelful, but you just find yourself wanting it to be over with.

The graphics are also pretty bad, with boxy character models that look even worse than PSOne launch titles like Battle Arena Toshinden. There's barely any blood, either. And while the first Warriors Rage arcade game also had flat bitmaps for backgrounds, it used some visual chicanery to make them appear more three dimensional. This one doesn't even bother, and the results are battlefields that feel huge and empty. At least the music and ambiance are impressive. Each stage's tune fits it just right, from the slow melody of the village and the pounding tune in the abandoned city area. There's also loads of unlockable artwork, and you can even go through the aptly named Battle Mode to power up a character.
But still -- who would want to buy this game? Only sado-madochists who enjoy shoddy frame rates, loading times, unintuitive controls, poor gameplay and boring characters would get any kind of kick out of Warrior's Rage. All of its redeeming qualities, are overshadowed by the fact that the whole game seems like it was rushed out the door. It's an extremely poor entry into the Samurai Shodown series and is a deplorable game in general. Don't bother with it.

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage

Warriors Rage Characters

Seishiro Kuki
Seishiro Kuki is supposed to be the main hero of Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage. He works for the Japanese government and seeks to take revenge on his adopted brother for the death of his father. His design is okay, I suppose, but he's so boring as a character. He's a pretty good character to play, but this isn't saying much due to the game engine.

Jin-Emon Hanafusa
Seishiro's older sidekick. He accompanies Seishiro on his journey. His spear attacks are reminiscent of Charlotte, though, which counts for something.

Saya
The fan service character, Saya is a buxom blonde who wields dual curved swords, which makes for an interesting play style. She seeks to assassinate the Razor Trio.

Ran Po
A youthful punk that likes beating up brutes for fun in Warriors Rage, which makes him mildly interesting -- that's more relevant to me than the other storylines in this game. Uses high-flying attacks and a giant mallet.

Yaci Izanagi
I guess this man is supposed to be a "bad guy". Wears a rather laughable outfit and uses a razor sword. Also seems to be gay, bi, or simply doesn't know his "girlfriend" is a transvestite. Creepy! He's interesting for that reason alone.

Jushiro Sakaki
He uses a sword/rifle weapon. He also wants the Razor Trio. Seeing a pattern?

Rinka Yoshino
A young girl from a Samurai family that uses a sword nearly twice her size. Also has the obligatory pet animal that joins her in her win animation.

Haito Kanakura
The only decent new character in Warriors Rage 2. His design is awesome, as is his moveset. Has some wicked combos and a power-up move. I don't quite see the relevance of his involvement in the story, but I guess he just wants to kill the Razor Trio...or something.

Garyo The Whirlwind
Big gang leader that uses a stick, Mr. Big style. He's too cool to put in effort, so he keeps one arm in his jacket. He wants revenge for his murdered comrades.

Mikoto
Daughter of Shiki and Asura, and hence more interesting than most of the bland cast. Uses a double sided blade and is the adopted daughter of Hoahmaru and Nicotine. She apparently has a struggle with the demons within her which she needs to deal with before they take over completely.

Tohma Kuki
Adopted brother of Seishiro, and a member of the Razor Trio. They're trying to take over the government and/or attain more power. Has a better design than his sibling, although he makes for a very poor man's Genjuro. He killed his foster father and took one of the family's sacred swords because he knew he would never be accepted as a true heir to the style. His brother eventually kills him for this.

Oboro
The main villain of Warriors Rage and boss character. Uses two rather neat looking blades and you must fight him while he is invisible. Not much to say. Too bad he's not playable.

Minto
She's the younger sister of Ran Po and assumedly a girl, but her character model and design is so freakish, I could scarcely tell. Plus it's highly disturbing that the in-game character voice sounds like some sort cross between a chicken and an army clock alarm, and may have you waking up in a cold sweat for weeks to come.

Daruma
The master of Ran Po and Minto. And he also wants a piece of the Razor Trio. That's it.

Tashon Mao
Some Chinese warrior that uses his hand as a weapon and has a crush on Nakoruru (creepy!). His voice actor is hilarious.

Mugenji
A crazed murderer that inhabits the outskirts of the Ritenkyo. He likes "beautiful things" and like Yaci, uses poison (in fact he's an exact gameplay clone). He resides in the 'tower of prayer' and functions as a midboss, although a very sorry one at that.

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	Seishiro Kuki Seishiro Kuki is supposed to be the main hero of Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage. He works for the Japanese government and seeks to take revenge on his adopted brother for the death of his father. His design is okay, I suppose, but he's so boring as a character. He's a pretty good character to play, but this isn't saying much due to the game engine.
	Jin-Emon Hanafusa Seishiro's older sidekick. He accompanies Seishiro on his journey. His spear attacks are reminiscent of Charlotte, though, which counts for something.
	Saya The fan service character, Saya is a buxom blonde who wields dual curved swords, which makes for an interesting play style. She seeks to assassinate the Razor Trio.
	Ran Po A youthful punk that likes beating up brutes for fun in Warriors Rage, which makes him mildly interesting -- that's more relevant to me than the other storylines in this game. Uses high-flying attacks and a giant mallet.
	Yaci Izanagi I guess this man is supposed to be a "bad guy". Wears a rather laughable outfit and uses a razor sword. Also seems to be gay, bi, or simply doesn't know his "girlfriend" is a transvestite. Creepy! He's interesting for that reason alone.
	Jushiro Sakaki He uses a sword/rifle weapon. He also wants the Razor Trio. Seeing a pattern?
	Rinka Yoshino A young girl from a Samurai family that uses a sword nearly twice her size. Also has the obligatory pet animal that joins her in her win animation.
	Haito Kanakura The only decent new character in Warriors Rage 2. His design is awesome, as is his moveset. Has some wicked combos and a power-up move. I don't quite see the relevance of his involvement in the story, but I guess he just wants to kill the Razor Trio...or something.
	Garyo The Whirlwind Big gang leader that uses a stick, Mr. Big style. He's too cool to put in effort, so he keeps one arm in his jacket. He wants revenge for his murdered comrades.
	Mikoto Daughter of Shiki and Asura, and hence more interesting than most of the bland cast. Uses a double sided blade and is the adopted daughter of Hoahmaru and Nicotine. She apparently has a struggle with the demons within her which she needs to deal with before they take over completely.
	Tohma Kuki Adopted brother of Seishiro, and a member of the Razor Trio. They're trying to take over the government and/or attain more power. Has a better design than his sibling, although he makes for a very poor man's Genjuro. He killed his foster father and took one of the family's sacred swords because he knew he would never be accepted as a true heir to the style. His brother eventually kills him for this.
	Oboro The main villain of Warriors Rage and boss character. Uses two rather neat looking blades and you must fight him while he is invisible. Not much to say. Too bad he's not playable.
	Minto She's the younger sister of Ran Po and assumedly a girl, but her character model and design is so freakish, I could scarcely tell. Plus it's highly disturbing that the in-game character voice sounds like some sort cross between a chicken and an army clock alarm, and may have you waking up in a cold sweat for weeks to come.
	Daruma The master of Ran Po and Minto. And he also wants a piece of the Razor Trio. That's it.
	Tashon Mao Some Chinese warrior that uses his hand as a weapon and has a crush on Nakoruru (creepy!). His voice actor is hilarious.
	Mugenji A crazed murderer that inhabits the outskirts of the Ritenkyo. He likes "beautiful things" and like Yaci, uses poison (in fact he's an exact gameplay clone). He resides in the 'tower of prayer' and functions as a midboss, although a very sorry one at that.