[Wii] Another Vanillaware RPG? (Muramasa)

True 16:9 widescreen confirmed!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Huh. Odin Sphere tackled Norse Mythology while this seems to be going after traditional Japanese mythology, maybe its a hint of future titles?

Looks VERY pretty in any case.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

That's Oboro Muramasa Youtouden, and it sounds like it's coming to the Wii.

Additional Spam:
The article from IGN is over a year old by now, but another page shows it as being playable at TGS in a few days.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

It's also coming out in North America some time in mid-to-late 2009.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Holy shit, that's an awesome homage to the classical Japanese painting by Hokusai in the first shot. I was always intrigued by Odin Sphere's glorious visage, but never did buy it. This title looks - dare I say - even better. Maybe just because I'm weeaboo like that.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Looks freakin' delicious, and the 5 seconds of footage from that infamous Wii video made it look more actiony than Odin Sphere, which to me always felt like playing a game stuck in spiderwebs. I'm excited about it, but I have to hold out until I see a bit more of it. Despite the spectacular visuals, I thought Odin Sphere was a bit disappointing (though still great).

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Kanji

Holy shit, that's an awesome homage to the classical Japanese painting by Hokusai in the first shot. I was always intrigued by Odin Sphere's glorious visage, but never did buy it. This title looks - dare I say - even better. Maybe just because I'm weeaboo like that.

If you're in the US, Odin Sphere is on the Greatest Hits line now. Get it.

I like Vanillaware's side scrollers, though not much has changed since Princess Crown (though Grim Grimoire was very different). I hope this game has some new mechanics we can play with.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Will come to N.A. under the title Muramasa: The Demon Blade in 2009.

"Based on ancient Japanese lore, Murumasa: The Demon Blade plunges players into the mystical Genroku era, ruled by the skilled shogun Tsunayoshi Tokogawa. But this culture is threatened; Tokogawa's thirst for power leads to a conflict over the enormously powerful, though cursed, Demon Blades. Used in hatred, drenched in blood, the cursed blades condemn those who use them to tragedy, madness, and untimely deaths. As chaos spreads, denizens from the netherworld breach their realm as these malevolent swords summon evil spirits - and the Dragon and Demon Gods as well.

Featuring hand-drawn 2D art reflecting the heritage and tone of the storyline, Muramasa: The Demon Blade transports players into a little known mythology, envisioned by the creators of the critically acclaimed Odin Sphere. Players take on the role of a male ninja or female kunoichi, utilizing their ninja prowess to traverse the clever side-scrolling levels that feature vertical progression as well as the traditional horizontal stage advancement." - source

How ya doing, buddy?

7 min gameplay footage - Gametrailers.com - Muramasa: The Demon Blade - TGS 08: Extended Gameplay

TGS Trailer - Gametrailers.com - Muramasa: The Demon Blade - TGS 08: Debut Trailer

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It looks fucking beautiful, but I'm not really pleased with what I'm seeing gameplay-wise there. The "random encounter" style battles don't appeal to me so much, I was hoping for actual levels with some interaction in them. I don't like the incoherent backgrounds, although perhaps that's just because it's the demo version. The combat also still looks a bit stiff to me, though definitely a lot more action-y than Odin Sphere.

I'll still get it cause it just looks freakin' amazing and it'll probably be fun, but I'm a bit more skeptical now.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Damn, this looks so good. I think the "random-encounter" battle thing seems pretty cool. Also, I would guess that the random encounters are similar to Princess Crown, because its pretty much the same thing, except faster in Muramasa (I haven't played either though, not like I'd be able to play Muramasa anyway). Still looks awesome, can't wait, shitty post, etc.

How ya doing, buddy?

It actually looks fun to fight, though. Which puts this game about a million miles ahead of Odin Sphere. I'm genuinely looking forward to playing it.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by surasshu

It looks fucking beautiful, but I'm not really pleased with what I'm seeing gameplay-wise there. The "random encounter" style battles don't appeal to me so much, I was hoping for actual levels with some interaction in them. I don't like the incoherent backgrounds, although perhaps that's just because it's the demo version. The combat also still looks a bit stiff to me, though definitely a lot more action-y than Odin Sphere.

I'll still get it cause it just looks freakin' amazing and it'll probably be fun, but I'm a bit more skeptical now.

That was my impression as well, it just looks like a faster and flashier Odin Sphere, and the STAGE CLEAR crap after each battle looks like it'll get annoying real fast. It's definitely pretty, though.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Please don't tell me you folks liked that Gardening/RPG hybrid that was Odin Sphere and are complaining about the encounters. The fact this more resembles an RPG-Beat em up makes it a thousand times better than Odin Sphere could ever be. You know what's annoying? Having to realize that the only thing to the video game you're playing is growing plants, farming the spirits for EXP, rinse-wash-repeat-ad nauseum.

FELIPE NO

First of all, my deepest apologies for bumping a thread that is over a year old. I just want to give a heads up for all those Princess Crown & Odin Sphere fans that Muramasa: The Demon Blade is out for the Wii.

I just picked it up today while I was making my regular visit at EB games, because it completely flew off my radar. I didn't realize it was already out. I'll probably be playing it, when I get back on my next turnaround since I'm heading back out to Alberta tomorrow.

The visuals look amazing and I hope this game is just as enjoyable or even better than Odin Sphere. It is showing to be a very solid title: averaging 80% on Metacritic.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I'm about 10 hours into the game and it's pretty fun. Definitely better than Odin Sphere so far due to the lack of slowdown and no hassling with those shitty bag things. Also two characters instead of twenty million makes replaying the same areas a lot more reasonable.

Only thing that's kinda blah is both characters play exactly the same and I've only encountered a handful of different types of enemies. They scale with your level, so they have to palette swap even less frequently than most games. Backgrounds/animations/everything is amazingly beautiful, though the fact there's only a few backgrounds makes the novelty wear off kinda quickly.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I've only played a bit, like you said, it looks great and no slowdown. I'm not that far in so no palatte swap annoyance yet. The game is sort of on hold while I beat another game first.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

So how's the difficulty for one? Is it as notorious as Sphere was (impossible on some segments) or is it toned down?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I pretty much finished the game 100% today. There are two difficulty levels you can swap between during the game which greatly affects how hard it is. The first will let you block pretty much any attack as long as you have "sword power" left. If your power runs out, the sword breaks and you have to swap it out for another one while that sword recharges (you also take significant damage from a break). In the other mode you block attacks in front of you as long as you're attacking, but your back is open to taking damage. It's significantly harder, and I bailed on using it partway through the game since I wound up just wanting to finish it off.

If you beat the game using the more difficult style you can unlock a third mode which is like the first except you only have 1hp, so if you break your sword, you're dead.

There's also multiple endings you get by fulfilling certain tasks after you beat it each time which is kinda neat. All in all I'd say it was a fun game, certainly more enjoyable than Odin Sphere, but it still felt like it was missing something that would make me ever want to replay it again.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

All in all I'd say it was a fun game, certainly more enjoyable than Odin Sphere, but it still felt like it was missing something that would make me ever want to replay it again.

In that case can I borrow it?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

If you beat the game using the more difficult style you can unlock a third mode which is like the first except you only have 1hp, so if you break your sword, you're dead.

There seems to be a mechanic that, right when you take damage, you mash A to regain the lost health (or, if you're in air you simply are guarding). You still count as being hit, but it's the mechanic that keeps you alive in that third mode. In otherwords, it's a more technical mode, probably for all of those Smash players out there.

It is most certainly a gorgeous game, though, and even though it's a hack and slash, you're likely challenged to actually use strategy towards the latter half of either character's story.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I found the oversized "normal" monsters to be more difficult than most bosses, actually. Especially when you had the red/blue Oni or the horses with the blacksmithing tools. The monster cave where you had to fight four at once where each one had something like four lives was insane.

FELIPE NO