$6.00

Summary Take up your sword! Draw your bow! The battle for past and present is about to begin!

Description Nine years have passed since the great warlord Nobunaga Oda has been defeated and killed in battle. Now, resurrected by the Genma, Nobunaga is to take the throne as their new ruler to replace the great Alpha-Genma Fortinbras, who years ago was slain by the fabled swordsman Samanosuke Akechi, who begins this journey. "Our enemy lies waiting in Hinnou-ji Temple. ATTACK!!" Under rule by his uncle, the great warlord Mitsuhide Akechi, Samanosuke and a few select soldiers raid Hinnou-ji, attempting to end the reign of Nobunaga. Battling their way to the temple's inner sanctum, Samanosuke and Nobunaga finally come face to face for the final battle. After a valiant effort, the honored Samanosuke is about to be struck down by the powerful tyrant before he vanishes suddenly, a life-saving portal snatching him from the grasp of his enemy. Meanwhile, in present-day Paris, an on-call military officer named Jacques Blanc (voiced by the international acting sensation Jean Reno) is called to battle after the world-famous city is attacked by an unknown force. After defeating many sword wielding demons with his trusty military-issue assault rifle, it was clear to Jacques that Paris was in definite danger. At this battle site, the same portal that engulfed Samanosuke 500 years earlier transports Jacques to Japan's distant past. Story: This is where the battle of the ages begins. Separated from the time and people they know, the two men must venture through these unknown settings to return to their respecive times, working together to finish the battle against Nobunaga before he can use the same distortion (discovered by the renowned Genma scientist Guildenstern) to travel the time stream and lay siege to modern times as well as corrupt feudal Japan. Though not a big part of the game, Michelle Aubert (First Lieutenant in the French Army and Jacque's lover) assists Samanosuke in his effort to defeat the Genma and return to his time. With her devastating skills in the art of armed combat, Michelle too wages battle with these hellspawn in her own segments of the game (although there are only 2 short playing times as this character). The story in Onimusha 3 is one of the more creative ones seen in a game that isn't a role-playing game, though this isn't where it truly shines. Control: Onimusha 3 is nothing more than profound simplicity. Though the controls are nothing revolutionary, combat and overall gameplay still prove to be fun and addictive. There is a surprising amount of different moves you can perform with what seems like an overly simple control scheme. Square= attack. Triangle= special attack. R1= charge attack. R1+X= arrow. L1= block. Mastering these five buttons is an essential task to survive a world brimming with bloodthirsty demons, and why not look good dong it? It still amazes me how much you can do with so little, although it still can't hold a candle to the acclaimed Devil May Cry series. Sound: With an uninspired musical score and mediocre voice acting, I'd have to say that Onimusha 3 greatly disappoints in its sound. Even with a cast of decent actors, the voice work isn't good enough to be exceptional, yet it's not cheesy enough to make you want to play the game in mute. However, the in-game sound effects are pretty good. Effects such as the sound of bones crunched by a chain flail or the clank of steel on steel during sword battles with the Genma means the sound effects are better than any of the music or voices. Graphics: Like the control scheme, the graphics are what make this game. After a beautiful, computer-generated, opening sequence, you just know the graphics will not disappoint. With great character models and background texturing, Onimusha 3 is one of the best-looking PS2 games to date. With a total of three playable characters, good story, and a hell of a lot of monsters to decimate, this game is definitely worth your time. Though still kinda short, the tons of unlockable content will not leave you empty. This $20 Greatest Hits title is one of the best action/horror games you'll ever find. Now, take up your sword. Draw your bow. The battle for past and present is about to begin! Review Page Hits: 1 today (27 in the last 30 days) Create Your Own Review or