a good game, but a bit of a let down...
The gameplay is simple once you play for a bit. You have a basic hand to hand style you begin with, and shortly after you will gain a weapon style as well. You can switch between them instantaneously for some great combos. The moves are very simple, and are executed by the push of a button, or pressing buttons in combination. Even though you are very skilled in the martial arts, you wouldn’t feel like it while playing this game, due to the fact that each of the many styles you will acquire on your journey only have a handful of moves you may choose from...this is one of the biggest let downs I found in this game.
Graphics are alright, but nothing I thought they would be when I first heard of this game. It has a very bright feeling to the graphics, and you will enjoy the setting, as some of it looks pretty good.
Like a lot of games these days, you can choose between being good or evil, but only in the extent of your decisions. You can’t hit innocent bystanders, but you can make good and evil choices through the decisions you make, which ultimately help to shape the outcome of some of the quests you will travel, but all in all the outcome of the game remains the same no matter what choices you make on your journey.
There are lots of styles to choose from, but they are mostly in these categories: hand to hand, weaponry, magic, and support. Each of these has their own uses, and the many characters you will encounter on your journey that will fight beside you (you may have one other party member fight by your side) all have styles that he or she excels in.
The music is of course Japanese, and helps to set the mood of the places you will travel, and is quite fitting for the game.
Not quite as good as I hoped when I first heard about this game, but it is definitely worth a play through if you own an xbox, or know someone who has the game.