Interesting and unique, but far from perfect.
The setting is interesting, and the plot is solid enough for this type of game (it’s in no way probable or believable, but they make an attempt to explain it). Basically, you are a Japanese guy with a sword, and all of the people with guns want you dead. The Old West narrator adds to the feel, even though there is no explanation for why the cowboy reading the text knows how to perfectly pronounce Japanese names.
Gameplay is fast and furious. There are more enemies than you can count on screen at any time, and they are al shooting at you. This is a button masher in every sense of the word (that button of course being the square button). You can either press square or jump and press square to perform attacks. I support this fully, because even though some people see this as repetitive, I see it as having a high amount of pick-up-and-playability.
There are some interesting aspects to gameplay. You can dodge or deflect bullets with your sword, and can use objects in the environment or fallen enemies as shields. There are also accessories you can pick up that add to or subtract from your characters vital stats. This combined with the option to play each stage on "practice" level difficulty and the ability to level up your health, power, and defense through experience, show that developers tried very hard to offer an in-depth title.
While the controls are solid, the camera and environments aren’t. While your character will jump instantly when you hit the X button, you have little control over where he goes. There are some objects you can jump on top of, and some items you can’t. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no pattern involved. Some stagecoaches you can jump on, and some you can’t. This can be troublesome because often times your enemies are standing on various objects that you may or may not be able to reach.
The camera is good most of the time, which is impressive considering the fast pace of the action. However, players have no control over the camera and there are times when it will not focus on the enemy that is currently shooting you, forcing you to guess his location. There are also a few times when your character will disappear from the screen completely.
Nothing about this game is in any way realistic. That’s not a problem for me, because I don’t want to experience taking on an army of riflemen with sword because it would lead to a quick, yet painful death. The only thing that needed to be a little more realistic is the physics engine and the lack of invisible walls.
This game belongs in an early 90’s arcade. That’s not an insult, because I spent countless hours pumping quarters into games like this at the time. Die-hard fans of the genre will enjoy this title, and it can be a fun escape from reality that requires quick reflexes and little thought to play. Hardcore gamers might not be able to overlook the environmental flaws. I recommend all persons interested in this title, but are not true hack’n’slash junkies, rent it first.