Are you prepared to risk it all?
Simply put- If you enjoyed 'Way of the Samurai' or 'Way of the Samurai 2' you will love this game. It takes the best aspects of both games and capitalizes on them. Way of the Samurai 1 was best know for its domino effect storyline. This aspect returns in the game. You no longer have to go aimlessly traveling to make the story progress, like you did in WoS2. The map clearly points out the locations where the storyline will progress, and you can choose to continue the story or go run errands, upgrade, etc.
No one should complain about the story of Way of the Samurai 3. UFO Interactive and Agetec have made the wise decision of including both Japanese and English voice-overs in the game. If you don't like the actors, simply switch over to Japanese voice-over whenever you please. That being said- they did put forth an effort to match most of the Japanese voices. Some actors sound goofy when they put on fake accents, but others are pretty good.
The number of unique endings are about 9 or 10 total. Each ending can be altered however by a single decision (Ex: 'Yes, I will serve you my lord.' Or 'No, I'll be the one to rule this land!'), making the actual total about 19. The story is this: There are 3 factions that you can serve. The oppressed farmers (Seven Samurai-like), the tyrannical ruling class (the wealthy villians), and the bandit rebels (criminals with good intentions).
Gameplay is very similar to Way of the Samurai 1 and 2. If your familiar with those games, you can pretty much pick up the game and get right to playing. I will mention the first flaw in the game- You can't change the control scheme. I really wish you could, because I seem to remember using the x button to jump. In this game its the talk button.
I also wish the would have had an optional tutorial in the beginning, like they had in WoS1. I didn't understand how to initiate the parry system, and the only way to practice is to go to the Dojo. Even then, the instructor only talks about how to do it. He doesn't show you anything. It wasn't until I played the game for 2 days until I finally figured out the parry system. You have to anticipate the enemies sword strike and then tap R1 rapidly. By the way, that is an improvement over WoS2. In WoS2 you could basically beat any opponent by being a turtle, and blocking until you initiate a parry. In this game you actually require skill to preform a parry.
There are 8 map locations. The game is not free roaming, which is kind of disappointing. Still, you are never forced to go to any set location. Time passes as you transition to each different area. Different hours of the day offer different opportunities. At night you're more likely to run into samurai hit-men, or thieves. Also, certain jobs can only be completed at night (ex: Assassination). You are able to serve 4 different employers.
The amounts of weapons available to Way of the Samurai 3 is staggering. For the first time you can use spears, halberds, swords, bare-fists, sticks, and a farming hoe. You can even buy sword parts and create a customized sword or spear! In addition to that, killing enemies are now optional! You can switch to the blunt side of a weapon whenever you please and pummel the enemy into submission. This is looked upon more favorably than killing your enemies. Also, its kind of funny hearing the enemy curse themselves for being so humiliated.
Cutscenes can be interrupted whenever you please by pulling out your sword! You can also bow out of a scene (literally) if you don't want to listen. In addition it is possible to bow before certain enemies in order to be spared. All of these factors make the gameplay even more compelling then its predecessors.
In this game you save by talking to the minstrels in each area. I didn't figure that out until after I read the booklet. I wish the game had taken the time to explain that. You should save, and save OFTEN. There are so many opportunities for you to die in this game. You never know when you'll run into a samurai hit-men with enough skills to down you in two or three hits.
I wish the game had implemented the 'retribution system' from Shinobido: Way of the Ninja. But I think Acquire/Spike wanted to keep the game consistent with the Way of the Samurai predecessors. Still it would have been nice for certain factions to actively start hunting you down for revenge.
I will say that the biggest flaw I noticed is the slowdown that occurs on occasion. Whenever large battles break out (with +10 samurai fighting) the game's framerate becomes pathetic. Also, I'm sure a lot of people will complain about the game's graphics quality. Its not such a big deal for me, because I know Way of the Samurai comes from a small developer. Still, if low graphics bother you then stay away from this game.
If you're a fan of Tenchu, Bushido Blade, or samurai in general- You owe it to yourself to buy this game. It is available for both 360 and PS3, so there is no excuse! Buy it and experience the true 'Way of the Samurai'!