Well, I just found out today that XSEED is no longer publishing this game for North America, so the fate of its release hangs in the balance. I really hope that someone else publishes it.

http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2009/04/20/ … -murasama/

What are your thoughts on this? Are/Were you looking forward to this game?

Dude, that sucks.  I guess now we look to Atlus to do the job?  Maybe NISA?  I was really looking forward to this being the reason to play my Wii again.

It sounds more like to me that XSEED lost the contract to someone more notable. I'd guess Atlus who also released Odin Sphere by the same developer. I think this is a good thing if the game wants to sell and makes at least some sort of soundtrack release more likely. Hopefully not NIS America though who, according to RPGFan, mightily muck up whatever they localise these days.

Oh, my god. Guys, what the hell? First Fatal Frame gets this, and now Muramasa? The only two reasons I've held onto my Wii this long are officially gone.

Let's hope the speculation is right, and that it's fallen into the hands of another developer.

You know, there are plenty of awesome games for the Wii, contrary to what a lot of folks think, just that they've stopped bringing them over.

Good news, albeit a slight delay!

http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/ … september/

Glad to see that it's still coming out!

.... yeah, like mucking up the PSP version of Yuusha no Kuse...

I don't know how they can live with themselves for dumbing down the humor in this cult classic by turning Demon King into Badman.  And I really DID want to play this game in English, but sadly I can no longer look forward to this release, knowing that all charm will be lost in the localization.

I hope Murasama can avoid such a fate, as that's the OTHER game I'm really wanting to look forward to.

Ignition's got the official NA site up.  It's a beaut:

http://www.muramasathedemonblade.com/#/home

wait, the humor in Yuusha no Kuse was highbrow?

Supposedly, or wishfully, or maybe some reviews of the JP game just made it seems that way.

Anyways, I tried out the Localized US ver and it's just a middle of the road experience, the music was one of the better things about it.

I'm certainly playing BRANDISH a whole ton more than Badman.

Really? They do that bad?

This doesn't bode well for Sakura Wars...

So I've made my once-a-year video game magazine pickup purchase on the September 2009 issue of "Play" -- which features a gorgeous fifteen page spread on Muramasa: 

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3546/playmura01.jpg
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3307/playmura02.jpg

But you know, despite the intriguing in-depth developer interview, and Play's typically superlative hyping of the title, my anticipation is somewhat tempered as I'm watching the actual game in action via online videos.  The game will undeniably be poetry in motion, and the music appears to resonate with utmost beauty (I'm shocked there hasn't been a soundtrack announced yet..... or has there?), but when it comes down to the core gameplay mechanics, well, it's looking awfully uninspired.  Is it really regulated to just running through beautifully rendered environments, more often from left to right, taking on a batch of enemies in a formulaic hack 'n slash button mashing match, collecting a few goods here and there, and moving on to a button-mashing boss battle?  I want to believe that this game will be as much fun to play as it is to look at, but if it doesn't rise above my admittedly oversimplification of the gameplay, I'm afraid that may not be the case.

As an aside, the other thing that caught my eye with this issue of Play was the six pages devoted to Japanese 360 shmups.  "Import shooters are not a poor person's hobby", indeed:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2395/playmura03.jpg

Tentacle rape!

There hasn't been a soundtrack release announcement. Similar to Opoona, Basiscape was hesitant to put one out due to poorer than anticipated game sales. I do, however, have a rip, if you would be interested in it.

Angie, did you ever play Odin Sphere? It was much the same as you just described (with a few surprises), but ended up being one of my favorite all time titles.

I dunno, honestly, I think this earnest return to simplified game design is why I'm looking forward to it as much as I am.

Dang... that octopus is getting more action than I ever will. X'D

Can't be a good day when you're getting jealous of an octopus...

My understanding is that the combat system involves the trade off between breaking your swords (of which there are over 100 total with three equipped at once) and doing big damage special attacks which require you to break them.  I don't know the details, but I did read that somewhere.  I believe they slowly recover and/or can be healed, so I don't think it's a permanent break like in many infuriating RPGs, but again, I'm not certain of this.

Hahahaha! Good to see I'm not the only one having a drought of epic proportions.

Interestingly enough, they actually take the time out to explain the licentious cover:

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/1627/playmura04.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6026/playmura05.jpg

Yeah... let's just say that given the option, I suspect most girls would pick the octopus over me. I don't seem to have much luck with the ladies.

Anyway, back to the real topic, I'm not too familiar with Muramasa, but I really like the art style and appearance. I hope the game play is solid because I'd really like to give this game a shot. I love it when games integrate traditional art and themes.

God bless opposable thumbs, I guess . . .

She's just a fun-loving whore of course!
And why aren't there any of these types in my friend list...

Ha!  Speaking of which... I had to visit the fertility clinic this morning.

The reviews are coming in for the game:

IGN: 8.9
http://wii.ign.com/articles/102/1021608p1.html

RPGFan: 69%
http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/Muramasa_ … index.html

Game Informer: 7.75
http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/11C58 … 123BB4.htm

I dunno, I'm still not entirely convinced that this is a game for me.  Clark's RPGFan review seems to resonate the most truthful, and I just don't think a button-mashing, backtrack-heavy trekker of a title is something I need to pick up right at this moment.

After reading these reviews... and lookin at the price ($60 CDN)... I think I'll probably hold off on this until it's down to around at least half or less the price.  Kinda the same for Fringe S1 on blu-ray, not pickin that up at $70 CDN either, if it was $35 (or $40) probably but not $70.  That's two things off my Sept purchases now...

Regardless of these flaws, and indeed, because of them, I'll be picking this up first day. Hunt and collect gameplay for the blades? Beautiful art and music? It's been hailed by IGN as a return to 2D form with a few RPG elements thrown in. They cite that it has a fair bit of backtracking, but that kind of thing has never bothered me . . .

This game is going to molest me.

Wasn't it already released by the time this post was made?
Haven't started it yet (was catching up on RE4 instead), but the wallscroll preorder bonus is gorgeous.

Select Gamestop stores have been selling it since Friday.  The official street date is September 8th.

I wished I'd made it to the Nintendo World Store launch event here on Saturday, if just for the free swag (the tattoos sound boss!), and seeing how they "transformed the store into feudal Japan with authentic lamps, art, plastic samurai swords, etc".

Huh, wasn't aware of that. A quick wikipedia search states that there are Gamestops in Canuckistan, but I've never, ever seen one, and I'm not entirely sure if EB Games will be carrying it early. Regardless, I don't have funds until the 8th, so it's a moot point anyways.

I picked it up on Friday with the freebie poster thing, but I haven't had time to play it yet.  Will let you know what I think when I do.

Just loaded up the game. Stylistically, it's like Okami had sweet, sweet sex with Odin Sphere, and then whichever game was the female in that little union gave birth to Muramasa. 

Gameplay is really smooth. Fights are frenetic, yet smooth and fast-paced, like ZOE, only 2D and with a greater emphasis on scoring combos. About the only thing I take issue with is the mapping of the jump command to the up direction on the control stick. I've never favoured that style of control and wish it were one of the face buttons

How's the music?

Deep, meditative, strong ethnic flavor so far. Perhaps to the significantly trained ear, certain aspects of Sakimoto's style will leak through, but to me, this sounds so far beyond the scope of his usual work that I couldn't tell and had to triple check his discography to make sure. Sure enough, he was handed composing duties. There's some good stuff here.

So, how about that OST release, guys?

PS: Major kudos to Ignition for keeping in the original Japanese audio track. This game would've felt so weird dubbed.

Six Basiscape members (Iwata, Kaneda, Abe, Kamikura, Chiba and Kudo) assist Sakimoto though. Both MMV and Basiscape have a survey form to send our wishes for a soundtrack release.

BIG EDIT:  the composer guess above generally turns out wrong!

I didn't see a survey on the Basiscape site, I think this link is it on the MMV site.  (Question 5, one of the checkboxes is for Soundtrack).
http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/game/wii/o … index.html