For fighting fans who want the utmost realism, it gets no truer than Bushido Blade, the series that took sword-fighting martial arts to a new intensity. Gamers must watch every move and anticipate every strike and counter. They must constantly be aware of their stance, of how to move and when. A single wrong move can be fatal. Spinning off from that series and making its debut on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is this semi-sequel by the same game creators behind the original. Kengo: MASTER OF Bushido is a new approach to the art, one that follows the tenets of Bushido fighting while evening out the gameplay for more accessible handling. More parries and combo moves have been added for each of the 22 combatants, and with weapon throws and more flashy moves, Kengo plays more like a traditional 3D fighter than the original. Kengo also softens the frustrating one-hit-kills and damage system to include life bars, making for a less realistic but also more fair and steady fight. Masterful combos are no longer ruined by a timid sword thrust that happens to strike a player in the chest by the heart. To retain the realism, Kengo instead relies on a bleeding system. Fighters still need to be wary of vital blows, because suffering a gushing wound may take a warrior down faster than his opponent.

Playstation