In 2007, Vanillaware’s side-scrolling PS2 action/RPG Odin Sphere was published in North America, and it was one of my favorite games that year. The beautiful art design, compelling narratives, and addictive gameplay made for a fantastic and unique experience. Because of my love for Odin Sphere, I was really looking forward to checking out Muramasa: The Demon Blade, which was also developed by Vanillaware and is already available in Japan. Today, I finally got my chance, and after getting a taste of Muramasa, I now want to play the full game more than ever.

Muramasa ditches the Norse-inspired characters and storyline, and instead the game features a setting inspired by Japanese mythology. One of the first things—if not the first thing—you’ll notice is the gorgeous aesthetic. How often do you say that about a Wii exclusive? Yes, this title is Wii only, and as such uses the remote and nunchuk for controls. However, there are no nonsensical waggle commands. Most movements, such as walking, running, jumping, and ducking, are controlled with the nunchuk thumbstick, while certain button combinations allow you to pull off specific attacks. It is very much like Odin Sphere’s fighting style; it just took a few extra minutes to get used to not having a PS2 controller in my hand.



Like Odin Sphere, it appears that Muramasa will feature multiple protagonists and different storylines, although I did not spend enough time with the game to see how the separate narratives would overlap. I hope that’s the case, because that was a really cool feature. What sets Muramasa apart from Odin Sphere is the use of swords and the special attacks that accompany these weapons. If you overuse one sword, it will break, leaving you vulnerable and unable to defend yourself; you will have to switch to another sword for the time being. It’s an interesting balance, which will have you trying to pull off powerful moves without depleting your Soul Gauge, which indicates when your sword will break.

I still have some unanswered questions about Muramasa, my query about the number of playable characters and how their stories intertwine being the biggest. However, I have faith in Vanillaware, and from what I’ve seen, this could be a stand-out title on the Wii. I will be giving this game a second look when it makes its North American debut this September. It’s about time I had a good action/RPG to play on my Wii.