What is this PS1 game?

[Never_Scurred]

It's a side-scrolling action game for the PS1 with a samurai as the main character. Never got to play this game, but remember seeing a commercial for it back in the day. The biggest thing I recall about the commercial was it featured drum & bass music.

[Daigohji]

The only PS1 action game I can think of where you play as a samurai is Brave Fencer Musashi.

[Obiwanshinobi]

You might have mistaken Strider Hiryu of Strider 1 or 2 for a samurai. One of Warriors of Fate characters maybe? Genpei Tooma Den (on Namco Museum Vol. 4 as The Genji and the Heike Clans)?

The only PS1 action game I can think of where you play as a samurai is Brave Fencer Musashi.

Soul of the Samurai (a.k.a. Ronin Blade, a.k.a. Shin Jidaigeki Action Rasetsu no Ken) springs to mind. So do Bushido Blade 1&2.

[replayme]

I liked Strider 2. Wish Sony would re-release the game as a digital download.

[Never_Scurred]

It isn't Strider 2, I've played that one.
Brave Fencer Musashi looks like it might be it, but the game I'm thinking of looked like a side-scroller.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Brave Fencer Musashi is viewed from a side-view at certain point (near the end).

[Never_Scurred]

Brave Fencer Musashi is viewed from a side-view at certain point (near the end).

In the commercial they show the samurai character running alongside this spiral tower, but its shown from a side-view.
Just watched some footage on YT, but I don't remember this game being in 3D, but BFM seems to be it. Kinda disappointed its not a pure 2D side-scroller as I thought all this time. Wish I could find that kick ass commercial with the DnB in it.
Thanks guys.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The bit I thought about was some industrial interior, but I have yet to finish the endgame (wouldn't mind that rhythm game bossfight, if only there was a checkpoint just before it).

Most impressive visuals are the transparent, blown up sprites apperaing when you leech abilities off the monsters. Do steal the show.

[Nana]

The kickass commercial with DNB you're thinking of is featured on the bonus disc that comes with Xenogears. Don't be disappointed about the game being BFM, it's one of my favorites of all time. You should definitely go check it out regardless!

[Never_Scurred]

FOUND IT!
(the commercial, that is)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxPR-euYf0

Proves how shitty my memory is.....

[Daigohji]

I remember that trailer now. Square were on fire back in 1998. Back then, I think the only real blemishes on their record were FFII and Chocobo Racing. Everything else was solid gold.

Just look at the state of them now.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I remember that trailer now. Square were on fire back in 1998. Back then, I think the only real blemishes on their record were FFII and Chocobo Racing. Everything else was solid gold.

Just look at the state of them now.

Just play Xenogears and Chrono Cross. Would you find those solid gold nowadays? Then play FFChC: The Crystal Bearers. I mean it.
In meantime, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song came along.

[Daigohji]

I remember that trailer now. Square were on fire back in 1998. Back then, I think the only real blemishes on their record were FFII and Chocobo Racing. Everything else was solid gold.

Just look at the state of them now.

Just play Xenogears and Chrono Cross. Would you find those solid gold nowadays? Then play FFChC: The Crystal Bearers. I mean it.
In meantime, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song came along.

Xenogears is still one of my favourite JRPGs. I play through it at least once every few years. The only weak parts are the sewer maze and the rushed pacing on disc 2.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The sewer maze was the only dungeon I enjoyed exploring.

[Ganelon]

I replayed Xenogears a couple of years back and yeah, I still think it's the last of the excellent JRPGs. I don't like the longer mazes but I'm OK with disc 2's predominantly story sequences. That said, my favorite Square was of the mid-to-late 16-bit era.

Anyway, I thought this topic would turn out to be Goemon or something.

[CStarFlare]

The sewer maze was the only dungeon I enjoyed exploring.

sewer section with a fan

mind blown

[CMoon]

Now that this is a Brave Fencer Musashi thread, how was that game? Remember seeing it come out but never bought it. Is it out on PSN?

[Obiwanshinobi]

Brave Fencer Musashi does very little wrong. Even the US voice acting is palatable.

sewer section with a fan

Eh, it was relatively enjoyable by contrast to shittyness of all the other dungeons. Simple reason - there was a compass (radar?) in that dungeon, which made the camera combined with random encounters a bit less mortifying than usual.
Go back to those where d-pad-controlled 3D platforming is combined with random encounters that may well occur in the middle of a jump if you have forgotten just how bad it was.

I replayed Xenogears a couple of years back and yeah, I still think it's the last of the excellent JRPGs.

I doubt you found it more playable than Nocturne.

[Ganelon]

Not a fan of SMTIII at all; SMTIV has much more the vibes I'm looking for. And don't get started on the latest Persona games. It's like contrasting the best of 90s anime with what folks claim is the best of modern anime; the appeal is missing. Strange Journey is the most solid SMT in the last decade for me.

As for Brave Fencer Musashi, it has charm and controls great but even when it was released, I already felt too old to be its target audience.

[Obiwanshinobi]

In other words: I doubt any person (who has played both before), if sentenced to playing one of the two, would choose Xenogears rather than Nocturne.

[Never_Scurred]

So Brave Fencer Musashi is more of an rpg action platformer?
What is the pacing like? The prices on Ebay seem reasonable.

[Ganelon]

In other words: I doubt any person (who has played both before), if sentenced to playing one of the two, would choose Xenogears rather than Nocturne.

I'd take Xenogears easily over any Megaten game. Anybody into traditional JRPGs would choose Xenogears. Or do I need to link to my "tastes are subjective" post again?

SMTIII is my least favorite of the cardinal SMT series so if sentenced to play an SMT, I'd pick SMTII instead. It does seem for many newer gamers, Xenogears is less appealing, but it's the same gap I see with anime where modern fans don't really care for the cyberpunk era.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Nocturne is a very traditional jRPG (I consider Suikoden to be the sub-genre's quintessence). It's just a jRPG done exceptionally well.

So Brave Fencer Musashi is more of an rpg action platformer?
What is the pacing like? The prices on Ebay seem reasonable.

It's an action-adventure. No role-playing whatsoever. Neither as diluted, nor as ponderous as The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker if you ask me.
Now, if you wanna play speedy game of the sort, Ys games for Windows are where it's at. Oracle of Ages/Seasons should be completable faster as well. That said, if Brave Fencer Musashi plays slower, it's because of its first-gen 3D tech rather than its game design.

[shmuppyLove]

Whenever Brave Fencer Musashi gets mentioned, I always thing of Threads of Fate. I think they released very close to each other?

Threads of Fate has some more RPG-ish elements to it, and of course two characters that play very differently. Makes the second playthrough that much more interesting indeed.

~_^