Developer: Vivid Image Publisher: Kemco Released: 1993 Genre: Action, Platformer
In my video gaming history the Amiga is a very large blind spot. I was neither from the UK or rich enough to own one so my only exposure to its library came in the form of console ports. These ranged from the interesting (Turrican) to the dreadful (Sword of Sodan). First Samurai lies somewhere between the two. Even after completing it I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the game. There is a lot to like about First Samurai but just as many frustrating elements. How much they affect your enjoyment is entirely subjective.
The premise of First Samurai is not what you expect. You control the first samurai in history (hence the title) who is still undergoing training. A malicious entity called the Demon King attacks but is repelled and sent to the future by your sensei. Wanting to get revenge and finish the job the first samurai is also sent hurtling into the future to follow the Demon King.
This fish out of water story sets up the premise of the entire game. First Samurai is not a platformer in the traditional sense. Rather than following a linear path instead you must find five glowing runes and bring them to the appropriate area to summon the end level boss. Each level takes place in a different time period and is fairly diverse. It starts in a ravaged battlefield in 1730 before moving to a demon infested train, the streets of Tokyo in 1999, a mysterious time elevator and finally the demon’s palace in the year 2225. Luckily the first samurai is ready for the task.
As a playable character the first samurai is pretty agile. He can catch serious air when he leaps and can climb most surfaces. Your sword attacks at a variety of angles but isn’t especially strong. If you lose enough health your sword is taken, forcing you to use hand to hand combat which isn’t very effective. Losing all of your health isn’t an immediate death sentence. You have a separate force bar that fills up as you kill enemies. Drain your life bar and the force bar kicks in, no matter how small. Essentially you have two life meters. Aside from your side there are subweapons like Castlevania and permanent throwing stars that orbit you and immediately home in on enemies.
In a lot of ways First Samurai is similar to Ninja Gaiden. But in terms of structure it is closer to Turrican. Each map is large and filled with plenty of hidden secrets. Thankfully there is not a time limit as each level will require thorough exploration before reaching its climax. The initial level serves as a nice tutorial with hints giving you an idea of what to expect going forward. I like the exploration element as it makes the game unique. But like Turrican it leads to a lot of aimless wandering that grows tedious. Most mystic runes require a holy bell to access which you can easily find. But where to use them isn’t always obvious. I came to dread the later levels as they hid key items behind walls and objects, making even the smaller maps tiresome.
The Turrican comparison is even stronger considering some of the game’s flaws. Aside from maps that are too big for their own good there are mechanical issues. When you take a hit there is no knock back or moment of invincibility. This leads to your health draining in seconds. This is the most aggravating issue with the game as it leads to your sword being taken away. While it is possible to get it back its tough as your punches and kicks are near worthless. The hit detection isn’t always great and makes the boss battles a slog as well.
Despite these flaws I still like First Samurai somewhat. When it works the game is interesting and can be fun. Every level has a new set of enemies and is at least interesting to look at. The concept of a time traveling samurai is fully explored and unique at the very least. This is not a particularly difficult game, just frustrating. It is when these frustrations rear their head that you’ll start to question why you are playing this game.
In Closing
Games like First Samurai are frustrating. You can see a good game buried underneath its slipshod execution. But its flaws are too many. And while you want to like it it also isn’t something you can recommend offhand. Its close but falls short in the end.
