E3: Soul of the Samurai impressions

[05.16.99] » Excellent idea, but the execution appears lacking.

   The GIA was intrigued by Konami's Soul of the Samurai - a Resident Evil-style action/adventure set in Edo Japan. Unfortunately, in execution, the title seems to fall flat on its face. The graphics are muddled and unimpressive, and the control is fairly unresponsive. It's tough to get involved in a game when your character are the plodding ronin and the slowly-moving ninja. As the final version has already been released in Japan, it's unlikely that the major control issues will be fixed by the title's release. Even so, the setting and two intertwining stories are admirable, and it's hopeful Konami can fix any deficiencies before the inevitable Soul of the Samurai II. Soul of the Samurai is due out third quarter 1999.