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Samuri Construction Worker- Two by four Master

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: January 08, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Kengo, Master of Bushido. The most masterful swordfighting game of all time, Crave has offered up a prime port of the Japanese original.

One player campaign mode allows you to unlock 13 characters, two player mode allows you to whomp on your friends.

There are twelve dojo's, and each has an ancestral sword that you can win, bringing shame and dishonor to their families - that's right, scream, but I won your sword fair and square!

Sixteen different weapons are possible in this game, including, yes, the two-by-four. Well it just looks like a board. Supposedly it's a scepter... Hm.

A fully customizable series of attacks, along with blocking and parrying lend a depth of feel to the duels. You're not just button mashing here, this is a calculated effort to glean your opponents weaknesses, wear them down, and even dance in and out, slashing arteries - Then keep your distance as they bleed to death.

Eventually you earn your own dojo, and defend it against the upstart young would-be samuri, the high priest, and even your own ghost in your pursuit of enlightenment. Your master's dying words will lead you on the correct path.

Kengo is without a doubt the most well conceived and executed game for the PS2, the combat, characters, and environments lend a sharp realism to this recreation of fuedal Japan.

This game is a must have.

May the Ki Be With You

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: May 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I had expected a horrid game based from all the mediocre reviews this game had gotten. Curiously the magazine critics were harsher on this game than actual players of the game.

This is not a button-mashing game like DOA and Tekken. It is an elegant simulator that requires finesse and timing. You need to be able to see the trajectory of your opponent in order to be able to strike with success. You actually need to listen carefully in order to be able to block effectively (something people tend to forget: you can react to sound faster than you can respond to sight). When I first practiced blocking in the dojo, I was hopeless. You're going to be stuck on this part for a while- probably getting very aggrevated like I did. Then I stopped using my eyes to decide when to block and started listening. Once you get through that, you'll appreciate what this game is about.

The training levels add to the Zen mysticism of it all. The motion capture work makes the game really elegant. Nice touch to have the game in Japanese with english subtitles. Nice that there is no techno/rock soundtrack like all the other games these days. It's a very quiet game that really requires you to focus to win.

The best part of the game is that you can select your character, you can select the dojo you wish to join, and you can assign the fighting stances you learn to the hat keys on the controller. Each dojo has different sword styles so the game really becomes a nice tutorial to learn the various sword styles of bushido.

If only this were a Jedi training simulator rather than Bushido- but then again Jedi sword styles are really based on Bushido.

A bit of trivia: the game has a health meter and a Ki meter. Ki is described as the energy flowing through all human beings. In Chinese, Chi means the same thing- literally translates as breath/stamina/energy.

May the Ki Be With You

One glaring problem

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: January 16, 2001
Author: Amazon User

As fighting games go, this is all well and fine. It's got a nice fighting system with a variety of moves with a very simple layout. One button for attack, how's that for simple? However, you are able to customize your combos, of which you can store four different kinds, so you can truly create your own unique character with the fighting style *you* really like. You can combine moves from a variety of dojos making for a vast selection of custom combos to create. This game would have gotten four stars if not for one glaring problem. While you are free to create your own guy, and build him up the way you see fit, the game only allows one save. Unlike Ultimate Fighting, your friends can't create their own samurai and challenge your creation. That is simply lame. I have no idea how the testers did not catch that. This is all well and fine if you don't have friends to play with. While this makes it no different from many other fighting games, if you're going to allow a custom character, you should be able to share the joy.

Smart, relaxing game for adults -- mentally challenging

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: April 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Like other reviewers, I found the strategy and elegance of this game compelling. At first, it was difficult -- so much so I gave it up for months. When I had more time, I returned to the game -- and within a week I mastered (well, I should be more humble: grasped) the controls. Kengo is nice because it requires you to really watch your opponent instead of barraging him with everything you got. At first, I had to do this to advance -- but once I reached a certain comfort with the game pacing, I realized I could allow my opponent time to recover and strike again.

This is a game, I think, that you can play for a long time -- slowly coming to terms with the user interface and matching its rhythm -- instead over overwhelming it with your nervous system.

Little things in the game, like the types of training, are ...yes, relaxing. It's amazing to see a game that actually relaxes you. The Japanese culture one experiences from the game is marvellous -- I only wish that they gave the various teachers of the schools more personality instead of having them say the same lines (with different voice acting). Definitely a good game to pick up and have in your library.

Good and yet....not so good...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is remarkably like watching Iaido kata being done between two people in a ring. The keys of timing, position, and changing "sen" (the line of attack) rapidly are brought out in full force, yet are transparent to the casual player. These subtleties are chilling and amazing when you play.

The movement of your characters is just like watching two sparring Kendo combatants battling. There's sidestepping and charging, backpedaling and slashing, etc. Obviously, your character takes a bit of time to move back and forth. This means that you can't suddenly explode across the screen like in DOA2 or other "fighting games." Your character moves like a real human being. Some folks call this "muddy," but I think it's one more layer of realism.

The only problem with this realism is that it doesn't necessarily make a fun *GAME*.

The sounds are ok...certain ones, like the crunching of gravel and the swishing of feet over loose dirt, are awesome and add whole layers of depth to the experience. However, the background is ominously absent except (as one reviewer put it) for that dang bird squawking in the background...once every second...for the whole match!

Other things that are disappointing: It takes a lot of time just to "raise your stats." You spend so much time in these mini-games doing button-mashing or repetitive stuff, that the fun value quickly begins to wane. One mini-game that's a surprise and delight: the one where you have to put out the candles with your sword....try it and get all seven or eight once you've earned your dojo's sword...trust me, I wasn't ready for it when it happened the first time! I quickly realized how much it improved the play of this particular mini-game (too bad it's the only one that has a feature like this).

What else: The tournament is ok...but I noticed that from the dojos to the tournament, the opponents get about 3x harder and faster. I can understand them being better because they're psyched up for actual combat, but it's incredible to see just how much faster they are when you challenge a dojo one turn and then battle them in the first round again on the tournament ground.

Overall, this game is a GREAT simulator of Kendo/Iaido...but it falls flat on its face when it comes to fun value for the vast majority of gamers. The repetition of mundane, dumb, button-mashing mini-games really saps fun value and the skimped-on background sounds and environment are disappointing.

This is a game that makes you feel like Bart Simpson licking caramel off a Neon Sign...*lick* yummmm ZAP!!! OW!.....*lick* yummmmm ZAP!!! OW! ;)

Kengo: worth geting to know.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

When I first got this game, I was excited about it. I have always had a thing for sword fights. Then, I loaded the game. Imagine my disappointment when I realised that most of the fighting would be done with wooden swords! I also thought that the movement was slow, and was constantly getting thrashed by every dojo master.

After a while, though, I began to adapt to the realistic pace and movements of this game. I have since won the tournaments, own every sword, and yet I still play this game from time to time. It's intersting to me that the first time I play after a long while away from the game, I must again re-adjust to this game.

The two main areas that I feel could use improvement are the background sounds(way too repetitve), and the mini-games that boost your attributes(again far too repetitive).

Over all, though, this is a deep, realistic fighter that is worth getting to know.

A Great Samurai Simulator!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 30, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If what you want is 1 on 1 Samurai fighting, then look no further. This is pretty much the only game I could find which offers this currently and it actually delivers quite well! Despite bad reviews from most videogame mags/websites, I truly think this game was over-looked, because I could not find many bad qualities in the game. Just compare the gamer reviews to the editorial reviews, and you will see what I mean! Over-all, this is a descent Samurai fighing game, and if you like samurai, you will like this game. And for $20 brand new, it's a good deal!

The Samurai of film in game format

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

KENGO, Master of Bushido will remind you of all the very great Japanese films of the Samurai. Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, the Zatoichi series, Lone Wolf and Cub, Raizo Ichikawa's "Nemuri" series from the 1960's are here. You expect Toshiro Mifune or Shintaro Katsu to round a village corner at any moment. This game has captured their spirit, and then some. Listen to the sounds, distant chirping birds, water falling, a baby crying, it is wonderful. With Kengo the hours will fly by, you will still be studying at your dojo or trying to best yourself in acquiring some ancient sword skill. It is that good, the best game I have ever played, and the best on Playstation 2. As Tsukahara Bokuden wrote "For the samurai to learn there is only one thing, One last thing - To face death unflinchingly." In KENGO you will really learn, you may die, but through that process you will be reborn to learn again, and remember... it's only a game, or is it? Enjoy!

Ok, but I think Bushido Blade is better

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: May 19, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Don't get me wrong, this is a very well-made game but I still like Bushido Blade more. This is a fun game and it seems rather realistic at first glance. When you think about it however, this is just a simple fighting game compared to BB. In this you have meters, you have a rather limited fighting area, and it's always about, "oh no, how much health do I have left? how much more damage can my opponent take before he falls? do I have enough Ki for a special attack?", which seems rather unrealistic in my eyes. BB on the other hand is about, "well, what should I do? should I run to another location and fight there? should I cripple my opponent? should I attempt to time my slash so that it kills them immediatly?", which seems more like a real sword fight. Another thing that I don't like about this game is that there's no honor system, which is something that I like to look for in a samurai game. Run to the other end of the dojo like a sissy, stabb your opponent right in the back when they are unprepared, there's no penalty for anything you do no matter how cowardly it is. Apart from that THIS GAME ROCKS! :-)

A Thoughtful Game for Thoughful People

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This is the best game of its kind, pure and simple. Unlike many other one-on-one fighting games, Kengo does not have strange "special attacks," such as lightning bolts, fireballs, etc. Rather, the game is based on realistic Japanese sword fighting techniques. The graphics are perhaps not as good as some other PS2 games, they are certainly not bad, and do not detract from the game in any way.

The best part of the game is its realism. You train in various dojos, using wooden swords (bokken), just as real samurai trained and as practitioners of the sword arts do today. The movements are very realistic. Gameplay is superb.

This is not a game for those who like their video games to be of the "hack and slash" genre. If you like lots of killing and gore, get Onimusha or something similar. But if you are interested in a mature game that holds remarkably true to Japanese sword martial arts, then by all means get this game. For those who practice kendo or aiki-ken, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

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