*************************************************************** * * * * * Way of the Samurai FAQ * * Version 2.0 * * Written by UDBassMan * * June 10, 2002 * * email: storercd@notes.udayton.edu * * AOL: UDBassMan * * MSN: zanemcfate@hotmail.com * * * * * *************************************************************** This FAQ can serve as guidance, in order to get money fast or open up things quickly. However, it can also be used as a full walkthrough, so make what you will of it; the table of contents can quickly throw you in whichever direction you wish to go. Enjoy! - Chris Table of Contents i. Revision History I. Path Walkthroughs A. Start from the Beginning (The First Day, Morning) B. The First Day, Evening C. The First Day, Night D. Akadama Path E. Station Path F. Kurou Path G. Combo Scenario H. The Ultimate Path I. The Worst Path II. Swords A. Sword Advice 1. Choosing a Good Sword 2. When to Discard a Sword B. The Six Types of Swords 1. Up-Stance Swords 2. Middle-Stance Swords 3. Down-Stance Swords 4. Side-Stance Swords 5. One-handed Swords 6. Ninja Swords 7. Special Weapons C. Sword Stats 1. Life 2. Attack 3. Defense 4. Durability D. Dojima the Sword Smith 1. Life Upgrades 2. Attack Upgrades 3. Defense Upgrades 4. Durability Upgrades III.Bugs and Cheats i. Revision History Version 1.0 - Created the Walkthroughs section. Version 2.0 - Added the Swords section. - Added the Bugs and Cheats section. - Fixed minor typos and grammar from the Walkthroughs section. The game takes place over two days in Rokkotsu Pass, and time moves forward when you advance the storyline in one way or another. There are several decisions you can make to change your outcome. You don't necessarily have to choose a response to a situation all the time; you can simply choose not to talk, but remember, "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" (Rush, Free Will). After all, choices are the basis of this game! This FAQ assumes that you don't kill the main characters, so when I mention that a certain character appears on the Bridge, he won't be there if you kill him Come on guys, use your brains! I. PATH WALKTHROUGHS Sections A through C are free-range, meaning that you probably won't be encountering these places in order. If the same place is mentioned twice, you won't see the "Standard" scenarios until you've gone through the first scenes. Keep in mind that you can generally leave an area and come right back to avoid confrontation, but the day will not progress if you don't move the story along. A. START FROM THE BEGINNING (The First Day, Morning) Hmm... that sounds like a good place to start. The Bridge You appear in the bridge area (Remember to check your map with Triangle to stay oriented) and are free to move pretty much anywhere you choose. Advance slightly and you will notice a girl being confronted on the bridge. You can avoid her entirely by advancing toward the shrine, in which case you should skip the rest of this paragraph. Otherwise, Move toward the bridge and see what's up. Say hello to Tsubohachi, who is carrying the little girl with him. He would look a little more threatening if he put on some clothes, but at the moment, he looks like a cross-dressing thug. Decision 1: "She doesn't seem to like you." Tsubohachi responds, "Fight us and you will surely die." If you apologize, he doesn't seem to take it very well, and ditches the girl to go after you. Go to "The Railroad". Decision 2: "Stop it right now." You'll have to fight him, but you can't kill him this early in the game. Suzu will thank you and invite you to her place at the Station. Decision 3: "Let me join you!" He'll toss you on the railroad tracks with this one as well. Decision 4: Say Nothing. You can watch him go down under the bridge and engage Dona. Feel free to watch the fun or join in at this point. The Shrine A government official is standing at the top of the stairs. Depending on your choices earlier, he may or may not be talking with someone else. A cat meows and alerts him of your presence, then he decides to leave. Fight him or not, it doesn't make any difference. As you descend the stairs, you'll come across two people talking about the valley being handed over to the government. The Railroad Now look what you've gotten yourself into! Tsubohachi takes all your money and leaves you tied to the railroad tracks. This doesn't look too promising, but not to worry. A young man and his cute English ally come to your rescue. This guy doesn't seem to catch the hint, and asks you what you're doing. "What do you think I'm doing?!" Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Join him so he'll untie you from the tracks, because if you don't -- well, the train's not too far away. You soon discover that the man who saved you is Kitcho, the leader of the Akadama Clan, and his friend is Chelsea. If you wish to hear him, he'll tell you about the situation here at Rokkotsu pass. If you have read the back of the game box, you'll remember that the samurai are falling out of favor in the world. This guy wants to bring them back into the spotlight, and that's where you come in. Since you're on his side now, you're going to help him fight the government; woohoo! And it looks like the Kurou family is interfering with his clan as well, so you're in a one-on-two match. He then invites you back to his mansion for a meeting later. Don't forget to ask him for some money; he'll give you 10 yen to get you started. Then he takes off and leaves you free to move around. Come here in the evening to get your mission. Akadama Mansion Walk to the front and the guards will tell you that you can't come in. If you mention Kitcho, they will tell you that he isn't in yet, and to come back later. When you leave, you'll hear a big speech about going after the Kurou family and the government, then you can move around again. The Railroad (Standard) If you take the path that the map doesn't finish, you'll see the talk icon, and you'll be able to leave the pass. This ends your game, but allows you to put all three of your swords in your starting collection to use at the start of your next game. This doesn't make a lot of sense at first, but as soon as you start upgrading your swords, it will come in handy. Otherwise, feel free to snoop around and eat the shrooms, but be aware: they're not all good. The Foundry (Standard) Look for Endo in the center and he'll give you some history on the foundry. For putting up with his story, you'll get 3 yen. More upgrading, yaay! But there are greater spoils to be had, as you will see. Want some practice? Draw your sword and his buddies will come running in from every direction to join in the fight. They seem to be fascinated that you're killing them, and make little exclamations every once in a while about how many of them you've taken down. 3, 7, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50... after this point, someone will make a remark about being "halfway there now"... "60, oh, he's tough" ... "70?!? Incredible!" ... "80. The climax is yet to come" ... "90, keep going!" ... And after 100 kills, you get -- 10 yen. Fun stuff! Remember that you can kick up food that they drop by pressing R1+Square; this way, you won't have to sheathe your sword to eat, and that's important when you're trying to keep from getting killed. If you want a quick shortcut to the bridge from here, take the river instead of the road. This will bypass the Railroad and Station, helping to avoid confrontation. The Bridge (Second time you come here) Inokashira, a government official, is standing guard at the end of the bridge near where the game started. He threatens you with fines, but no matter, he's a was. Keep an eye out for him later though, because you won't find his allies to be such pushovers. Ipponmatsu (Standard) You'll encounter several insignificant people in this area at different times. Direct your attention to a shack near path that leads to the station. If you step inside, you'll meet Dojima, the buff but kind blacksmith who can upgrade your weapons. Tell him that you would like to make your sword tougher, and for 18 yen, he will increase the durability, which extends your weapon's gray bar at the bottom of the screen. This stat cannot go over five, and if it reaches zero, your weapon breaks and cannot be repaired. If you pay him 6 yen, he can improve your sword's sharpness (attack percentage) or flexibility (defense percentage). If you tell him "nothing in particular", he will increase the life or your weapon for 2 yen. Remember though, that every improvement seems to decrease other stats. Another interesting thing you can do to him is refuse to pay him, and he will fight you. Kill him to obtain the Takefuji, the only hammer in the game. It is considered an up-stance weapon, and it makes a metal sound when you "unsheathe" it, but it still looks cool to have in your inventory. Keep in mind that if you kill him now, you won't have him for the later missions, should you choose to take the side of the Station. The Station Come into the restaurant, and you'll be introduced to Dona Dona, the fro-packing samurai warrior who guards Suzu, the little girl. After a little talking, someone will barge in and start tearing things up. You find out that the intruder is Soichiro Shiretoko of the Kurou family, who apparently wants the place vacated, but Dona doesn't like the sound of that. Decision 1: Draw your sword and fight Win against Shiretoko and he'll ask you to join the Kurou family. If you accept, you'll lose favor with Dona and Suzu, but you'll get into the Kurou family instantly. If you refuse, you will gain the respect of Dona, which can come in handy later. Decision 2: Let him mess up the place This way, you won't have to choose any sides. Suzu will tell you that the restaurant is not open, and you can head out after that. B. THE FIRST DAY, EVENING At some point, the game will give you the option to save or continue. This will alert you that time has passed in the game. When you return to the game, it will be evening. The Bridge You will find Dona on the Bridge trying to write a Haiku, but failing. If you're friends with him, you can offer to help him out; otherwise, he tells you to get the heck out. The Station You'll come across a member of the Akadama Clan bullying an old man. If you confront him, he'll think you're from the Kurou family, and he'll run away. At about this point, Inokashira confronts you; he's a bit ticked off that you're still carrying your sword. Show him 10 yen and he will leave you alone; Show him your finger, and he will sentence you to death. Even with his gun, he isn't much of a threat, but Jose is! This hulk of a fighter can grind you down pretty badly, so go after Inokashira and take him out. He'll run off and take Jose with him. If, however, you have decent fighting skill, and you can win against Jose, you will get Jurokumon, Jose's giant club. The game considers it a down-stance weapon, but, like the Takefuji, it's fun to hang onto. Walk to Suzu's restaurant and go in where the old guy normally stands; the item waiting for you there will fully restore your hit points. Talk to the old guy and head on out of there. Railroad Akadama cronies will be fighting robbers left and right out here. If you keep your eyes open, you'll meet a man who asks you for 5 yen in exchange for the secret to making you stronger. This guy has a few bits of basic advice that you can essentially find in the tutorials. C. THE FIRST DAY, NIGHT The Foundry Go to the center of the Foundry area and you will witness two people discussing the future of the foundry workers after the Kurou family sells it to the government. Then you get an interesting tidbit: they're going to kick out the people from the station so they can live there! This gets interesting... after their conversation, they go back to guard duty. At this point, you can kill them both, but no more guards will appear. If you're low on hitpoints, step into the small building across from the towers and grab the two turnips here, then move toward the exit, but go to the building slightly down the path instead to get two more turnips for a giant health boost. There's nothing more to see here, so head out. The Railroad Shiretoko has defeated Kitcho's forces, as some messengers from the Akadama clan report to you as they are running away. Chelsea will ask you to help her attack the Kurou residence. If you choose to go with her, you'll run into Tsubohachi, who thinks you two are having a fling and tries to take you down, but nothing bad's going to happen to the world's greatest samurai, nooooo! If you turn her down, you'll see a cut-scene of her being attacked; sometimes you just can't win, you know? You can talk a lot during this fight, allowing you gain and lose Chelsea's help at times. Dispatch the scantily clad warrior (I'm referring to the guy) or his cronies and he'll retreat to inform the Kurou guys that you're coming. Chelsea tells you to retreat. THE SECOND DAY Because you lose more of your general freedom from this point on, and because it would be incredibly confusing to describe all the double-crosses you can pull (believe me, there are tons), this portion of the FAQ will serve as a walkthrough, depending on which group of people you wish to side with. D. Akadama This ending requires that you side with the Akadama, obviously. Special combo endings will come later. *************************Akadama Path (Ending 5)************************* The Station Someone wants a bunch of money. "Money, Money, Money," he says, and wants some of yours. Silence is golden in this situation, as he will not attack you if you keep your mouth shut. But isn't it more fun to kill some people? Attack him, and the warriors running by will join in for a fabulous Royal Rumble. Finish them off and be on your way. The Railroad Some warriors will run by and inform you that Kitcho has ordered an attack on the foundry. Head back to the Akadama Mansion to get some more details. Akadama Mansion Walk past the sparring guards and speak to Kitcho, who is happy to see you. Agree to tag along with him, and you'll appear at the shrine. The Shrine "Shall we raise some hell since now that we're here?" Darn straight! At the top of the Shrine, a buddy of Kitcho's, Hyuga, is talking with a government official and all the while, he's talking down Kitcho like he's some little pawn in a big plot. Naturally, Kitcho gasps and alerts the guy that he's being spied on, and then we have our little outdoor confrontation. It's a good thing he has you for help, because Hyuga's working for the government, and he has some cronies of his own. Be careful when you're fighting around the walls of the building, because if you lunge too hard, you'll go through the walls and appear inside. Gotta love crappy collision detection! Kitcho decides to settle the matter with the Kurou by himself, and sends you off to inform his clan that we need to kill the government first. Sheesh, you're starting to gather quite the murder backlog; shouldn't you be getting paid for this? If you want an even more diverse weapon collection, grab a ninja sword while you're here; there are few places where you can get your hands on one of these. Get back to where you once belonged, or something like that. The Bridge Evening has arrived, and no one seems to be here. Hop off the bridge and take the river to the foundry. The Foundry Remember the kitty from the shrine? Somehow, this cat has made its way over to the foundry, and if you climb the ladder to the middle area, you can have some fun hacking at it, but if you ask me, kicking is much more enjoyable. Get on outta here, and move over to the railroad. The Railroad You may have run into Toyoko before. He shows up here sometimes wanting to know if you would like some information. He's full of advice, and one thing he says is quite true: "It is wise to fight near sources of food." It's always better to have something to recharge you than to attempt escape, which is often futile. After you soak up his advice, kill him to obtain the kachouhugetsu, a fancy side-stance weapon (these are rather rare). What a way to repay such a nice guy! Make a point not to fight on the train tracks, or to at least stay near a ladder. Head-on collisions with a train never helped anybody. Near the ladder from the train tracks, you'll find a healing shroom to patch up your damage. Snatch that and move on; it's getting late. Akadama Mansion Move toward the entrance to the mansion to see a cut-scene of Kitcho trying to persuade Tesshin to help him take down the government. Tesshin was convinced, but too late; he gets shot down by a government guy... how ironic. FIGHT SCENE!!!! This should be a lot of fun, so keep on your guard, and make sure you equip your better sword. The day is dwindling down, and you wouldn't want to die here. If you're lucky, one of the government soldiers will drop a sword enhancement ...thing, for lack of a better word. These can come in handy, especially when your best sword gets it. You'll notice that Chelsea is on your side, and if you tell her that you can't go on, she'll toss you some food to restore your health. Handy things, these allies. Eventually, she'll tell you to go on without her. If you stick with her, you'll lose some allies up ahead; your ending is not affected by your decision here, so leave her behind and move on. The Railroad You'll come across Karibe, who helps you out in this area. Kill some more cronies and he'll give you the option to move ahead. Take him up on the offer, and you'll advance. The Station You run into Kitcho, who fills you in on the battle. This time, you have more than one ally helping you out, so get in there and lay the smack down! Another fun item you may receive will create any move you haven't already learned for your sword. Good stuff indeed. After some of this carnage, you'll see a cut-scene and advance to the bridge. The Bridge Forget about the soldiers here and run to the end of the bridge (you can run with your sword out by holding R2). Time to take out the commander! Tamagawa is a no-nonsense man, so he starts by cutting down Chelsea, which doesn't smooth over well with Kitcho. "He is evil." He sure is! Watch out for the cannoneers; you can either take them out so they won't interfere, or go straight after the commander and get it over with. Whenever you decide to take on the commander, draw him to the field at the end of the bridge and use moves like the fujinkyaku (R1+Triangle) to kick up the turnips in mid-battle. You should have plenty of food here to sustain you. Defeat the commander to see ending number 5. *************************End Akadama Path************************* E. Station Beginning from this walkthrough, there will be detailed instructions on how to go straight to the ending. If you wish to move around freely the first day, then choose a path, like the Akadama walkthrough was written, you can join this walkthrough at the "SECOND DAY" section instead. *************************Station Path (Ending 3)************************* The Bridge Begin by moving to the bridge and telling Tsubohachi "Stop it right now". He will threaten you; select "Prove it!" to engage the fight. When he weakens, tell him to "get out" and he'll run off. Now approach the girl. Ask her if she's okay, and she'll talk about Amaguri, her restaurant at the station. Accept her lunch offer, then move across the bridge. The Station Turn right into the Amaguri to meet Suzu, the girl from before, and her fro-bearing friend, Dona. Accept her lunch offer again. Her guardian will call her, and she will go off into another room. Tell the other samurai that the food is good to hear an introduction. Tell him that his decision is commendable, and that you follow the code of the samurai. Let him know that you feel the same way. Shiretoko and his cronies will come barging in, acting all tough. Tell him to leave, then fight off him and his cronies. He will give you the offer to join him. Ask him who they are, then remain silent. He will decide that you won't answer him, then he'll leave. Ask Suzu who the family is, then agree to help them. EVENING APPROACHES The Bridge Go ask Dona what he's doing, then finish his haiku with "a never-ending love". He'll say his piece, then leave. Follow him to the station. The Station Suzu's guardian is being bullied in the street, so tell the guy to leave. He'll think that you're from the Kurou family and he'll run. Inokashira will approach you and ask who you are. Paraphrase his question, then give him the finger. He'll sentence you to death, then start fighting. Hit him a few times, then he'll dispatch Jose to lay the smack down. Ignore Jose and keep going after Inokashira until he takes off. Head toward the bridge to see a cut-scene. The Bridge Turn around and go straight back! The Station Suzu wants your help. Tell her the you'll go save Dona, then head toward Ipponmatsu. Kurou Residence You'll wind up here automatically. If you took your own way around earlier, you may have run into Toyoko, who allows you to use the shortcut by following the right wall. Since we didn't do that this time, you'll have to take the frontal assault. Advance through the front doors after taking out the main guards, Try to dodge all the guards you can while advancing up the fort, then run into the main building, cutting through the front wall. Take out the man in here and go left through the wall to fight Tsubohachi. He drops the Ippatsumaru, which gives a life boost, but not much more. Hopefully, you have upgraded your swords in previous games and carried them out or had them delivered, so you can use them later (refer to UPGRADES). Go back to the main room and take out the wall at the other end. Turn left here and take out the wall at the end of that room to find Dona. Tell him that Suzu sent you, then ask why he snuck in. Tell him that it's time to go back. From this point on, you will have to tell Dona to grab the safe when it isn't already in his hands (guards knock it out sometimes), and to follow you when he goes astray. Take out anyone who stands in your way as you head back to Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Move to the left to avoid Tesshin. Chances are, he'll see you, but just keep running for the exit and you'll probably avoid him. A message will inform you that you got the safe. Dojima will make a comment about your potential, then Hyuga will pop in for a second, then you'll finally be free to move. Go to Amaguri and regain your strength, then go to the bridge. THE SECOND DAY The Bridge Feel free to fight around here to gain sword moves, then head back to the station. The Station Dojima will ask if you are who you are (go figure), so tell him yes and listen to his spiel. He'll take you into the restaurant and talk. Tell him that you have a general idea of what's happening at Rokkotsu pass, then tell him that the puppeteer concept is incredible. Say that you do know Hyuga, then ask him how he knew about Hyuga being a spy. Ask what will happen if the battle comes, then tell him you'll help him. The Bridge You will be taken to the bridge, where you will have to fight some ninjas. Ask Hyuga how he knows your name. Eventually, he'll sic his ninjas on you. After you win, ask him what he means by calling you a fool. When you get free will, go back to the station. The Station More fighting ensues. After you defeat a few people, Dojima will tell you to go ahead. Refuse the offer and keep fighting. Dojima will stay behind, while you go to Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Tell Dona that Suzu has been kidnapped. You'll have to fight some more soldiers. Inokashira will approach at one point, and will be cut down by his own men. Dona will tell you to go ahead. Once again, refuse his offer and keep fighting. Dona will get injured and send you on to rescue Suzu. Kurou Residence Speed is essential here because the commander is counting down to Suzu's death. Run past the guards by holding R2 while you move, and get up to the commander. Time for the final battle! The commander can't be harmed at first, so take out his cronies for now. Eventually, the commander will decide to take you on. Go for him now and ignore his soldiers. Defeat him to see ending 3. *************************End Station Path************************* F. Kurou You will side with the powerful Kurou family in this scenario, and must work to maintain relations with them as you fight who you think is your enemy... *************************Kurou Path (Ending 4)************************* FIRST DAY From the starting point, pass the bridge and head toward the shrine. Pass the shrine up and go into Ipponmatsu. Upon entering, turn right and hug the wall, making sure not to bother the trainer on the other side of the field. Move to the Kurou Residence. Kurou Residence Move to the front gate and tell Tsubohachi that you would like to join the Kurou Family. Move to the closed doors and you will arrive inside. Pass through the main corridor, then move left up the ramp to the large building. Approach Tesshin until he begins to speak, but don't say anything. Shiretoko will come to test your strength. After you defeat him, Tesshin's girl will give you some yen and tell him to bring you along on a mission. Grab some shrooms to restore your health on the way to Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Go toward the station exit, but instead, turn into the small building, where you can use the money to get some upgrades. When you're finished, head backwards a bit and head for the shrine. The Shrine Shiretoko will thank you for coming when you approach him. When he tells you to go, tell him, "very well." The Station You will appear here, where Shiretoko will brief you a bit. Don't answer him and you will go into the restaurant. He will talk with Dona and Suzu for a second, then you will have an opportunity to tear the place up. After a while, inform Suzu that you were just doing what you were told, then Shiretoko will cue the exit. He thanks you later for following orders, then lets you in on a job in the evening. Let's leave until evening sets. Ipponmatsu It's evening already, so upgrade your sword at Dojima's again, then head back to the Kurou residence. Kurou Residence At the gate, Tell Nakano that you have a job, and he'll get Shiretoko. Ipponmatsu Here we are again. This time you're guarding Tesshin's little one. Try to stay behind Shiretoko, or he'll snap at you. Eventually, attackers from the Akadama clan will come. When Kitcho asks if you are on Shiretoko's side, tell him that the baby's innocent. This will cue a fight with Kitcho. Hyuga comes to his aid eventually, and you are told to take the baby and run. Take the kid and run for your life! If you make it back to the side you started from, you succeed. Kurou Residence Tesshin will give you 20 yen, then you can leave. Go to Shiretoko on your way out and ask him what's up. He'll mention that Madam Murasaki, Tesshin's wife, has gone out on unusual circumstances. Take off for Ipponmatsu and cut through to the shrine. The Shrine You enter to see Madam Murasaki look around suspiciously, then head up the stairs. Upon following her, you will find that she is having an affair with Inokashira! Break up their conversation by walking up to them, then tell her that you overheard their conversation. DON'T DRAW YOUR SWORD!!! Shiretoko will come to the rescue. When you get the chance, tell him that they had a secret meeting. When he gets ready to tell Master Tesshin, ask him to pardon her. You get invited to join in the Kurou defenses tomorrow, so we must get to the foundry ASAP. Head out of the shrine, toward the bridge. SECOND DAY The Bridge A bunch of people are sneaking over to the Foundry through the river shortcut. Follow them. The Foundry Head over to the little meeting and Tesshin will give you the low-down. Soon after you arrive, Kitcho and his cronies will arrive at the foundry for some father-son bonding. Tesshin orders you to go to the railroad to help his troops, so you'll go there automatically. The Railroad This fight starts with a very skilled fighter on your side, so this should be a pushover. If you're using a low weapon, try the Toward+Triangle, Back+Triangle combo to throw your enemies so your buddy can hack and slash. Next, Karibe and Chelsea, two expert fighters from the Akadama clan, will confront you, so keep on your toes! Karibe can give you a run for your money, so make sure to block his super moves, then rush in while he's off-balance. Defeat him to get the Samehada-tou, an up-stance weapon. Now target Chelsea. If you're unlucky enough to get knocked through the air, she can hit you five times or more with an air juggle, so block when she starts hitting upward. When you defeat her, she will drop the Binetsu, a weak, but improvable one-handed weapon. After the victory, Tsubohachi takes guard duty at the railroad station and sends you back to the foundry. The Foundry Here comes the fight with Kitcho! This guy has some spectacular moves, and you can enhance your sword by blocking them. Hurry to the top of the tower to take him on. The Tower Fight (The Foundry) When you get to the top, you'll soon realize that you are not alone. Tesshin has beaten you there, and is squaring off with Kitchu. Tesshin hands the job to you, then starts floating around like a sumo ref. His air attacks are deadly, so try to dodge those as well as you can. Your best technique would be to grab a down-stance sword like the Abashiri and use the Triangle,Triangle attack while Kitchu is close to the center to flip him into the air, then follow with air juggles. Try not to knock him off the tower, since that will eliminate your tight-space advantage, and it may be difficult to find him after he falls. Grab the his sword after he dies and take the stream to the bridge. The Bridge Run up to the field next to the bridge and kick up some turnips to get your health back. If you see the tip guy, toss some yen his way and he'll give you some helpful fighting hints. He makes an interesting comment about learning a new move if you scramble back for ten seconds after you get knocked down, as opposed to standing right back up. There are several ways to learn new moves, and they all require getting yourself into sticky situations like that. Instead of crossing the bridge, head past the shrine, through Ipponmatsu (for the fourth time), and into the Kurou Residence. Signing the Paper (Kurou Residence) Tell Yoshimoto that you're ready for the meeting and he'll let you through the gate. The next thing you know, you're in the meeting, finalizing papers. Let them talk and don't interrupt, and you'll find a little twist in the agreements. Tamagawa has betrayed the Kurou family! After you follow Tesshin outside, the war against the government will ensue. Murasaki will assist the two of you against the government soldiers. The best approach to taking these guys out is to block their triple attacks and perform a super move while they're off-balance. Don't forget that you can bug your allies for food if you're getting too weak by telling them that you aren't going to make it. When Tesshin tells you to go on ahead, tell him that you're going to stay, and finish the fight. After that's over, head to Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Join Shiretoko in this battle against the cannoneers. Run behind the cannons and tear down the soldiers until Shiretoko tells you to go forward. Stick around anyway and finish the battle, then move on to the bridge. The Station It's evident from the moment you walk in here that something is up. Go talk to Tsubohachi, who tells you to stand still and watch. Sure enough, Hyuga and his ninjas have arrived to take you out! Rat him out and he'll say that he's actually a government spy. The ninjas are blazingly fast, but easy enough to take out. Try to use a down-stance move like the jihibiki (Back, Towards+Triangle) to fake out the ninjas and catch them in mid-air. After you defeat Hyuga, tell Tsubohachi that you'll stick with him, and finish the last of the ninjas. The Bridge Break out the sake and rice cakes, cause it's time for Tamagawa! He's not as tough as he looks if you dodge his super attacks and get him from behind. A one-handed or ninja weapon is ideal for this guy. Dash across the bridge and finish him for ending 4. *************************End of Kurou Path************************* G. Combo Scenario This one puts the Kurou and station paths together; only two more endings to go! *************************Combo Scenario (Ending 2)************************** FIRST DAY Getting Started Avoid the encounter with Tsubohachi by moving past the bridge toward the shrine. Run up the stairs to see Hyuga meeting with a government official. If you're carrying a ninja or one-hand sword from the last game, you might want to kill this guy and grab his dull sword until you have some yen to improve your sword's durability. Move past the two guys at the bottom of the shrine on your way out and take a right. Ipponmatsu You can move up to the guys down the hill talking and see some storyline, but make a point not to let them notice you. The leader here is afraid of everyone, apparently, and doesn't take kindly to people like you. Move left toward the bridge, and stop by Dojima's sword shop to talk, or to grab a quick upgrade. The Station Go to Suzu's place and ask for something to eat. Throw some positive comments at Dona while you're eating while you wait for the intrusion. Leave toward the bridge after Dona gets hit, and when Suzu asks for help, tell her that it's none of your business. Take off the other way, back toward Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Time has passed, and it's now evening. Look to the other end of the field and you'll see some guys walking in your direction. Ask them who Murasaki is, then let them pass. Head up the right path to the shrine. Walk up the stairs, then turn back around and head down. You'll meet Toyoko on the stairs. Tell him that you wish to know his secret. You'll have to fight him for it, but it's not a very difficult battle. After you win, he'll let you know about a secret entrance to the Kurou place; this will come in handy later. Grab some shrooms after the fight, then head to the bridge. The Bridge Ask Dona what he's doing, and he'll talk about haikus. Finish his haiku with "an omelet with rice", and he'll decide that you're no better than he is. Follow him to the station. The Station Tell the bully to stop hitting gramps, and he'll get scared off. Don't run from the guy who tells you to stop. He'll ask who you are, but remain silent. Don't respond to anything he says. Eventually, he'll pull out a gun and start a fight. Attack him a bit and he'll call out Jose. Don't talk during this sequence either. Ignore Jose and keep attacking the other guy until they both run. Head to the bridge after the fight. The Bridge It's nighttime now, so join in the fighting here to grab some more swords, then head back to the station. The Station Looks like Suzu has a mission for you. Take the mission, and you will appear at the Kurou Residence. Metal Gear (Kurou Residence) Time to do some sneaking. Hug the right wall until you find the secret entrance. Sneak past the guards and run into the main building at the top of the fort by cutting through the doors (or opening them with square if your sword is sheathed). Fight the crony inside, then go through the door to your RIGHT. The left door will get you into some trouble and fudge the storyline. In the next room, turn left, SHEATHE YOUR SWORD, and go through the doorway at the end. You'll find Dona sneaking around in this room. Tell him that Suzu sent you, then ask him why he snuck in. Tell him that it's time to go back, then you will be have him as an ally for a while. Take the Money and Run (Kurou Residence) If you went through this in my earlier section, don't worry about the descriptions again. You can tell Dona to grab the safe, fight, or follow you. Use these combos wisely to get out of here. When you reach the pathway out, Tsubohachi will be waiting for you. When Dona tells you to leave him alone, do so and head out of there. At Ipponmatsu, run around Tesshin to avoid the fight, then go to the station. You'll see a cut-scene, then go to the bridge. THE SECOND DAY The Bridge Turn around and go back to the station. The Station Take up Dojima's mission by saying the following when you have the chance: "What is it that you want to tell me?" "I've got a general idea." "That's incredible" "Yes, I do" "How do you know that?" "What will happen if the battle comes?" "OK, I will help you." The Bridge You will run into some ninjas headed by Hyuga. Ask him, "How do you know my name?", then he will make a remark and start the fight. Make sure to block their air strikes, but other than that, they shouldn't be much trouble. Make a point to keep Dojima alive during this fight. After the battle, ask Hyuga what he means by his little remark. After the scene, go back to the station to witness the next section of storyline. Fight the soldiers to move on. Remember to tell Dojima that you can't go on to get some food; this comes in handy if you find yourself outnumbered. When Dojima will tell you to go on without him. Take him up on the offer and go to Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Tell Dona that Suzu was kidnapped, then you will be attacked by more government soldiers. You'll witness another scene soon, then you will have the opportunity to leave Dona behind. Go ahead and leave him there, and go get Suzu. Kurou Residence Go through the front gate and you will see a scene of general Tamagawa. Instead of taking the ramp to the upper level when you get to the inner chamber, turn right and talk to Tsubohachi, who is lying on the ground. Ask if he's all right, then tell him you've come to rescue Suzu. Say that she was kidnapped by the government army, and ask what happened to him. Ask him about the others, then tell him that you are going to rescue Suzu. He'll join your side. After that, go up the ramp to take on the commander. Make sure Tsubohachi stays alive, because that affects your ending. Note that this fight is a bit easier this time around now that you have a powerful guy to help you out. Kill Tamagawa to see ending 2. *************************End of Combo Scenario************************* H. The Ultimate Path Get ready for the best ending! Make sure not to draw your sword any more than you have to. *************************The Ultimate Path (Ending 1)************************* Synopsis: Join Kurou house; in evening, go to Akadama and join them. Take Kitcho's place. Fight Karibe, and make him apologize. Day one night, go to the shrine and break up the secret meeting. Answer first and second questions, then answer "" to break up the fight. Day two, morning, go back to Akadama, kill Hyuga at the shrine, then go back to Akadama. Fight with allies until night. At the temple, fight Tamagawa to see the ending. Make sure to pick up Tamagawa's sword. THE FIRST DAY The Bridge Stand far from the scene on the bridge and watch the scene unfold. Follow them off the bridge to see what happens. After that, go back up the hill and head to the shrine. The Shrine Walk up the steps to witness Hyuga conspiring with a government soldier. After the scene, go back down the steps and turn right toward Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Turn left and go into the shack to be introduced to Dojima, and get some upgrades if you want. Head right from there to the Kurou Residence. Kurou Residence Tell Tsubohachi you wish to join the Kurou, and he'll tell you to go in. Ask who Master Tesshin is, and he'll give you a little primer. Walk to the gate to be sent in. Go through the corridor and listen to the guys talking about little Kintaro if you wish, then head up the ramp to talk to Madam Murasaki and Master Tesshin. Don't talk when you get the chance. She will summon Shiretoko to fight with you. Don't talk to him either; just draw your sword and start fighting. Don't stray too far or you'll be teleported back to the center. After your victory over Shiretoko, Murasaki will give you some yen and send you on a mission. You can stick around to hear some inside info on the foundry if you wish. Eventually, they will go inside. After the conversation, head out the main gate toward Ipponmatsu. Ipponmatsu Head over to the people talking by the tree to hear some more talk, then go through the station to the railroad. The Railroad See those red guys talking? Go see what's up. Someone's speaking against the Kurou. Keep your sword sheathed and let him finished. After he's done, head into the Akadama clan HQ. Akadama Clan Tell the gatekeeper that you wish to join, and he'll tell you that Kitcho isn't in yet. Leave here to see a cut-scene. The Railroad Move ahead some and a person will come running trying to get some money from you. Run to cue a fight. Go ahead and take him out, then head back through the station, through Ipponmatsu (perhaps getting some upgrades along the way), then go to the shrine. The Shrine Shiretoko will thank you for coming along. Tell him, "very well", then you will head to the station. The Station You will have to go tear up Suzu's place. When he orders you to, pick up some chairs and throw them around. After a little while, tell Suzu that you are only doing what you are told. Eventually, he will give you some yen. Head left to the railroad (make sure not to stop for upgrades; the station will change and you'll lose your evening mission), and you will be confronted by Hyuga. Ask what he is talking about, and he warns you not to get involved. Take off for the railroad. The Railroad It's evening now, so head over to the Akadama clan to join. Akadama Clan The gatekeeper will escort you into the place. After all the conversation, take Kitcho's place in the fight. Karibe's a tough guy, so keep your blocks up and unbalance him a lot. DON'T KILL HIM! When his power is low, make him apologize. When you're free to leave, head through the railroad (ignore Toyoko) to the Foundry. The Foundry Two people will be in the center talking about the future of the foundry. After they are done, go past them to the river and follow the water to the bridge. The Bridge FIGHT SCENE!! There is tons of fighting going on. Join in if you want; otherwise, go up the hill and to the shrine. The Shrine Looks like Murasaki's up to something. Walk close enough to hear her conversation with Inokashira. When Murasaki says, "Well, you're shrewd too, you little policeman", run up to them so that they notice you. DO NOT DRAW YOUR SWORD!! Things will work out. Say that you did hear the conversation, and they will get ready to kill you, but Shiretoko will come to the rescue. Tell Shiretoko that they had a secret meeting, but later, tell him to pardon her. After the meeting, head down the stairs to the bridge and cross it to reach the station. DAY TWO The Station Dojima will confront you, but tell him you're not interested. Head left to the railroad, and go to the Akadama clan. Akadama Clan Talk to Kitcho and tell him "That's exactly what I want you to do!" You will wind up at the shrine. Sneak up the stairs and spy on Hyuga. After the conversation, his ninjas will go after you. Take them and Hyuga out with one of their own weapons. He'll blow himself up after the fight. Head back to the bridge, through the river to the foundry, then to the railroad. The Railroad Head through there and to the Akadama house. Akadama Clan Fight fight fight, that's all we're doing here. Note that you have a lot more allies this time, and they aren't getting left behind. Guess what? Tesshin's sent his people to help you! Things are definitely looking on the up and up. Annihilate the soldiers until you get to a cut scene. Go with Chelsea and you will fight at the station. After this fight, leave when Chelsea gives you the option. The Bridge Tesshin and Kitcho will help you out here; show 'em how a real samurai fights! Eventually, Tamagawa will become active. Take him out and he will retreat to the shrine. The Shrine Upon entering, you will be assaulted by four ninjas, but you don't need to fight them; simply head past them up the stairs. Tamagawa is waiting for you; give him your name when he asks. He compliments your fighting skills, then he asks you to join the government forces. Decline his offer, and he will engage you. Tamagawa doesn't push you very often, but he also parries a lot, so you shouldn't attempt pushing or parrying; instead, block his attacks and roll out with the super moves. Defeat Tamagawa and quickly grab the Niitakayama he drops before ending 1 begins. *************************End of Ultimate Path************************* I. The Worst Path (Ending 6) To obtain this ending, complete all the objectives required to see ending 1, but instead of fighting Tamagawa, take his offer and join his forces. Congrats, you've just earned all the endings! II. Swords A. Sword Advice I've taken the liberty to throw in some general advice about sword handling so you can jump right in; the later parts get into the more complex aspects of swords. 1. Choosing a Good Sword There are a few aspects of choosing a good sword to go into battle with. First, let's look at the defense-to-life ratio. Keep in mind that the standard hitpoint level is 1000. Let's take a look at the Niitakayama, perhaps the most rare sword in the game, but not the best one. Remember, you could have more than one sword with the same name, and they could both have completely different stats; this is simply an example. The Niitakayama has a life stat of +111, and a defense percentage of -28%. Note that 111 hitpoints is 11.1% of your standard max. Since you are gaining 11.1% in raw HP, but losing 28% in general damage over time, you are actually losing HP with that combo, so you should simply ignore the HP gain and know that you are taking extra damage. Next, look at the attack percentage. An 8% Attack percentage can be decent assistance, but make sure that you don't take the attack too heavily into account if you're a more defensive fighter. For instance, if you rush into an attack aggressively, and don't allow too many hits, then a sword with high attack and low defense would be ideal; however, if you aren't using that extra attack frequently, it won't come in as handy as you would imagine. 2. When to Discard a Sword Very often in the game, you will find yourself in a situation where you will want to take more swords from the battle than the three you can carry. At this point, you will need to make some quick decisions about your weaponry. First of all, some weapons will be useful for the current situation, while others will be great additions to a permanent collection. Sometimes going for a good attack boost with low life and defense is great for a blitz attack where you need to keep an ally alive, but a sword with a large life boost is a great help in the long run. Another thing to remember is that if you are planning to alternate swords frequently during battle, the life boost is meaningless. For example, if you have 1000/1000 hitpoints and switch to a life+600 weapon, you will still have only 1000 hitpoints, so make sure that if you are switching swords a lot, keep swords with similar life boosts. B. The Six Types of Swords There are six primary sword types, as well as a few unorthodox rare swords, that you will find throughout the game. They all come with their ups and downs, and this section will detail the different swords you may find. 1. Up-Stance Swords Description: These swords are usually smaller swords which are held with the hilt over the head and slightly back, and the tip pointed straight ahead. Known Up-Stance Swords: Chigusa Dai-Kuronama Osorezan Samehada-tou, dropped by Karibe Pros: Great overhead attacks, certain moves can get around an enemy's blocks. Ninja sword carriers will find it extremely difficult to get a move in, since all jumping attacks are quite easily turned into air juggles to the enemy. Cons: Difficult to defend any low attack and most middle attacks; easy to get tripped. Jumping attacks are relatively worthless. Extremely weak against down-stance weapons. 2. Middle-Stance Swords Description: The middle-stance swords are held close to the center of the body and slightly forward, with the tip pointed forward and slightly upward. Known Middle-Stance Swords: Aizome, dropped by Murasake Chuyo-tou, acquired at the beginning of the game Dull Sword Shodai-Tamahikari Pros: Very defensive, allows blocking of almost every move, quick moves allow for a raptor-like leap and retreat fighting style. A large base of super moves will keep the enemies rolling if you're in a tight spot. A great choice for beginners. Cons: Slow reaction times allow enemies with ninja-swords to get behind you relatively easy; overhead attacks can sometimes lead to frequent unbalancing with inexperienced players. 3. Down-Stance Swords Description: These are fairly long swords, held forward and pointed slightly down. Known Down-Stance Swords: Abashiri Pros: A large selection of upward sweeping power moves keeps up-stance, one-hand, and ninja fighters dodging; a decent balance of blocking ability and power moves. A great choice for the close-range fighter. Cons: Up-stance attacks can cause trouble with this sword's low blocking speed. Like the middle-stance sword, high speed fighters can be dangerous if you don't evade quickly. 4. Side-Stance Swords Description: Short swords, held to the side and pointed backward. Known Side-Stance Swords: Jukkaimaru, dropped by Shiretoko Niitakayama, from Commander Tamagawa Pros: The momentum produced by the quick movements of this sword allow for efficient attacks, and allow you to quickly move back to a defensive position. Ideal for indecisive players. Cons: The low power of this weapon combined with its weak ability to block power attacks makes this a bad idea for experienced players. 5. One-handed Swords Description: Short swords held with one hand; the sword hand is held behind the body and pointed backward, and the free hand is held forward for balancing and speed. Known One-handed Swords: Binetsu, dropped by Chelsea Higan Pros: The exclusion of the sword from the front of the fighter allows for some martial arts attacks and evasions; the momentous sweep of the sword coming forward helps to keep its attack power up. Cons: Blocking becomes a serious problem. Weak standard attacks almost eliminate their usefulness; the power attacks become necessary for victory. 6. Ninja Swords Description: Short swords held to the side with one hand and pointed backward. Use of this sword exponentially increases the user's acrobatic ability. Known Ninja Swords: Ninja-sword (go figure) Zangetsu Pros: The blazing speed of attack and evasion combined with unreal jumping attacks make the fighter extremely difficult to block; with an entire set of moves made to attack behind, the fighter can attack in every direction. An absolute must for the experienced player. Cons: The complex nature of the directional attacks and special moves make this sword difficult to master; It is unfit for close-range combat. Weak attacks make battles last longer, which can lead to the death of important allies during the mass attacks late in the game. 7. Special Weapons There are a few unique weapons that can be secured from various special characters throughout the game. Takefuji, dropped by Dojima An easy way to get this sword is to refuse to pay Dojima after getting an upgrade; then you'll have a better sword as well as a new one. This hammer weapon is considered up-stance. Jurokumon, dropped by Jose Kill Inokashira's assistant, Jose, to get this blunt weapon. It is considered a down-stance weapon. Iron Ball This is a massive one-handed spiked ball; you can find it from a random enemy on the bridge during day two, night. Naginata A side-stance... well... naginata. Ever played Bushido Blade? C. Sword Stats The four sword statistics affect how your sword will aid you in battle. 1. Life The amount of hitpoints gained or lost from your maximum HP while the sword is equipped. See the defense-hitpoint ratio in I-A: Sword Advice. 2. Attack The percentage of your standard attack damage that is added to every attack. Useful in quick-win situations, but not always preferable over defense. Negative numbers weaken your attack. 3. Defense The percentage of the enemies' attack damage that is guarded. Normally more useful than hitpoint gain, since hitpoints can be easily covered in certain battle areas. Negative numbers make the player more sensitive to attacks. 4. Durability The amount of stress that can be placed on a sword before its durability lowers (I know, it's a recursive definition). This attribute is displayed in a gray bar above the life gauge. Blocked moves and successful execution of power moves will greatly stress the sword (If you perform the middle-stance move R1+Triangle, it will instantly break your sword if its durability value is less than three). If a sword's durability reaches zero, the sword cannot be repaired. Durability cannot exceed five. D. Dojima the Sword Smith Dojima lives in Ipponmatsu in a small shack near the exit to the station. You can go to him to get repairs and upgrades to your equipment (There aren't truly repairs; the only thing that can diminish is durability 1. Life Upgrades Tell Dojima that you would like your sword improved, then select "nothing in particular." The price is normally 2 yen, but may increase as your sword gains life points. Upgrading this too much will result in the drastic loss of defense percentage, and a small loss in attack. 2. Attack Upgrades Tell Dojima to improve your sword, then select sharpness. The price is 6 yen. This can usually be done three times before serious losses of defense occur. 3. Defense Upgrades Tell Dojima to improve your sword, then select flexibility. The price is 6 yen. This can usually be done three time before serious losses of attack occur. 4. Durability Upgrades Tell Dojima that you would like to make your sword tougher. The price goes up depending on how high your durability already is. III. Bugs and Cheats BUGS Sword Vanishing Glitch During fighting, take care not the switch swords in mid attack. When you try, the system will normally tell you that the operation cannot be performed, but occasionally, it will mess up, and you will lose the sword you are trying to in the process. - This bug was reported by PyroFalkon CHEATS Health Recovery: Pause the game. At the sword selection screen, while holding L1+L2, press Down, Up, Down, Up, Right, Left, Circle. Your hitpoints will recover to their maximum. My name is Chris Storer and I go by UDBassMan; if you want to contact me for feedback or questions of any kind, feel free to do so through any of these methods: email: storercd@notes.udayton.edu AOL: UDBassMan MSN: zanemcfate@hotmail.com Special thanks go to the following: PyroFalkon, my long-time associate (7 years now) for test driving some parts of my FAQ, and for reminding me that one person's pain is a few hundred people's pleasure. Hope you enjoy the FAQ, and good luck playing!