''Kengo'' () is a series of video games developed by
Genki. ''Kengo'' is considered a
spiritual successor
A spiritual successor (sometimes called a spiritual sequel) is a product or fictional work that is similar to, or directly inspired by, another previous product or work, but (unlike a traditional prequel or sequel) does not explicitly continue th ...
to the ''
Bushido Blade'' game series for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
.
Games
''Kengo: Master of Bushido''
''Kengo 2: Legacy of the Blade''
The second game in the ''Kengo'' series was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on June 27, 2002. It was released in Europe on February 14, 2003 under the title ''Sword of the Samurai''. It features a character creation feature and over 100 detailed swords to choose from. Published by
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Anno'', '' Assassin's Creed'', ' ...
. It was not released in North America.
In Japan, ''Famitsu'' gave the sequel 30 out of 40. The game received a 64% overall review score from Futuregamez.
''Kengo 3''
The third game in the ''Kengo'' series was released for the PlayStation 2 on September 22, 2004. Featuring much improved graphics and a simplified fighting system from ''Kengo 2''. It was released only in Japan.
''Kengo: Legend of the 9''
Released for the
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
on September 7, 2006, ''Kengo: Legend of the 9'' (''Kengo: Zero'' in Japan and Europe) was developed by Genki and published by
Majesco Entertainment.
It is the fourth and last game in the series.
In the game there are a total of 10 playable characters:
* Historical:
Miyamoto Musashi
, was a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 62 duels. Miyamoto is considered a ''Kensei (honorary title), kensei'' (swo ...
,
Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, Chiba Sanako (famed female master swordsman born into a famous family of swordmaster in the Edo era),
Itō Ittōsai
, was a Japanese swordsman, originally named Itō Yagorō. He is attributed as the founder of the Ittō-ryū ("one sword" or "one stroke") school of kenjutsu, sword fighting.
According to legend, he floated across the Sagami Bay on a piece of ...
,
Okada Izō
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, feared as one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. He was a member of (Tosa Imperialism party, a loyalist clique of Tosa) in his hometown, Tosa Domain. Izō and Tanaka Sh ...
,
Okita Sōji,
Sasaki Kojirō
was a Japanese swordsman who may have lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods and is known primarily for the story of his duel with Miyamoto Musashi in 1612, where Sasaki was killed. Although suffering from defeat as wel ...
,
Sakamoto Ryōma,
Horibe Yasubei. Jion (unlockable) Although thought to be a fictional character, Jion may in fact refer to Sōma Shiro Yoshimoto, also known as Jion, the founder of Nen-ryu.
Reception
''Kengo: Legend of the 9'' was panned by critics. The game received "unfavorable" reviews according to video game
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
.
References
{{reflist, 30em
3D fighting games
Fighting games
Genki (company) games
Multiplayer video games
PlayStation 2 games
Video game franchises
Video game franchises introduced in 2000
Video games about samurai
Video games developed in Japan
Video games set in feudal Japan
Xbox 360 games