NCS Game Notes™
* The intro to the game shows a blue sky with wispy clouds followed by hundreds of arrows that fly across the expanse. The camera then pans across the sea where armadas of boats are arrayed against each other. The war between Genji vs Heiki is in play. More arrows fly and the two sides drift ever closer together. Interspersed between the naval action are cinemas of the main characters posing and performing slashing attacks at air. There's a blue-armored swordsman, an archer, and a gal who fights with a fan. The intro continues to show the fighters engaging soldiers and dancing by themselves and their weapons. The intro ends with a sunset at sea where pink blossoms drift down and the remnants of boats and the battle from before are seen floating in the water. Fade out.
* After starting the main game, a voice over begins which explains the Genji/Heiki situation as text scrolls vertically on the screen to accompany the speech. The background is a flowery quilt of some sort followed by panels of artwork taken from the period in Japan's history. A Genji vs Heike clan battle is depicted in the final piece of artwork.
* A map of Japan is shown after the intro ends which pinpoints the location of the first stage. Some more information is given on the Heike and Genji along with some smudged artwork of men and then another of a temple. The camera focuses on a gal walking in the forest carrying a sword. She greets three fellow travelers before walking off on her own. The artwork is well done with crisp cel-shaded stylings. The game starts with her facing the camera while standing on a stone pathway with forest to the left and right of her. The camera keeps an isometric view of the surroundings while the heroine runs across grassy fields and walkways. There is no way to reposition the camera and the R-analog does nothing when twiddled.
* Movement is controlled through the L-analog or D-pad. If she walks forward, she will eventually see two people by the side of the road. Speak to them by walking up to them and then pressing the O button. They don't have much to say but if she continues further, she will come to a temple where a guard is standing along with a traveling merchant and a monk. Speak to the merchant to buy his wares if so desired. A wanderer eventually approaches the temple and gives some information. Many other NPCs may be interacted with in the area to get an idea of what happens next.
* A map on the lower right corner of the screen keeps track of your whereabouts and shows your present location by blinking on the part of the map that you're in.
* The buildings in the game are just for show. You cannot enter them to explore.
* After leaving the town area, a cinematic sequence shows her entering a training area when she hears a scream in the distance. She runs off to investigate and the view cuts back to the game again where she's shown with her sword drawn and ready for action. A guard soon enters and is a hostile attacker. To slash, hit the X button and block with the SQUARE button. Pressing the O button will perform a jumping slash attack which is accompanied by a guttural scream. To roll forward quickly, hit the R1 trigger. Game tips are given after the gal swings a few strokes at the hapless guard who moves slowly and deliberately and like a patsy. After killing him, she'll gain 8 EXP points. Continue running down the pathway and strike down the other guards that appear.
* The first group of guards are incompetent. They don't have aggressive attacks and serve as cannon fodder. Some guards have the intelligence to block when you're on the attack but to circumvent their defensive stance, simply walk behind them and slash them from behind. Yes, they're that dumb.
* Winged demons also attack our heroine but they are also easily struck down like stalks of grass. They offers little resistance and just sort of stand there like a wooden plank. After striking down two demons and an imp, a cinema appears where a red demon is about to attack two handlers and an innocent child. A white haired warrior steps up to defend the child and heroine runs into action to fight the demon beside him. Despite all your attacks, the demon will step to the background, lift the child up and fly off. Another cinema starts where the two heroes discuss the turn of events and plan a rescue mission of sorts to save the child.
* Once control is handed back, the blue armored warrior joins the heroine and follows her every move. A new TRIANGLE-triggered move is gained where the heroine spins her sword in place and prompts the blue-armored warrior to attack the closest enemy. For example, if she's facing two warriors, she may summon him over where he will attack the enemy closest to her. If she doesn't give the cue to attack, he will just stand there and do nothing. She may also goad him into fighting by slashing an enemy. That will pique his interest and he'll join in on the slashing. Once attacking however, he will battle with autonomy until the target is killed.
* Eventually they will meet up with the red demon again. He's with some winged minor demons but those are easily killed. The demon attacks with physical blows as well as a slow moving projectile that looks like a big cream puff. It will knock a hero for a loop if it makes contact. Again, the demon isn't very aggressive or smart but it puts up more of a challenge than the other enemies in the game. A portal appears and the heroes rush back to greet the child and 2 handlers that they saved.
* In the second mission, players take control of the gal again and they return to the village. Head over to the starting point up north and a cinema begins where the two warriors are underneath blossom trees while aurora borealis shines in the background. They then venture off to their next adventure and the map of Japan is shown once again with a location adjacent to the earlier location.
* Stage 2 starts on a walkway with lamps on either side while blossoms dift to the ground. Once inside the village, head towards the upper right portion of the map until you see another teleportation portal. Enter it and you and friend are ported to a new battle. The first enemies are imps which are emerging from a magic mirror. Destroy the imps and then the mirror. The imps attack with minor blows but they can also jump on a player and chew-attack. A new enemy in the level is a big spider which lunges and sinks its fangs into a player to poison him. If poisoned, a purple haze will fire out of the player's head and HP will always drift down to 1 until cured. Another new enemy is a jumpy fighter in black and red that puts up more skills than the standard guards. The enemies offer more of a challenge as the game progresses.
* There's a gallery mode that needs to be unlocked before the artwork and cinemas may be viewed. Storyboard sketches may be enlarged by moving the R-analog up.
* Yoshitsuneki was designed by Dream Factory for Banpresto.