InuYasha: Feudal Combat
Encyclopedia
is a 3D computer graphics
fighting game
for the PlayStation 2
based on the InuYasha
manga
and anime
series.
Bandai planned to release this video game on August 16, 2005 in North America
, but it was postponed to August 25 due to the 2005 Miyagi earthquake
. It was released in Japan on June 16, 2005.
Bandai also planned to release this game on Nintendo DS
and Sony
PlayStation Portable
but it was cancelled.
When the Spirit Gauge is full, a special Finishing Move can be performed. Each character's basic Finishing Move can be activated by pressing and holding the circle button. But when a character is fighting alongside a partner and the duo reaches Great affinity, pressing circle will trigger a combined Finishing Move, a combined team attack between the two characters. Certain player/partner combinations will have their own special finishing move together. Those combinations are:
(Remember: The player can be either of the characters, so can the partner)
Four different formations (the different ways the player's partner can assist the player) can be selected during the battle: Wind formation (partner mimics the actions of the player), Forest formation (the player and the partner are always targeted on different opponents), Mountain formation (partner stays between the player and opponent and blocks enemy attacks) or Fire formation (both player and partner focus on the same opponent and attack continuously). The Fire and Mountain formations also increase the strength and defense of the player and partner, respectively.
Affinity will have an effect on what the characters say to each other.
Also, some characters will have a certain affinity from the start. For example, InuYasha and Koga will have a low affinity, however, InuYasha and Kagome will have a high affinity.
and GameRankings. Critics from sites like Gamespot and IGN criticized the game calling the combat system simplistic, the story mode short and uninteresting, and the environments bland and confined. The television series X-Play
gave the game a two out of five citing "This is strictly for fans of the series, and it's painfully obvious that more thought and effort went into the visuals and script than did the core play mechanics".
However, the game was praised for its graphics and its feel of the Feudal Japanese environment. The series Judgement Day praised the game for its visuals and its melee system. Prompting Tommy Tallarico
to state "When I talk about disliking 2-D fighters, cause they haven't done anything innovative in twenty years. This is what I'm taking about, a game like this takes this style and pushes the envelope. It does something new, unique, fresh. It gets you excited about playing the game".
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
based on the InuYasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series.
Bandai planned to release this video game on August 16, 2005 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, but it was postponed to August 25 due to the 2005 Miyagi earthquake
2005 Miyagi earthquake
The 2005 Miyagi earthquake was a powerful earthquake that struck the east coast of the Japanese island of Honshū at 11.46am on August 16, causing casualties, building collapses and power outages.-Earthquake characteristics:...
. It was released in Japan on June 16, 2005.
Bandai also planned to release this game on Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
but it was cancelled.
Characters
Here is a list of playable characters, characters in italics have to be unlocked throughout story mode.- InuYasha
- Kagome Higurashi
- Miroku
- Sango
- Shippo
- Sesshomaru
- Kagura
- Koga
- Kikyo
- Kohaku
- Naraku
- Demon InuYasha
- Human InuYasha
- Bankotsu
Gameplay
In InuYasha: Feudal Combat, up to four characters, two per team, may be present at once in a battle, however, two player characters cannot be on the same team. (IE: Player 1 as main fighter; Player 2 as their partner) Both the player and opponent may each select another character as their partner. There are four modes of gameplay, including Story, Mission, Battle, and Practice modes.When the Spirit Gauge is full, a special Finishing Move can be performed. Each character's basic Finishing Move can be activated by pressing and holding the circle button. But when a character is fighting alongside a partner and the duo reaches Great affinity, pressing circle will trigger a combined Finishing Move, a combined team attack between the two characters. Certain player/partner combinations will have their own special finishing move together. Those combinations are:
(Remember: The player can be either of the characters, so can the partner)
- InuYasha/Sesshomaru
- InuYasha/Kikyo
- InuYasha/Kagome
- Kikyo/Kagome
- Sango/Miroku
Four different formations (the different ways the player's partner can assist the player) can be selected during the battle: Wind formation (partner mimics the actions of the player), Forest formation (the player and the partner are always targeted on different opponents), Mountain formation (partner stays between the player and opponent and blocks enemy attacks) or Fire formation (both player and partner focus on the same opponent and attack continuously). The Fire and Mountain formations also increase the strength and defense of the player and partner, respectively.
Affinity will have an effect on what the characters say to each other.
- Bad Affinity - Not very good at all.
- Normal Affinity - What they'd normally treat each other.
- Good Affinity - Pretty well.
- Great Affinity - Good enough to pull off the Combined Finishing Move.
Also, some characters will have a certain affinity from the start. For example, InuYasha and Koga will have a low affinity, however, InuYasha and Kagome will have a high affinity.
Story mode
In Story Mode, the player must choose to follow first InuYasha's, then Sango and Miroku, then Sesshomaru's, and finally Shippo's "Chapter". These consist of a series of battles interlaced with cut scenes illustrating a story. If the player is KO'd (knocked out) in one of these battles, a screen with the option to reattempt the last battle is available. If each of these stories is completed without the player getting KO'd even once, then a new character can be selected in "Battle", "Practice", and "Mission" modes as the player/partner. Those characters are:- InuYasha's chapter - Naraku
- Sango/Miroku's Chapter - Bankotsu
- Shippo's Chapter - Human InuYasha
- Sesshomaru's Chapter - Demon InuYasha
Reception
The game was met with mixed criticism from various game critics. With aggregated scores of 52% from MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and GameRankings. Critics from sites like Gamespot and IGN criticized the game calling the combat system simplistic, the story mode short and uninteresting, and the environments bland and confined. The television series X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
gave the game a two out of five citing "This is strictly for fans of the series, and it's painfully obvious that more thought and effort went into the visuals and script than did the core play mechanics".
However, the game was praised for its graphics and its feel of the Feudal Japanese environment. The series Judgement Day praised the game for its visuals and its melee system. Prompting Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico is an American video game music composer and musician. He is best known as the co-creator of the concert series Video Games Live...
to state "When I talk about disliking 2-D fighters, cause they haven't done anything innovative in twenty years. This is what I'm taking about, a game like this takes this style and pushes the envelope. It does something new, unique, fresh. It gets you excited about playing the game".