Vanillaware released its game called Muramasa: The Demon Blade back in 2009 for the Nintendo Wii.  This particular title will have you hacking and slashing your way ninja style. And it was so well-received with gamers that a re-released version made its way to the Playstation Vita. Called Muramasa Rebirth, this title will once again attempt to win over owners of this portable game console.
When you begin the game, you are asked whether you want to proceed with the tutorial or not. I recommend that you do go through this session as it will acquaint you with the necessary functions and control schemes that you need to be aware of. The tutorial does a great job of explaining things and letting you execute the moves accordingly. But basically, you’ll use the left analog stick to move, the square button to attack, X to jump, Circle to unleash a special move, and finally the triangle button to toggle among the different swords within your possession.  The controls work really fine in this case while the button layout is appropriate to allow your battling experience to play out smoothly.
As you jump into this 2D platforming ordeal, you’ll come across various enemies in which you’ll be slashing your way to victory while minimizing taking on their damages. With a huge diversity of characters you’ll face, you’ll find the challenges to be quite welcoming. Although Muramasa Rebirth can be quite enjoyable, in longer play periods, you can potentially feel that the game gets repetitive. At some point, you may find the combat to be pretty much the same overall. Luckily, there are some epic boss battles that will lighten things up.
In Muramasa Rebirth, you have two stories to choose from. Each consists of a completely different campaign and features a unique main character. You can choose to play as a ninja named Kisuke or a princess possessed by a swordsman named Momohime. Either way, you’ll have a different story that actually ties to each other in some way. Unfortunately, the game can be pretty short in length thereby lowering its replay value.  However, there are add-on content due to be included later in the future.
During the game, you will be able to acquire and create better swords, which also means there are new secret special moves you’ll be able to execute. But you’ll also need to be aware of each of their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, longer blades are stronger and have a farther reach but at the expense of speed.
One awesome feature regarding Muramasa Rebirth is the combat system. In particular, you have a soul gauge that can affect the effectiveness of your weapon. This comes into play when you reflect projectiles shot by your enemies back at them simply by pressing the attack button at the right timing. By doing this, you decrease this soul gauge which eventually can destroy your weapon, thereby leaving you vulnerable until you switch to another blade. On the flip side, if you time your blade switches well, you’d be able to pull a secret move which can end up wiping out all the enemies on screen. However, you’ll need to have the soul gauge filled up first. Considering there are a huge number of weapons available, you’ll see plenty of sick and wicked moves throughout the game.
But it’s not all about fighting in Muramasa Rebirth. There are also aspects in the game where you’ll be making food with acquired items. You’ll come across in-game characters from whom you can purchase items with the money that you earn. These also include recipes which will allow you to prepare. For instance, you may have to make a rice ball by taking the rice from the bowl, squeezing them into a ball, adding some seaweed, etc. It definitely changes the pacing of the game slightly while at the same time allows you to get a little insight of the Japanese culture and their cuisines.
The graphics behind Muramasa Rebirth look absolutely brilliant under the Vita’s OLED screen. You have the colors that are vibrant while the characters are designed with a high degree of detail. The sound effects also effectively give a sense of excitement and awe especially during battles. And the music fits perfectly with the whole atmosphere.
If you enjoy some blade-wielding action, then Muramasa Rebirth is here to fulfill your pleasures. It’s true that the game can be quite short and even repetitive, but the presentation and the overall gameplay give this particular Vita title its value. You can pick this game up at either your local video game retail store or download via the Playstation Network.
