When most people talk about their most anticipated games of the year, the list often includes the latest Madden, Call of Duty and Guitar Hero/Rock Band releases, along with whatever big-name sequel Nintendo is currently planning.

If you were to ask me which individual game I have been anticipating most, the answer would be a rare and unlikely action game: Muramasa: The Demon Blade. Though most of the world will never know it, Muramasa is the spiritual successor to Odin Sphere, an unheard of, underappreciated masterpiece for PS2. If you’ve heard me talk about Odin Sphere before but never took the time to investigate (that is, if you haven’t tracked down a copy and played it for yourself), allow me to fill you in on what you’ve been missing: some of the most exhilarating, well-crafted hack-n-slash gameplay ever conceived. To call it a hack-n-slash action game is almost an insult because of the bad reputation set by other hack-n-slash titles. But there’s no avoiding it: Odin Sphere was very much a part of that genre, albeit with a style of addictive and inventive gameplay not seen in any other game.

While that may seem irrelevant today, the same development philosophy that made Odin Sphere a joy to play has gone into making Muramasa for Wii. Vanillaware (the developer of both titles, as well as the stellar PS2 strategy game GrimGrimoire) has produced a spiritual sequel that is as unbelievable as it is unforgettable. The combat is aggressive and intense, the boss battles are wonderfully crazy, and the graphics – though you’ll never be able to tell by the screenshots – are astonishingly beautiful.

Glorious Bastards

In its simplest form, Muramasa could be described as a game that’s all about killing monsters. There are tons of monster species in this game, and it must be mating season because there are dozens of each kind. Some are in the form of ghosts, emitting light colored blasts from the beyond, while others are more traditional beasts, favoring our fears of animal mutations. Artistically, the monsters are a treat – none of them are entirely unfamiliar, but the way each one is brought to this game (their attacks, aesthetics, etc.) is very original. What’s more, because of how frequently new enemies are dropped onto the battlefield, the patterns at which these monsters attack is constantly changing.

As a 2D side-scroller, players are not able to escape as easily as they might in a game with worlds set in the third dimension. Escaping wouldn’t do you much good anyway because, just like an RPG, Muramasa’s character growth is based on EXP. Thus, you’re better off fighting to gain as much experience as possible.

This could have put the player in a very difficult position: nobody wants to hack-n-slash their way through a game. But you will now. Also like an RPG, enemies are dispersed at a predetermined rate within each section of a level. If you’ve played Odin Sphere, you already know the formula; if not, think back to the old Zelda and Castlevania games, which had enormous levels that were divided into smaller sections. In Muramasa, battles occur as soon as you walk through enemy-guarded territory. When all of the enemies have been defeated, your EXP is tabulated, any items that are dropped are collected, and your ninja warrior – Momohime (a princess) or Kisuke (a seemingly vicious and unforgiving fighter who suffers from amnesia) – sheaths whatever sword is currently drawn.

Swashbuckling

Swords are a big part of Muramasa. Only three may be equipped at one time, but you’ll be able to collect and forge many more. As you’d expect, this creates another RPG connection: over time, you’ll need stronger weapons to combat the increasing strength of your enemies. This is especially true of the optional battles (found in slightly obvious locations), which are typically the most challenging of any given level.

The catch – or penalty, perhaps – for using your sword is that it will eventually break. Unlike most games with breakable swords, the damage is not permanent; they can be repaired and used again. But to repair a sword you’ve got to collect souls, and to collect souls you’ve got to kill monsters. See the challenge? Broken swords aren’t very effective at cutting into the flesh of a monster that’s three times your ninja’s size.

This gameplay style, basic as it may sound, is insanely engaging. The difference between Muramasa and every other game that has attempted a similar style of gameplay is that this time it actually works. While playing Muramasa, you can almost imagine that this is what Onimusha and Devil May Cry would have been like had they wound up in the second dimension. Even in 3D, those games weren’t very complex. But they were so action-packed and so out-of-this-world exciting that nobody cared. That is the quality of gameplay that Muramasa has achieved.

A Work of Art

Muramasa has a few flaws, but it’s hard to say the game isn’t perfect. Looking at what others have done with the genre (side-scrolling hack-n-slash), I have a hard time believing that anyone except Vanillaware is ever going to come up with a better game.

Visually, however, Muramasa is something that everyone can appreciate – as long as everyone takes the time to play it. Don’t bother with the screenshots; they’re nice, but not nice enough. Instead, go straight to the trailers. In motion, the gorgeous 2D artwork comes to life in a way you never imagined. Vanillaware has essentially combined the beauty of several different paintings into one game, and then made it more beautiful by adding a hint of three-dimensional (graphical) depth that is unique to this franchise (Muramasa/Odin Sphere).

Like every great game, Muramasa isn’t flawless – it’s a tad easy, it’s a bit repetitive (less painfully than most games, but repetitive nonetheless), and it doesn’t expand on or bring any innovation to the genre. Basically, the game says, “This is how you do it,” and walks away. Regrettably, that may not be enough to help Muramasa win any awards outside of its various E3 accolades. But it’s enough to win a permanent place in the hearts of everyone that plays it.

Gameplay: 9.0
At its most reduced mechanical form, the gameplay is little more than frequent taps of the A button. Despite this, Vanillaware has managed to turn Muramasa into a game that is impeccably addictive and undeniably fun.

Graphics: 9.3
Muramasa's stellar artwork is doubly beautiful; first for its originality, and second for its breathtaking presentation.

Sound: 9.1
An epic score for an epic game, with songs that are not only powerful but are perfectly suited for their respective levels and battle scenarios.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Less challenging than Odin Sphere but no less entertaining.

Concept: 8.9
Muramasa may not be a groundbreaking title, but it's hard to argue with a game that makes its competition look pathetic.

Overall: 9.0
The best hack-n-slash side-scroller of the generation. Muramasa is a masterpiece from beginning to end.