Kengo: Legend Of The 9

by Majesco

Product Features

• Play as any of nine real samurai warriors from history, each with a different storyline, attributes, and attack techniques.
• Battles are loosely based on historical events including the raid of the Kira mansion and the battle at Ganryujima.
• Choose between 4 unique game play modes: Main, Mission, Combat & Xbox Live Contest.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000S0RL36
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.8 inches ; 4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 11, 2007
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,560 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #63 in Video Games > Xbox 360 > Action > Fighting

Product Description

In feudal Japan, it was kill or be killed for the samurai. Kengo: Legend of the 9 lets you battle as one of nine famous samurai warriors while mastering expert techniques to gain an advantage over your foes. Become a Kengo Master as you fight your way through lush, high-definition Japanese environments.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Samurai sword fighting simulator, September 22, 2007

By 

J. Leigh "jleigh7" (chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kengo: Legend Of The 9 (Video Game)

Pros

- Fans of the original Kengo, a very niche game, will like this game.

- This is not a traditional hack and slash game like Onimusha, Ninja Gaiden, or Way of the Samurai. It is a really more like a fencing simulator. So if you rush in hacking and slashing in combat mode the CPU will kill you over and over. The game will be rather frustrating to play until you have learned how to control your sword clashes, evade, and then counter.

- As you play your character through the main mission the system keeps track of your fighting mannerisms- even the negative ones- like tendencies to hack wildly and missing your opponent most of the time. Then you can take your AI and pit it against others on the Xbox Live National Leaderboard to see the outcome. I think this is rather innovative. Also by being able to watch your AI fight, it gives you a chance to reflect on your fighting style vs others.

- The graphics are definitely better than previous generations of the Kengo games. Shadows are soft, there is light blooming, and costumes are bump mapped.


Cons

- Buggy. It has frozen several times after completing a mission making it impossible to save your progress. So you are left with having to repeat the level.

- Like the previous generation of Kengo games, it is repetitive- but then so is real kendo or iaido practice. As I said this is really more of a simulator than a "game".

- The dojo skill building mode from the previous Kengo games is lost. Skills are now built by progressing through the main storyline.

- The camera is much worse than previous Kengo games.

One will always try to compare this game with Bushido Blade. If you played the original BB before playing any of the Kengo games, chances are you will never be sated. It all depends on what you are looking for. Kengo's sword fighting mechanics and sheer number of waza are much more extensive than BB. As someone who practices Kendo, I find BB just too dumbed down to be interesting. Kengo gave me a far more realistic and interesting fighting experience than any of the BB series games ever did.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very subtle, strategic fighting game., November 18, 2007

By 

R. PAYNE "taikutsuna" (caldwell,id) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Kengo: Legend Of The 9 (Video Game)

I'll admit, when I first put this game in, I was sorely disappointed and frustrated beyond belief. I'll also admit that I didn't even glance at the book before I played, so I didn't know that your health gauge regenerates if you stand still with a full stamina bar. I didn't know you could lock onto a nearby samurai, instead of running around in circles hacking wildly, trying to stay alive. So... I'll admit when I first put this game in after months of anticipation, I hated it. Then I read the book, thinking "No one in there right mind would release a game this broken", and while I tried the game the way it was meant to be played, I noticed a fairly deep and strategic fighter. This game is by no means meant for everyone.It's a very niche title. You really need to be a fan of Samurai and be sick of "Button Mashing" fighters to enjoy this. Those that enjoyed the first American "kengo" release, will miss the training sessions from "Master of bushido", but if you do not try to play this like Onimusha you may enjoy it. I would definitely rent it first, even with the low price tag.

2.0 out of 5 stars A fairly simple samurai swordfighting game, January 1, 2011

By 

Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Kengo: Legend Of The 9 (Video Game)

A fairly simple samurai swordfighting game, Kengo doesn't really have a lot going for it in terms of design or features. Largely devoid of content, Kengo pales in comparison to more fleshed-out members of the genre like Way of the Samurai.

Set in Japan's Edo period, Kengo allows the player to take control of one of nine historical figures (including Miyamoto Musashi and his rival, Sasaki Kojiro). Most of these swordfighters are obscure even in an already-obscure historical period, and there's not really a lot of "star power" in terms of name recognition. Each fighter has three styles that they can switch between during combat, and each style is customizable with selectable moves and upgrades. That's basically as far as customization goes, though: a simple RPG system and some custom movesets.

The swordfighting itself isn't too great. Characters can do horizontal or vertical attacks and string them together for combos. However, this is basically the extent of the system. Other than "attacking" and "blocking", the only other real feature is a sword-clash mode that generally takes up more time and stamina than it's worth. There's a basic "story mode" for each character (really just different fights), objective-specific missions, and a multiplayer combat mode. The game isn't really deep enough to make these worth bothering with, though.

Graphically, the game isn't great. It's not ugly, but it's a weird level of low-quality where it just seems like the minimum amount of work was put into it. In fact, that's what the whole game seems like - a "half-game", where there was just nothing to do with the game so they released it as-is. This game is just not worth bothering with.

Rating: 3/10

Kengo Legend of the 9 was purchased by us from a gaming store with our own money.