Now Playing: Way of the Samurai 2

 Way of the Samurai got hardcore.

The Capcom logo always means good news on PS2.

 I don't remember if I used to like Way of the Samurai 2 more than the first one back when I was younger, but right now, my impressions after getting reacquainted are that the game is... overwhelming.

 I started the game, three bozos came at me, no tutorial, no nothing. Somehow I survived and the magistrate arrived and I slayed them. I spent the next segments trying to get into a story sequence, trying to find means to heal myself and trying to get into fights with thugs. Eventually, day 2, I got to the magistrate and some bigwig owned me because I was low on health. And then... I came to the depressing realization that I lost all my progress and got nothing out of my short stint.

 Now I tried again, wrecked the three assailants and... was greeted by a new character, Kyojiro, and then.... I came to write this.

 I dunno, I feel like the game is overwhelming me, so many different places, and no direction whatsover of when or where to get embroiled in a storyline. There also seems to be no place to gather healing items, which kinda sucks if my only way to heal is sleeping and thus missing out on story opportunities. I will keep on playing, but I'm not as enchanted with it as I was with 1. And I think, I THINK that I used to like this one more.