PS Vita - Muramasa: Rebirth

Two intertwined storylines during Japan's Edo period, follows Kisuke, a fugitive ninja seeking his lost memories, and Momohime, a princess possessed by an evil spirit, both entangled with the legendary, cursed Muramasa swords. Their paths converge as they battle through Feudal Japan, confronting mythical creatures and dealing with the tragic fates and bloody curses of the Demonic Blades.

The Two Protagonists

Kisuke: A ninja who loses his memories after a mission to steal a powerful blade. He was given a second chance at life by the spirit of a ninja master, which erased his past. He travels seeking to understand his forgotten identity and fight the evil surrounding the Muramasa blades.
Momohime: A princess who becomes possessed by the spirit of the outlaw Jinkuro, a swordsman with his own goals to achieve. Her story involves her fighting for freedom from Jinkuro's spirit and finding her own destiny. 

Gameplay: Muramasa is a two-dimensional (2D) side-scrolling action role-playing game set on the main Japanese island of Honshu during the Edo period. Players take control of two characters with similar gameplay abilities. Navigation takes place through hand-drawn 2D side-scrolling environments reminiscent of Japanese artwork of the period. An additional cooking element allows the characters to make meals using materials gathered during exploration: meals grant temporary character boosts, and fill a "fullness" meter that limits how much food a character can eat. Combat comes in the form of both avoidable random encounters and scripted fights where the camera is fixed within the fighting area: enemies and bosses are primarily drawn from Japanese folklore and mythology. In combat, characters attack and guard using a single-button prompt, while another button accesses items such as healing potions. Continuously attacking triggers combos. Different moves include sword slashes combined with directional buttons, which have different effects such as throwing an enemy into the air with an upward slash. Weapons are distinguished into two categories, Blade (katana) and Long Blade (nōdachi): Blades are fast, while Long Blades are slower and deal higher damage. Three blades can be equipped at any one time: each blade has its own stats, determining the amount of damage that can be inflicted. There are 108 blades that can be collected and forged in-game.

Vanillaware has also made medieval tactics “Unicorn Overlord”, the looping levels with magical action “Odin Sphere”, and the co-op fantasy “Dragon’s Crown.” Each vanillaware game has its iconic water color style look. It’s always a feast for the eyes. 

Language:  English
Players: 1 Player
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Vanillaware & Aksys Games
Year Release: 2013

This game is region-free for all PS Vita consoles.

**Media is to be assumed VG+ or better unless otherwise stated.