Rising Star’s Sadame is a game that is reminiscent of the old RPG games that I used to play when I was younger, where you whack your way through the levels to get to the end of the game. It has an interesting story combined with an original art style that will draw the player in enough to keep playing to the end, but it is not without some flaws. The game often times feels as if it is trying to be more than it is. While giving the player an exciting playing experience it’s stale mechanics and repetitive tasks can leave the player tired after awhile.
The game is set in an alternate dimension during the Japanese Sengoku or warring period. Where a warrior is tasked with ending a demon uprising using their skill and magic to ultimately bring peace to the land. The player gets to choose between four different classes of hero; a samurai, ninja, monk and rogue. Each class has their own attributes and skills that they bring to the party and are so different from each other that you will want to give each one a try. I personally liked the ninja the best, because ninjas are awesome, also the combination of sword, fast-paced shrikes and a long-range chain sickle attack that allowed me to get rid of multiple enemies at once.
The Rogue was a second favorite with her naginata (poles) for close range attacks and bows that allowed the player to stay far away from all the action while dealing the enemies a ton of pain. The Rogue is also bit different in the magic department as the spell will remain active until you recall it during battle. The Monk uses long-range staff techniques and melee range relics along with an aura ability that will add elemental damage to his weaponry. Lastly, the samurai uses katana and has a ton of armor that allows the player to stay right in the middle of the action without taking a ton of damage.
Despite the differences between characters, the core gameplay does not change depending on which character a player uses. Sadame uses a classic combat system with the d-pad moving the character around and the face buttons controlling the light, medium and heavy attacks. The shoulder buttons of the 3DS opens up the option of using the two different kinds of magic: karma and ki, but be wary of using magic attacks as they leave the player open to enemy attack. So a good tactic would be to make sure that your character is away from any danger before using them. This did create a little aggravation during the campaign, as I would usually get killed as I tried to use magic to heal my character only to be killed instead.
The combos were interesting and quickly became a go to tactic as the game progressed, due to the amount of damage dealt and the variety of attacks as the game progressed. The over usage of combos did become a little repetitive though, kind of giving the player a mind-numbing experience after awhile in a level. The lack of checkpoints in the levels is another gripe; that’s ok though. Who doesn’t mind starting all over on a level continuously when defeated by the boss at the end of a level. Sadame does have an interesting feature which allows for multiple save files at once. It goes one step further by allowing the player to share loot across all four save files. This will allow the player to use spells and weapons found with another character on the one you are currently playing. Some spells and weaponry are better suited for a certain character, allowing you to better customize your character as the game goes on and alleviate that dying situation.
You can also bring characters in through the other save files to help with your current campaign. This is a great feature as it allows you to try out a character and if you don’t like them, you can go onto the next one without feeling like you are starting over. If you beat the game, it steps up the difficulty with each successive win giving the player a challenge. The art style is a clear winner in this game even without the 3D capability. The feudal Japanese art style and multilayered backgrounds draw the player in. The bosses are larger than life that are made up of interlocking puppet like pieces. The colorful backdrops that feel as if they are hand painted helps to contrast between the pixelated characters that you play. It’s not the most amazing graphics, but with everything combined it helps to create its own style that fits the game perfectly.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this game a lot (mind-numbing gameplay and all). It became a little repetitive in the gameplay, but the ability to bring in players from other save files added that unique element. The art style is great and the soundtrack helps to set the mood, which distracted me from the sluggish controls to keep on going. I enjoyed the pseudo- feudal Japanese vibe; I mean really liked the vibe as I played through countless baddies providing me with a simple distraction without having to really think about what’s going on. It has it’s ups and downs, but I do recommend at least one playthrough.
Candice ‘GamerGirl’ Wendt
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: mebius
Publisher: Rising Star Japan
ESRB: T (Teen)
Price: $14.99
Sadame Official Website: http://www.sadamegame.com/us.html
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| The feudal Japanese art style and multilayered backgrounds draw the player in. | |
| Sound |  |
| Plenty of hack 'n slash sound effects. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Despite the differences between characters, the core gameplay does not change depending on which character a player uses. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Sadame has it's ups and downs, but I do recommend at least one playthrough. | |
