Panda to a ronin with floppy ears and fluffy tail

Producer: Firebird
Yen To Play: £7.95 cass, £12.95 disk
Author: Beam Software

Based on the comic books created by Stan Sakai, Samurai Warrior follows the exploits of one rabbit, Usagi Yojimbo by name. But this rabbit is no Bugs Bunny, he is a ronin (lordless wandering samurai) warrior, sworn to avenge the death of his master Lord Mifune and his family, at the hands of the evil Lord Hikiji and his henchmen. He must also find Lord Noriyuki, a young panda who has just become leader of his clan, and protect him from Hikiji's minions.

The story is set in 17th Century Japan, Usagi starts his journey with three silver coins (called Ryo), and zero Karma points. Honour is of great importance to a Samurai Warrior, and Karma points are gained by performing good deeds, such as giving money to peasants and the servants of Buddha, or by killing ninjas, bounty hunters, and other nasty creatures he meets along the road and looting their bodies, (not very hon'lable, but what the heck).

When Usagi meets a traveller, etiquette demands that he bow to them, whether they are of equal status, or higher status (always bow to someone of higher status, or you deeply offend them).

When attacked, Usagi whips out his sword, and gets to work sending his attackers to the great saki-drinking contest in the sky. The sprites are monochrome, but move around the detailed backgrounds smoothly, hacking and slashing at each other for all they're worth.

In the early stages you are attacked by only one thug who, with a little practice, is easily despatched. But further along the path don't be surprised if a few of his friends join him in the fight, and defending yourself against three or four opponents is not easy.

When fighting, two bars show Usagi's and the enemies' energies. As both parties lay into each other, each hit scored is registered on the meter. If Usagi's meter falls to zero, it's end of game, but brave battling bunnies don't turn bobtail and eliminate all who dare to attack.

But a word of warning: only unsheath your sword when attacked, as other wandering travellers, who may be friendly, take this as a threat, and attack you, (and whatever you do don't hassle defenceless creatures and unarmed travellers, otherwise you're forced to commit ritual suicide to atone for the foul deed).

Treat other travellers well, and they pass on information to you (after bowing to them of course). This is often useful as it helps plan your path later in the game. Flagging energy can be replenished by visiting an inn, and if money is low, visit a gambler, hand over your money and hope that you win.

The path to Lord Noriyuki is fraught with dangers, but as samurai you are honour-bound to try. Although Samurai Warrior looks at first glance to involve little more than wandering aimlessly about killing all who attack you, with some patience a great hack and slash adventure emerges from the land of the rising Yen. Watch out for it.

MARK [89%]

THE ESSENTIALS
Joysticks: Kempston, Sinclair, Cursor
Graphics: Usagi Yojimbo is excellently drawn and animated as he swashbuckles through smooth-scrolling landscapes
Sound: appropriately oriental-sounding tune on title screen
Options: definable keys

There can't be a much stranger sight than a sword-wielding bunny (unless it's a ninja hamster). Samurai Warrior certainly teaches you to be polite - if you're not you don't get very far.After a suitably oriental-sounding 128K tune on the front end, you are greeted with a beautiful, scrolling landscape. On meeting a peasant I unwittingly drew my sword - he was none too pleased. The only trouble with keeping your sword in its sheath is that for some reason Usagi moves much slower that way.Then there are those nasty ninjas lurking in the trees, each one an expert at buckling a swash and with a taste for rabbit stew. Samurai Warrior is a neat variation on the beat-'em-up theme with a particularly amiable main character. You don't have to be a fan of the obscure Japanese comic to like it - it's appeal should be universal.PHIL [87%]

Following the adventures of Usagi Yojimbo is great fun. Dodging deadly ninjas and giving away all your money to peasants, and with the added attraction of actually having to think before you kill, Samurai Warrior has got to be a hit.All the backgrounds and characters are excellent, although a spot of colour on the play area would have been appreciated. Operating the two different modes (peaceful and fighting) is difficult at first, but when you discover you need to be able to manipulate them with lightning speed you soon learn.There are other hazards in the game which have to be overcome like big ravines and hard-nut boars, but as long as you take it carefully you can get a great deal of enjoyment out of the game and still stay alive. Samurai Warrior is simply enchanting, buy it.NICK [90%]

Firebird
£7.95/£12.95
Reviewer: Ciaran Brennan

Is it a bird? is it a plane? No, it's a whole bunch of phosphor atoms aggravated into incandescence by a stream of electrons to create something that looks vaguely like a rabbit.

While other software companies are busily waving cheque books at each other for ridiculously uncovertable arcade licences, we find British Telecom surprisingly splashing out for the use of cult comic character Usagi Yojimbo. What gives? (Not Ken Dodd's accountants for starters Ed.)

Brainchild of oriental artist Stan Sakai and star of his own increasingly popular comic, Usagi Yojimbo is actually a rabbit from seventeenth century feudal Japan. Please don't worry as that's not as awful as it first sounds. You see Usagi isn't a fluffy wuffy ickle wickle sort of wabbit, he's more the throat-slitting, sword-weilding, never-chicken Samurai sort of Rabbit, who'd punch your lungs out as soon as look at you.

In fact, Usagi is just the sort of rabbit needed to go and free Lord Noriyuki, a young panda who was silly enough to got himself captured by that long-time arch enemy of good and ne'er do well, Lord Hikiji. If Noriyuki isn't liberated soon he's more than likely to end up with an open plan jugular (slashed throat to you) which would severely hamper his chances of appearing centerfold in the WWF newsletter.

So that's the plot: guide the rabbit to the panda and collect a prize, how easy peasy. Yes it would be if Hikiji hadn't alerted he many minions (pig-like things) to Usagi's intentions, or if the roads and trees weren't so casually littered with bandits. On the screen the action looks like this. A sideways scrolling window shows Usagi's movements while the rest of the screen keeps account of our hero's status. As the scenery is scrolled through, various characters, both benign and malign, get in the path of our Samurai rabbit and you should be careful how you make Usagi react to approaching these geezers.

You see there's Karma to take into consideration. Dishonourable conduct (chopping up peasants, not bowing to mates, slicing off the barman's head) attracts a lack of Karma points. A dip below zero and Usagi will be shamed into committing harikari. And since whatever side Usagi slipped out of the duvet this morning was the wrong one, at game start he has absolutely zero (0) karma. Luckily there are plenty of suffering proletariat strolling about who will pay out in the Karma department if you grease their palms with fiscal lubricant.

It's not all love and peace maaann, there's quite a bit of rough and trouble about to con-tend with, so to cope with this Firebird has supplied Mr Yojimbo with two modes of control; peaceful and aggro. The death-dealing swordplay that Usagi needs to dish out to the local miscreants can be achieved with deft joystick manipulation. Though this is somewhat tricky at first, you'll soon be skipping through the countryside lopping off heads with consummate ease. That's quite a lucrative way to pass the time as many of the attacking bandits you will encounter also carry the odd silver coin.

An energy meter keeps account of current rabbit power while just below that is a similar panel for your current assailant. Cut, thrust, dodge and parry the baddies meter to zero and he'll bother you no more. Along the way you can re-boost your bunny back to full energy by buying food at oriental service stations, what's more you can have a flutter with the local tout. Every time I tried, my silver was rapidly dispossessed, but maybe your luck will be better.

And that's it. All in all a very nice game. Though the control mode is, as said before, not an instant charmer you will get the hang of it - but just don't try and read what the accompanying leaflet has to say. Well written, informative and concise are not words that instantly sprang to mind after a quick shufty. Still well worth deflowering your wallet for.

Label: Firebird
Author: Beam Software
Price: £7.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Chris Jenkins

Saddled with a name like Usagi Yojimbo for a game, I think Firebird was very sensible to call it Samurai Warrior instead, although it's not quite the run-of-the-mill martial arts simulation the title might lead you to expect.

For a start, how many samurai rabbits have you seen? Usagi is a Ronin - a wandering warrior - who also happens to be a cuddly fluffy bunny-rabbit. In his version of 17th century Japan, the bandits are bears and alligators, and his lord is a panda. It's this bundle of fur who is the object of the quest; the kidnapped Lord Nyru must be rescued from a rogue warlord. But, rather than merely hacking his way through all opposition, Usagi must carefully observe the code of the Samurai, paying the appropriate respects where required, rather than reaching for his chopper automatically.

Indeed, if you whip it out in front of some other characters, the shame is so great that you are forced to commit hara-kiri - messy!

The sideways-scrolling backgrounds are nicely detailed. The trees, rocks and caverns conceal a variety of hostile and helpful characters, and some features such as rivers and chasms have to be jumped with great precision.

Usagi operates in two modes, peaceful and hostile. When his sword is sheathed, his expression (shown on the top left) is benign and all's well with the world. He can walk, bow, give and receive money and other objects, and jump short distances. Things start moving when Usagi draws his sword.

His expression changes to one of murderous intent (well, as murderous as a bunny rabbit can get). Now he can run, jump high in the air, and slash and chop at attacking bandits. An energy bar shows your progress as you fight it out, and whoever loses floats off as a disembodied spirit. If Usagi wins, he gains "karma" points, and in some cases picks up money. If he attacks peaceful characters such as the peasants and monks, he will lose karma, and eventually snuff it. Bow and give money to the right characters, and they will thank you by giving clues such as warnings about hidden bandits. There are two paths to success; the hard one and the easy one, chosen via a fork in the road. On the hard one you pass through a village of hostile ninjas, but have the opportunity to gain more karma points by fighting them off, and money by gambling in an inn. You must never refuse an invitation to a duel, though it need only be fought to the first blood.

Samurai Warrior has a lot of good points, but they don't quite come together into a great game. In peaceful mode, movement is too slow, and there are long periods when nothing happens. In the fights, there are too few fighting moves for it to be a satisfying fight simulation, and there is too little variation between the enemies. While the backgrounds and animation are fine, the sound effects are atrocious - just a little plip when you slash someone.

Too slow for a slash-and-hack game, too simple for an arcade adventure. Samurai Warrior is a tribute to Beam Software's programming ability, but says little for their game design.

Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £7.95, Diskette: £12.95
Amstrad CPC Cassette: £8.95, Diskette: £14.95

WARREN PEACE

Usagi Yojimbo (great name for a rabbit) leaves his job with the burrow council and undertakes the task of rescuing his old friend and panda, Lord Noriyuki.

Set in his way are the murderous Ninjas of evil Lord Hikiji. To survive for long Yojimbo has to be skillful with the sword - his three, basic combat moves are controlled by pressing fire for various amounts of time - but there's more to the game than that.

A panel displays Yojimbo's current cash situation and his Karma rating (which must never drop below zero or he commits suicide to preserve his honour). Karma is built-up by good acts, such as giving alms to the poor, and lost by killing unarmed peasants. Another reason for acting honourably is that by failing to bow to other citizens Yojimbo may provoke a fight.

While following his smoothly scrolling path, Yojimbo is offered a choice of routes to take, caves to explore and even inns where he may recover his strength by eating.

On both machines the graphics are very characterful and add much to the game. To the credit of the programmers the Amstrad is for once made good use of, and the colour significantly improves presentation - while scrolling remains faster than on the Spectrum. Unfortunately sound effects are poor, on the Spectrum a few beeps announce hits while on the Amstrad a rather feeble tune accompanies the action.

Both conversions are slightly easier than the original game, especially the Amstrad version, but progress remains very tough - necessarily so since it does not take a great many screens to finish the game. While combat is rather simple, principally restricted to a matter of timing, this is an engaging and enjoyable game which should do well, especially on the much abused Amstrad.