Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief

I have already 100% completed this on PS2 and Switch prior to picking this up for a replay on steam. This port is great and the Way of the... universe is great all around. Would love to see Shinobido and Way of the Samurai 1&2 get the same treatment as this game. It's a crime against nature these games go so far under the radar for the general audiance. Also, vibe to this games soundtrack while on Ketamine, you can thank me later.

[h1]A Bumpy Road, But Full Of Rustic Charm, This "Way of the Thief"[/h1] Kamiwaza is a fun game, although awkward in several aspects. Even for a PS2 game, it feels a bit limited, but the goofy, over the top story, the funny idea that forms its core, and some admittedly entertaining mechanics, keep the game afloat. You play the role of a "noble thief", and go on missions to steal items, having to balance keeping people happy (as a "Robin Hood" kind of thief, giving away what you steal to the poors), curing your sick daughter (which requires expensive medicine) and taking money to buy yourself better equipment and paying off the sexy Thieves' Guild leader to further increase your access to skills and tools. The story manages to walk a fine line between some of the serious themes/ideas, and the absolutely bonkers humour of the situations and characters portrayed in the game. The clichès are numerous, but the overly dramatic presentation props up what would be a lacklustre plot, otherwise. The presentation is okay for the era. Nothing will make your jaw drop, and the overall design could be better, but it gets the job done, and it's pleasant even, if you appreciate the graphics of the time. The music is fine, if weirdly out of place, and a tad repetitive. Speaking of repetitive, the gameplay is fun, but it has various caveats. To sum up the main points: 1) The main mechanic is, effectively, a dodge move: attract someone's attention (or walk in front of someone in a restricted area) wait for the screen to flash red and then press the dodge to become effectively invisible for a while to that person, usually giving you the chance to rob them blind. Most of the other gameplay mechanics that are there are only used if you mess up, and you have to hide yourself + the rare movement skill you might need. The dodge is cool to pull off (especially if you are chaining dodges) but it's a bit narrow and effectively undermines all other tactics. Plus, it's occasionally unreliable, and you MUST dodge only after the screen flashes, leaving little room for error (which is going to be painful at the start, if you don't know exactly how the game handles this mechanic). Still, it's a blast to dodge 3 guys in a row, pickpocketing them until they pass out, moving on to vacuum clean the room of anything valuable, jumping out the window, to then finally remove your disguise to look innocent and carry back your haul successfully, undetected. 2) The game is repetitive. Not only because the core mechanics are almost always the same (there are a handful of bosses to break the monotony, but for the most part you'll be doing the same thing over and over from beginning to end), but the map is small, and you'll be visiting the same locations (and stealing from the same building/persons) a LOT; 3) The best ending is hard to get if you are on your first playthrough and know nothing about the hidden mechanics, or a breeze if you are on new game+ and know what the game wants; 4) Controls aren't awful, but occasionally you'll find yourself messing up and feeling it's the game's fault; 5) Triggering the next step of the story is almost spelled out to you in the "quest log", but it's otherwise very unintuitive very often; 6) A lot of the cool skills and secrets aren't just completely unnecessary, but require you to commit a lot of money or go through convoluted paths just to have the honor of using them, and effectively can only be achieved by deliberately ignoring the main story for a long time. Despite the flaws, there is fun to be had, and thievery to be mastered. I guess if you aren't a perfectionist, you might get to enjoy more of the silly mechanics, too. It's not for everyone, but it's a cool, odd gem of a game.

[h1]盗み × 華麗[/h1] [h2]🟩長所[/h2] [list] [*]バレるギリギリで回避する「ジャストステルス」の爽快さ (本作の肝) [*]ヘンテコな物品を盗んでいく収集 [/list] [h2]🟥短所[/h2] [list] [*]PS2作品の移植作であること (見た目や細かい操作感が古い) [*]ボス戦の爽快さが薄い [/list] [h2]⭐総評[/h2] [list] [*]👍️オススメします [*]あの名作の爽快さがそのまま蘇っている [*]所謂ジャスト回避で気持ち良くなりたい人にオススメ [/list]

偷风不偷月，偷雨不偷雪

This game is impossible to play. There is no way to succeed and I am an enemy of the state with a dead family in 25 minutes of playing, every time! Do not buy.

名作でもあり迷作。ただしそれは発売当時の話。ほとんどPS2版と変わらない。 多少の遊びやすさは改善されたかもしれないが、それでもなお現行出ているゲームと比べると不便さが多すぎる。 当時遊んだ人間ほど思い出補正が大きく「こんなにイマイチなゲームだったっけ？」と思うほど。 50％OFFの時に購入、返金処理済み。 もし再び購入するなら最低でも80％OFFだと思う。

It's an amazing game with an unique premise and gameplay. It has SOUL! They just don't make games like this anymore...

Kamiwaza is one of the most unique games I feel I have ever played. It is oozing with so much personality and charm. The gameplay is centered around stealth and stealing. The mechanics, gameplay and characters can be downright goofy at times. Whereas the main storyline is pretty serious. The juxtaposition of these elements make for a fun and memorable experience. The game also has multiple endings, and certain things that carry over between playthroughs, so there is replay value here as well. Gameplay can feel like a janky struggle at times, but pushing yourself to learn how it all works and get through it is worthwhile. Also the game has a spectacular soundtrack. I fully recommend this to anyone willing to play a game that might test their ability and patience at times.