Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 602:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆☆☆ (5/10)
Oh, boy. I can confidently say this is the worst book of the series: the dreaded filler episode. I'm a bit bummed. Book 4 was the ronin's rock bottom, and I was so hoping we would finally, [i]finally[/i] move past the constant grimdark misery. But oh, no. The previous cons of the past books get stronger, while the pros have faded away. The prose remains sharp as a samurai sword, as ever, of course, and the game is longer than most. However, I loved [i]Samurai of Hyuga[/i] for its emphasis on characters and action—not just fighting, but quick pacing. And Book 5's pacing is ... not great. The game becomes more linear and bogged down by rivaling factions and minor characters. Plot points are left unanswered. The ronin remains stubbornly thick-headed. I will be reading Book 6 because I hate to leave things unfinished, but I'm a bit nervous looking at the series' future. I hope I get pleasantly surprised.
[b][h2]Pros:[/h2][/b]
✅[b] Prose.[/b] Connell's prose remains one of the best. It's gotten me to buy into the "anime style" because his prose is both beautifully lucious and shockingly disgusting. Imagery is always difficult for me—I'm not a visual learner at all—but I can practically see the forest settings and gracefulness of animals. Of course, that means I also get to visualize limbs being cut from bodies (awesome!) and some uh ... rather nasty tricks. (The two beginning chapters literally made me gag.)
✅[b] Cast reunion[/b]! Sort of. I liked Book 4 well enough, but a major critique for me was Connell dragging us away from the main cast. We also had to spend quite a bit of time with Jun/ko, but that's a whole different discussion. I was itching for a cast reunion, and I got ... not a full-course meal, but not some crumbs either. A side platter, perhaps. Spoilers, but the ronin is reunited with [spoiler]Hatch, Toshie, and Momoko.[/spoiler] For the former, you get to see his thoughts and behavior, but not talk to him. For the latter two, you do get to interact with them and continue your romance! However, there are still multiple conflicts that stop you from deepening or progressing the romance. Oh, and same for [spoiler] Masami.[/spoiler] Two steps forward, one step back.
✅[b] Perspective change.[/b] I liked how Connell used an omniscient narrator. We’re able to see motivations, fears, and political calculations that the ronin doesn’t always understand in the moment. That broader lens makes the stakes feel higher, especially during scenes involving conflict or strategy, and it's fun to see other characters the ronin can't.
✅[b] Length.[/b] The game has 24 chapters with paragraphs of descriptions on each page. While I didn't love all of it, five hours is a lot for an IF.
[b][h2]Cons:[/h2][/b]
🟥[b] Pacing.[/b] All right. If I were a snarky reviewer, I would describe the events of the book as pointless filler. However, since I'm trying to be more precise with my words, I'll call 85% of Book 5 sluggish exposition. There are 24 chapters in this book. For about 20 of them, you are running around trying to solve a major problem. This might sound fun, but you are literally shuffled from place to place on a wild goose chase. The plot drags on and on, becoming repetitive and dull, to the point where I was skipping paragraphs, something I usually never do. Ramblings and lore dumps are repeated, with the ronin constantly talking to themselves. We are introduced to yet another faction with more minor characters. I think my main frustration is that none of the events in Book 5 truly [i]matters.[/i] Future battles and conflicts have been built up, but the ones in Book 5 are minor, with little immediate consequence. The wheels keep on spinning, people keep on plotting. I was also extremely frustrated with the ending—no resolution, and another cliffhanger. It seriously feels like this book needed a mean editor with multiple red pens.
🟥[b] More self-hatred.[/b] Book 1 was pure bliss, with a sharp downturn in the following books. Books 2-4 involved gruelling torture/abuse. And now in book 5, when we finally recover our katana, the ronin is now ... borderline insane and malnourished. Sure, I get it, traumatic backstory, hero's journey, but ... it's been about four books of constant misery! It's become exhausting, in all honesty. It just really gets to a point where I'm desensitized to all the suffering. The ronin slides from understandably traumatic to being a victim of their own mind. Sorry, but at some point, you/the ronin has to say "enough is enough. I don't want to suffer anymore."
🟥[b] Super duper linear.[/b] The series has always been linear, but I've noticed a design choice that truly urks me. I've encountered a scene where I can choose to kill a character or not. I decided I wanted to, just for kicks. As the ronin swings his sword, a random character jumps in front of the blow, saving the character. I save him anyway. Oh, well, it happens. In another scene, an RO asks the ronin what they want. There are five options. I pick "I want to be loved" and "I want to save my friends." Nope! The ronin's internal thoughts say no can do. After going through four decisions, you are forced to pick "I don't know what I want." But that's not what I, the player, want to sayyyyyyyyy! I want to save [spoiler]each of the companions that sacrificed themselves.[/spoiler] Sorry, that's not how the book is going!
➡️ In general, though, there was a severe lack of choices. Even the dialogue choices felt very limited, as it's mostly the same three ways to reply to someone. There needs to be at least some input about the ronin's thoughts and emotions. But the ronin will always suffer and be sad and miserable.
🟥[b] Future of the series. [/b]The first book was published in 2015. 10 years later, we have five total books—a great achievement, don't get me wrong. However, considering the sluggish pace, it seems like the series is becoming more and more drawn out. To me, it would feel way too abrupt to have everything wrapped up in two books. So, at least three more books are required, most likely more. I don't know if a reasonable reader would have the bandwidth to wait for an ending. The game insists on having memory choices—but how are you expected to memorize names or places from [i]years[/i] ago?
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If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. [/url] Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems[/url] and our [url=https://www.youtube.com/@IndieGems2]YouTube channel[/url] for more reviews like this one.
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