. / ` , __ | | |' `. | | | | /---/ / / | SOUL OF THE SAMURAI WALKTHROUGH by Joseph Christopher version 1.0 Nov. 19, 1999 this faq is copyright 1999-2000 Joseph Christopher I didn't believe there will come a time when I'll have to write something like this just to remind some people of what they all should be knowing by heart :( Anyway, here goes... 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If at any point you disagree to this || || or any of the above statements, delete this faq immediately and discard || || any help it has done for you. || || || =================================================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * This society does not care if you're the dumbest vegetable on earth, if you do something wrong, someone will make you pay the price! ;) * warning: DO NOT read this faq unless you are simultaneously playing the game with it or have already played the game before. This faq contains EVERY cinematic and dialogue directly related to gameplay and can therefore be considered a spoiler. * unlike Kotaro, whose secrets are pretty obvious, Lin has a number of secrets which you have to solve using some clues, and lot of patience in checking everything out. However, again unlike Kotaro, these secrets are not that vital in beating everyone up. I have therefore decided not to include these secrets in my walkthrough (which is in my opinion, the most direct route to finish any mission) but instead include a separate section for solving those, and update that section whenever I discover new things and get the time. Why read this guide: I. Starter Info II. Weapons III. Items IV. Moves V. Ninja VI. Treachery VII. Raven VIII. Madness IX. Demons X. Despair XI. Ending XII. Secrets XIII. Credits XIV. Revison History XV. Final Words %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ____ ___ ____ __ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _ _ ____ _____ (_ _) / __)(_ _) /__\ ( _ \(_ _)( ___)( _ \ (_ _)( \( )( ___)( _ ) _)(_ \__ \ )( /(__)\ ) / )( )__) ) / _)(_ ) ( )__) )(_)( (____)() (___/ (__) (__)(__)(_)\_) (__) (____)(_)\_) (____)(_)\_)(__) (_____) It's raining---hard. Lin, a young female ninja enters the village and gets into a fight with a number of swordsmen. Kotaro, the masterless samurai, also arrives and hears some blade clashing. Kotaro: "What's this?" Kotaro then witnesses the skill with which Lin kills her foes. Just as one of them tries to pull off a sneak attack, the "honorable" samurai kills him from behind. (this, as you will find out, is one big inconsistency in a samurai's theme: honor) Kotaro: "Grown men picking on a child?" "Here baby, I'll lend you a hand." You then fight two men using Kotaro and you should find them very easy to beat, otherwise you're in for a loooong, loooong game. After you take out the trash, Lin : "Whoever you are, I don't recall asking for your help. I'm...!" Kotaro: "Oops, shouldn't have treated you like a child." "Relax, I just don't like bullies. I'm not interested in kids." "Lady, what did you do to get the authorities in your tail?" Lin : "I'm sorry but I don't have time to chat. As they exchange words, two men close in on them... Lin : "I have to hurry." Kotaro: "Alright. Maybe we will run into each other again." They split up. You then have to choose one of them as your player. This faq was written for those of you who want to choose Lin. GAMEPLAY--- Green bar: Your health. Turns to red when you're low in it. While red, you walk a LOT slower and hold your midsection, signifying your being wounded badly. Blue bar : Your chi. Comes in five blocks and are required to execute the different moves that you will "learn" throughout the game. Yellow bar : Your experience. Every time you kill or hit someone, this bar gets filled a bit. Every time it's all filled up, you learn a new move the code of which you can access by pressing start during the game. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ____ ____ _ _ ____ __ ____ _____ _ _ ___ (_ _)(_ _) ( \/\/ )( ___) /__\ ( _ \( _ )( \( )/ __) _)(_ _)(_ ) ( )__) /(__)\ )___/ )(_)( ) ( \__ \ (____)(____)() (__/\__)(____)(__)(__)(__) (_____)(_)\_)(___/ 1. Reimei - Lin's favorite ninja sword. It is short and suited for concealment. Its sharpness leaves much to be desired. - sharpness: dull - length: 2'3'' - weight: 26 oz. 2. Shigure - For a ninja sword, Shigure is relatively large. It appears to have been made with emphasis on fighting - sharpness: dull - length: 2'7'' - 28 oz. 3. Raimei - The sword used by Shin. It is said to summon lightning bolts every time it tastes blood. - sharpness: good - length: 2'3'' - weight: 18 oz. 4. Byakuya - Said to be created by a feared wizard. It is a finely crafted sword that is extremely easy to use. - sharpness: good - length: 2'2'' - weight: 25 oz. 5. Rakuyo - A superb short sword that is favored by the first Shogun, Iyeyasu Tokugawa. - sharpness: Excellent - length: 2'6'' - weight: 17 oz. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ __ __ ___ (_ _)(_ _)(_ _) (_ _)(_ _)( ___)( \/ )/ __) _)(_ _)(_ _)(_ _)(_ )( )__) ) ( \__ \ (____)(____)(____)() (____) (__) (____)(_/\/\_)(___/ 1. Shuriken - A small dagger that is also known as "Kunai". It is thrown at targets beyond reach. 2. Explosive Shuriken - A shuriken that is loaded with a small explosive charge. Altough not powerful, it explodes on impact. 3. Happourinkosho - Although it is actually a prayer item, it is also a powerful weapon that can pierce enemies. 4. Hourokudama - An extremely powerful bomb that explodes on impact. It has no fuse, so it must be thrown. 5. Enmakudama - When thrown, this item generates a thick, obscuring cloud of smoke on impact. 6. Heal herb - A mix of mugwort and other plants that cure infection. - HP recovery: low 7. Ointment - An ointment that supresses bleeding. Also prevents infection. - HP recovery: medium 8. Foreign Medicine - A medicine that instantly stops bleeding. Its ingredients are uncommon - HP recovery: high 9. Antidote - A curative herb that neutralizes poison. It must be ground into a paste and ingested. 10. Stork Code Letter - "Lord Tohjo raided the Shogun's ship for its gold. He appears to be preparing for an uprising against the Shogun." 11. Clown Code Letter - "Discovered Shin imprisoned in the forest. Rescue attempt failed. His survival is unknown." 12. Helmet Code Letter - "RAKUYO safely recovered from the ship and delivered to Taka, a former ninja. Seek him at Beni, the village blacksmith shop." 13. Plaque - A plaque cherished by a brother and sister. Considered a goodluck charm by Lin. - effect: Full recovery of HP and MP *MP is your blue bar %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ____ _ _ __ __ _____ _ _ ____ ___ (_ _)( \/ ) ( \/ )( _ )( \/ )( ___)/ __) _)(_ \ / ) ( )(_)( \ / )__) \__ \ (____) \/ () (_/\/\_)(_____) \/ (____)(___/ Normal 1. Thrust - forward + [] well, you pierce the opponent's chest, what else? This is the most damaging of his normal moves and is sure to knock an opponent down. It cannot be comboed into anything so use it on opponents who generally can counter combos. 2. Back Kick - back + [] very self-explanatory. You just kick backwards and nothing else. Cannot be comboed into anything so I'd rather try and face the opponent first and slash. 3. Side Slash - left/right +[] you swing your sword 180derees to your left or right depending and which direction you press. Can be a good starter for your basic five hit combo. 4. Quick Slash - any direction twice + [] you do an almost vertical slash that's very quick to come out and can be comboed into your basic three slash combo. Use this move after a sidestep for maximum efficiency. 5. Jump Slash - [] + >< well, you jump and slash downwards, what else? Use this move on zombies who can hit while lying on the ground to finish them off. Not to be used otherwise because if your timing is inaccurate, the opponent will be enough time to stand up and hit you. 6. One Hit Kill - Hold R1...[] the R1 you have to hold to block an opponent's attack. the [] you have to press just one moment before your attacker's blade clashes with yours. The screen will darken, the opponent will pause, and you will get a free, FATAL slash. Won't work on bosses, as that would make the game crap easy. Will be high on damage if it doesn't work, though. Special 1. Cherry Blossoms - Press [] rapidly: makes use of three blocks of your blue bar. May only be done when your life bar turns red, kind of a desperation move. This move you already know from the start and need not kill for. In this move, you kill EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE! There are some limitations, though. If done against a boss, won't kill 'em but would sure wreck havok! ALWAYS use this move whenever you get the chance before you even think of replenishing your life with a health item. 2. Anarylis - Press [], [], then [] rapidly makes use of three blocks of your blue bar. Definitely can, and must, be comboed from your basic five hit combo. In this move, you make a multitude of slashes and hit everyone within a certain radius. Nice move and particularly useful for a multitude of minor opponents. Weapon Based (all these need you to equip your shuriken first) 1. Agave - Hold R1, tap U+O makes use of only one block of your blue bar. You throw one, large, shuriken straight forward and it passes through your opponent, but not after doing some good damage. Recommended for minor opponents waiting in line. 2. Crimson Peacock - Hold R1, tap L+O makes use of only one block of blue bar. Besides requiring the shuriken, also needs the RAIMEI in your hands to execute. You throw one, large, FLAMING shuriken straight forward and it passes through your opponent, but not after doing some good damage. Recommended for minor opponents waiting in line. 3. Flame Lily - Hold R1, tap R+O makes use of only one block of your blue bar. Besides requiring the shuriken, also needs the RAIMEI in your hands to execute. You throw EIGHT, large, scattered, and flaming shuriken in all directions that doesn't go through your opponents' bodies, but still deals nice damage. 4. Night Queen - Hold R1, tap D+O makes use of two blocks of your blue bar. You throw five, large, scattered shurikens that deal lotsa damage! Highly recommended for big opponents that can take them all at once and die! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ _ _ ____ _ _ ____ __ ( \/ ) ( \( )(_ _)( \( ) (_ _) /__\ \ / ) ( _)(_ ) ( .-_)( /(__)\ \/ () (_)\_)(____)(_)\_)\____) (__)(__) Prologue text: A ship laden with the Shogun's gold disappeared. A ninja, Shin was dispatched to investigate. When contact was lost with him, the shogunate sent three more spies. Unbeknownst to them was the presence of a fourth ninja, Lin, Shin's younger sister. Lin: "That was careless of me. So much for my ninja training." "Where could my brother have gone to?" "Maybe I can get clues by finding the lost transport ship." Walkthrough: You are situated in an uninhabited area so nothing to do here but head to the obvious direction---no, not south, North! You'll then be given a nice view of the village square where you are right now. Exit anywhere besides where you came from and you'll find out that you can't. Must talk to all the townsfolk first, but not really. All you have to do is talk to the man in violet robes and blue pants... Villager: "Did you know that a big ship washed up on the shore?" "You want to see it? Don't go, it's unsafe outside." Now go for the Buddha statue and save your game on the flower there. Always remember that flowers like this are save points, and would greatly help in your journey. Save point quote: "The calm autumn sky following from underneath the swallow on its way" Head east and grab your first heal herb. No need to talk to that man beside it so head north. With this group, all you'll have to do is talk to the lady in an orange kimono and your business with the village square is complete. Villager: "To reach the sea, you have to go through Raven Forest." Lin : "Now I know where the transport ship is." Exit north-east... Lin: (hold and looks at something) "My brother Shin". (engages in a flashback) Shin: "Come on, Lin! Don't give up so easily! Lin : (exhausted) "But big brother..." Shin: "Do you want to be an orphan again?" "We were saved because Master recognized our potential as ninjas." "Get up, Lin! You're not a kid anymore!" Lin : "Yes, I'll try harder, Shin!" Little Shin will fight you using a kendo stick while you are armed with your own. None of you can die, of course, cause this is just a flashback and both of you are alive now, aren't you? Hit select to quit the cute fight scene and stay longer only if you want to learn a few basic moves from your best and only bro... Shin: (stops attacking) "It's getting dark. Let's call it a day." Lin : "Alright, Shin, let's go home!" You're now back to your good 'ol sexy self, so draw your sword and proceed south. Fight the welcoming samurais, beat him up, get your prize, (shuriken) and again head south. You again fight two swordsmen, so no problem. Take them one at a time and your done. Go through the gate (grabbing the heal herb on the way) to find yet another pair of samurai. You'll again head south after again beating up a pair of baddies. Only one samurai will face you this time and he'll be very easy to defeat. Move on through the arch. Damn it, another pair of swordsmen! This is getting monotonous, but, just consider this level a practice level. Head south, obviously, after you show off your ninja skills and then fight another samurai. Obtain your first Happourinkosho and again head south to find a badly wounded comrade... Lin : "Hanzo!" Hanzo : "Li-lin. Wh-why are you here?" Lin : (thinks: "He's hurt bad!") "Don't move, I have to treat your wounds." Hanzo : "Lin. Why did you have to come?" Law man: (arrives) "So this is where you hid, you shogunate dog!" Lin : (draws her sword) Law man: "Hm? Another of your ninja friends? How convenient!" (draws his sword) Strategy: Wow, your first boss! Well, not really. He's just another samurai with a longer life bar. Treat him like you would any minor opponent and you'll be fine. Oh and don't bother trying to kill the men in olive green. They'll never quit. Just concetrate on slashing the one in dark violet cause once he's out all the minions will leave. Walkthrough: After you kill him, and no more pawns arrive, you check on Hanzo's dying condition... Lin : "Hang on, Hanzo! What happened?" Hanzo: "Our identities as ninjas were known to them from the start." Lin : "I was attacked as soon as I arrived. But why?" Hanzo: "This fiefdom is behind the disappearance of the transport ship." Lin : "Just as I thought. What are they doing with the gold?" Hanzo: "Genzo is investigating that. Ken is searching for Master." Lin : "Genzo and Ken? Where are they now?" Hanzo: "I don't know. They should have their findings with them." Lin : "And what about you, Hanzo?" Hanzo: "I'm searching for the sword, Rakuyo, that was loaded with the gold." "I hid my papers at our safe house. G-g-go there." Lin : "I will. Hanzo. Hang on!" Hanzo: "L-lin. M-master Sh-shin..." Lin : "Shin? What happened to my brother? Hanzo?!" Hanzo: (dies) Lin : "Hanzo, I promise, I will avenge your death." Every after a level boss is defeated, you get to save your game. This boss is no different. Save point quote: "Butcher-bird is gone I frown that no longer can I hear the bird sing" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ ____ ____ __ ___ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ ( \/ )(_ _) (_ _)( _ \( ___) /__\ / __)( )_( )( ___)( _ \( \/ ) \ / _)(_ )( ) / )__) /(__)\ ( (__ ) _ ( )__) ) / \ / \/ (____)() (__) (_)\_)(____)(__)(__) \___)(_) (_)(____)(_)\_) (__) Prologue text: Hanzo, a ninja sent after Shin, manages to brief Lin despite his grave injury. He directs her to seek out a safe house as his life ebbs away. But he succmbs before he could inform her of Shin. Lin is left to seek the others and her brother alone. Lin: "So where is Hanzo's safe house?" Lin meets up with Kotaro once again... Kotaro: "Hi, honey. Remember me?" : "I'm Kotaro Hiba. We seem to run into each other." Lin : "...I'm Lin. I suppose we're both lucky to be alive." : (thinks: "This isn't the time for this!") : "I'm sorry, but I have no time for idle chats. I'm going. Kotaro: "Wait, before you go..." "Honey, do you know anything about this?" (hands over something) Lin : (thinks: "This is in code! And it's Genzo's writing!") "Who did you get this from? Is he still alive?" (thinks: "Genzo must be dead. Why? what went wrong?") Kotaro: "No, he's dead. What does that say? I can't read it at all." Lin : "Why do you want to know?" "You shouldn't get involved in this!" Kotaro: "I can't ignore this. If I had a kid sister, she'd be like you." Lin : "You, you have no right to say that." "But, I still owe you. Thanks for this." "Thank you. Farewell." (leaves Kotaro) "I guess I have no choice but to check every house." (obtained stork code letter) Walkthrough: If you choose to, you can re-save your game in the save point nearby. (buddha statue, remember?) Save point quote: "Gliding in the winds the wagtail flies and feels like king of the whole sky" Otherwise, or if you're through, head south and back to where it all started. Continue south, get your heal herb, and enter the house in front of you... Lin: "Is it here?" (enters) : "I have to check every house." Just stick to the walls and hit the [] button repeatedly to make sure you have checked everything. You'll know you're done when she has already said all of these: Lin: "Stone Pavement, it says." : "Banner, it reads." : "Broken Lamp, it says." : "Path of Guiding Light, it reads." : "Temple, it says." : "Broken Lamp, Stone Pavement, Banner, Path of Guiding Light, and Temple." : "Temple is obvious, but I wonder what the rest means." : "I wonder how they fit together." Exit the house (south, of course) to discover a spy... Lin : "Who's there?!" : "Genzo! I heard you were dead! I'm so glad you're alright! Genzo: "Li-lin?" : "Alright? Come see for yourself if this is alright!" : (removes the basket covering his head to reveal a monstrous face!) Lin : "Eeyaaaah!" Genzo: "Y-you too can join me!" Strategy: Wow, your first REAL boss! Just block all his attacks and retaliate with your basic three-slash combo. Easy, really, but at least he's the first guy not to act like a minor samurai opponent. Walkthrough: After Genzo is killed a second time... Lin: "...Genzo...Why..." There's no explanation for this, but suddenly you have obtained the SHIGURE! (maybe it was what Genzo used when he was still human?) Anyway, time to save your game again. Save point quote: "The high autumn sky after losing one's calmness the thrush will return not" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% VII. Raven Prologue text: Lin runs, aghast at the news of Genzo's death as told by the ronin she had met before. She is confronted by Genzo, who has been transformed. Having killed her former ally, Lin heads to the sea, taking a winding path through a forest of ravens. Walkthrough: You're again situated on the path leading to the forest, as in level 1, so equip your new sword and proceed south. Fight the welcoming ninja, beat him up, get your prize, (heal herb) and again head south. You again fight another ninja, so no problem. When your done, go through the gate (grabbing the shuriken on the way) to find yet another pair of ninjas. You'll again head south after again beating up a pair of baddies. Only one ninja will face you this time and he'll be very easy to defeat. Move on through the arch. Damn it, another ninja! Head south, obviously, after you show off YOUR ninja skills and then fight another ninja. Obtain your another heal herb and again head south to find to where you last saw Hanzo. Get your first Explosive Shuriken while beating the crap out of the Ninja guarding it and head south. Nothing, here, exit west to get a nice view of the forest ahead... Lin: "I should come out at the beach when I get through this forest." Ooops, don't get too excited! Grab your first Hourokudama at the center-Northern area of screen and THEN move on. (south, I mean) You'll be greated by an accomodating ninja... Ninja: "Halt! Not another step!" Don't be intimidated by all the fanfare this ninja got, he's just an extra. Kill him swiftly and proceed north-west. Nothing here so head east. Nothing here again ('cept that big Antidote sitting on the lower-left rock) Head south for a little action with the ninja there, and move on west to gain access to another save point. Save point quote: "Walk the many roads dance and turn to blow away the dews on the way." Head north to find another empty area, again, 'cept for a free heal herb, and proceed west. Damn it, another empty area! (doesn't that just makes you feel something wrong is going on?) This time the road forks, take the north-bound one. Alright! Some action! Three girls guard a stone shrine with a shining blue thingy on it. Deal with the three beauts first, then hit [] on the shrine to obtain a stone key. One of these girls may hit you with their projectile and then your life bar turns violet---your poisoned! Unless you have an antidote, which you should use right away, your life will constantly decrease until you die so be careful. The path leads to two separate ways. Don't worry, you can always go back to the other path when you change your mind but, for now, to avoid confusion, let's follow the "right" path. Fight and slay another pair of those poisonous babes on move on north. You'll get another antidote which would be guarded by another lady opponent. Like I said, let's always take the "right" path first. There's another stone key in this area, this time guarded only by two high-jumping babes. Do your job, collect your prize, and head west. Fight another pair, get the ointment, and head north. Saving time. Save point quote: still the same Head north-east(the "right" path, remember?) to find another empty area with another prize, an ointment. Exit west to find some sort of training area in the middle of the forest... Karasu: "Hold it there!" (jumps from atop the bamboo platforms) Lin : (draws her sword) Karasu: "You're one of the ninjas" : "You're not getting past me." Lin : "Who are you?" Karasu: "Shin, he's your brother, right? A good looking boy." Lin : "You know my brother? Where is he?" Karasu: "You can take that mystery to the grave!" Strategy: She'll allow you to get a free whack at her by dancing for a few seconds, so punish her immediately. After that, just block all day, dash to where she is, and whack. Be careful though, as she has an unblockable. You'll know she'll do it when she stays too long in mid-air and releases a blue aura. Sidestep quickly and counter attack to ensure victory. When you finally cut her down, she'll turn blue, grow wings, and become a grotesque monster! She'll again allow you to get a free whack at her by dancing for a few seconds, so punish her immediately. After that, just do what you did earlier, keeping in mind that she'll be having another unblockable move---a flashkick---that won't be as detectable as the first one. Walkthrough: She dies a second time, and you make a second plea... Lin : "Please. Tell me. Where is my brother?" Karasu: "He's down at the beach." : "It'll be a tearful reunion." (dies) Lin : "Shin. He couldn't be..." No more opponents will bother you for the rest of this level, unless you decide to go back. Anyway, head west to exit this training area and proceed north twice. Grab the ointment, and again head for north... Lin: "I can smell the sea. I must be close." Save point quote: "Rice plans been peck on scarecrow chases birds away it is just his job" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ __ __ __ ____ _ _ ____ ___ ___ ( \/ )(_ _)(_ _) ( \/ ) /__\ ( _ \ ( \( )( ___)/ __)/ __) \ / _)(_ _)(_ ) ( /(__)\ )(_) ) ) ( )__) \__ \\__ \ \/ (____)(____)() (_/\/\_)(__)(__)(____/ (_)\_)(____)(___/(___/ Prologue text: Lin fends off the concerted attacks of ninjas in the quise of ravens as she races through the forest. She is challenged by Karasu, the leader of the ravens. Defeated by Lin, the dying ninja confides that Shin can be found at the beach. Walkthrough: Your journey through the forest was interrupted by that save point, and now you must move on. Head west to find an antidote you must collect and to once again head in the same direction. You'll be given a full view of the once lovely beach... Lin: "There's the transport ship." There's a heal herb nearby (east) so go now and grab it. Head for the center of the screen and battle the two ninjas and get the heal herb at the upper-right hand corner of the screen. Head west to get your hands on another ninja and the shuriken he's guarding at the lower left of the screen. Exit north, grab your first Enmakudama, and again exit north to encounter for the first time a group of Wolverines (yeah, I meant the X-man, not the animal) Be careful when hittin one of them, as the remaining two will try and claw you from behind. Head east when you're done just to collect a free ointment then go back west, twice. Fight and beat up the two ninjas that appear. Head another west, then south, collecting the Explosive Shuriken on the way. Show off against the next ninja, and grab your Happourinkosho. Head south-east, battle another pair of Wolverines, grab the heal herb near the hut, exit west, dis[pose of the second pair of Wolverines on the bridge (the second on drops from behind) and exit, yet again, west. Only one Wolveerine will challenge you this time, so deal with him with ease. Proceed north, kill another pair of Wolverines, grab the ointment, head north-west, and again deal with a pair of Wolverines. Exit north and, oh yeah, another save point. Save point quote: "The storm blows strongly among the waves up and down bobs the helpless boat" What else to do but head north?... Lin : (spots two men and hides) "That's Lord Tohjo!" Oda : "We have moved the last of the gold." Tohjo: "Fine. What became of the sword that was said to be in the cargo?" Oda : "Regrettably, it appears that someone has already taken it." Tohjo: "That sword is Rakuyo" : "It is said that the sword steals the souls of those it kills." : "Find it, no matter what." Oda : "As you wish, my liege." Lin : (reveals herself) "Don't move!" Tohjo: "Hm? Ah, another of the shogun's ninja's? You're much too late." Lin : "No one would have suspected you of robbing the gold." : "You don't think the shogunate will take this lying down?" Tohjo: "So what of the shogun? That spineless dog isn't fit to rule!" : "I am destined to become the new leader!" Oda : "Lord Tohjo, we should go." Tohjo: "Fine." Oda : "Summon the guards!" (leaves with Tohjo) Lin : "Stop! Tch! (surrounded by guards) Strategy: Beating these bosses won't end the level, but you still can't escape from them. They're a lot more aggresive and of course, damaging than the average Wolverine. Just keep in mind that their AI is still the same and strategies for their "normal" versions can apply. Watch out for their sudden high jumps off the screen to dropping claw attacks, along with their teleports to team work moves, and you'll be fine. Walkthrough: Shin: "Useless dregs. Beaten by a mere girl!" Lin : (notices Shin standing atop the boat) "Sh-shin!" Shin: (jumps down) "I see that you have improved, dear sister." : "But you're still no match for me!" (leaves) Lin : "Wa-wait! Shin!" (tries to run after her brother) Ok, before you start looking for your bro, check the sand out first, and notice a bag of Foreign Medicine! (makes you think you'll need it, huh?) Head back south and re-save your game. Save point quote: "Swallows in sunset with dreams never coming true thin clouds remain calm" From this save point, go back (defeating every opponent on your path) to the nearest other save point which should be found by following this sequence: south-west, east twice, north-east, north, north-west, north-east, and finally east. Ok, that doesn't really lead you to the save point yet, but... Lin : "Please, tell me Shin. What are you thinking?" : "All our friends were killed!" Shin: "Listen, Lin. I have no desire to see peace in our time." Lin : "What are you saying?" Shin: "Don't you understand? We're starting a war so Lord Tohjo can rule." : "That gold is going to pay for our war." Lin : "But that's insane! What happened to you?" Shin: "Even you agree with Genzo and the others? Shame." Lin : "Shin, wake up! Let's go home!" Shin: "Foolish child! It is my duty as a brother to kill you!" Strategy: Parry, parry, parry! Block his every slash and immediately tap [] afterwards for a quick hit. Concentrate on landing one hit at a time and avoid combos cause he'll most likely parry the second or third attack and hit you hard. Don't release that block after gettting hit by a multitude of shurikens cause they're bound to make a return trip and you won't get injured even if you're hit from behind if you just block. If he charges up, he'll do an unblockable move that's sooo high on damage! Just wait' till the sfx of the charge up is over, wait a sec more, and then jump for him. He'll miss, and you'll get a free stab. Walkthrough: After you've defeated your beloved brother, you shall have obtained the RAIMEI. Then you get one last cinematic before the chapter ends... Lin : "Shin, why?" Shin: "Soul bugs." Lin : "Soul bugs?" Shin: "They're pure evil. They expose and exploit our darkest desires." Lin : "And these bugs..." Shin: "They infected me, and made me a slave to my worst evil thoughts." : "They brought out my deepest desire to fight and to kill." : "Now look at me." Lin : "Shin please get up. I, I can't go on without you." Shin: "You're not a child anymore! Quit your crying!" : "I can't be around for you anymore." Lin : "No! Shin!" Shin: "Lin. Th-they took the g-gold to the castle." Lin : "Shin, when I get you home..." Shin: "I'm s-s-sorry, Lin. The rest is up to you. Y-you can do it." Lin : "I need more training with you!" Shin: "Genzo, Hanzo, Ken w-wait f-for m-me..." Lin : "Shin? Shin!" (realizes Shin has passed away) (obtained BROKEN PLAQUE) Save point quote: "In the sunset sky the swallow flies far away beyond the thick clouds" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ____ _ _ ____ ____ __ __ _____ _ _ ___ (_ _)( \/ ) ( _ \ ( ___)( \/ )( _ )( \( )/ __) _)(_ ) ( )(_) ) )__) ) ( )(_)( ) ( \__ \ (____)(_/\_)() (____/ (____)(_/\/\_)(_____)(_)\_)(___/ Prologue text: Lin finds her brother Shin perched atop the beached ship. But infected by a soul bug, her once loving brother turns on her with only murderous rage. Despair tearing at her sanity, Lin lifted her sword to face the only family she had known. Lin heads back to the village square... Lin: "Ninja. Duty. I have nothing left." : "It's awfully quiet. Where is everybody?" : "There are monsters in the square!" Walkthrough: A multitude of zombies will attack you but all of them need only one hit to die so don't fret and equip your brother's weapon. If you manage to kill more than three hundred of them (highly possible only if you ignore the two goodies found near your starting point) before the next cinematic, you'll acquire...INFINITE SHURIKEN! Awright! Wait a minute, did you notice the two extra moves at your disposal when you equipped the Raimei? Well, then try them! (they're the Crimcon Peacock and Flame Lily) Lin: "I guess I got the last of them." Two "what the @#&%?"s come out from the ground and attack you. Strategy: Just GO BERSERK! Combo like crazy and run if they start burrowing cause they'll come out from beneath you. Very easy stage, believe me, absolutely nothing to worry about. Walkthrough: You have, upon killing these montrosities, the BYAKUYA. I'd still prefer your brother's weapon than this but, it's really your choice of trying it or not... Lin: "It's time I went home." Save point quote: "Devouring the souls of evil ghosts and goblins earthworms making cries" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ ___ ____ __ ____ ____ ( \/ ) ( _ \ ( ___)/ __)( _ \ /__\ (_ _)( _ \ ) ( )(_) ) )__) \__ \ )___/ /(__)\ _)(_ ) / (_/\_)() (____/ (____)(___/(__) (__)(__)(____)(_)\_) Prologue text: The village have been turned into a charnel house of the dead and demons. Lin, dazed and broken by her brother's death, is beset by the unholy hordes. Without feeling, she becomes a ruthless and efficient exterminator. In the end, she stands as she started, all alone. Lin and Kotaro meet for a third time... Kotaro: "Lin." Lin : "Kotaro?" Kotaro: "Have you heard about soul bugs?" Lin : "They're foul parasites that make monsters out of people." Kotaro: "Those things have infected the entire fiefdom." Lin : "The soul bugs took someone I loved from me." "This is all I have to remember him by." (shows something to Kotaro) Kotaro: "So you had a lover." "Lin. you were looking into what Tohjo was doing. Tell me." Lin : "No, it's over. I don't have any reason to keep fighting." Kotaro: "Lin! Snap out of it!" (holds Lin tightly) "Stop your sobbing. You're acting like a..." Lin : "Let go of me! I'm, I'm..." Kotaro: "I know, not a kid." (lets go of Lin) Lin : "..." "They sank the shogun's transport ship and stole the gold." Kotaro: "So, they're using that money to prepare for war." "With the soul bugs, all you need are corpses to make an army." Lin : "From corpses." Kotaro: "Lin." Lin : "Yes?" Kotaro: "I understand that you're broken up over losing your man." "But we're the only two left who can fight." "You're though enough to take it, right?" Lin : "No, I'm still a kid." Kotaro: "Heh, you're sure now?" Lin : "Our target is Gendo Tohjo in the castle." Kotaro: "That's where we're headed." Lin : "Kotaro, go from the inside. I'll approach from outside." Kotaro: "Alright. You watch yourself!" Lin : (as she left) "Listen!" "It was my brother!" Kotaro: "Hm?" Lin : "It was my older brother who died." Kotaro: "Oh, ah, I'm sorry." Lin : "..." "I'll meet you in the castle!" (leaves and thinks: "Shin, please protect us.") Walkthrough: You may save your game again, as you are near a save point, but I'd rather not to save time. Head north, north-west, and then east to start your journey towards the castle. Go for a series of norths, sheathing your sword and ignoring the demons, to finally reach the castle gates. Kill the two welcoming monks and the other two north of them (who are probably already zombies by now) via infinite shuriken and you wouldn't suffer a scratch. Proceed northwest and grab the ointment to your left. Head northwest and notice the save point beside a second gate. Save your game, of course. Save point quote: "Meaning no hatred kill with the sword to make bloom the Patrinia" Head east and jump from rock to rock until you reach the roof, well, sort of. Exit north west. Grab the ointment, sheath your sword, and start ignoring your enemies, or you'll get tired of them. Proceed west, then north. Grab the ointment on the far east, and head north. Continue north, jump your way to another north, and then east twice. You'll be rewarded with another shuriken, which of course you don't need anymore. Head east, then north, grab a Happourinkosho, head east, grab a Foreign Medicine, jump your way to the north twice, and voila! a save point! Save point quote: still the same Enter the door, obviously, to fight your last boss... Tohjo: "I've been waiting for you, shogunate dog." Lin : "Your time is up, Gendo Tohjo!" Tohjo: "Quiet your yelping, you wretched spy!" Lin : "Spying has nothing to do with this! I'm here to avenge my brother!" Tohjo: "Brother? Ah, his strong will made him impossible to control." : "But nonetheless he was a most useful tool." Lin : "Stop it! I won't stand for any more indignity upon my brother!" Tohjo: "Don't you wish for more power?" : "The power that sleeps within you?" : "I want it. I want it all. Soon, soon it will all be mine!" Lin : "You're getting nothing if I can help it." Tohjo: "With your blood, I will celebrate the coming fruition of my dream!" Strategy: Once the Rakuyo is in your possession (and even with only the Raimei), you can just slash him like crazy and never worry of the attacks he blocked. You can't block his attacks, but they come out slow enough for you to counter them. I don't think he has any desperation moves, unlike your previous samurai opponents, except for his healing, but you don't need to worry about that. Just attack as you normally would and he's fish bait. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ ___ ( \/ )(_ _) ( ___)( \( )( _ \ (_ _)( \( ) / __) ) ( _)(_ )__) ) ( )(_) ) _)(_ ) ( ( (_-. (_/\_)(____)() (____)(_)\_)(____/ (____)(_)\_) \___/ Lord Tohjo is defeated, and Kotaro arrives from inside the castle. Lin : "I did it, Kotaro. This whole nightmare is over." Kotaro: "A little too easily, maybe." But Lord Tohjo is NOT dead! After our heroes left, a cinematic features the last boss being resurrected by an unknown energy... Save point quote: "Paulownia leaf into the red sea of blood sinks and vanishes" If you start the game again, using Lin, you'll get all you had during the first game! (weapons, items, moves, everything!) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ ___ ____ ___ ____ ____ ____ ___ ( \/ )(_ _)(_ _) / __)( ___) / __)( _ \( ___)(_ _)/ __) ) ( _)(_ _)(_ \__ \ )__) ( (__ ) / )__) )( \__ \ (_/\_)(____)(____)() (___/(____) \___)(_)\_)(____) (__) (___/ 1. Townsfolk - How do you find out and make sure who among the townsfolk you have to talk to in order to trigger an event? I've got a simple yet brutal strategy for you...(any ideas? hehe) Ok, you KILL them all! If you don't want to read on, fine. So you still wanna? OK, killing the townsfolk does NOT have any penalty on you so you can go around doing that (if it's not against your conscience, that is, hehe) Once you've killed everyone in a certain scene, exit and re-enter the said scene. If you find one of your common townsfolk resurrected,(!) he/she's the one to talk to. 2. Gold key - Remember the pair of stone keys you got in level 3? You didn't use them right? Well, notice how they instantly vanish from your inventory after you exit the level, which means you'll have to use them BEFORE the level ends. Here's how: First of all, there are actually THREE of them in forest, so you'll have to find the last one first. Let's start from the save point just before Karasu's territory. Sheath your sword, go back (south-west) collect your ointment, and ignore the three opponents that grace that scene. Continue ignoring and jumping over your every opponent as you go east and collect the third stone key there, southeast, south, thrice, and then west. Enter the room, get the Hourokodama to your north, and hit [] where the shining item lies. The door will close, and you shall have obtained the Gold Keys. Wait! you're not done yet... Lin: "Trapped? I can't remove this?" Now turn around and use the three stone keys you have collected and get out of that hot room. 3. Clown Code Letter - Now that you have the Gold Keys, you'd be wondering where to put that in. Here goes: Head north, northeast, north twice, west, north, and save. Save point quote: still the same Make your way to Karasu (refer to that section of this faq), defeat her, and exit west. Now comes the secret part. Remember me telling you to head north twice? Ok, now I take that back! Go to the big door there (west) and... Lin: "It's locked." Now use your Gold Keys to open this large door and then what else to do but enter? Lin: "Ken!" : "Everyone died..." : "Shin, please be safe!" You'll notice the shining blue thingy (it's a CLOWN CODE LETTER) next to Ken, of course, so get it! There'll also be a Hourokudama nearby(west) so grab that too. Exit the room, head north twice, and you know the rest...(or just refer to that section of my faq) 4. Infinite Shuriken - I already told you this right? Well, just in case you took a peek at this portion first, here's how: In the fourth level, "Demons", a multitude of zombies will attack you but all of them need only one hit to die so don't fret and equip your brother's weapon. If you manage to kill more than three hundred of them (highly possible only if you ignore the two goodies found near your starting point) before the next cinematic, you'll acquire...INFINITE SHURIKEN! 5. Changing Clothes - In chapter 5, "Despair", instead of heading north, northwest, then east to start your journey towards the castle, go west and grab another one of those shining blues (Gold Framed Glasses) in front of the buddha statue and save your game (you know where, right? NORTH!) Now, head west, east, northeast, and finally another west. Enter the house with the violet cloth in front... Ito: "Ah, those gold eyeglasses!" : "Miss, I would be very grateful if you could return them to me." Lin: "Why yes, certainly." Ito: "Thank you so kindly! I can't thank you enough!" : "Ah, I know what I can do to show my thanks!" : "If we have any clothing that suits you, it's yours!" Choose from five different yet all cool-looking costumes (including your own), I'd prefer the... well, the... dam! I can't choose! Anyway, my choice is irrelivant. Now, YOU choose... Ito: "Ah, it suits you wonderfully!" : "You'll just slay the men!" : "If you ever get tired of that outfit, please come exchange it." 6. Rakuyo - Ok, enough of the fashion statements, and on with another secret, also in the same level. Sheath your sword and ignore everyone as you head on north, southwest, south, west, north twice, and save. Save point quote: "Tohjo Castle evil presence in the dark fills the air and night" Continue north, get the two foreign medicines, and proceed north. Grab the not so obvious item there, a little to your right, at the broken lamp, (as the clue stated) hit [] to obtain the HELMET CODE LETTER. You may continue north for more goodies, but I'll just talk about the secret. So, head back to the village square, which you probably are familiar of by now, and head east, south, and then another east. This is the way to get to the forest right? Ok, now just move on (refer to that section of this faq) until you reach the house with the bright white cloth in front of it, just before you enter the forest itself. Enter the house... Lin : "Excuse me, are you the only blacksmith in this village?" Blacksmith: "Indeed, I am." Lin : "My name is Lin. A coded note directed me to seek you out." Blacksmith: "A shogunate ninja? I have been waiting for you." Lin : "Then you are Taka?" Taka : "Indeed, though I have not been called that in years. Wait." : (gets a sword) "This sword was revered by Shogun Iyeyasu Tokugawa." Lin : "Then that sword is Rakuyo? It was on the transport ship?" Taka : "It had been removed by Hanzo and brought to me for safe keeping." Lin : "Hanzo was killed by enemies of the shogunate." Taka : "I see. Lin, was it?" Lin : "Yes." Taka : "There is nothing that this old man can do. It is in your hands." Lin : "I will do my utmost to deliver the sword to the shogunate." Taka : "Wait. For the upcoming battle, you need a better weapon, no?" Lin : "You are saying?" Taka : "You have my blessing to test the sword on the monsters about." Lin : "I may do that?" Taka : "Thwarting Tohjo's evil designs gets priority. : "Nothing else matters." Lin : "Thank you. I will treat it with utmost respect. : "Farewell!" (obtained RAKUYO) Yes! now you got that frequently mentioned sword throughout the game! Now just head back again to the village square, head west, then east to start your journey towards the castle. (You MAY opt to save your game at the buddha statue first, though) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ ____ ____ ___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ ( \/ )(_ _)(_ _)(_ _) / __)( _ \( ___)( _ \ (_ _)(_ _)/ __) ) ( _)(_ _)(_ _)(_ ( (__ ) / )__) )(_) ) _)(_ )( \__ \ (_/\_)(____)(____)(____)() \___)(_)\_)(____)(____/ (____) (__) (___/ Janice (my kid sis) for copying some of the in-game text for me when I just didn't have the time Red Phoenix (red_phoenix_1@hotmail.com) for info on the whats and hows of ASCII arts Randy Hicks (rjhicks@home.com) for this little added info: "Those "quotes" are the hiakus, or Japanese short form poems. I don't think they have anything to do with the game, or give clues. They are just kind of telling what is happening in the game. (well, sort of)" Gamefaqs.com for paying attention to this faq Konami and all its affiliates for creating such a great game Ms. AsianCuteness for inspiring me in just about everything I do! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ ____ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ ____ ___ ____ _____ _ _ ( \/ )(_ _)( \/ ) ( _ \( ___)( \/ )(_ _)/ __)(_ _)( _ )( \( ) ) ( _)(_ \ / ) / )__) \ / _)(_ \__ \ _)(_ )(_)( ) ( (_/\_)(____) \/ () (_)\_)(____) \/ (____)(___/(____)(_____)(_)\_) _ _ ____ ___ ____ _____ ____ _ _ ( )_( )(_ _)/ __)(_ _)( _ )( _ \( \/ ) ) _ ( _)(_ \__ \ )( )(_)( ) / \ / (_) (_)(____)(___/ (__) (_____)(_)\_) (__) none yet. suggestions, anyone? %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% _ _ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ __ __ ( \/ )( \/ ) ( ___)(_ _)( \( ) /__\ ( ) ) ( \ / )__) _)(_ ) ( /(__)\ )(__ (_/\_) \/ () (__) (____)(_)\_)(__)(__)(____) _ _ _____ ____ ____ ___ ( \/\/ )( _ )( _ \( _ \ / __) ) ( )(_)( ) / )(_) )\__ \ (__/\__)(_____)(_)\_)(____/ (___/ Please feel free to email me if there's something about Lin I left out or if you just want to comment on my work. Thank you. If ever I revise this faq and add something you feel came from one of your emails to me, email me again and remind me bout it so I can give you credit. Thanks again. General tips - You can go back to any save point as much as you want and save your progress again and again. - On the higher levels, when you are faced with a variety of opponents, you can sheath your sword on situations you think are too tough for you, go back, and re-enter the place to find a different set of enemies, possibly even less than before! - You can also keep your sword sheathed, run through the different parts of the village, and always be allowed to passed through the next area without having to beat the current opponents. This is a risky strategy, however, because if your opponents were able to hit you before you leave, you'll have nothing to defend yourself with. - Always block in hostile environment unless you're ready to attack. - Every after a chapter ends, you can re-visit every part of the town now accessible and hope to find lots of goodies and, unfortunately, badies as well. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% And just in case you read the last part of this faq before the first, allow me restate my legal notice... By gaining access to this faq you agree to the following terms: ___________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================== || || || 1) I, Joseph Christopher, the author of this faq, is not in any way || || liable for any harm that anybody thinks came from reading this faq. || || Examples of this harm include physical ones, such as getting mauled || || by someone who lost to you via a technique found in this faq, and || || emotional ones, such as experiencing humiliation upon the use or || || most likely misuse of yet another technique found in this faq. || || || || 2) If this faq was accessed from a source other than gamefaqs.com, nine || || out of ten chances are it is not in its latest update. You must || || therefore read the latest version of this faq first at the said web || || site before sending in any comments, suggestions, and/or corrections. || || As for webmasters, web page contibutors, and all similar personnel, || || posting this faq on any other website requires every last sentence, || || phrase, word, and character contained within this file included and || || unaltered. Keeping this faq as updated as it is on gamefaqs.com is || || preferable, though not required. || || || || 3) This faq is not to be profited from---directly, indirectly, or in || || whatever other way possible. By directly I mean earning less than, || || equal to, or greater than a cent's worth in cash, items, or services || || in exchange for part of or all the contents of this faq. On the || || other hand, by indirectly I mean using a part of or all the contents || || of this faq as a convincing factor for the purchase of another product || || thus directly or again indirectly yielding profit. || || || || 4) You will not use even a single phrase, sentence, or concept found || || anywhere in this faq on your own work, even if you expressed it in || || your own words, without at the very least giving me, Joseph Christopher, || || the author of this faq, full credit for it. If you in any way || || incorporated even a very minute part of the strategies found in this || || faq with your own in your work, then you must at the very least give || || me partial credit for it. || || || || 5) Ignorance of the law excuses no one, therefore if ever anything || || unlawful is done to this faq and/or to me, its author, the appropriate || || legal actions will be taken. If at any point you disagree to this || || or any of the above statements, delete this faq immediately and discard || || any help it has done for you. || || || =================================================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~