Genji: Dawn of the Samurai is an action gamer's game and calls to mind the likes of
Onimusha or the staff favorite,
God of War. The game's tempo is exceedingly fast, so there's always some kind of action going on, but at the same time the experience goes by a little too quickly, so it's over before you even know it.
You play the role of two characters, Yoshitsune, a nimble swordsman, and Benkei, a brutish warrior-monk. Years ago, Yoshitsune's clan was involved in a war with a rival clan, the Heishi. The Heishi eventually won the war through the use of magical stones called Amahagane which bestow their owners with magical powers. The aftermath found Yoshitsune as the last remaining member of his clan, so, like any good samurai, he and Benkei set out to collect their own Amahagane and avenge Yoshitsune's fallen clan.
Aside from the action, Genji also features some light RPG elements, as well as some slight gameplay variations depending on which of the two characters you're playing as. Both characters gain experience points for defeating enemies which are then spent on leveling up. There is also some basic inventory management, as well as the option of switching out armor and weapons. The gameplay differences between the two characters are subtle and are really just different ways of approaching a problem. As the more agile of the two, Yoshitsune is prone to climbing and jumping over tall gates while Benkei will simply knock them down.
