New Games 919

Most cutscenes can be skipped – with violence

The cutscenes in Way of the Samurai 3 can be, at first glance, irritating as hell. This is mainly because they’re filled with long, seemingly meaningless pauses during which your samurai just stares blankly at the object of his attention after being asked a question. Really, though, these pauses serve a purpose – they’re so that you can interrupt them by unsheathing your sword, an action that the game will constantly remind you is available by flashing a little drawn-sword icon onscreen.

Drawing your sword won’t just be perceived as just a warning, either; if you do it during a conversation, said conversation will immediately turn violent. And you can do it in nearly every cutscene, with or without provocation. Don’t like the looks of the peasants who’re trying to save your life? Flash some steel and scare them away. Feel like picking a fight with one of the faction leaders while they’re deciding whether or not to hire you? Go right ahead, but be aware they’ll probably wipe the floor with you.

Granted, there’s very little to be gained from this, unless A) you’ve been through the game a few times and you just want to throw down with a key antagonist before they turn dangerous, or B) you hate cutscenes so much you just want to jump straight to the action, regardless of its consequences.

The converse of drawing your sword like a goon is the “apology” action, which drops you to the floor in a low, groveling bow. Like flashing your sword, this can immediately end cutscenes – and fights, if you want it to.