Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams (PS2)

Herald rating: * * * *

Japanese historic fantasy games comprise a genre notorious for overblown, convoluted and melodramatic storylines. Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams lives up to expectations.

From the beginning you're bombarded with the names of good and evil characters, an elaborate back story, and strands of the plot that will steer the course of the game.

But none of that matters because soon after you're treated to scenes of an epic battle in which a 16th century Japanese city is demolished. It looks spectacular.

The artwork in Dawn of Dreams is more elaborate and convincing than any other Japanese historic fantasy games I've played and for that reason alone, you'll want to keep playing.

There's also a dark mix of horror and adventure which I found quite convincing. Japan is being consumed by destructive powers, and each town the story plays out in reeks of death.

I had no idea what was going on most of the time, but it didn't matter. Dawn of Dreams is so epic, you're just swept along with the action, which blends well with the story cut-aways.

There are giant, mechanical Samurai warriors which stomp through cities and have machine guns mounted in their breasts.

Armies of skeletal foot soldiers, like the legions of death from Jason and the Argonauts, face you at every turn. And that's just on disc one. Set aside a few wet weekends to nail this one.

(R13)
Price: $100