After Commodore Perry "encouraged" the Japanese to
sign the Treaty of Kanagawa on March 31st, 1854 and
therefore opened up trade with the United States,
Japan was thrown into chaos. Japan's 200 years of
self-imposed isolation ended and the samurai ranks
began to question the power of the Tokugawa
Shogunate and its ability to defend Japan. In his
second trip to Japan, Perry had threatened to shell
Edo if his demands were not met and the Shogunate
had buckled too easily to his whims. Journeying from
the whole of Japan, marauding bands of roshis (masterless
samurai warriors - not ronins or rurounis) gathered
in Kyoto and sought to topple the perceived weak
Shogunate and repel the western invaders who had
arrived on the black ships.Taking place from 1860
through 1869 and reversing the roles of the prequel
(Fuun Shinsengumi), players join the ranks of the
roshi and battle the Shinsengumi who are policemen
hired by the Shogunate to keep the peace. Walk
around town, interact with fellow conspirators and
engage the team-tactics of the Shinsengumi who beat
down on insurgents in squads of four or more.
Instead of being limited to Kyoto like the original,
the new action-slasher takes place across Japan as
organized gangs seek to cause ruckuses throughout
the land.
Historical recreations in the game include the
Ikeda-ya slaughter where disgruntled Ishin Shishi
(imperial swordsman) gathered in 1864 to plot the
overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the
meeting, many of the Ishin Shishi stayed in the
Ikeda-ya inn and drank until they fell asleep. A
band of roving Shinsengumi learned of the Ishin
Shishi's plans and rushed into the inn and killed
everyone. Afterwards, the Shinsengemi were credited
with saving Kyoto and the Shogunate from a series of
unfortunate events. The mission in this scenario is
to protect Ishin Shishi leader Kogorou Katsura from
the Shinsengumi and escape through a backdoor in the
inn to keep the rebellion alive.
In another scenario, players help Shimazu
Hisamitsu of the Satsuma clan and soldiers in their
1868 overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Shimazu
would eventually play a part in the Meiji
Restoration.
Warning: This game includes
graphic scenes of violence (blood splattered humans,
people getting shot through the forehead, bodies
falling like mere chaetal) and we recommend that the
squeamish or easily offended NOT purchase this
product.
