Way of the Samurai 3

 Xbox 360
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 22
  3. Negative: 6 out of 22
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  1. Gamer.no
    70
    Games ten times the size can't offer half of the options Way of the Samurai 3 brings to the table. The game definitely has its notable and at times serious flaws, but if you dive into this enchanting world, you'll be greatly rewarded.
  2. Games Master UK
    66
    Interesting in its way, but too unsophisticated and irritating in places to easily recommend. [Apr 2010, p.71]
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  3. Official Xbox Magazine
    65
    Despite the awful visuals and crummy combat camera, watching the world react to your different play styles makes this short story a satisfying feudal tale that's worth seeing through. [Dec 2009, p.80]
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  5. IGN
    65
    Way of the Samurai 3 is built upon a solid idea, but the actual implementation isn't carried out nearly as far as it could be. With limited areas to explore, some mediocre combat mechanics and a hit-or-miss impact from your actions, it's hard to recommend it without pause.
  6. ZTGD
    65
    Way of the Samurai 3 is a great idea that is just lost in the past. The developers really had an opportunity to fully realize the potential of the game with the new hardware and failed.
  7. Eurogamer Italy
    60
    Although we surely can’t deny its fascinating concept, Way of the Samurai 3 proves to be a disappointing next-gen debut for Aquire, which fails to improve the franchise’s previous titles in any significant way. In other words it’s surely a welcome sequel for any fans of the series, but a game that won’t appeal to a broader audience.
  8. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    60
    Way of the Samurai's freedom is also its biggest problem.
  9. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    60
    Basic game mechanics, but a wealth of content to uncover. Definitely an acquired taste. [May 2010, p.81]
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  10. GamesNation
    59
    Instead of the necessary change of pace and quality in the series, Way of the Samurai 3 represents its negative continuation.
  11. Vandal
    58
    Every series follower will be pleased with the results, an update of the same proposal of PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, newcomers won't get much satisfaction, and will probably give up the game before finishing it.
  12. 3DJuegos
    53
    This overwhelming third iteration in the Way of the Samurai series keeps the open ended gameplay of the two previous games, but also its flaws and weaknesses. Great concept for a poorly executed game.
  13. Gamestyle
    50
    Way of the Samurai 3 is another instalment in a gaming oddity and one that is hard to recommend on the basis of game play. If you are searching for something off the beaten path or seeking your own Kurosawa adventure than it may hold some value.
  14. MondoXbox
    50
    A delusion in almost every aspect. The free-roaming gameplay, which should have been its strength point, revealed to be instead one of its main shortcomings. Other than the fascinating environments, there aren't many more reasons to buy this game.
  15. Gamereactor Sweden
    50
    There really aren't too many good samurai games out there, and unfortunately, Way of the Samurai 3 isn't going to change that. It isn't all bad with a good story and a lot to do. The production values are extremely low budget though, and the graphics is amongst the worst we've seen this generation.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 5 out of 21
  1. SpoonJuggler
    Apr 11, 2014
    8
    An underrated gem. I've been trying to find a reasonably realistic samurai game and this one absolutely delivered. Fun, challenging combatAn underrated gem. I've been trying to find a reasonably realistic samurai game and this one absolutely delivered. Fun, challenging combat with so many different stances to choose from, each one with a customizable move set. The strongest aspect of this game is it's open-endedness. There's a whopping 28 different endings and to top it off, infinite new game plus so you get to keep your XP, your items and your weapons every time you start a new playthrough.

    Of course there's a few flaws. The graphics are really outdated, even for a 2008 title. Personally, i don't really care about graphics but i recognize that it might be a deal breaker for some.

    The only major shortcoming of this game is it's size. The map is ridiculously small for an open world game, if you can even call it that. There's a total of 8 regions and each region is fairly small or to put it bluntly, really small. There's no room for exploration at all. After visiting each region only once, you'll know the whole map like the back of your hand.    … Full Review »
  2. VLG
    Aug 23, 2023
    3
    WOTS 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, so i had to check this one. And it was terrible.
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