Inuyasha: Feudal Combat First Impressions

During a recent meeting with Bandai we were afforded our first look at Inuyasha: Feudal Combat--a fighting game inspired by the animated TV series of the same name. The show, in case you're not familiar with it, revolves around a Japanese schoolgirl named Kagome Higurashi who is transported back through time to a feudal Japan inhabited by demons. When she arrives, Kagome has no idea that she is the reincarnation of a priestess named Kikyo, nor that the jewel in her possession (which gets shattered into thousands of pieces) is the "Jewel of Four Souls"--a powerful gem that just about every demon in the land, including the titular Inuyasha, is after.

Inuyasha: Feudal Combat, unlike the role-playing game Inuyasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask released last year, is a fighting game in which you'll be able to play as any of 12 popular characters from the TV show. Gameplay modes will include a two-player versus mode, a mission mode, and a story-driven single-player game. Battles in Inuyasha: Feudal Combat will be played out in interactive environments that you're free to run around and explore, and they'll invariably involve two to four characters. Fights will be one-on-one, one-on-two, or two-on-two, and when you're joined by a partner you can have the character fight completely automatically, or you can influence your partner's actions with simple commands directing him or her to concentrate attacks on a certain enemy or attempt to protect you.

All of the characters in Inuyasha: Feudal Combat will be voiced by the actors from the TV show and boast a cel-shaded look that's totally in keeping with the source material. We didn't get to see the game in action for more than a few minutes, but the graphics were looking sharp, and some of the finishing-move animations were pretty spectacular. We're told that you'll be able to develop your chosen character as you progress through the game by improving your character's attacks and compatibility with other characters, but at the time of writing we've not seen any character development in action.

Further information on Inuyasha: Feudal Combat is scarce at present, save for the fact that it's currently scheduled for release sometime in August. We'll bring you more information on the game as soon as it becomes available.