A few months ago, during the E3 press event out in California, I managed to find a little bit of time to stop into one of the smaller halls in the show, where a few little booths were tucked away. This was where Tapwave was showing off their unique, yet expensive Zodiac handheld; where Betehsda Softworks had Call of Cthulhu and the finally-released-but-not-worth-waiting-for Malice on hand; and where BAM! Entertainment showcased State of Emergency 2 and a little title called Bujingai. Of course, I immediately butchered the title of the game, calling it something like Bojangles. Yes, as in Mr. Bojangles. But soon I was given a controller to test out this title, coming to the market from both the classic makers at Taito and the folks at Red Entertainment.

What did I discover? Something unique. It was a hack-n-slash title with simple combos to uncover and graphics similar to that of Sega's Shinobi/Nightshade games, but then I noticed the quirks of visual flair in the main character, Lau, and the level designs. And then the gameplay began to get better and better, especially when I came upon a boss enemy and engaged in button-mashing sword battles that became huge, enjoyable struggles. It easily became one of my favorites at the show.

Now, Bujingai: The Forsaken City has arrived on store shelves, and I finally found the opportunity to play the complete version and see what other little secrets I could unlock as I played on. Well, the bad news is, there's not too much unlockable here. But there's something to be said about enjoying the journey, and not the destination, and Bujingai packs a hell of a journey.

In the game, you play Lau, a Grandmaster Swordsman that's part of an elite group growing up within a nuclear-ravaged city. Your group rises up to battle a new threat on the horizon, and it's up to Lau to carve out most of the competition as they grow in numbers and seek to take back the Forsaken City. Lau packs an interestingly colorful outfit, similar to that of traditional samurai warriors, as well as a pair of twin katana blades that he can use to piece together a number of combos, both midair and on the ground.

The gameplay might be considered a bit generic for some, as it relies a lot on the "tap-tap" sort of gameplay to emerge victorious with combos and defensive maneuvers, especially during sword fights with bosses. But even if it was repetitive, I found that the gameplay worked surprisingly well, keeping me engaged in the fight and making them seem a bit more thrilling than a game like, say, the somewhat stoic Bushido Blade. You can piece together new combos and throw in some midair moves to further slice your opponents to ribbons. It really is a lot of fun if you just sit back and let it be.

The challenge level is very good, although not anywhere near the incredible difficulty level of Sega's Shinobi and Nightshade games. That can be good news for most of us, as those games grew so frustratingly hard that broken controllers practically began to pile on the floor. Here, you have a better sense of balance and a huge quest to complete, and plenty of bosses to fight with their own agendas and patterns to discover. And furthermore, there's unlockable goodies, like extra modes, sword fighting footage with development team members (this kicks ass), a hidden costume, and a little more. Still, it would have been nice to have some multiplayer battles so you could show a friend who's boss of the Grandmaster Swordsmen.

The game has suitable, colorful graphics that illuminate the screen, complete with some slick animation (watch the ribbons; jeez) and great level layouts. The sound, however, doesn't seem so ambitious. The game could have benefited from a deeper soundtrack, possibly something by Zuntana, the folks that handled a number of soundtracks for previous Taito games. Oh well, at least the soundtrack's acceptable, if not memorable. Sound effects are alright, but not really any different with forthcoming stages, and some of the voicework is a little bit hokey.

Overall, I definitely wouldn't say that Bujingai is a disappointment, because it really isn't. Taito and Red Entertianment have poured enough love into the title to make it a bonafide sleeper for the PS2 crowd, and a game that no action-loving sword-swinging fan should miss whatsoever. It could've used a little ironing out in a couple of departments, not to mention a $20-30 price tag instead of $40, but overall it's still worth dropping the cash, especially just to get a glance at team members going at it in pretend swordplay. It's great to see the development at work, and the finished result actually be something that motivates you to kick a little ass of your own. Bujingai is one nice slice.