Lords of the Rising Sun

Lords of the Rising Sun is a game designed by the renowned Doug Barnett and published by Cinemaware in 1989 for the Amiga, among other consoles.

This adventure puts the player in the shoes of Yoshitsune or Yoritomo, two famous Japanese general/samurais brothers who must fight in an endless and bloody conflict against a rival clan.

True to Cinemaware's previous work, Defender of the Crown, Lords of the Rising Sun is notable for its gameplay: at times, it's an arcade, then an RPG, and at moments it even becomes a first-person shooter. On the other hand, every great tale deserves to be told in the best way, and this is where the title takes the opportunity to tell us the story through black panels that provide enough exposure for the player to commit, but not to get bored.

The technical part is perfectly elaborated. Although the playability is very changeable, the whole adventure shares the same connecting aesthetic that reminds us at all times that we are in the same playthrough. The color palette is composed of browns and opaque colors, which are only contrasted with the blue of the sea in the main map, which represents nothingness itself and is only used to highlight the islands and territories that can be accessed. Likewise, the sound rotates between absolute silence and the reproduction of an 8-bit version of tribal music that blends perfectly with the experience.

The delivery received mixed reviews, where more than anything, they admired its cinematics and gameplay. On the other hand, the director of the Total War saga, Mike Simpson, admitted that his franchise received a lot of inspiration from it.

Lords of the Rising Sun is not only the opportunity to play several games in one but also to give a break to what we are used to and try a new experience, entirely devoted to eastern culture (And yes, there are ninjas).