During TGS 2019, Acquire announced that they are teaming up with Spike Chunsoft to make a new game in the Way of the Samurai series, titled Katanakami. This title is a hack and slash game, instead of following the gameplay of the previous titles (the dogeza is still here though!) New information on the game has been released by Acquire. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

Story

Near the top of the mountain lived a blacksmith and his daughter. The blacksmith was the type to spend his money frivolously, and the two of them were always wanting for money. The blacksmith’s daughter was taken away one day, as payment for the blacksmith’s loans.

“I shall help with the repayment.”

In front of the crestfallen blacksmith was a compassionate samurai. The blacksmith agreed to let the samurai help.

In front of the house was a pine tree that glowed at night. It was a door to another world. In order to save the blacksmith’s daughter, the samurai stepped into the foreign world…

Hack n Slash + Procedural Generated Dungeons

Katanakami is a swordplay game like the Way of the Samurai series, where you play through hack and slash dungeons in order to search for famous swords. Depending on your equipped weapons, how you play will greatly change. The dungeons you enter at night are full of Japanese-style fantasy, and as it changes every time you enter it, you can experience something different every time.

Running the Smithy

There are three factions that are vying to take overall control of the mountain, and using the materials gained from the dungeons, the protagonist can ask the blacksmith to forge new weapons for both himself, and to aid the cause. There is always a shortage of swords when three factions are fighting, and as a weapons supplier, you can help sway the tide in a certain faction’s favor if you want. You earn money mainly this way.

Day and Night Cycle

There is a day and night cycle in Katanakami, and what you can do depends on the time. At night, you can go into the other world to find swords and materials, while the daytime is spent making weapons at the smithy. The goal is to return all of the blacksmith’s debt.

Katanakami releases for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in early 2020. The game will cost 3,980 yen. You can find the reveal trailer and some gameplay from TGS here.