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Acquire and Spike Chunsoft released more info on their upcoming roguelike hack and slash title Katanakami, a spin-off of the Way of the Samurai series. This time, they introduced bodyguards, whom you can bring with you into the Jikai netherworld, and accessories that you can equip for extra effects. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]
Bodyguards
At the Kurou family shop at Rokkotsu Pass, you’ll be able to contract bodyguards who will follow you into Jikai. They have Dan levels like the player and will regain all health when they level up. While player Dan levels reset when coming back, bodyguards will keep their Dan levels. If bodyguards are defeated while exploring, they’ll be able to be revived by paying an additional fee. There are also special Requests that grant you access to new bodyguards for hire.
Here are some of the bodyguards:
Toryuu Kirishima
Skills: Destroy traps with willpower, Brotherly Dogeza
Tenpo Imagawa
Skills: Mock Katana Time
Chichiue
Skills: Smell of treasure, Inusharin
Haniwamaru
Skills: Self-destruction, Sharing
Bodyguards will also have Requests of their own, which will begin personal events. Depending on how far you are in the bodyguards’ stories, their looks and abilities will change.
Accessories
In Katanakami, you’ll be able to change your look via costumes and accessories. These are purchased from the Akadama family shop and equipped via the menu.
There are over 100 accessories, which change your look and have helpful (and sometimes some not so helpful) effects. You can equip up to five at once, and you’ll gain all of the effects at once. However, if you pass out in Jikai, you’ll lose all equipped accessories.
Even with the same accessories, you can change their size and where you equip them. (There are three options for each.)
Meanwhile, costumes include the outfits from previous Way of the Samurai games, as well as other outfits to try out.
Katanakami will be released on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC on February 20, 2020. Check out our previous interview translation on how a canceled Way of the Samurai 5 project eventually led to Katanakami.
