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There was a time where it was unthinkable to expect an anime-based title to be good. This was also a time where it was practically decreed by the gods that an anime-based fighting title was guaranteed to suck beyond words. Those times I speak of were dark times, especially for all the shut-in recluses like me who had a penchant for unleashing a devastating Kamehameha to finish off our arch rival Kid Buu. But times are different now, they have changed.
Bandai recently have seemed to follow in Atari's footsteps, releasing games with their various anime licenses attached. While Atari's anime stable consists almost solely of Dragonball Z, Bandai has access to everything from Inuyasha and One-Piece, to Zatchbell and the legendary Ghost in the Shell. Their latest, the title this review is about, is the first fighting game on the PlayStation 2 in the Inuyasha franchise, aptly titled Inuyasha: Feudal Combat.
This new fighter puts you, the player, in control of 14 different characters -- 10 immediately available and 4 unlockable -- as you battle your way through the happenings of Inuyasha's first season. So the story goes, Inuyasha, Kagome and their friends Sango and Miroku are on a quest to stop the evil Naraku from acquiring all the pieces of the sacred Shikon jewel. Whoever possesses all the shards will be able to gain unbelievable power. Inuyasha wants it to become a full-blooded demon, and Naraku wants it for the same reason any other bad guy would; World domination, of course.
Shut Up, You Mutt!
 The main part of the game revolves around a story mode, which is broken up into stories, each ranging from 2 to 4 “chapters” (fights) in length, and is told from the perspective of the character it's named after. The first one you play, obviously, is Inuyasha and Kagome's. Upon completion of each story, new ones become available, as do hidden content like characters and fighting locations.
Inuyasha: Fuedal Combat's other main mode of play is the unique mission mode. In this mode, you traverse a map littered with locations, and within each location, you will find multiple challenges (fights with special conditions). Some of the challenges are simple and straight-forward, like defeat the enemy. And others are a little more out there, like defeating a flying dragon/worm creature that is normally just a background ornament. While none of the challenges are particularly difficult by design, problems arise when you face the fact that you must actually do them. You're confused, aren't you? Allow me to explain.
Back-Lash Wave!
Using an experimental approach to a fighter, sometimes, is a good thing. Soul Calibur came into the scene with weapon-centric combat, and it was good. Really good. Virtua Fighter brought in a deceptive level of depth never before exhibited in a fighter. The casuals tended to shy away, but the hardcore really dug in. But what Inuyasha brings to the table, defies words. What it is, or at least comes across as, is a 3D action engine tailored to a fighting game environment. And while this could've been a fun and unique approach, its execution makes it quite the opposite.
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