The Role Player Game released in Japan for Playstation in the spring of 1997. It was difficult to find, but very worth the search! Being an import game, you'd have to have your system modded or get a game shark, etc. Also, all of it is in Japanese, and there is A LOT of reading. But if you're a crazy RPG & a Ruroken fanatic, you'll must get this game As either Hikura(girl) or Hijiri(guy), you must stop a group of conspirers and also somehow regain your memories. It's a very typical RuroKen plot from the anime. The Kenshi-gumi are at your disposal, as you chase down these baddies all over Japan. There many cute anime movies, complete with the original seiyuus. Also, it's Kenshin!! What more can you ask for?!

But for those who have doubts - like how the heck am I supposed to play this game, I mean it's in Japanese?! There is a very handy site at Game FAQs with more info & a walkthrough. I highly reccomend going there since there isn't strategy book available

Kaoru battles a baddie outside the dojo!

Battling The battle scenes take place in 2d, like the rest of the game. It's very similar to "Thousand Arms" if you ever played that game. You can fight as your character: Hikaru/Hijiri, also as Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Kenshin... and depending on whether you chose to be Hikaru or Hiji... Saitou or Aoshi. Yaay!! I chose to be Hikaru so I got Aoshi-sama in my party. I was so happy~! Anyway, in battle, you can do the normal commands: fight, use an item, go to next character, or flee. It is helpful to fight each battle that comes to you because you need to go up in levels. The sad thing is you don't get money from fighting like other RPGs but you do get stuff you can sell for money. Also, you need to upgrade your weapons ever so often so you can stand a better chance against bosses. More importantly, you must go up in levels so you can be able to read your opponents moves. The higher you are, the more you can read. Otherwise you'll get a bunch of question marks '??' . You can use regular attacks: high, middle, and low; and also, special attacks. For some specials, you have to fight at dojos to learn them. For your ultimate, you gotta reach a certain level. For Yahiko, he can learn many moves from opponents and also from Kenshin. The best part is that when you finish off an enemy with a special, you get to see one of three anime scenes for the character. Kenshin's are the cutest!

Sub Quests Depending on who you chose to be, you will encouter different adventures and people in the game. If you're Hikaru, you will get a chance to go to the convent and meet some nuns, bar-hopping with Kaoru, errands for Kenshin, and meet Misao. With Hijiri, you can meet Soujirou, monks in the monastry, errands for Kaoru & Megumi, and lastly the scary haunted house. The haunted house was cool since all the characters, both Aoshi and Saitou were in it, but it was very difficult. Mini Games Aside from the main plot & a bunch subquests, you can do some of the mini games available throughout the game: * There's the puzzle game where you get to unscramle an anime picture in an allotted time to give to Tsubame for her collection. * Then there's the dice game where you can go to an illegal gambling hall and risk it like Sano! * The sumo wrestling game. It was in a tournament fashion. You win a mini sumo statue for every match you win and a golden one if you beat everyone. Fun, but made my thumbs hurt. * The boxes games. An old guy pays you money to moves boxes around his room. * The juggling game was pretty hard. You got to mimic this clown and then you get a prize if you go good. Sorry, I'm not good at juggling.

The pull-out poster that came with the game:

Group photo:

Other Fun Stuff Let's see, you can collect 41 nishiki e, all of them a beautifully ink drawing of Ruroken characters & Shinsengumi heroes, in Watsuki-sensei manga style!! You give them to Tae and you can look at them at the Akebeko. I can drool over the Sano nishiki e forever. sigh! Also, you can run into many of the Ruroken characters as they make cameos everywhere! You can meet Misao, Hiko, Soujirou, Megumi, Ayame & Suzume, Genzai-sensei, Sano's friend Katsu, Maekawa-sensei, Tae, Tsubame, and even Sano's teacher friend whom I can't remember his name... Plus, there's many cute mini plots; like the one about a singer who does a vocal version of Kenshin's "Kimi wa Dare wo Mamotte iru". Waaai!!! Depending if you're with Hikaru or Hijiri, the singer will elope with her lover or give him up. I think it's random. NEW!! I was playing the Hijiri game and found some 'surpising' discoveries. Seems he's a bit of a player, giving presents to all the girls - Megumi, Tsubame, Kaoru and Tae. But it is Tae, whom his heart belongs. In the game, Tae & Hijiri go on a date (so cute!), then at another time - they meet secretly in the courtyard of the dojo for a dokidoki moment!!

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