The Mysterious Murasame Castle Returns

The Mysterious Murasame Castle Returns (​​​​神秘的なムラサメ城) is the direct sequel to the 1986 title, The Mysterious Murasame Castle. After a long Kid Icarus-esque hiatus, the series was revived by Tetsuya Takahashi (Xenoblade Chronicles). He saw a lot of potential in the series and therefore partnered up with Nintendo to make the game. The game sticks to its roots of top-down combat, however it is now rendered in HD. The game features: a much deeper story mode with RPG elements and co-op, new weapons, an Online Mode, and amiibos!
The game was initially set for release in 2018 on Nintendo Switch, but due to development problems, it received a five-year delay for a release on more powerful hardware, with Niobium Moon Studios assisting with development for the Nintendo GameCube 2 console.  
==Plot ==
One night, a festival was held over the victory against the daimyos who brought strife and chaos over the land of Edo Japan. A man, however, was openly assassinated by a rogue swordsman during the festival, causing grief and hysteria to plague the once joyful festival. The next day, there are reports of numerous strange events occurring all across the land of Edo Japan. Tokugawa Ietsuna assigns prestige samurai Takamaru and apprentice samurai Takahara to survey the land and find out what's going on. 
In Story mode, the player(s) can choose to be either the male protagonist, Takamaru or the female protagonist, Takahara. While there is a main storyline to follow, the game also encourages the players to be curious and explore about. There are 11 main areas to the game. Each one having its own main quest(s), side quests, secret areas, and items. Players are also no longer limited to using just a katana and a shuriken. They can now get new weapons a myriad of different ways: randomly-generated treasure chests, a rare chance of an enemy dropping one, local shops, or black market dealers (be careful with these guys). 
Icon	Main Area	Main Quest(s)	Side Quests
 	April Village
* A serene village that has multiple shops, a hotel, a plethora of townsfolk to talk to, and is free from enemies (for the most part). The game will ask the player(s) if they want to go to the Tutorial House if it's their first time playing. Talk around with everybody, some people may have some side quests to be done or they just give away free stuff. Who can argue with that?	The Crop Mystery
* Since the events of the festival, almost all of the food crops have been eaten up, mysteriously. Wakuni Sofu, the chief of the village, asks the two samurais to investigate around town and see if there are any culprits. It was either someone, or something.	Samurais & Robbers
* A man has had his satchel stolen, catch the robber before it's too late. 
We Need A Lifeguard 
* A woman who cannot swim is drowning in a nearby lake. Pull her back up to shore and make sure she can breathe. 
What A Doll 
* A little girl lost her doll in the forest. While looking for it, be careful of any baddies lurking in the woods. 
Orc Time 
* A man is running away from a monstrous orc. The orc is a miniboss and has more health than the average enemy. Be very careful. After the orc is defeated, he'll drop a specially-made amulet which may come in handy later on.
 	Shinpi Forest 
* A beautiful and mystical forest that's home to many things. A couple of stray shops, many enemies and bandits, and some cool abandoned ruins. The area is vast so get to exploring. Oh, and treasure chests do have a chance to appear here and there.	Ruins of Demise 
* As Takamaru & Takahara approach the center of the abandoned ruins, they hear a mysterious voice calling out to them. Once they enter the ruins, they find that it's littered with enemies and traps. Traverse the dangerous terrain while following the voice. It could lead to something truly extraordinary. If one of the samurais have the amulet from Orc Time, they'll gain access to some bonus treasure.
The Plan 
* After the two samurais make it out of the ruins, they take a closer look at the note they acquired. They find that it details the plans of a rogue organization called "The Nami". They must head back to Tokugawa Ietsuna with this info, but the forest is not a nice place to be during the night. Navigate through the dark forest, fight the especially ferocious enemies, and get to Ietsuna.	Lost Chicken 
* A man was travelling through the forest and found that his pet chicken had gone missing. Search through the forest and look for her. 
Under the Weather
* A woman who got bit by a stray snake is now poisoned and is in desperate need for medical care. Carry her to April Village while keeping her safe from any enemies. 
The Overzealous Ronin 
* A ronin (two in co-op) challenges Takamaru and/or Takahara to a duel for money. If the ronin wins, he has give up half of his money. If he wins then the samurais will have to give up half of their money (the samurais are welcome to try again though if they lose to get their money back). 
Antiques 
* There are many antiques to be found in the abandoned ruins and all around the forest. This side quest is more ongoing than the other ones. Whatever antiques you can find, trade them in for money or other equipment in the forest shops or April Village shops.
 	Island with No Name 
* Tokugawa Ietsuna sends Takamaru and Takahara out to this very island. Bad stories and myths surround this island so be on the lookout for anything ominous. At least some treasure chests can be found here.	Listen to the Song 
* Upon arriving on the island, the two samurais here a soft lullaby. As they follow the song, it grows louder and louder. Follow the song to its source while fighting any enemies in the way. 
The Nami
* The two samurais arrived at the source of the beautiful song and found a large cult experimenting around with dark magic. Record what they're wearing, saying, and who their leader is. Before Takamuru could finish recording the cult, a sorceress blasted them way out of the island and into another unidentified area.	A Flaming Bird? 
* Stepping onto a giant nest will reveal a giant bird who can summon fire at will. A good weapon or two would come real handy right about now. 
Treasure Ahoy! 
* Due to the amount of shipwrecks that have occurred at the shore of the island, a lot of treasure with awesome loot can be found. This also means that the samurais are going to have to swim for it. Be careful of deep sea monsters and don't lose too much air! 
Surrounded 
* Stepping on a trap, a group of savages surround the samurais to try and take everything they have. Defeat them all. 
Help a Brother Out
* A good man got trapped in a ditch and needs help getting out. Find parts around the island to build a ladder for him.
 	Gambler's Circuit 
* Falling into a bush, the two samurais slowly wake up from the blast and find themselves in a gambler's paradise. Card games, raffles, bets on horse racing and so much more! The player(s) can go around to each of the games and place their bets for more money and equipment... just make sure that not all of the money gets blown. This place also has a reputation for having a lot of bandits.	Grand Theft Horse 
* A horse has been stolen from one of the races by a bandit! Grab another horse and chase the one that is being stolen. Dodge obstacles in the way and avoid the stuff that the bandit will throw back. 
On The Path 
* As a token of good faith, the circuit ringmaster gave the samurais they've ridden away for free. Now with a horse for faster transportation, the samurais can head up north and find their way to Ietsuna. Watch for enemies and obstacles along the path.	The Lucky One 
* Win 3 games of Cards. 
Runaway Raccoon 
* After a woman won a bet on bingo, a raccoon took her winnings. Chase the agile raccoon and get back the woman's earnings.
Rigged 
* The same person has won the game of Cards, eight times in a row! Are the cards rigged by any chance?
 	Greenshear Wonderland
* Still on the path to getting back to Ietsuna, Takamaru and Takahara go through this wintry forest. Some enemies can blend in with the white environment so if something looks suspicious, attack it. There's also a bunker that seems abandoned, maybe worth checking out for some treasure.	Hogo 
* The two samurais enter the bunker and scour it for any treasure that could help them in their travels. However, they find something else that they weren't looking for. A group of innocents enslaved by orcs and snow golems. They all bear the Nami symbol. Journey through the bunker, slay the beasts, and free the slaves.	Blizzard Issues 
* A snowstorm has stricken the forest and a traveler is unable to find warm shelter to weather it out. Lead the traveler to the bunker. 
Target Practice 
* There are 7 targets located all around the forest. They must be hit by a projectile attack. Some of them may also be covered in snow. Getting all 7 of them will entail some seriously nice goodies. 
Rebuild 
* After a snowstorm, one man's shop buckled over the weight of the snow. Help the man by finding the materials to rebuild the shop. Wood and stones will suffice and they're found all over the forest. 
The Big White One 
* A massive snow golem manifests itself from the snow and challenges the samurais. Remember, it's okay to not fight right away due to bad weapons.
 	Great Shade Mountains
* After making it out of the Greenshear, Takamaru and Takamaru come across the mountains. The biggest area in the game. Caves, hidden treasure chests, a port town, and so much more can be found here. A port town? Hmm...	Plunder 
* As the samurais arrive at the port town, they find that it's currently under attack from pirates. Rally with the port citizens and fend off the greedy pirates.	New Foes 
* Enter the troll. An even more fearsome version of the orc. Dispatch them from the vulnerable travelers. 
Kurushimeru Dungeon 
* A dungeon that can only be accessed by going into a cave that inside of the mountains. Has traps, baddies, and all the like, but entails some nice treasure in the end. 
What A Doll II 
* This time a little boy has lost his doll in the port town. Search far and wide for it within the village and see if there is a possible culprit. 
Puzzle Attack 
* A lone shrine holding the "Nami" symbol is found. It holds a deep puzzle that only the most cunning could solve. Can it be done?
 	Sea of Japan 
* Ah, the vast Sea of Japan. A body of water home to travelers, pirates, lost treasures, and even hidden islands. Sail around in your ship, look for treasure, talk with sea merchants, and be careful of those pirates.	Back Again? 
* The pirates that Takamaru and Takahara helped defeat are now after them at sea. Engage them in a naval battle before crossing over to their ship and getting rid of them for good.	We Need Help!
* A crew of three people have been shipwrecked. Help them get back to the Great Shade Mountains port town.
Inktastic!
* A giant squid monster resembling the Kraken has surfaced upon the water. Use the ship to fight it off but don't be afraid to get up close and personal.
 	Oni's Fire Mountain
* Upon reaching shore, Takamaru and Takahara come across a volcano. However, this isn't just any volcano. This fiery mountain belongs to the great Oni. Legend has it that he will purvey a sword of unquenchable flames if a person so desires him. Travel across the mountain to see if this legend is true. Ietsuna's castle is within sight.	Mizuneko
* A cat with water-based powers has been dousing out the volcano, putting Oni's home at risk. Journey into the heart of the mountain, defeat the monsters lurking within, and get rid of that pesky cat.	Rubble
* A man has been caught under rubble and debris inside of the hot volcano. Destroy the rocks and pull him out!
To Follow or Not to Follow
* There's a trail of gunpowder outside of the volcano going in. Should it be followed? Could lead to some treasure. Could also lead to getting blown up. 
The Magician's Trick
* Outside of the volcano lies a magician. There originally is one stick, but two more appear. These three sticks are shuffled, brought to ashes, brought back from ashes, and jumbled with each other. If either samurai can keep track of the original stick and pick it out, they will win a very special prize.
 	Ietsuna's Castle
* Arriving at Ietsuna's castle, the two samurais run over to the Tokugawa to relay the news of The Nami. As they are informing him, a clan of monsters suddenly appear outside the castle.	The Ambush
* Defend Ietsuna and the castle from five waves of increasingly difficult enemies	The Leaper
* A monster known as the Leaper has entered the castle and is jumping all around it chaotically. Catch the slippery beast and be rewarded with something grand.
 	Okinawa Caverns
* Ietsuna's capture by the Nami forces Takamaru and Takahara to head down to the Okinawa Caverns, a vast tunnel system the cult has been using to navigate all throughout the land. They must find the path that leads them to the Nami's base of operations.	Perilous Depths of Japan
* Navigate the caves and try not to get lost. Some paths will lead to treasure and rare weapons - which will come in handy for the final battle...	TBA
 	Temple of the Nami
* The Nami's end goal is uncovered - they wish to use Ietsuna's essence to summon a powerful demon to stop the spread of humanity and its influence so the world can "start fresh." The two warriors must enter a dark temple put a stop to the schemes of the Nami and their leader, Akemi.	Upstairs Battle
* Climb your way up the steps of the temple, taking down the Nami's forces as you proceed.
Demonic Dawn
*Defeat Akemi and the dreaded Gashadokuro she has summoned to cleanse the Earth.	TBA
==Gameplay ==
The player moves around in a top-down landscape just like the original game, only that it's now 3D and HD. Player(s) can move around with either the D-pad or directional buttons. Player(s) can use their melee attack with the A button, projectile attack with B, dash with Y, and special attack with X. The L button will bring up Inventory while the R button will bring up the Settings menu. 
=== XP ===
A player's XP goes up whenever they defeat an enemy, complete a side quest, or complete a main quest. Whenever their XP goes up, they'll gain a better chance of getting better equipment and weapons from treasure chests, more health, and access to more areas of the game. Some players take advantage of the XP system by grinding enemies. However, this method of gaining levels is not recommended as it is slow and tedious. Defeating an enemy can grant anywhere from +10-200 XP. Completing a side quest can grant +1,000-5,000 XP. Completing a main quest can grant +10,000-100,000 XP. The level cap is 80 so the players have a long way to go in order to reach there. 
=== Health System ===
A player's health is represented by a health bar. It goes down every time the player(s) get hit by an enemy. How much it goes down depends on how strong the enemy is and what the level of the player is. When a player gets hit by an enemy, it will not regenerate on its own. The player must eat a food item in order to restore it. For this reason, it's always a good idea to carry a wealth of food while out on quests. There's also no shame in running away from a battle if the player runs out of food. If a player loses all of their health, they'll die and return to their previous save point.
=== Weapons & Equipment ===
In this game, the player is no longer limited to just using the standard katana and shurikens. They'll start out with those, but a wide variety of other weapons are also available. Swords, projectiles, armor, food, and much more can be gotten through treasure chests, shops, and drops from enemies. 
The Mysterious Murasame Castle Returns/Weapons & Equipment 
=== Inventory ===
This is where all of the weapons and equipment will go. The inventory system in this game takes a lot of inspiration from Minecraft. The player(s) will start out with 18 slots in inventory. That number will increase by two every time the player makes it to a fifth level (Level 5, Level 10, etc.). Meaning that the player(s) will have 50 slots by the time they reach Level 80. All of those slots will definitely be needed for the later portions of the story. 
==Online==
TBA... 
==amiibo==
TBA...
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Category:Nintendo GameCube 2 Games