With an engine making the most of the PlayStation 2 hardware, players are treated to beautifully designed environments, rich in visual flair and atmosphere. Featuring diverse locations such as ruined fortresses, mountain passes shrouded in mist and labyrinthine temple interiors, there's plenty to explore. Within those impressive locations, stylish characterisation abounds with imaginative designs for both allies and enemies as suitably moody protagonists taking on superbly detailed and creepy opponents. Full localisation is also implemented, with professional voice actors providing dialogue painstakingly translated from the original Japanese. Vocals aside, there's an array of suitably dynamic sound effects to complement the action. Players take the role of Lei Yun, a supremely talented apprentice on a long and challenging mission against dark forces seeking control of the land. Previously defeated by Lei Yun's master, this pervasive menace returns in the form of the Gyakki, a race of powerful demons under the control of a tyrannical Empress. Hell-bent on bringing death and destruction to the nation, only Lei Yun stands in the way of a seemingly unstoppable army of evil. Utilising the three magical swords handed to him by his fallen master, as well as weapons dropped by the demons he defeats, Lei Yun must battle his way through level upon level populated by all manner of demonic opponents. The three main swords give the player new abilities when equipped. Enemy sword types appear according to how opponents are dispatched and each weapon has its own unique properties and statistics.