Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief Reviews
Kamiwaze: Way of the Thief is a very silly stealth game that makes sneaking fun as long as you can tolerate the graphics.
A fascinating glimpse into the twilight era of the stealth genre but the outdated gameplay and awkward controls make it difficult to be all that nostalgic about it.
Though that Tenchu shaped hole in my heart remains unfulfilled, I do appreciate how NIS America have reached back some sixteen years in time to bring Kamizawa: Way of the Thief to an all-new audience. Sure, it's very much a relic of its time that struggles to escape the gravity of its PS2 era origins, but for those willing to invest the time and patience, Kamizawa: Way of the Thief is a steadfastly warm-hearted stealth yarn that satisfies so long as you can forgive its largely archaic/nostalgic design.
Maybe 16 years ago Kamiwaza was a good and engaging action-stealth game but time has not been kind with it and now this remastered version doesn't have a meaning to live in 2022.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief is a technically pleasing remastered edition, able to offer an exciting and moving story thanks to the great heart of its proagonist, a gentleman thief who operates on the streets of the town of Mikado.
Review in Italian | Read full review
On one hand, I love some of Kamiwaza's elements including the thievery and 'just stealth' system. But the game is sabotaged by a lack of clarity and a lack of proper quality-of-life changes.
Kamiwaza was a forgettable game in 2006 and, unfortunately, it still is.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fans of the Yakuza series will find something to like about Kamiwaza. It has a lot of the absurd and over-the-top humor and bouts of intense drama seen in those games. Gamers who grew up playing Tenchu or the Way of the Samurai games will especially adore Way of the Thief.
Kamiwaza is, no doubt, going to be written up as a “product of its times,” but I think that writing it off like that is missing the mark a little. It’s true that even in this “remastered” state it looks like a PS2 game (excellent aesthetics, but primitive technical execution). However, Kamiwaza is an ambitious and boundary-pushing game. By turns surrealistic and funny, sincere and layered, it’s one of the most eclectic and interesting titles you’ll play this year, and it is a very good thing that it has finally been localised. You’ll understand why it never managed to influence too many other developers, but without fascinating and experimental things like this, we’d live in a very boring world.
Undeniably novel, it won’t be a game for everyone but for the right audience it may be fun
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief is a very original game, combining Stealth with a scoring system from action games, making it have a faster and more frenetic gameplay. A simple and fun game, that suffers a bit from the simple remastering and some inconsistencies in the mechanics.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you are Tenchu lovers and you are curious about its premise, Kamizawa: Way of the Thief is a really different and unique proposal. However, be very aware that it is a product that the years have not been particularly good for it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief is a game that shows its age in a ton of different ways: from its rough graphics, janky controls, and bizarre structure. However, it’s a game with charm and it provides a gameplay experience that I don’t think I have ever seen before. It combines action game genres into a fast-paced, janky stealth experience. If you can overlook a lot of its flaws, then I would actually recommend checking it out if it goes on sale.
Overall, Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief is a really fun game. Really niche, yes, but also really fun. The stealth aspect is pretty fun, and the stylish points earned through your actions are an interesting take. The gameplay loop is pretty easy to get, allowing you to hop right in to your thieving ways, and you will probably find yourself easily racking up mission after mission. While this may be a re-release of an old PS2 title, it has aged surprisingly well, if not in graphics then in gameplay. It’s fun and quirky, and I definitely suggest you give it at least a chance.
As wonderful as it is to get older Japanese titles localized, Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief might be a tough sell to anyone that didn’t grow up playing PlayStation 2 era games. That isn’t to say that young people wouldn’t enjoy it. But the outdated graphics and repetitive gameplay can easily wear on anyone without a bit of nostalgia to dull the nerves.
All in all, I can say that Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief just aged really badly.
Review in German | Read full review
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief is a curious stealth game that seems like patchwork. Exploring its systems and seeing the consequences of your actions is fun but the complexity is unnecessary, the mechanics poorly explained, the missions end up being too repetitive and the remaster process needed a little more effort. For those who love the genre and would like an upbeat experience, it may be enjoyable as long as you keep in mind its grievances.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief should have stayed a Japanese exclusive. Multiple mechanics fall flat and the tedium of go-fetch quests quickly starts to stack up several hours in. Constantly spamming one button for a full minute to steal valuable items isn’t fun. Neither is repeating the same generic mission setup with extremely vague target instructions. Doesn’t help that the branching storylines and characters aren’t particularly interesting either, apart from a few interesting designs here and there. So if the wacky, over-the-top silliness can’t grab your attention, it’s hard to say what else will.