Way of the Samurai 3 is getting a Steam release

Way of the Samurai 4 must have done alright on Steam, because Ghostlight are following up by bringing Way of the Samurai 3 to the platform as well. According to the company, this has been one of their “most requested Steam releases in recent years”.

Like the fourth game, you play a nameless wandering ronin who blunders into a politically-charged situation. Depending how you act and respond to certain events, the game will alter accordingly. There are (once again) three factions in this title – Fujimori clan, Ouka clan, and Takatane villagers – and more than twenty possible endings.

Here’s Ghostlight’s breakdown of the Way of the Samurai 3 highlights:

• The Butterfly Effect – More than 20 different endings. Your every action, no matter how subtle or ludicrous, could set in motion a huge variety of events, allowing for huge replayability. Explore new narrative paths, reveal new allies… and enemies!
• Huge Customization – Craft your own unique weapons from over 200 different parts. Create the ultimate unbreakable weapon to suit your preferred fighting style. Forge lethal swords, spears, pole axes and more outlandish weaponry and discover hundreds of new abilities as you become a true master of each weapon!
• Reward System and Samurai Rating – Your actions and conduct will reward you with Samurai Points and Titles, all of which unlock new game features, customisation options, outfits and accessories. Live as an honourable samurai, wallow in the low life of a bandit or strike your own path! Your choices lead to new endings, strange followers and other unexpected outcomes.
• The Pen Can Be Mightier Than the Sword – Fight your enemies by force or take the diplomatic route, using subtle gestures like the unsheathing of your sword or kowtowing. Featuring an extensive dialogue tree, combo system and much, much more!

A few more details are available via the NeoGaf thread on the announcement, thanks to a couple of posts from Ghostlight’s Ross. Like 4, Way of the Samurai 3 will have to be locked at 30fps due to the game’s internal logic (how it handles physics and the like, probably). He also notes that he’s looking into things from the game’s extensive list of DLC that may be included as standard on PC. The publishing situation with the game (and DLC) is apparently a little convoluted, which may affect what Ghostlight can actually use.