Honor of the Samurai Gamewright/$23

During the 16th century, Japan was immersed in its bloody Sengoku period, an anarchic time of warfare and intrigue between daimyos, powerful warlords roughly the equivalent of European barons.

In Honor of the Samurai, players are samurai warriors, each supporting a daimyo and striving to accumulate the most honor. Following a trend of recent years toward cards rather than a game table, actions in the game are resolved through disposition of cards on the table, strategic use of cards in hand, and periodic rolls of the dice.

"The Card Game of Intrigue, Honor and Shame" is the subtitle of the game, and aptly summarizes its action. While striving to acquire the most honor, players are constantly faced with the temptation to use dishonorable means, such as assassination, theft, or firearms. Success depends on a careful balance between honorable and dishonorable actions.

Game components include 110 cards, six custom dice, and a succinct rule book. The illustrations on the cards are beautifully rendered, depicting such things as daimyos, wives, armies, ancestors' weapons, and house guards. They are also on a heavy, laminated stock, helping to ensure that the game will hold up for a long time.

The standard-shaped dice (six-sided) are marked with the actual symbols of Japanese noble houses, each of which conforms to a different number. These are easily recognizable, e.g., the symbol for "1" is a red circle, for "2" a pair of parallel wavy lines, for "5" a five-sided lotus flower.

Play moves quickly, with a single turn rarely taking more than a few minutes. An entire game can be played in an hour or so, and the number of honor points needed to win the game can be reduced, shortening the length of play.

Fortunes can change quickly in Honor of the Samurai. In one turn a player can declare his daimyo to be shogun, overall warlord of Japan, and in the next that shogun will be deposed, slain in battle or dispatched by a ninja assassin. Then the title of shogun passes to the victor, or remains in contention.

Gamewright rates Honor of the Samurai as being suitable for ages 10 to adult. Indeed, after a few turns of play a reasonably clever child 10 or older can master the rudiments of the game and will enjoy intriguing with the best of them. Children and adults will also learn about the rich, violent history that is elegantly infused into the rules, and summarized in a brief section at the end.

Honor of the Samurai delivers on all its promises, and is destined to join the ranks of the best fast-paced strategy games. It scores a full 10 points out of a possible 10.

Honor of the Samurai is available at many game and toy stores. To obtain it directly from the manufacturer, contact: