by Phoenix, HSM team writer

Operation Defend Edo is the game played at  Granzella’s Great Edo of Nippon. It’s a place where you will find yourself transported to feudal Japan, circa 18th century. In case you don’t know your Japanese history, Edo was the capital of Japan during the Tokugawa shogunate and is now the great city of Tokyo. In the period of history when it was known as Edo, it was the largest city in the world.

Wooden buildings– machiya, filled this bustling city then as they do now in Granzella lounge. As to be expected from a Japan-based developer, the city scenes have been recreated with respectful care for Home. Villagers roam about the dirt city streets, with shopkeepers busy tending their wares; all is well in Edo — until nightfall.

The Defend Edo game takes place at night in the city’s fair district. At this time, the city is besieged by mononoke, spirits that haunt the streets and the villagers. The angry spirits have taken up residence in these back streets, and the people of Edo need your help. If you are brave enough to fight these spirits then you can now pick up a long rifle and head out to hunt down the okubi.

Long rifles are the latest weapon update to the Defend Edo, Okubi Hunting update. Just as the rifle made it’s way to japan in 1543, it has finally made it’s way to The Great Edo lounge. As before in the last update of the game, The Setsubun 2013 Orgre Extermination, your mission is to rid the town of mononoke. This time they are Okubi/Hitoban–floating heads. These new spirits have invaded Edo in a night version, time-limited event.

These heads attack by shooting blast from their eyes and mouth from a distance with some accuracy. With the use of the rifle in the Gunfighters attire, which you can get from the drapers shop, or found under professions in the Granzella store tab, you can shoot from a distance and do some damage. But beware – the other spirits are still there to hinder you and distract you in your quest.

To be successful, you must kill two Okubi/Hitoban and escape through the gateway in time. The Okubi/Hitoban shoot while in the air and floating up and down. Using the right and left pads you can block a direct shot from them. Though I am less than a pro at this particular game, I was able to get a shot or two on target when the Okubi landed. After they shoot you, they land on the ground for a very brief amount of time. But don’t forget the umbrella spirit and some bothersome floating skull spirits are close to you. I forgot about them.

If you are successful in this, you will be rewarded. The reward changes every week, so in order to collect them all you must play the game often and be successful at destroying the okubi. Among the rewards are a rifle wall display, wall scroll, and gunfighter dolls.

If you prefer to kill your okubi with traditional weapons (swords), Grandzella has the Sincere Ronin three-piece outfits. The Ronin, the masterless samurai of the Edo period, can fight the okubi as well. These outfits come in the basic design of the haori and the hakama with the long hem and wide flowing sleeves. It’s important to know that wearing this outfit and using the rifle increases your gun attack. In the set are the Sincerity zori, Sincerity haori/hakama and a ponytail with hachigen headband(male) or tied-up hair with hachigen hairband(female). Wearing the Ronin outfit your avatar will show more bravery and dignity against the evil spirits.

Whether you are a fan already of this game or not, whether you are good or bad at this type of fighting game or not, grab a few friends and head over to the Great Edo lounge for some okubi fighting. I found I had a better time at this with some friends than in single player.

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