The Last Blade cover

The Last Blade

Critic score1 critic
First release
Dec 05, 1997
Genres
Fighting, Arcade · Action, Historical

The Last Blade is a fighting game developed and published by SNK and released in arcades in 1997. It is set in a fictional version of late 19th-century Japan and features a roster of sword-wielding characters. The game uses a weapon-based combat system with selectable fighting styles that emphasize speed or power. Its presentation draws heavily on historical themes and traditional Japanese aesthetics.

Also known as Bakumatsu Rouman: Gekka no Kenshi, Bakumatsu Romance: Moon Flower Swordsman, The Last Soldier, Curtain Closing Romance: Swordsman of the Moon Luster
… See more, ばくまつろまん げっかのけんし, LastBlade.exe

Attributes

No Attributes added.

Details

Storyline, release dates, time to beat, age ratings, modes, links, keywords

Storyline
"Two worlds once existed since ancient times... The world of the living, Ushyo, and the land of the dead, Tokoyo. A legendary boundary to forever separate them, The Hell's Gate, has existed since the birth of myths to keep an universal balance. There is said to be four gods that defend it: Seiryu of the East, Byakko of the West, Genbu of the North, and Suzaku of the South. They eternally perform their duty from the shadows of legend and were eventually forgotten by people as time passed. Now, it is the 'Bakumatsu'. The Tokugawa shogunate, after 200 years of reign, began to have samurai who long dulled their battle skills during the outskirts of the Heian period. People, who have long since grown used to peace, are met with fascinating foreigners and wonder about the confines of their isolation. To add to the confusion, a sudden disturbance occurs. A natural disaster unprecedented in Japan's history began. It was rumored to be the Majin Revival, a time when gods were to walk the land once more and deliver divine punishment. In a land where no chaos was said to exist, the people could do nothing but watch and despair. However, it was said that there are individuals who did not. People who haven't lost their fighting spirit and stood to face the chaos. Those who wanted to find the real cause behind the disturbance and stop it. Moreover, people who were unexpectedly born at the center of chaos. Those who had the ambitions to control the threat and those who are said to be the cause of the Majin Revival. Without speculation of their cause, they are brought together by a heavy fate as their battle begins." The passage to the land of the dead, Hell's Gate, which was previously guarded by Four Sacred Beasts appears to be opened. However, chaos sweeps the land once the gods are encased in human flesh, otherwise known as the Majin Revival. The story of the series continues to focus on how certain individuals choose to confront such conflict, and depicts how each of them are drawn on the same string of fate.Read more

"Two worlds once existed since ancient times... The world of the living, Ushyo, and the land of the dead, Tokoyo. A legendary boundary to forever separate them, The Hell's Gate, has existed since the birth of myths to keep an universal balance. There is said to be four gods that defend it: Seiryu of the East, Byakko of the West, Genbu of the North, and Suzaku of the South. They eternally perform their duty from the shadows of legend and were eventually forgotten by people as time passed. Now, it is the 'Bakumatsu'. The Tokugawa shogunate, after 200 years of reign, began to have samurai who long dulled their battle skills during the outskirts of the Heian period. People, who have long since grown used to peace, are met with fascinating foreigners and wonder about the confines of their isolation. To add to the confusion, a sudden disturbance occurs. A natural disaster unprecedented in Japan's history began. It was rumored to be the Majin Revival, a time when gods were to walk the land once more and deliver divine punishment. In a land where no chaos was said to exist, the people could do nothing but watch and despair. However, it was said that there are individuals who did not. People who haven't lost their fighting spirit and stood to face the chaos. Those who wanted to find the real cause behind the disturbance and stop it. Moreover, people who were unexpectedly born at the center of chaos. Those who had the ambitions to control the threat and those who are said to be the cause of the Majin Revival. Without speculation of their cause, they are brought together by a heavy fate as their battle begins." The passage to the land of the dead, Hell's Gate, which was previously guarded by Four Sacred Beasts appears to be opened. However, chaos sweeps the land once the gods are encased in human flesh, otherwise known as the Majin Revival. The story of the series continues to focus on how certain individuals choose to confront such conflict, and depicts how each of them are drawn on the same string of fate.

Release dates
Arcade
Dec 05, 1997
Neo Geo AES
Jan 29, 1998
Neo Geo CD
Mar 26, 1998
All 12 release dates
PlayStation
Feb 24, 2000
PlayStation 3
Apr 26, 2007
PlayStation Portable
Apr 26, 2007
Wii
Mar 13, 2012
Wii
Jun 07, 2012
Wii
Aug 02, 2012
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Aug 31, 2016
Mac
Aug 31, 2016
Linux
Aug 31, 2016
Game modes
Split screen, Multiplayer, Single player
Perspective
Side view
Where to buy
Keywords
anime, classic, playstation network, shared screen, digital distribution
… All 14, psone classics, playstation tv support, backwards compatibility, 2d fighting, wii virtual console, edo era, historical japan, ancient japan, adapted to - manga

At a Glance

Critic Score
70

Overview

Steam review summary

Steam users rate this Mostly Positive, 180 reviews in all languages, recorded 16 October 2026

Valve's summary of Steam user reviews. Valve counts only reviews from purchases on Steam, not key activations, and leaves out review periods it has marked as off-topic. It isn't part of the CritScore score.

Review summary: SteamSteam data provided via the Steam Web API (opens in a new tab)Not affiliated with Valve →

Multiplayer

  • Online multiplayerSteam · 16 Oct
  • Local co-opIGDB · 18 Oct
  • Shared or split screenIGDB · 18 Oct
  • Shared or split screen PvPSteam · 16 Oct
  • Steam Remote Play TogetherSteam · 16 Oct

Feature data: SteamFeature data: IGDBSteam data provided via the Steam Web API (opens in a new tab)Not affiliated with Valve →

About storefront and compatibility information

Compatibility, feature and availability information shown on this page is recorded from the storefronts and services named against each fact, on the dates shown. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks of Valve Corporation; Steam data is provided via the Steam Web API. Other product and service names are trademarks of their respective owners. CritScore is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or certified by Valve Corporation or any other storefront or platform holder, and does not itself test or certify any game.