The game is a mixed bag since, whilst playing similarly to the N64 incarnation, the game also comes across as a kind of Zelda 64-style adventure with RPG bits stapled onto it. Though stats and items are all written in Japanese, the language barrier never causes any great frustration, since most things can be worked out by trial and error, and the quest is fairly straightforward. With the exception of the get-the-stray-cat-food mission, most tasks are easy to comprehend.

The game starts with you controlling a much younger teenage Goemon in his home town, complete with house and adoptive parents. It becomes clear (if such a word can be applied to the eccentric Goemon games) that green-haired chick Yae and her band of Ninja are hunting down giant robotic Samurai, trying to retrieve a magical golden sword. Ebisumaru has run up a massive food bill, plasma man is gyrating more than usual, and the Squirrel Priests are getting worked up about something important. Oh, and Japan is in danger of being totally destroyed. Again.
Along the way you'll take in various famous Japanese locations, meet interesting mythological gods, as well as discovering the secret behind the Golden Sword and mysterious UFOs floating about. Not exactly an epic plot, but then Goemon never has never aimed to be epic, and is focused more on humour and having fun.

Soon after starting, you befriend and adopt a young tiger kitten, who soon turns out to be a focal point for the plot. Being the son of Japan’s Tiger deity, and having fallen from grace in his fathers eyes, he aids Goemon in his quest, to save face. This adds a new gameplay feature, since Kotora follows you around, helping out, and to a certain degree is controllable. By locking onto enemies and switches, you can order the tiger to attack the object, allowing for you to complete tasks and kill enemies from afar.

Which leads us onto combat, which is not the strongest feature of the game. You are given four quick-item slots, and secondary items can be allocated to each. Only one button can be used to activate the secondary items, which vary from bombs and shuriken to health potions, meaning they need to be scrolled though. While the game does have a lock-on function of sorts, it doesn't make you auto-face the enemy, meaning after locking on, if the enemy runs behind you, the camera will face him, but you'll face another direction, leading to potentially muddled and awkward controls. This also makes any throwing items totally useless, since you will be unable to aim them properly.

Where the gameplay really shines is in dungeon design. Rather than simply consisting of the usual dull mazes, each dungeon has a key focal idea running through it, and each room in itself is a puzzle that must be overcome, eventually leading to some genuinely excellent boss encounters. Each one is different to the last, whether it sees you stealthily avoiding guards whilst jumping chandeliers, or activating switches to power up a massive mechanical bull, thereby avoiding the cliched ‘maze full of baddies’ routine - the Princess Mononoke-influenced underground garden being a case in point, which is quite beautiful. The whole questing element to Goemon is refreshing, with very little backtracking and none of those "hunt down item X" side quests. Everything flows nicely, with key items being gained along the route, and hidden side roads slowly opening up.

Though released a couple of years ago in Japan, (and, since, re-released), the graphical quality is still up to scratch. While the polygon models may be simple, the locales are packed with small background details. From ink paintings to signs and banners, each village, temple and dungeon feels fleshed-out. Character and boss designs also impress; bright and colourful, they imbue the game world with a feeling of magic. Its also worth noting that each boss requires an entirely different method of despatch: not just weak spots, but different tasks, from using poisoned berries and activating flood gates, to deflecting their own ingenious attacks.

As always there are songs featured, along with full vocals, taking a much faster, electric guitar approach than in previous entrants to the series. There is also a lot more voice acting this time round which (to a non-native speaker, at least) should sound reasonably well acted. The high-pitched screaming squirrel priests certainly sound impressive. Now for all lyrical waxing about the game’s high points, its not without negatives, and when they hit, they can hit quite hard.

Several gameplay elements from previous games have been removed. Goemon Impact does not make an appearance - disappointing for those hoping for more robot-thumping action. Super Goemon is also absent, along with the ability to change character.
Whilst you meet and befriend Yae, Ebi and Sasuke, you never actually take control of them. After the joys of character-switching in the previous games, this is a let down.

As already mentioned, there is little innate joy to be had from battles. With the exception of boss fights, combat is simply dull. Also adding to the tedium is the need to level up in order to use certain magic spells or items. Not difficult, but those thirty minutes spent in the rice killing-fields just to use your favourite spiked club will feel like a chore. Humour has also taken a hit. Some will like the more mature style, and the game is still funny even if you don't understand Japanese, but with the exception of Plasma Man, it never quite pushes the envelopes like previous instalments.

If you are a newcomer to import Japanese RPGs, it’s worth investigating since the language barrier is unlikely to prove too problematic, and is a good way to familiarise yourself with the genre and conventions.

Overall Goemon can be fun, and does have some enjoyable moments, but in light of glaring faults, and compared with some of the newer imports, it may feel less than satisfying.