Review for SAMURAI SHODOWN. PC Game, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, | , Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 25/06/2019 The version for PC came out on 11/06/2020 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 12/12/2019
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
Feudal Japan is a place in time that has always tickled the imagination of the media. The honor of the Samurai, the duels of the Ronin, the iconic swords of the period such as the Saafune or the classic Katana are just some of the typical elements of the time that do not age over time, arousing continuous interest. Of course, the world of video games is no exception and next to titles like Nioh, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Tenchu and Ninja Gaiden (but there are many others), it finds a place Samurai Shodown, swooping down to the present day - up Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - thanks to SNK Playmore directly from 1993.
Was there a need for it? In our opinion, yes. Let's go together to find out why.
Starting from its roots, we can say that in the 90s the fighting game Samurai Shodown knew how to carve out a large slice of the public thanks to its new and interesting features for the time. First of all he proposed a duel with the sword, where weighing the moves was important; then it brought in 2D a zoom on the salient actions. In short, it was something they liked, which finally varied the Street Fighter theme.
But today? In a much broader panorama of competitors, can something original remain?
Graphically the title is heavily rejuvenated and redesigned with a cel shading technique that makes it very similar to Street Fighter V and that definitely gives a lot to the experience: Players benefit from greater depth, which is like icing on the cake in a melee combat. Backdrops and effects are valid and adapt in an epochal way to the context which, as previously mentioned, fascinates. The Bushido road, the warrior's road, benefits from settings and animations worthy of representing it in all its splendor, making Samurai Shodown a fighting game that is also admired by those who watch the game from the sofa waiting for their turn.
Perhaps more time could have been spent on the audio sector, which is trivially the same as it was many years ago: however, this offers the side of a nostalgic vein that many might appreciate. Interesting the addition of DLCs that vary the appearance of the players, taken from the original title and that make them square and old style: we would have preferred a greater variety of costumes and maybe not for a fee, but we live in a historical context in which the DLC is now on the agenda.
Moving on to evaluate the gameplay, Samurai Shodown offers a pleasant and in some ways unexpected depth. Showing a coherence with the context - made of honor, blades and expert warriors - shows a deep respect for what really would be a clash between warriors in the feudal age of the rising sun. To understand the concept well, it is necessary to understand that a fight with the white weapon is a fight made up of a few powerful and effective blows, which if successful decree the death of the opponent.
We therefore find a few simple attacks (one weak and fast, one medium and one slow but powerful, accompanied by the inevitable kick) that if well thought out and ringed lead inexorably to the opponent's end. Choosing the timing and finding the free windows to attack therefore becomes an imperative dynamic of Samurai Shodown.
How to succeed? Simple! All this is achieved thanks to a good sector of parades, perfect parries and dodges which, if performed with timing, offer various ideas for devastating attacks. Here too the context is well represented and if you parry a powerful blow with the right timing you will have the opportunity to reciprocate with a powerful and devastating attack: interesting to see how blocking a powerful blow leaves the opponent stunned by the impact for a few frames, giving the chance to counterattack. The scene then turns into a ballet of blades, where distance and timing reign supreme, making the gameplay reasoned and compelling.
With this combat choice, Samurai Shodown manages to be deep and convincing, earning a slice of precise users who will appreciate the implications in an enthusiastic way. It can be defined as old school, but with an unexpected depth. For example, after a perfect parry it is possible to take advantage of a disarming attack that leaves the opponent with his bare hands, thus offering less defense and less chance of counterattack. But be very careful: it is also possible to block the enemy's blade with your bare hands - if you have excellent timing - and this will lead to devastating counterattacks.
Samurai Shodown offers a good sector of techniques and players, although some can only be purchased separately (technique that we do not appreciate from long-time players: the characters must be unlocked by making the deck in history! - Ed.) The fighting styles are quite varied and range from characters who prefer short blades to those who are accompanied in battle by animals, passing through shields and chains.
Each weapon differs in speed and accuracy and allows you to identify different styles and therefore different approaches to the fight. Each gamer can therefore familiarize themselves with the type they prefer, building their own fighting style: do you love a long, powerful and slow weapon or do you prefer several short blades? Do you appreciate ranged combat or do you prefer the brute strength of the double blade? To you the choice.
If you think you are bored in this reasoned rhythm you are wrong. Samurai Shodown offers spectacular super and counter moves that will delight your eyes. Furthermore, an anger bar can be used for finishing moves and more powerful blows, making the fight engaging just to see. The blood flows freely and the scenography of the clashes turns out to be varied and pleasant. The story itself unfortunately does not offer much to tell and, trivially, it turns out to be similar for each player, always leading to the same epilogue.
The multiplayer is pleasant, but the other modes leave the time they find. Facing a time attack or a series of duels one after the other is not all that exciting. Perhaps only AI ghosts can be an interesting starting point, as they evolve over time becoming more and more difficult to beat.
As for the Nintendo Switch port, Samurai Shodown performs really well. Net of some loading a bit too long, we find a solid frame rate both in portability and on the big screen. If you have a Nintendo Switch Lite, unfortunately, some writings in the menus become really difficult to read.
From the graphic side, however, we find nothing to complain: certainly the competitors have greater power and some compromises are necessary, but they are really acceptable small things. Unfortunately, however, for the fighting game genre the Joy-Con are always not very successful and you will give the best with the Switch connected to the TV and a Pro controller in your hands. Not that you can't use it with regular controllers, but you'll have to work harder.
Samurai Shodown also lands on Nintendo Switch giving for the umpteenth time an added value to the title that is finally usable also on the move. The game deserves both for lovers of the genre and for newbies, winking strongly at the old school but rejuvenating deeply. A thoughtful gameplay takes the place of long and exhausting combos, which would require more control than that offered by classic Joy-Con. Samurai Shodown therefore turns out to be a fighting game excellently made by SNK Playmore, which proves how the hardware of Nintendo's laptop can adapt to contexts of any kind, succeeding in the set goal. Recommended.
► SAMURAI SHODOWN is a fighting game developed and published by SNK Playmore for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, | , Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 25/06/2019 The version for PC came out on 11/06/2020 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 12/12/2019
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
