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
We are experiencing a second golden age of fighting titles: after more than a decade of moderate silence on the Western scene, fighting games are returning to animate our Arcade Sticks, elbowing each other to win the podium of the best title of the generation. We have really seen some good ones, starting with the Saiyans of Arc System Works, passing through the resource management revolution devised by the Ed Boon team in Mortal Kombat 11, ending with the return to the frenetic rhythms of the old glories of the saga in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The SNK Corporation, once queen of the genre, pioneer of digital fighting techniques, after watching its competitors flood our screens with deadly techniques fought round and round, has decided to once again face the limelight and bring back one of its old glories: Samurai Shodown. If the memory of Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny makes you turn up your nose, you can breathe a sigh of relief: we are far from the clumsy attempts to renew the brand that we all remember with horror. This time SNK is serious.
The sound of memory
The exquisite Pixel Art characteristic of the incarnations belonging to the last century has given way to a more modern Cel Shading, which thanks to a more than valid use of Unreal Engine 4 is able to give a decidedly pleasant glance to the 2D fights that we are going to analyze. Most of the sounds, contrary to the graphic aspect, have remained similar or even unchanged compared to the first chapters of the saga, just listen to the announcer decree the start of round 1 with a resounding "Ipponme!" to end up prey to a powerful nostalgia effect.
Once the unmistakable charisma of the title has been recognized and approved, which is renewed without denying itself, we cannot fail to celebrate the uniqueness of Samurai Shodown. Forget the endless strings of Dragon Ball FighterZ or the spectacular Combo of Scorpion, able to dribble the opponent between kicks and harpoon shots. No more than a couple of hits will chain together in Shodown, with single attacks capable of taking out huge portions of the life bar by pressing a single button.
The Bushido route
We are witnessing a white weapon duel between formidable fighters, able to overwhelm the enemy with a handful of well-aimed blows. The rhythm of the fight is reasoned, cadenced, every lethal error. To inflict damage on our opponents we will have access to the classic “weak, medium, strong” hits accompanied by the inevitable kick. Most strong attacks are capable of covering huge screen potions with devastating results on the life bar, however these attacks are indeed very slow, predictable and naturally punishable.
Although the offensive appears overwhelming, the defensive options are no less: the impact parade intervenes, capable of reversing the momentum of the match, characterized by a rather permissive insertion window. As the matches unfold, we will see our fighters performing many times in perfect parries, especially against powerful attacks launched with a light heart. To the defensive options is added the dodge on the spot, an excellent tool able to surprise the opponent and give the performer a generous counterattack. LThe most spectacular technique to exhibit during a match is disarmament: a particular counterattack capable of making the weapon fly away from the opponent's hands, that until he can pick it up he will be forced to fight with his bare hands.
Resources management
Each character naturally has access to special moves that characterize the kit, generally available in the three variants "light, medium, strong". The input of these moves is the most classic thing the genre knows, starting with the famous: down, forward, punch. The resource common to all characters, characterizing this incarnation of Samurai Shodown is the Fury: by suffering and inflicting blows on the opponent, we will accumulate the precious meter, and once the relative bar is filled, we will be able to unleash our fury to enter a temporary state able to improve our skills and unleash deadly final attacks. There is even a final blow that can be used normally during the fight, able to reduce the opponent's almost total vitality in one blow.
However, these incredible deadly techniques and the fury bar are only accessible once per game, not per round. In the wake of what was introduced in Mortal Kombat 11, the SNK guys decided to implement this particular aspect of resource management seen in the Nether Realm title, dramatically enhancing the effectiveness of the moves, but making the dosage vital. Certainly this is a mechanic that interests us and that we approve of, but we would have preferred a little more customization from the development team, as it is perceived the upstream need to adopt a modern formula to accompany one's own interpretation of the genre.
Combat mode
The real sore point of the production is embodied by the scarcity of content offered by the offer, which seems to be almost exclusively oriented towards multiplayer and esports. The story mode is a mere sequence of encounters surrounded by Cutscene as short as modest, more like an Arcade mode and light years away from the almost cinematic experience proposed by Mortal Kombat 11 or by the narrative proposal of FighterZ.
If history leaves us perplexed, the offline offer offers little else: a time attack and a decidedly negligible survival, accompanied by a sort of asynchronous multiplayer in which to train one's AI and fight against the bots of other players that remembers the distant Amiibo mode of Smash Bros. Even the online modes are pretty sparse, with the ability to host friendly rooms or play ranked matches. We are far from the maturity of the offer of Mortal Kombat 11, which with its Kombat League these days is making a name for itself.
Samurai Shodown is a title that plays with fundamentals, where you have to show that you have strong nerves, know how to wait for the opponent's error and foresee his moves, a fighting game where a single inaccuracy can be fatal. The lethality of the blade dance is realistic and engaging, in a fighting title that aims to stage a clash of minds, rather than mechanics. These features, strengthened by the lack of content dedicated to the single player, do not make Samurai Shodown a title suitable for everyone, but destined it exclusively to fans of the genre who intend to live this experience on purpose, at ease with a title designed for a multiplayer. competitive and ruthless, which hardly lends itself to carefree afternoons on the sofa in the company of friends. We, for our part, had fun "to die for".
► 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
