Samurai Riot
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Critic Reviews for Samurai Riot
It is a shame that Samurai Riot Definitive Edition has such numerous technical issues, because they impact what would be a decent side scrolling brawler. Without the issues, the game would be a decent thing to play. One run through the game takes approximately two hours, but in its current state Samurai Riot is just frustrating.
It's obvious that Wako Games have tried to roll back the clock and provide players with a 'classic' arcade experience in a modern age. Yet the time of the arcade is long gone and the beat-em-up cannot survive on the basic formula.
While Samurai Riot has decent gameplay and an interesting choose-your-own-path mechanic, I cannot recommend anyone buy Samurai Riot for the Switch right now due to the save erasing bug.
Samurai Riot is a decent 2D action arcade game, it just needs some refinement. It looks good, it (mostly) plays well, and it satisfies the old arcade beat-'em-up desire. If the developers fix a couple annoying glitches, it'll be a solid options for genre fans.
Samurai Riot Definitive Edition doesn't reinvent the sidescrolling slapper genre, but it's fun and cheap enough to make it as worthwhile of a purchase as any.
With the side-scrolling beat ’em up genre currently going through somewhat of a revival, it’s a shame that Samurai Riot: Definitive Edition disappoints. It’s unique in the space and genuinely does have some good ideas. But when it comes to the gameplay, it just can’t compete with the likes of Streets of Rage 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Shredder’s Revenge. If you really like the game’s setting and art style it might be worth taking a gamble thanks to its budget price, but chances are you’ll find it overly repetitive, as well as a bit dull and frustrating.
Samurai Riot is a wonderful arcade game, but a mediocre to, sometimes, bad beat 'em up. The arcade experience is very strong, especially in co-op, as the studio has nailed what people want in an such a title down to the letter, with unlockable alternative styles for characters, and multiple routes for higher replay value and routing for points to figure out where it is easier to rack up a neat high score. However, the core gameplay feels too simplistic, and the background could do a much better job at making it easier to see what is breakable or not, and thus make finding health and one-ups less tedious.
Samurai Riot has a number of novel ideas, but the repetitive levels and wonky engine undo any good will. Those who are looking for the next coming of the beat-em-up will likely be disappointed with this title.
