Samurai Shodown Reviews
Samurai Shodown, at the end of the day, is one of the more unique entries in the fighting game genre in recent years.
Samurai Shodown is a good fighting game. It really is. But with the Switch version’s framerate issues, long loading times, and blurry visuals stacking on top of the existing lack of content and modes, however, its cost is a large pill to swallow. [OpenCritic note: Richard Seagrave separately reviewed the PS4 (8) and Switch (6) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
2019's Samurai Shodown is finally available for the Switch, bringing one of the foundational Japanese fighting games to a brand-new audience.
Samurai Shodown is a throwback to arcade fighters and the series' first entry in a decade. It is solid without a lot of frills.
Strategic, diverse and well rounded, you will need to train up and get good quickly as you will be graciously rewarded for technically skilled play, and heavily punished for any mistakes.
Samurai Shodown is a back-to-basics fighting game that will reward players who take the time to learn all the nuances of this weapon-wielding fighter.
As one of many Ken 'Masters' (very pleased with that one), the initial reaction to Samurai Shodown is a jarring one. Expecting to mow down hordes of AI controlled characters easily and instead getting beaten to pulp in a matter of seconds can be off-putting, to say the least. What quickly becomes apparent however is that gameplay treads the fine and brilliant line of 'easy to play, difficult to perfect'. Once a bit of caution is implemented, not a lot in the genre is as satisfying as a graceful dodge, parry and complete destruction. This is great for forgetting the old ways and embracing the way of the Samurai.
Samurai Shodown’s jump onto the Xbox Series doesn’t bring much new to the battle outside of a faster frame rate. The jump to 120 frames per second is noticeable though and something I hope to see more fighting games on console offer in the future. Samurai Shodown is still going strong a couple years after its original release with more content still on the way for the gorgeous Japanese fighter. If you’ve yet to jump in and have a compatible display for the faster frames now is the best time to pick up your blade.
A revamped classic comes PC within a year of its launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This version is virtually identical to its console counterpart, but with longer load times and fewer players in online mode
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While disappointing in terms of content, Samurai Shodown's fighting mechanics alone are enough to make this a solid recommendation. As long as you don't care about not having an actual story mode or tons of unlockables, and if you feel brave enough to enter the unforgiving online portion of SNK's niche fighter, be sure to check this out.
Despite the DLC gripes and the heavy downgrade in visuals for this Switch port, Samurai Shodown really stands out from the crowd, and it's great to see the revival of a popular series return in such a good way on the gameplay front. It takes weapons-based combat and creates a smart system out of it, putting players on edge, and provides moments of pure bliss when bare knuckle comebacks are made. The strong Japanese style only adds to the appeal. It really could have done with a more fleshed out story mode, though.
Samurai Shodown offers totally different fighting style and it's really easy get caught by its charm.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Samurai Shodown is a great fighting game, with elaborated yet accessible mechanics. The story mode for each character is interesting, as is the variety of the fighters. The system of Ghosts' players is also worth mentioning. Unfortunately, there are some problems, like the online mode that can suffer from lag in many fights.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A slim offering that nevertheless is expertly done, this installment solidifies SNK's return to form, and provides a unique and fun fighting experience.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Samurai Shodown is one of the better 3D fighters available on the market that has managed the transition from its original 2D style to a 3D one rather well. It is a technical fighter that leads to a satisfying result if you can master its in-depth mechanics.
Samurai Shodown may lack content yet its a stylish return for the series with its great art style and gameplay.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Samurai Shodown is a fighting game that has its own unique charasterictic and atyle. Gameplay is fun and accesible for learning and begining, but like every other good fighting game, being professional in it, is hard and need many practice. If you are fan of series or looking for a fighting game with diffrent kind of gameplay style, Samurai Shodown is a game you should try.
Review in Persian | Read full review
As far as fighting game reboots go, Samurai Shodown does a great job of pleasing its loyal fanbase and featuring new mechanics that change it for the better.
Samurai Shodown's signature deliberate pace is perfectly captured in this entry, though the small roster and lack of options somewhat hinder its replayability.
This fighting game is nice due to all the swords but has not so much content. Therefore it's not a game you will play for month, more for a couple of weeks. Also the story is a bit weak and outdated.
Review in Dutch | Read full review