Samurai Shodown

Samurai Shodown does the near-impossible task of blending old and new into an incredibly fun, solid fighting game package.

Despite some shortcomings, Samurai Shodown doesn't disappoint. Its slow pace belies a depth that rivals any fighting game, while still providing an experience unlike almost any other. If the stunning visuals don’t leave you breathless, then the unrelenting tension felt during combat certainly will.

In bringing the series back from the dead to today’s competitive scene, Samurai Shodown not only chooses to honor the series legacy but dares to be old-school. Instead of flashing extra frosting to attract attention, the game trusts that its basic gameplay is enough to keep the players coming back to it. There’s no trendy character customization and all the collectibles are just gallery items, such as sounds, artwork and movies, you unlock by playing, not paying. Samurai Shodown is like a Chinese checkers to more showy and easygoing fighting games out there but not any less engaging. It’s not how fast you can hit but when you hit that matters. Uncompromised and dignified, Samurai Shodown might be a niche title in its genre but it does its own thing and succeeds in it.

Samurai Shodown is a pristine work of fighting game clarity.

Overall, Samurai Shodown has some rough edges to it – but fewer than any entry has had in around 20 years. It’s the best-playing entry in the series since the legendary second installment, and stands out nicely even in today’s crowded field of fighters. Much like it did in the early ’90s, by being different than the pack with its feudal Japanese setting and story, it allows the core game to be different even if the framework is still a single-plane fighter. It’s a must-play for any lapsed fans of the series and will not only rekindle old memories, but forge new ones for all who play it.

If you're a fan of Samurai Shodown, you definitely need to check out this game. Even if you've never played a SamSho before, check out this game. It's easily the most unique fighter out on the market at the moment thanks to the emphasis on precision attacks and punishing the opponent for high damage rather than trying for long combos and guesses with mixups. Samurai Shodown is honestly the best game that SNK has given us in recent years. It's very polished and it looks and sounds fantastic!

By staying true to its legacy and at the same time by implementing new trends, like the ever learning A.I. of the Dojo mode, Samurai Shodown proves there's plenty of room in this day and age for 2D fighting games. More so if these games are as finely crafted as the new Samurai Shodown.

Samurai Shodown isn't unnecessarily complex and has enough depth to ensure a fighting game that should appeal to almost everyone. The lack of a good Story Mode should not spoil the fun, because you'll want to play Samurai Shodown for the great multiplayer.

Samurai Shodown is a stylish, technical and quirky fighter that easily fits between modern fighters like Tekken and Street Fighter.

Samurai Showdown is a unique FTG which has few combos. But only using fists and swords is not boring at all. On the contrary, it is fast-paced and fun to play. I am glad that SNK brought this old-school FTG to the current-gen platforms.

Despite the limited story and the lack of content, Samurai Shodown is the awaited return of this classic series with its great style and engaging gameplay.

Bucking the trend of “bigger, badder, louder, faster,” Samurai Shodown is a return to the glory days of SNK’s beloved sword-slashing fighting franchise. The slower, more thoughtful combat style the franchise is known for is on full display here, challenging players not just to be better at fighting games, but also smarter. Wrapped in a beautiful overall package and given some interesting new roster additions, Samurai Shodown is probably the best new chapter we could have ever hoped for.

This is a fantastic fighting game that brings back one of the best SNK franchises. We miss some modes, but the gameplay-wise is flawless.

One of the more unique entries in the fighting game genre in recent years. It’s flashy, stylish and unique, and it drives home the importance of fighting game fundamentals that will help create the next great FGC legends in the coming years. It’s beautiful story mode and bevy of versus challenges will keep anyone occupied for quite some times, though it’s disappointing tutorial modes can do with a bit of patching in additional lessons in the future.

If you like hardcore versus fighting or if you're a SNK fan, Samurai Shodown is a no-brainer. The gameplay is the best you can have on the market, and the OST brings us directly to feodal Japan.

Samurai Shodown is the breath of fresh air the saga has needed. The visual style immediately adds to the atmosphere, helped by an immersive soundtrack and fluid animation. The addition of the dojo and the game's accessibility make you want to dive in and master everything. In terms of gameplay, it's in these games of defence and subtle counter-attack that Samurai Shodown shines. It's not the best game out there, but we highly recommend it to fans who want a different fighting game experience.

Featuring an eclectic cast of characters and some over-the-top gore, Samurai Shodown is a wonderful reimagining of the classic fighting series. The strategic gameplay and wonderful balance of risk and reward make this game a fine addition to the current generation of fighting games.

Samurai Shodown is totally unique and different from other actual fighting games. Strategic, dangerous and satisfactory gameplay is its best hallmark.

Samurai Shodown returns, and it's just as great as it's ever been. Casual fighting game fans will have a hard time adjusting to the mechanics of Shodown. Those who stick with it will find a deep and rewarding fighter that makes every strike and every move as important as the finishing blow.

Dynamic and dangerous, there’s no other fighting game like Samurai Shodown on the market. After a decade away, this latest chapter proves that idea once again with the sharpest swordsmanship combat around that manages to unleash a barrage of modern cuts while still retaining the magic of the original game.

Disappointment with the Dojo mode aside, Samurai Shodown is an extremely competent title. It is not a difficult title to pick up. Matches manages to capture the tension of a life or death duel, where one errant move can mean being cut down. Visually it is probably the most vibrant the series has seen, with some stages which are breathtaking. This release is welcoming to newcomers as well as veterans to the series. Hopefully this title will lead to a renaissance for this series and there will be many more ways to embrace death.

A game that screams old school fighting. Despite its short character roster, it offers an aesthetic and satisfying experience.

Samurai Shodown makes a fine comeback after a decade: refreshing and still exciting to play, it's the long-awaited title we hoped for.

Samurai Shodown is and will always be an acquired taste, but its a taste that we adore, and its tense matches are still a sight to behold today.

For as much as Samurai Shodown manages to successfully modernize the classic fighting series and recapture the tension of its high-stakes duels, in other ways it remains woefully in the past. The archaic story mode and long load times are a bummer, but in the areas where it matters the most, Samurai Shodown shines as a fundamentals driven fighter that can appeal to players of all skill levels with its easy to grasp combat, wonderful cast of characters, and deep mechanics.

Overall, Samurai Shodown is a fun release that brings back memories of a simpler time in the fighting genre where focus laid squarely on technique and gamer ease-of-use. The inclusion of a variety of modes helps to beef up the fighting content and offer up good challenges for those seeking them. All of this makes the experience more engaging and entertaining.

A refreshing trip to the beginnings of modern Japan in a company of furious, heavily armed samurai. The tactics are everything and the best offense is a solid defense. Not every retro is cool, but this comeback is absolutely worth the price.

A fantastic reboot that reworks Samurai Shodown’s best ideas into an accomplished Street Fighter V-alike. It can’t truly escape the trappings of its own heritage, but fans will adore SNK’s return. [Issue#165, p.82]

Ultimately, I enjoyed this Samurai Shodown revival. Its back-to-basics approach works, and the lack of long combos helps differentiate it in a genre filled with them. It plays well, looks decent, has a great selection of characters, and performs well online — and better, there’s a reasonable amount of people playing at launch. The slower pace and heavier reliance on pokes may turn some players away, but for everyone else, Samurai Shodown offers a fresh, satisfying twist on weapons-based combat unlike nearly anything else out there.

Take it slow, keep an eye on those health bars, and you'll find a fighting game that offers a thrill that few others can - with nary a 20-hit combo in sight. [Issue#335, p.118]

Solid fighting game mechanics that are easy to pick up yet highly competitive and rewarding to master. Solid online netcode. Disappointing single player offerings.

Samurai Shodown is a great reboot. It captures what made the original fun and unique, but also at a time when high-damage, high-stakes fighters like this are a rarity, making its combat feel both fresh and familiar. Its accessibility and easy-to-grasp gameplay belie a lot of strategic depth that makes for very intense, bloody struggles. While the single-player experience is a bit lacking, it doesn’t drag down the whole significantly--Samurai Shodown is a fighting experience well worth taking up the sword for.

More than just a successful reboot of a forgotten franchise, this is one of the most unique and entertaining new fighting games of recent years.

While lacking in diverse combat, Samurai Shodown’s intentionally slower combat offers a fresh style of gameplay worth experiencing.

Quotation forthcoming.

It demands a high level of technical skill and lacks the chaotic hilarity you’d find in Super Smash (only bob-ombs on high). That being said, it’s a gorgeous game, and I could probably rope friends in for the style alone. If you have a community of fighting game aficionados or some pals who love over the top Wu-Tang movies, there’s a lot to be found in Samurai Shodown.

Samurai Shodown is true to the series’ soul, like a modern version of Amakusa Kourin which lacks something to achieve perfection.

If you’re a serious fighting game fan, you’ll get a lot out of Samurai Shodown. Those expecting the single player offerings of titles like Mortal Kombat 11 will be left disappointed though. Samurai Shodown just isn’t that type of fighting game.

Samurai Shodown is back and it's arguably better than ever. SNK has delivered a truly gripping fighting game where the tides can turn in an instant, and it's this constant sense of tension that creates a uniquely electric experience. Against a backdrop of faster paced, combo-heavy fighters, Samurai Shodown stands out as a deliberate and excellently judged duelling simulator. Against a worthy opponent, there's simply nothing quite like it on PS4.

If you have never dedicated yourself to fighting games due to the high game rates and overly complex combos, the Samurai Showdown could be the surprise that will make you passionate about the genre. If, on the contrary, you have always loved the fighting game with SNK's white weapon, this new version will not disappoint you.

SNK has a lot to celebrate with the release of Samurai Shodown as it’s a triumphant return to form for a series that hasn’t had a mainline release in over 15 years. Not only does it keep the calculated and punishing gameplay in tact, it manages to offer up a great tutorial that allows for newcomers to understand the nuance of its depth.

Samurai Shodown proves that SNK still has its fighting spirit. King of Fighters XIV wasn't an accident and it seems like any future games won't be, either. Now we just need to get Capcom back on track.

Samurai Showdown is a strong entry into the sea of fighters, showing a lot of love for the original series, while also being able to appeal to newcomers. A few niggles aside, people are going to be playing Sam Show for a long time. EVO just got more exciting to watch.

Samurai Shodown is a great reboot for the series, and one of the most enjoyable beat 'em up produced by SNK of the last years.

If you’re not keen on learning by jumping into the fray and taking your lumps, Samurai Shodown likely won’t do much for you. But when there’s another player facing you down, Samurai Shodown’s bouts are a fantastic mix of fighting disciplines. It’s accessible, nuanced, and flashy, and the ways it asks you to bet big to win make matches as exciting as they are tense.

Samurai Shodown is yet another fighting game that is fun to play but suffers in its core feature set. The hardcore fighting game fanatic will love it, but the mainstream consumer will find it offers much less than other titles on the market.

Hardcore fans of the series and the pro players will likely love Samurai Shodown. This game is gonna be great to watch and I suspect it will thrive in the FGC tournament scene. Unfortunately that while the fighting game part of it is great, the rest is a really barebones package that most likely won't hold the attention of others for an extended period of time.

It's frustrating that the elements surrounding Samurai Shodown aren't better, because the fighting itself can be so tremendous. The pace of battles, the unique mechanics, and general style all contribute to a game that feels worthwhile to learn. It's just a shame that it never really goes above and beyond when it comes to anything else.

If you fancy samurai mythology with a Japanese ink brush aesthetic and/or you’ve just been looking for a 2.5D style, weapon-based fighting game, I think Samurai Shodown is a very solid choice.

Samurai Shodown captures the spirit of the older games, veering towards a mix of older and newer series entries. In terms of single-player, but it's a a far cry from Mortal Kombat 11 or even what recent games like Dead or Alive 6 have offered. On the multiplayer side, it offers a solid core, but not much else. It's nice to see SamSho back in the spotlight, but we wish it had a little more to keep us playing beyond just fighting other players.

Samurai Shodown's signature deliberate pace is perfectly captured in this entry, though the small roster and lack of options somewhat hinder its replayability.