SNK’s comeback in recent years has undoubtedly been one of the least noisy in the gaming industry. What was once regarded as an entertainment behemoth is now seen as a small company and nothing else. Yet, a few years ago, the Osaka-based company has begun to make its presence felt again. A first step was taken with the release of The King of Fighters XIV on PlayStation 4 and PC, a well-made title but demolished from the technical front. Immediately after it was the turn of the spin-off SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy ( here our review ) also published on Nintendo Switch and a further operation aimed at introducing their properties to the general public.
“Further” is the exact term, because in addition to the development of new productions, an eye has been placed on the past. We have had several re-releases, collections and even dedicated hardware. Not to forget the collaborations, including the most important in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate , with the addition of Terry Bogard, various Mii costumes and fifty songs. Bringing back to the scene an important brand like that of Samurai Shodown (also known in the East as Samurai Spirits) was, in short, a foregone and necessary step.
The reason behind this return is easy to say: since its introduction in 1993, a fighting game like Samurai Shodown has remained unique in its genre, as well as able to offer a radically different fighting style to that of any other production placed on the market even today. . Some might cite the Soul Calibur series, while people of culture the two The Last Blade, but mere appearance is not enough to justify a gameplay based on the player’s skill and tactics. In this series, every blow can be fatal, every fatal mistake, and that’s why you’ll have to get used to accepting death . Not as a punishment, but as a lesson.
It is 1787, the seventh year of the Tenmei era
The new Samurai Shodown is officially presented as a reboot of the entire saga . We could also talk about a new beginning, but on balance what we are facing is actually a relaunch . Set in 1787, the production actually stands between the prequel of the entire Samurai Shodown V saga and the first chapter, or at the dawn of the series, offering fans a continuity with respect to the narrative universe created over the years. Therefore, most of the protagonists of the saga return to play, starting with the ronin Haohmaru and the ainu Nakoruru, accompanied by their friends and rivals, called by the various past episodes, along with three new entries.
We can also say the same for the controls and game mechanics, which reflect the games for NEO GEO. There are four essential buttons, including one for the kick and three for the intensity of damage offered by your weapon. Just like in many other exponents of the genre, we can indulge ourselves with crescents or diagonals to perform special moves, and already here we can understand the position it wants to occupy within the scene. Learning the gameplay of Samurai Shodown is not impossible, but not too immediate.
We are not at the level of a Dragon Ball FighterZ with its automatic combos, but in the SNK fighting game the few buttons required (and their combinations) are enough and advance to not scare the novices. Several special moves share the types of inputs required for the whole cast, except for the peculiarities of the various characters, thus making the learning curve required to use them less traumatic. Basically, really nothing new under the sun. As if that were not enough, there is as usual a section in which to practice, where you can train with the CPU or learn the basics. The essential notions are very few, and in just twenty minutes anyone is able to tackle the game without major problems.
On the other hand, what could scare most people lies not so much in the structure as in its execution. Samurai Shodown is an atypical fighting game within the entire panorama of the genre, where calm and reflexes are the masters. So you have to get rid of the idea of combos, sequential attacks and wild button mashing. The clashes represent in all respects the idea of a duel between samurai, exactly as we have been used to by years and years of films and animated series. And precisely for this reason, the general feeling is that of a slow and reasoned game. This is immediately highlighted by two other mechanics present in the series, namely the Bar of Anger and the subsequent state of Maximum Fury , usable once per fight.
Each attack received marginally increases the value of the aforementioned bar, allowing the player (via a combination of keys or a macro) to give vent to their accumulated anger. From here we can act in various ways, such as limiting ourselves to unleash more powerful attacks throughout its duration or end the state of fury with a disarming technique or a lethal thrust. But be careful : if the bar is completely filled we will have a handful of seconds to activate it, before “letting go” of the anger and having to recharge it given its inactivity. Its presence is not to be underestimated, as it can turn the tide of a match in a matter of seconds.
Graphic violence (especially blood and dismemberments) is one of the main elements in Samurai Shodown, but its presence is purely ancillary and can even be deactivated.
But even here you must first use your head, because while the simple attack buff can come in handy, it is a safe and less risky path than the other two special techniques. These are easy to perform (for disarming we are talking about a crescent and a macro, while for the lunge of the same macro that activates the state of Maximum Fury) but the risk of failing miserably is high, with consequent inhibition of the bar for all remaining matches. On the other hand, succeeding in their execution can remove a large amount of damage from the opponent or disarm him. The latter is a practical solution to reduce the opponent’s attack power. Disarming your opponent radically changes the approach of the match, with the player in the lead who must prevent the recovery of the weapon at all costs.
With the bar removed, another advantage is given by each character’s finishing moves. In this case we do not need to load anything, and it is possible to run the finisher at any time, even at the beginning of the match. Even here, however, it should not be taken lightly, because we can only use it once per meeting. The studio has seen fit not to completely alter the style of play, but to insert some necessary additions nowadays, bringing the game to be less rigid, yes, but without losing its essence.
Banquet of Nature
To enrich an effective combat system we then find several extra contour modes. It begins with the Story mode , the most classic of all, which sees the initial 17 characters (and the added ones in the form of DLC) undertake a series of duels in succession as the main story unfolds. There is not much to say about his, as to change from time to time are only the introductions, the meeting with the rival and the epilogues of the individual characters.
The approach is much more classic and in line with that of many other arcade modes. Which is a bit of a shame, because within the mythology of Samurai Shodown we could have done much better, first of all taking a cue from the works of NetherRealm Studios or from the more recent attempts by Capcom and Arc System Works. The pretext of a more elaborate plot would also have allowed players to experiment and further introduce the cast of characters present, which should never be underestimated.
To accompany it there are other side modes, such as Time Trials , Survival and Challenge . In these we will be called respectively to defeat more opponents present within the time limit, resist as long as possible and face the whole roster in sequence. The right point is interesting, but their usefulness is more to divert the player’s attention from yet another match in local or online mode.
Here, about the online, Samurai Shodown introduces a novelty for the fighting game genre, which we will most likely see in other titles of the company such as the next The King of Fighters XV. By evolving the concept seen with the amiibo in Super Smash Bros., it is possible to challenge opponents from all over the world in the form of Ghosts, that is, ghosts. In this case it is an asynchronous fight, in which the CPU emulates the playing style of the other players by taking their place in these particular battles. Within the Dojo mode we have two types of challenges related to them: the normal fight with some Ghosts of our choice and the Ironman Challenge, where 100 of them are faced. I am very curious to see how their implementation will evolve in the years to come. .
An acceptable conversion
On the occasion of its arrival on Nintendo Switch I tried several of the controllers in my possession. I started using the M30 controller from 8BitDo, whose key layout goes well with arcade games, having practically no problems, especially with the classic crescents. I then continued with an arcade stick not having any problems there either, but I had them with the little Joy-Con. Not that it should really surprise, but the minute size of the ABXY fire buttons makes itself felt especially when you have to perform certain movements. Ironically, using them horizontally I didn’t have the same problems, probably because of the better grip of the thumb.
Still regarding this version of the game, we have more to talk about, starting with the fact that what we are facing is a conversion of a game released last summer on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. We must immediately make it clear that the two platforms, in particular the first, were the lead platforms of the entire project, and that we must have realistic expectations about what can be achieved on the hybrid console. Samurai Shodown on Nintendo Switch is all in all a good conversion, but that technically stands as the bastard son between the recent Mortal Kombat 11 and Super Street Fighter IV for Nintendo 3DS.
It lets you play, and the result on the hand is still incredible, but the slight drops in framerate that do not guarantee a granite value of 60 frames per second (we are mainly about 55) and the jagged surrounding the characters on screen. Not that on other platforms the game was a figure, for heaven’s sake, it’s his brushed graphic style that does most of the work. But on Nintendo Switch, thanks to the compromises with which Safari Games (the studio that took care of the port) had to come to terms, we lose some of the illusion that we wanted to create, thus showing the limits of production. It’s not that bad, but maybe a lot more could have been achieved.
Another problem (which, however, affects all versions) is due to online gaming. The lack of cross-play in 2020 is a considerable problem, which already makes the purchase of a Sony platform imperative due to its installed. Maybe I’m playing it a few days after its launch (I remember, however, that it was already released in Japan last December) but there are very few people online. And it was the same for other much more famous fighting games. It is no coincidence that to have a worthy challenge I had to organize myself with our Andre4102. What I said, however, I repeat, should not be surprising, because the situation on Nintendo Switch is and remains this, but the presence of people to play with can be an aspect that should not be underestimated to guarantee longevity to the title.
IPPON!
[amazon_link asins = ‘B082QK35XR’ template = ‘MiniProductAd’ store = ‘nintendoomed-21 ′ marketplace =’ IT ‘link_id =’ d1e8d0af-91be-4ee5-bb4d-b6ddcd4ef6cf ‘] Once you reach the final stages, you can’t not promote Samurai Shodown. If the previous SNK productions had convinced, but left some doubts, the return of the samurai spirits confirms and reaffirms the company’s intention to return to getting serious. What we have before us is probably not the most content-rich fighting game, but rather, it is strongly marked by its arcade origins, but the additions to the basic formula (still winning today), the vast roster of characters and the few modes of outline make the purchase more than valid. The conversion for Nintendo Switch, although not optimal, is pleasant and does not present really excessive downgrades, but which are still felt. If your desire is to play it on the go, or to have an unusual fighting game, then you have found the game for you.
MAMAHAHA / 10
- The conversion for Nintendo Switch is well made …
- Game formula still fresh and fun today.
- The introduction of the Ghosts opens the door to something bigger.
- … But more could have been done.
- Few people are willing to play online.
The SNK series returns after years of absence with a chapter of excellent quality. Not to be missed for all fans of the genre.
