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AFRO SAMURAI (PS3)
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Publisher: Namco Bandai.
Developer: Namco Bandai. Released: March 2009 (Europe). Genre: Action. Other versions: X360. Posted 5th April 2020. By Shane Battams © 2020 |
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Afro Samurai is one of those games that catches the eye immediately. Based on the 2007 anime of the same name, Namco would faithfully capture the look and feel of its source material, crafting a stylish action game in the process. While much of Afro Samurai is pleasing to both eyes and ears, a lack of depth, some mechanical quirks and cheap bosses sap a fair bit of the fun from the game, ensuring it doesn’t quite match the genre’s best. But for those looking for a colourfully violent way to spend a few hours, this one should still do the job.
Afro Samurai is a pure revenge story, following the murderous exploits of the titular swordsman. Revolving around two headbands which denote power and domination in combat, Afro witnesses the murder of his father by a gunslinging swordsman who claims the #1 Headband. Now, as he carves and slices everything in his path, he looks to avenge his father and claim the headband too. This story seems simple on the surface, with clear motivations. But as you play, the nature of Afro’s actions warp and twist, leaving you questioning who is right in this dark scenario. There’s also plenty of notable side characters, voiced by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Pearlman, who mostly chew up the scenery with happy abandon, especially Jackson’s Ninja Ninja character who screams obscenities as easily as he breathes.
Afro Samurai is a pure revenge story, following the murderous exploits of the titular swordsman. Revolving around two headbands which denote power and domination in combat, Afro witnesses the murder of his father by a gunslinging swordsman who claims the #1 Headband. Now, as he carves and slices everything in his path, he looks to avenge his father and claim the headband too. This story seems simple on the surface, with clear motivations. But as you play, the nature of Afro’s actions warp and twist, leaving you questioning who is right in this dark scenario. There’s also plenty of notable side characters, voiced by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Pearlman, who mostly chew up the scenery with happy abandon, especially Jackson’s Ninja Ninja character who screams obscenities as easily as he breathes.
Afro Samurai pulls out all the stops in the presentation stakes, nailing the stylised cartoon-violence aesthetic
If you’ve played anything along the lines of Devil May Cry, Afro Samurai will be easy to pick up. Combat comes with a light and heavy attack, which can be mixed to perform combos, as well as a kick manoeuvre to put space between you and the enemy. The cool part of this one is Focus mode, which slows down time and allows you an advantage. But this also ties into dismemberment, as charging a slice can result in cutting foes clean in half. If your focus is full and you are overwhelmed, a situation likely to happen multiple times, you can activate Overdose Focus which freezes time for longer and results in complete mutilation. The combat isn’t the deepest, as while collectibles unlock more moves, you’ll find focus to be a solution to most of the problems. But the gory kills, tricky enemy patterns and tests of precision through Body Part Poker help keep the action flowing nicely.
Unfortunately, several mechanical elements hold Afro Samurai back from its true potential. When you’re not carving through other ninjas, platforming takes centre stage and is frankly poor. Stiff jumping controls, a less than ideal camera and awkward wall jumping mechanics ensure frequent missed jumps, though mercifully the punishment is merely a nearby respawn. Speaking of the camera, this also becomes a problem in combat, as should you become stuck in a corner, it starts to have real issues finding somewhere to showcase the action. The last element which is kind of poor is the bosses. These vary wildly, with initial bosses being almost docile and easy to slice through. But as you progress, later bosses become cheaper and frustrating, with unblockable moves and multiple phases which, often, lack a checkpoint. It’s a shame, because these weaker elements diminish what is otherwise a competent hack and slasher.
Unfortunately, several mechanical elements hold Afro Samurai back from its true potential. When you’re not carving through other ninjas, platforming takes centre stage and is frankly poor. Stiff jumping controls, a less than ideal camera and awkward wall jumping mechanics ensure frequent missed jumps, though mercifully the punishment is merely a nearby respawn. Speaking of the camera, this also becomes a problem in combat, as should you become stuck in a corner, it starts to have real issues finding somewhere to showcase the action. The last element which is kind of poor is the bosses. These vary wildly, with initial bosses being almost docile and easy to slice through. But as you progress, later bosses become cheaper and frustrating, with unblockable moves and multiple phases which, often, lack a checkpoint. It’s a shame, because these weaker elements diminish what is otherwise a competent hack and slasher.
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Afro Samurai doesn’t outstay its welcome, clocking in around seven hours. Each level contains several collectibles, which prove worthwhile finding as they unlock extra moves in your arsenal. A second difficulty also becomes available after your first playthrough, which up’s the ante quite a bit. There’s a noticeable lack of trophies despite releasing in early 2009, and there isn’t much else to sink your teeth into, but the two difficulties should keep enthusiastic players going for a little bit.
The clear star here is the presentation. Visually distinctive, with a light use of cel-shading, the cartoonish look contrasts with ultra-violent action; graphic decapitations stand out in a big way. Environments and enemy models lack flair, but they get the job done. There are some performance issues though, particularly during stylish but distracting split-screens. The sound excels, with the best part being the music supervised by martial arts enthusiast RZA, with the soundtrack featuring a bevy of stylish mixes, engaging beats and variety including guitar, rap and oriental motifs. It could have possibly done with extra tracks, but what’s here is great. The voicework is good, and the combat strikes are potent, adding a visceral edge to the swordplay which meshes with the OTT violence.
The clear star here is the presentation. Visually distinctive, with a light use of cel-shading, the cartoonish look contrasts with ultra-violent action; graphic decapitations stand out in a big way. Environments and enemy models lack flair, but they get the job done. There are some performance issues though, particularly during stylish but distracting split-screens. The sound excels, with the best part being the music supervised by martial arts enthusiast RZA, with the soundtrack featuring a bevy of stylish mixes, engaging beats and variety including guitar, rap and oriental motifs. It could have possibly done with extra tracks, but what’s here is great. The voicework is good, and the combat strikes are potent, adding a visceral edge to the swordplay which meshes with the OTT violence.
The clear star here is the presentation. Visually distinctive, with a light use of cel-shading, the cartoonish look contrasts with ultra-violent action; graphic decapitations stand out in a big way. Environments and enemy models aren’t the best, lacking much in the way of flair, but they get the job done. There are some performance issues though, particularly during stylish but distracting split-screens. The sound excels, with the best part being the music supervised by martial arts enthusiast RZA, with the soundtrack featuring a bevy of stylish mixes, engaging beats and variety including guitar, rap and oriental motifs. It could have possibly done with extra tracks, but what’s here is great. The voicing is good, and the combat strikes are potent, adding a visceral edge to the swordplay which meshes with the over-the-top violence.
Afro Samurai might have proven a classic case of style over substance, but the visceral combat, intense flair and engaging story mean it remains engaging. While mechanical missteps and a short combo list ensure it doesn’t match the best of the genre, there’s something perversely satisfying about the many ways you can cut through the opposition here, and it faithfully captures the source material. Fans of the anime and aficionados of the hack and slash genre should find this worthwhile, though more discerning gamers may find its flaws too great to bear.
Afro Samurai might have proven a classic case of style over substance, but the visceral combat, intense flair and engaging story mean it remains engaging. While mechanical missteps and a short combo list ensure it doesn’t match the best of the genre, there’s something perversely satisfying about the many ways you can cut through the opposition here, and it faithfully captures the source material. Fans of the anime and aficionados of the hack and slash genre should find this worthwhile, though more discerning gamers may find its flaws too great to bear.
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VERDICT
"Afro Samurai might have proven a classic case of style over substance, but the visceral combat, intense flair and engaging story mean it remains engaging. Fans of the hack and slash genre should find this worthwhile" OVERALL: 6/10 |