Final week, SNK launched its 2019-released reboot of the Samurai Shodown sequence on iOS and Android by means of Netflix Video games. Samurai Shodown (Free) is a recreation I’ve loved by means of its releases on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X, and Steam fairly a bit. I did purchase it on Nintendo Change, however don’t actually play that model a lot due to its tech points. The combating recreation was the primary one within the sequence I spent a variety of time with, and I’m glad I did. I like the concentrate on weapons, duels, excessive danger gameplay, and extra it brings to the desk. Samurai Shodown additionally excels in its aesthetic and sound design. I used to be clearly excited to see how the cellular conversion was. In my Samurai Shodown (2019) cellular assessment, I’m going to cowl the sport itself, the way it compares to different platforms, and what must be fastened for it to be value enjoying.
If you happen to’ve not performed Samurai Shodown, it performs fairly otherwise in comparison with mainstream combating video games. Having seen the sequence historical past by means of the Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Assortment, I’m glad this Samurai Shodown reboot caught to its weapons and didn’t try to change issues as much as lose its personal character. The weapons, footsies, distinctive characters, putting aesthetic, and extra come collectively brilliantly, however this Samurai Shodown recreation has all the time been missing in its on-line and story mode. The core gameplay is nice, and I hoped to see a minimum of that translated to cellular nicely alongside all of the in-game content material.
Samurai Shodown on cellular initially seems like the whole recreation with contact controls, nevertheless it has some cutbacks. The primary one is visuals. I anticipated it to look and run higher on fashionable iOS gadgets given my expertise with it on consoles. Visuals aren’t as unhealthy because the Change model although, and Samurai Shodown on newer iOS gadgets doesn’t really feel sluggish just like the Change model. I additionally really feel like some characters will really feel very totally different right here given the on-screen buttons being the one solution to play together with specials. This simply is a really bizarre determination in what ought to’ve been a slam dunk port with how a lot effort went into translating the visuals and every part else over.
The key points are with the cuts to DLC. Not solely are the DLC characters not included within the recreation proper now, however the collaboration characters are fully lower out. For example, Baiken from Responsible Gear or Warden from For Honor are fully absent right here. Not having DLC proper from the beginning isn’t the most important drawback, however the present character choice display mentions a number of the DLC characters arriving as late as July 2024. I get that you really want individuals to stay subscribed to Netflix so that you don’t need to launch every part in a single go, however it is a bit a lot.
If you happen to’ve by no means performed Samurai Shodown on different platforms or don’t even care about these variations, Samurai Shodown on Netflix isn’t a whole waste. The contact controls aren’t pretty much as good as conventional controls on a controller or stick, however the builders did job with them right here. I simply don’t perceive why it didn’t embrace controller help as an choice for many who want utilizing conventional controls in a combating recreation.
For the net, I examined towards somebody regionally over wifi and with Shaun who’s in Japan. The netcode held up alright, nevertheless it isn’t pretty much as good as enjoying one thing like Road Fighter 6 or Responsible Gear Attempt. For informal matches, it’s value attempting, and in addition has an honest customized foyer implementation. There are additionally leaderboards for some modes included within the Netflix model of Samurai Shodown.
Relating to platform variations, one of the best variations of Samurai Shodown proper now for me are the Xbox Sequence X model for taking part in on TV and the Steam Deck model for taking part in on the go. The Xbox Sequence X model helps 120hz which even the PC model doesn’t have. The PS4 model by no means obtained any PS5 enhancements so I finished enjoying that model to maneuver to the Xbox model for offline play. On the moveable facet, I might solely advocate the Change model in case you have no different solution to play Samurai Shodown and don’t care about on-line play.
So the place does the Netflix model match into this image? It isn’t actually the identical expertise with pressured contact controls, nevertheless it does a greater job than the Change port for positive. I might completely advocate downloading it to see how you discover the contact controls, however I actually hope SNK can add controller help and enhance the DLC state of affairs. I don’t count on on-line to work too nicely contemplating the console and PC variations nonetheless don’t have respectable on-line netcode. That’s coming this month. However within the testing I did, it’s serviceable. I performed just a few video games towards Shaun who’s in Japan and it wasn’t unplayable like sure Change combating video games we’ve performed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAt5-FvweEc
Samurai Shodown, whilst the bottom recreation with contact controls solely, is a superb addition to Netflix’s gaming catalog, nevertheless it ought to’ve been higher. The dearth of controller help and baffling DLC launch schedule maintain it again in its present state. I’m going to maintain it put in within the hope we get updates to handle these points, however proper now Samurai Shodown is a superb combating recreation that deserved higher for its cellular launch. It is a competent and commendable conversion in some ways, however a really disappointing one in others. Hopefully we gained’t want to attend too lengthy to embrace controller help.
