• Review: Afro Samurai (360)

    by
    Hecqubus
    Published on 01-31-2012 01:22 AM
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    Afro Samurai

    Developer: Namco Bandai Games
    Publisher: Surge
    Genre: Action
    Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
    Rating: Mature
    Release Date: January 27th, 2009
    For Fans Of:Flowing Combat, Vendettas, Amputations

    There’s a weird thing that happens to a person when they lose everything they have ever known. Afro Samurai has experienced this and now walks this plane of existence an empty soul, a demon, a warrior of vengeance. Based off the first season of the excellent television series, Afro Samurai: The Game follows the story closely, but from a different angle.

    Presentation
    Afro Samurai lost not only his innocence that day, he lost his father. Rokutaro was the owner of the number one headband, one of the two headbands that are rumored to have been created by the gods and bestows supernatural powers to those to possess them. The owner of the number two headband at the time, Justice, challenged Rokutaro ending his reign right in front of a more then shocked lil-Afro. Justice continues to add fuel to the already blazing fire inside Afro by giving him an open challenge when he was ready to avenge his pop and reclaim the number one headband.

    Afro was then found wandering the forest with the skull of his father in his backpack by Jinno, one of the boys from the sword masters class of apprentices. Spending the better part of his childhood and teenage years at that school, Afro propelled himself to the top of the class, all the while knowing that one day he would have to leave to find the number two headband. He never thought that the day would come so soon, when the school is invaded he learned that the owner of the number two headband is the sword master himself who then explains to him that the path of the number two isn’t the path that anyone should have to walk. The path of the number two is one that is filled with regret, sadness and loneliness. It is the path of the warrior who has lost everything in the pursuit of the number one. Not to mention all the relentless challenges the warrior will face from would-be assassins.

    This is what Afro must face in order to make his way back to the number one, back to Justice. This path erases any hope of him retaining the friends he has made while in the school. Afro becomes a walking husk of the person he once was, the demon of vengeance. So does he bottle up the other feelings from this point onward? The feelings that any one of us would feel become Ninja-Ninja, an excitable imaginary offshoot of Afro’s conscience that is constantly pestering him to show any form of emotion for the friends and enemies he has left in his wake. Ninja-Ninja also comprises much of the games humor, which there is little of making the jokes that Afro would if he wasn’t on his vendetta mission.

    Graphics
    Using cell-shading the team behind Afro Samurai were able to tell the story with all the same vibrant colour that we saw in the series. Everything has a slightly blue-ish tint to it, tricking your eyes into auto-white balancing and making the blood pop out like the timer on a turkey.

    Sound/Music
    It’s hard to talk about the sound in the Afro Samurai universe without mentioning the “RZA”. Everything he did for the show was amazing and when it comes to the game he rose above the challenge and delivered the perfect beats to the slaughter. Of course I would also have to mention the voice-cast, many of which returning from the abyss to reprise their roles for the game. Samuel L. Jackson plays the part of Afro, and Ninja-Ninja to a stunning effect, even though Afro’s part only requires the odd “Shut up” here and there. If you are looking for a game with damn near flawless sound, look no further.

    Gameplay
    This is perhaps where the game trips over it’s self a bit.

    Much of the game will be spent fighting the near endless waves of enemies in a button mashed fuel of rage. The worst part of which is that you can’t see what your fighting most of the time. I don’t know about any of you but I remember the camera from games on the N64 and it’s probably the aspect of that system that I am least nostalgic about.

    However, they did get the button mashing right. Pressing any button at any time will result in you probably killing your enemies while barely surviving. Thinking out the attacks and practicing the many combos that are actually in there, will result in you walking through your enemies with ease. Yes, every useful attack can be executed with the X button but if you want a show, try throwing in the others, you’ll be treated to a free-flowing slice and dice that would make even the most seasoned Dexters jelly.

    The other majority of the game will be spent running around platforming and solving super simple puzzles. The platforming your going to find in Afro Samurai is not unlike the platforming you would find in games like Prince of Persia or any other game you can find wall running really. I really only had one problem with the platforming and that was that besides being horrific in the consistency of it, having two minutes of it here and there then having over an hour of it near the end of the game, you will get robbed every now and then by Afro jumping off at random angles. This coupled with the camera makes for a really frustrating time near the end and actually causes you to restart the entire jump, which is unlike the rest of the game where missing a jump would reset you back to just before it.

    The last thing I have to mention is the bosses, WTF. I don’t think I’ve ever seen cheaper bosses in my sixteen years of virtual reality. Seriously, some of these guys put Shao Khan to shame. One of them in particular uses a flame thrower in the fight, which automatically stops you in your tracks and burns your health faster then a ghost pepper to the genitals. The worst part is that while this fight is in three phases, just like the other bosses in the game, he gets faster and deadlier with his attacks, only giving you one chance to heal yourself. Sure any gamer with a sense of the old ways will walk over him but man, way to make the level two boss the hardest in the game.

    Lasting Appeal
    If your playing the game as a straight shot to Justice, then your probably going to spend around eight to nine hours mashing your controller, careful, controllers are expensive. However, if you like to search around for the collectibles, half of which you will accidentally walk into along the way, your looking at around eleven hours. Collecting mémentos not only furthers you in your mission to 100 percent but unlocks some cool stuff you can look at in the extras section. Things like concept art and character bios. where you can read up more about the characters your dealing with in the story. This is probably most helpful if you haven’t had the pleasure of viewing the series yet which I highly suggest anyone alive to do.

    Conclusion
    Afro Samurai is not going to win any Game of the Year awards, mostly because it came out three years ago, but not because it’s a bad game. Its a good game but only that. The spaztastic camera as well as the boredom of platforming made me want to watch the series instead. But the fact that I could get damn near the same story from the new angle and experience it with the genius of the “RZA” made me putt out that mini duster for it’s spot on the shelf. There is very few games I can think of off the top of my head that nail the whole presentation aspect of a game but Afro Samurai is now one of those games. Only because of some of the gameplay traits on Afro Samurai does this game get any less then a 8.5. I feel that if the gameplay had been executed half as smooth as the combos Afro pulls off then we could’ve had a really nice title in our hands.

    Score:
    6.5

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.