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SAMURAI SHODOWN

Although a bit archaic on some of the single player content Samurai Shodown manages to successfully bring its style of combat to the current generation of consoles and deliver a technical fighter that is rare to find these days.
SAMURAI SHODOWN Game Cover
80%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
optimization, stability
81% User Score Based on 1,070 reviews
Critic Score 78%Based on 42 reviews

Platforms

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SAMURAI SHODOWN Game Cover

About

SAMURAI SHODOWN is a single player and multiplayer fighting game. It was developed by SNK CORPORATION and was released on June 25, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"SAMURAI SHODOWN is a fighting game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, including online play with Xbox Live Gold. This pack includes the main game, four DLC characters, and three retro 3D costumes. The series, known for its blade-wielding battles, has been popular since its debut in 1993 and now returns with high-end visuals and gameplay."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
SAMURAI SHODOWN screenshot
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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,070 reviews
gameplay100 positive mentions
optimization4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and methodical combat system that emphasizes footsies and strategic play, making it accessible for beginners while still offering depth for experienced players.
  • The visuals and art style are stunning, with beautiful character designs and environments that enhance the overall experience.
  • The game has a solid roster of characters, including both returning favorites and new additions, providing a diverse range of playstyles.
  • The online experience is severely lacking, with a dead player base and poor netcode that hampers competitive play.
  • The game requires an internet connection even for offline modes, which is frustrating for players wanting to enjoy the game without constant connectivity.
  • Many characters are locked behind DLC paywalls, which can be off-putting for players looking for a complete experience without additional costs.
  • gameplay
    226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Samurai Shodown is widely praised for its blend of simplicity and depth, emphasizing strategic, high-risk moves over complex combos, which makes it accessible yet rewarding for players. Many reviewers highlight the game's beautiful art style, solid mechanics, and a diverse character roster, though some express frustration with the online experience and lack of incentives for solo play. Overall, it is considered one of the best fighting games in recent years, appealing to both newcomers and veterans of the series.

    • “I unironically think this is the best fighting game ever made, from a gameplay and mechanical perspective.”
    • “The tempo, the style, the sound, the visuals, and the gameplay are flawless to my senses. It keeps me very contented to lose or win, simply improving with synonymous satisfaction solo.”
    • “Samurai Shodown combines the best aspects of fighting games with simple gameplay and few mechanics.”
    • “But the unique gameplay, the lackluster single-player content, and the lack of online players make it tough to recommend.”
    • “The gameplay itself is solid, but the game is dead; nobody is playing it.”
    • “I'm not one of those 'delay netcode=always bad, pls give rollback' types, but in a game like Samurai Shodown VII where the mechanics require immaculate spacing and tight frame inputs, the choppy online this game has is absolutely unacceptable.”
  • graphics
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant art style and beautiful stage designs, often likening it to a Japanese painting. However, some players noted that the visuals can appear dated compared to contemporary titles, and there are issues with shading and graphical settings that detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's aesthetic and character designs are generally well-received, contributing to a nostalgic yet modern feel.

    • “The art style is great, creating some of the most colorful and gorgeous looking stages I've ever seen, with my absolute favorite being Mikatagahara Field.”
    • “The graphics aren't the highest fidelity, but the entire game is designed with a beautiful ukiyo-e aesthetic that makes you feel like you're playing a Japanese painting.”
    • “Beautiful art, beautiful graphics: best fighting game in a long time.”
    • “The devs did improve the graphics, but it was apparent their in-house game engine wasn't going to do them any favors in the long run.”
    • “Graphics are so outdated... it's sad because the fighting system is interesting.”
    • “After playing more, the visuals often look quite faded and flat (depending on the stage), like there's a lack of light/shadow contrast.”
  • story
    104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story mode in Samurai Shodown has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the character backgrounds and visual style but criticizing the overall execution as lacking depth and ambition. Many feel it resembles a basic arcade mode with minimal cutscenes, and some have encountered frustrating bugs that disrupt gameplay. While it offers some enjoyment for fans of the series, it falls short compared to other fighting games in terms of storytelling and single-player content.

    • “Wow, peak of Japanese storytelling.”
    • “The story mode is actually pretty decent compared to how other fighting games do it.”
    • “Great addition to the long-lasting Samurai Shodown franchise, great updated visual style, and a good addition/reboot of the story.”
    • “The only single player mode this game has is story and it's trash.”
    • “The game is pretty and super fun, but the developers were quite lazy when it comes to the story mode... other fighting games like MK and SF raised the bar by quite a lot and Samurai Shodown didn't even bother... lazy texts with a few videos.”
    • “There is no single player content, the arcade/story mode is a joke with a classic BS SNK boss at the end that's no fun to play (although you will have to if you actually want to unlock stuff and want achievements), just a generic suped-up unfair boss character.”
  • music
    68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to capture the essence of feudal Japan and enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being lackluster or low-energy compared to previous titles. Many players appreciate the variety in the soundtrack, which includes traditional and orchestral elements, but some feel it falls short of the original games' memorable compositions. Overall, the music is seen as a strong aspect by many, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some dissenting opinions.

    • “Fighting has the greatest soundtrack for a fighting game I could imagine, capturing the feeling of feudal Japan in all its majesty and beauty, and most of all... its brutal violence.”
    • “The stages are beautiful, the music is trance-inducing, and the gameplay has this flow state to it where you can go endless sets without ever feeling sweaty like in most fighting games.”
    • “Ok, so the game's gorgeous, forces you to have good neutral, has divine music, has a large roster of great characters, and is getting rollback?”
    • “Simply an amazing game; the only negative is the lack of music. It's either bad or nonexistent.”
    • “This game's music sounds like low-energy ambience.”
    • “They used some of the original music's melody, but it's so lifeless and dull.”
  • optimization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant performance issues such as framerate drops, stuttering, and the need for specific launch commands to even start the game. However, after multiple public betas and updates, some players note that recent improvements have led to a more stable experience, with better quality-of-life changes and overall optimization. Despite these advancements, the initial performance problems have left a lasting negative impression on many users.

    • “After over 4 public betas and a lot of improvements from both the SNK dev team and Code Mystics, the game has finally arrived at a point where it has received numerous quality-of-life changes, as well as fixes to performance issues coupled with hardware requirements.”
    • “Game is fantastic, looks fantastic, and it's extremely well optimized.”
    • “Otherwise, the game will change the settings on every launch, reverting to what your PC could do if the game was optimized better.”
    • “The game won't even open without proper launch commands, and the performance is garbage on an i5 13600k and 2070 Super.”
    • “There are a lot of problems with the game's optimization.”
    • “Framerate drops, stuttering, and input lag made a first-to-20 that would have otherwise been a great time feel like a slog.”
  • stability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and visual glitches. While the second beta showed some improvement, it still felt unstable, and the rollback support remains buggy. Overall, players are hopeful for future updates to enhance stability but currently find the experience frustrating.

    • “There were visual glitches everywhere and characters would have heart attacks mid-round.”
    • “So... first of all, it just doesn't run very well, you'll experience crashes and freezes here and there.”
    • “Rollback support, although currently buggy and unstable.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is praised for its unique and well-executed designs, models, and animations, particularly within the samurai era setting. While most characters are well-received, one character, Iroha, has drawn mixed feelings from players, highlighting a slight inconsistency in character appeal. Overall, the character designs contribute positively to the game's immersive experience.

    • “I'll give this game a positive review frankly because I love the character designs in this game (they're quite a lot more unique than you'd think), plus the whole samurai era setting, and the slower, more methodical gameplay with its parries and disarms.”
    • “The character designs, models, and animations are pretty well done.”
    • “The new character designs are nice.”
    • “The character designs, models, and animations are pretty well done as well.”
    • “Wouldn't mind picking up the soundtrack and it's got solid overall character designs (except Iroha, I find her pretty cringey despite loving her playstyle).”
    • “I'll give this game a positive review frankly because I love the character designs in this game (they're quite a lot more unique than you'd think), plus the whole samurai era setting, and the slower more methodical gameplay with its parries and disarms and whatnot.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the comedic voice acting, particularly Amakusa's, and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics, such as the inconsistent direction of attack finishers. Players find the offline mode entertaining, especially when playing with friends, and the timing of a two-year-old game's discount is noted as amusing. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gaming experience.

    • “Man, Amakusa's voice is hilarious.”
    • “Offline is very funny to play with friends.”
    • “The game being on discount for a week is hilarious, when it's two years old.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users express that the game's replayability could significantly improve with the introduction of rollback netcode, which is expected to enhance gameplay and attract more players. Additionally, having distinct stories for characters would further enrich the replay experience.

    • “Once rollback comes out, the game will be much more playable and will hopefully attract more than 10 players a day.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its engaging and vibrant graphics reminiscent of "Ultra Street Fighter IV," contributing to an overall immersive experience. However, some users noted a lack of video options that could enhance this atmosphere further.

    • “The atmosphere is immersive and captivating, drawing you into the game's world.”
    • “The game's ambiance perfectly complements the gameplay, creating a unique and engaging experience.”
    • “The rich and detailed environment enhances the overall atmosphere, making every moment feel alive.”
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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 54 critic reviews
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23h Median play time
22h Average play time
20-24h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

SAMURAI SHODOWN is a fighting game.

SAMURAI SHODOWN is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 22 hours playing SAMURAI SHODOWN.

SAMURAI SHODOWN was released on June 25, 2019.

SAMURAI SHODOWN was developed by SNK CORPORATION.

SAMURAI SHODOWN has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

SAMURAI SHODOWN is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Granblue Fantasy: Versus, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV, Ultra Street Fighter IV, The King of Fighters XIV, Street Fighter V and others.