SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS

Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus is a simple, frenetic and fun game that is hindered by a mediocre port. It's not a game for everyone, obviously, but if you're in this kind of gameplay and... uhm... other stuff, there's value to be found.

76%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 3,314 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

In SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS, players experience intense action and immersive storytelling as they follow the journeys of multiple factions of shinobi girls. With a focus on fast-paced combat and dramatic plot twists, this game invites players to navigate the complex relationships between rival academies and their students. As the story unfolds, players will uphold their chosen faction's ideals while battling opponents and uncovering the truth behind a dangerous conspiracy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,318 reviews

story366 positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

story
1,741 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The story in "Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it surprisingly engaging despite its heavy reliance on anime tropes and fanservice. While some appreciate the character backstories and interconnected narratives across four schools, others criticize the story for being dragged out, text-heavy, and formulaic, often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay. Overall, the narrative offers moments of depth and humor, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more serious or cohesive plot.
- “The story mode has a mountain of content, with 5 act campaigns for each of the 3 schools and unique 5 episode stories for each character.”
- “The biggest and most important reason why I love this game above the others - the story.”
- “I found myself both laughing and crying all over again whilst playing through the main story 9 years later.”
- “The story is told through short visual novels that are text-heavy, mundane, and honestly a bit forced. It's decent, I guess, by coom bait standards, with every character having a backstory/objectives and most of them interconnected with each other, which is the most interesting part about it.”
- “I find the formula very generic; almost every character has a sad backstory with some personal stuff to overcome. It gets boring, predictable, and very annoying sometimes, as it follows a novel-like structure that I personally can't stand.”
- “Before and after every mission, there's dialogue with mostly mundane stuff that gets too dragged on, with some backstory here and there.”
gameplay
811 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The gameplay of "Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus" is characterized by fast-paced, hack-and-slash mechanics reminiscent of the Dynasty Warriors series, offering a mix of offensive and defensive strategies, though many players find the defensive mechanics ineffective. While the combat can become repetitive and simplistic, it remains engaging due to the variety of characters, each with unique abilities, and the overall fun factor of the gameplay. Despite its flaws, including occasional balance issues and a reliance on button-mashing, the game is praised for its addictiveness and entertaining mechanics, making it a guilty pleasure for fans of the genre.
- “But this is easily forgiven due to the fun gameplay.”
- “What I got instead was a game with fun mechanics, lovable & strong characters, a really great plot, inspiring strength, tales of true friendship, and so much more.”
- “The gameplay can also be pretty addicting.”
- “Gameplay is pretty jarring because you're encouraged to play offensively and defensively, but the defensive mechanics they give you never really work, so you're better off just slashing like a madman.”
- “Just don't go into this game expecting a deep battle system or complex mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and easy even on hard mode, save for a few missions.”
graphics
289 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The graphics of the game, originally developed for the PS Vita, are generally considered dated and less impressive compared to newer titles, with many reviewers noting a lack of graphical polish and limited detail in environments. However, some players appreciate the anime art style and character designs, particularly the unique appearances of the various characters, which contribute to a vibrant aesthetic. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they are deemed acceptable for a handheld port, and the game runs smoothly at 1080p and 60fps on many systems.
- “The visuals are great and run a smooth 60fps at 1080p.”
- “Produced by Tamsoft Studio, I must give my sincere congratulations for the graphics, especially the various girls, each with their unique appearance and clothing design when in ninja mode, in addition to very well done physics of the clothes.”
- “Graphics are vibrant and fit the game perfectly.”
- “Old PS Vita graphics, so the environment looks bad.”
- “The graphics are sadly the weakest out of all Senran Kagura games available on Steam, but they're honestly not too bad if you force supersampling or downsampling.”
- “The story is pretty garbage, the fighting mechanics are terrible, and the graphics leave a fair amount to be desired.”
music
236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and energetic soundtrack that blends traditional Japanese instruments with modern elements, including rock and orchestral influences. While some tracks are noted as forgettable, the overall composition is described as fantastic, elevating the gameplay experience and featuring memorable themes that players enjoy. Additionally, the voice acting complements the music well, contributing to a rich audio experience that enhances the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is gigantic and full of extremely catchy and intricate hard rock tunes.”
- “The music is probably my favorite part of the series with lots of rock and dance music infused with traditional Japanese instruments and orchestral elements.”
- “In the soundtrack part we have something very interesting, with several lively and energetic songs, made by combining traditional Japanese instruments with more modern ones, in addition to the excellent and incredible work done in the voice of each of the characters in all their lines.”
- “The only problem is the fact that you forget about the music really fast because you're usually full focused on the gameplay.”
- “Despite the overall generic music, there were a few tracks during the final battles that genuinely hyped me up, and the voice acting was overall well done.”
- “The music and storyline are more than adequate but I confess I'm getting a tad bored by Japan's 'rival schools' genre.”
humor
173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many players finding the dialogue and character interactions to be genuinely funny and self-aware. While the humor often leans towards the juvenile and relies on fan service, it is described as entertaining and capable of eliciting laughter, making the overall experience enjoyable. Despite some criticisms regarding its repetitive gameplay and reliance on visual novel elements, the comedic writing and quirky character dynamics contribute significantly to its charm.
- “The overarching story itself is kinda corny but the dialogue between the characters is funny.”
- “Not only that, but it's actually funny and self-aware!”
- “The translation is the MVP, though: Xseed has done a phenomenal job infusing outrageous premises with incredibly self-aware humor.”
- “Insert generic unfunny meme #752 in a desperate attempt to appear funny so people notice me.”
- “Insert generic unfunny meme #752 in a desperate attempt to appear funny so people notice me.”
optimization
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
50%
13%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on lower-end hardware and reporting smooth gameplay at various resolutions, while others criticize it for feeling unpolished and poorly optimized compared to its predecessor, Estival Versus. Many users noted that despite some initial performance issues, the game generally runs well on a range of systems, including older machines, but there are also mentions of significant frame drops and bugs in specific scenarios. Overall, while some players found it well-optimized, others felt it lacked the refinement expected from a modern title.
- “Amazingly optimized game.”
- “The game runs very well, and I have had zero issues in terms of performance and framerate on my end, running on a rather below average laptop.”
- “The port itself works great, very optimized, without any kind of issue (and my hardware is pretty old).”
- “On a side note, this is one of the most poorly optimized games I have ever played.”
- “Now that might have happened because my PC parts are light years ahead of the recommended specs that the developers have on the Steam page, and the game hasn't been optimized for modern PC parts.”
- “Poor PC optimization, poor characterization, poor story, poor camera movement, poor character balancing.”
emotional
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its nostalgic and heartwarming feel, with many players noting the depth of character backstories that evoke genuine feelings, including moments of joy and sadness. Despite its initial appeal as an ecchi title, the game surprises players with its engaging narratives, character development, and themes of friendship, loyalty, and redemption, often leading to emotional highs and lows. Overall, it successfully combines humor and serious storytelling, creating a compelling experience that resonates with players on an emotional level.
- “Many of these stories are tragic and sometimes genuinely emotional and heartfelt.”
- “The premise is unironically pretty engaging, and the characters' backstories were emotional enough to make me tear up on a couple of occasions.”
- “Contains a truly immersive, deep and compelling plot that includes the user into the game world making strong emotional connections to all the characters and their purpose.”
character development
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
Character development in the game has been praised for its depth and emotional resonance, with each character possessing unique backstories and motivations that enhance their roles in the narrative. Players were pleasantly surprised by the level of characterization, which adds layers to the gameplay experience, making it more engaging than initially expected. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the character development is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its enjoyment and appeal.
- “The character development was a very pleasant surprise as well, with each of the girls having a backstory and a sensible reason for what they're doing.”
- “It's not for everyone, but I enjoyed ploughing through enemies and the characters are very funny and have great character development (no seriously, it's pretty in-depth with their backstories and personalities).”
- “It's nothing groundbreaking, but it had its moments, and all the characters had a decent amount of character development.”
- “That being said, it's still a functional and enjoyable game as far as the actual gameplay elements go and has more emotional moments and character development than a game like this honestly deserves.”
- “The story is a continuation of the previous Senran Kagura games, and while it might appear to be a bit carefree at the beginning, each girl actually has one or two dark details from their past, as well as having different reasons for becoming shinobis, different moral codes, etc. There is also some character development for each heroine, and a lot of them are related to each other in ways you wouldn't even expect.”
grinding
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
8%
89%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly time-consuming, often requiring multiple playthroughs to achieve completionist goals. While some appreciate the simplicity of grinding for levels and achievements, many feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to repetitive gameplay and a lack of challenge. Overall, grinding is seen as a necessary chore rather than an engaging part of the experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The combat and levels sound nice on paper, but the way they play out is overly tedious and repetitive at best.”
- “Grinding is easy and simplistic; levels are small and lacking variety. It's so brain-dead that you'll quit playing to look for something with actual challenge and balance.”
- “It can overuse exploration at times, which makes certain missions more tedious as you have to hack through tons of fodder in multiple areas before being able to fight someone important.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
71%
12%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers multiple schools and story paths that enhance replay value, some players find the content limited, particularly due to a lack of engaging multiplayer options. Many appreciate the unlockables and challenges like hard mode, but others note that the experience can become repetitive, leading to varying opinions on its overall replayability.
- “This game does let you play 4 different schools, so the replay value is quite high.”
- “Awesome action adventure game with multiple story paths and tons of replayability.”
- “In terms of replay value, it is good, with a lot of content.”
- “Content-wise, there's only the story and the 'shinobi girls hearts' side missions, which is relatively enough but poor replay value.”
- “Doesn't have much replayability due to dead multiplayer though.”
- “It does not have a lot of replay value; it does have hard mode and the previously mentioned shinobi girls' heart, but that is about it honestly.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many users reporting bugs and glitches, particularly related to clothing and character models, as well as occasional crashes during startup and battles. However, several players noted that the game runs smoothly at a solid 60 fps and supports high resolutions, with only minor visual issues present. Overall, while not completely bug-free, the game is generally considered stable and enjoyable, with many reviewers expressing satisfaction with its performance.
- “The game runs great, solid 60 fps and it supports 2560x1440 resolution out of the box.”
- “Overall 8/10, could be higher with a little more detail but glad they didn't, game runs great.”
- “(It could be a me problem. Who knows) but the only thing that matters is the gameplay and how it runs and feels, and it runs great at a steady 60 fps.”
- “The biggest problem I have to point out are the bugs and glitches in the game.”
- “This one is buggy with DX12 and crashes during startup.”
- “9 out of 10 good game, bad glitches and crashes though beware of that dressing room is buggy and battles tend to crash because of weird touchpad issues.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Users feel that while the atmosphere is essential for understanding the story and dynamics of the game, certain parts can disrupt the immersion for seasoned players who may choose to skip them. This suggests a divide between newcomers needing context and veterans finding some elements detracting from the overall atmosphere.
- “For me, it kinda breaks the atmosphere.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization in One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 is criticized as being exploitative, with players labeling it a "shameful cash grab" despite the game offering more combo options.
- “One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 has more combo options, but it's also a shameful cash grab.”