Shin Samurai Jazz

About

Shin Samurai Jazz is a single player hack and slash game. It was developed by Blaze Epic and was released on March 16, 2015. It received neutral reviews from players.

Shin Samurai Jazz is a platform-adventure game. It combines the likes of film noir and samurai cinema, presenting them with 8-bit graphics, an electro-jazz soundtrack, and a comic/manga-like style creating a unique atmosphere. Unlike it's predecessor, samurai_jazz, Shin Samurai Jazz features jumping mechanics inspired by chuunori, an old technique used in kabuki theatre to give the illusion of fl…

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Single-Player

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58%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

music10 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The soundtrack is highly praised with fitting jazz-inspired music that enhances the game's atmosphere.
The platforming mechanics are challenging and satisfying once mastered, offering precise double jumps, dashes, and wall climbing.
The game pays homage to retro 8-bit and NES-era platformers with a distinctive noir samurai theme and aesthetic that some players find charming.

Combat is overly simplistic, relying mostly on one-button attacks and parries, leading to repetitive and unstimulating encounters including unchallenging boss fights.
Controls feel stiff or awkward for many players, with some bugs or unclear mechanics affecting platforming precision and combat fluidity.
Level and enemy design can be tedious, including frequent enemy respawns, repetitive backtracking, and spike-based platforming sections that frustrate due to difficulty spikes and occasional poor level layout.

music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
53%
11%
The music in the game receives mixed but generally positive feedback, praised for its jazz-inspired, mellow, and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the game's noir and retro vibe. While some find the music relaxing, distinctive, and evocative of classic styles, others criticize it as generic or overly repetitive elevator music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout aspect that adds charm despite shortcomings in gameplay.
- “The world of Shin Samurai Jazz is a noir pulp novel steeped in jazz age chic, with a rather Moby-esque low-key electrojazz soundtrack that anchors one in tones of rainy streets at night, distant music and laughter, secrets and mysteries.”
- “The soundtrack is great, with some really nice loops and smooth beats.”
- “The music is great and very relaxing.”
- “The music in the game ranges from being so generic you don’t even notice it, to being weird and unpleasant to listen to.”
- “It certainly has a very definite style, but it's mostly elevator music.”
- “It's just background elevator music...”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay features a shift from side-scrolling beat-em-up to a challenging platformer with mixed reception: while some enjoy the fun mechanics and atmospheric feel, others find the controls awkward, timing frustrating, and gameplay repetitive or shallow. Issues with jump mechanics and a lack of depth detract from enjoyment for some players, despite praise for style and ambiance. Overall, it offers an interesting but sometimes uneven experience.
- “Regarding the gameplay, the beginning is easy, but gets a bit tricky after as you need to master this tricky jump which took a little bit to understand, but it's still quite tricky to do.”
- “The mechanics in the controls for platforming are a lot of fun.”
- “Ironically enough, this switch in gameplay mechanics actually works for the better when compared to its predecessor: you won't accidentally access some areas by mistake and there aren't that many issues caused by perspective, since you only go right, left, and jump.”
- “The combat mechanics feel awkward and unnatural.”
- “The big letdown here is that Shin Samurai Jazz is not a side-scrolling beat-em-up like the previous game, but a Meat Boy style platformer with some beat-em-up mechanics.”
- “Game looks stylish but gameplay is boring and animations are horrible.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
56%
22%
The story is generally viewed as minimal, vague, or merely a basic framework to connect repetitive fetch quests and gameplay sections, with many players finding it confusing, underdeveloped, or lacking meaningful purpose. Some appreciate small story elements and atmosphere, but overall, the narrative fails to engage or clarify the game's odd or retro-inspired world. Critics often note that poor combat and controls overshadow whatever story is present, resulting in a less satisfying experience.
- “It's a mix of NES retro game, Yokai detective story, Bruce Lee (C64), and Super Meat Boy.”
- “I liked the achievements for fewer deaths, having bosses at points other than just the end of the game, and a little more story to explain some of the weirdness.”
- “I love it, the feel, the story, the action.”
- “The game has no story or purpose.”
- “The story is simply an excuse to get you from place to place, doing the same things over and over again.”
- “As an adventure, the quests are rather linear, the map is small, and dialogue is minimal.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's graphics embrace a deliberately retro, pixelated art style reminiscent of NES or SNES titles, which suits the game's aesthetic but may not appeal to everyone. While some appreciate the nostalgic and cohesive design, others find the visuals reused, bland, and lacking modern graphical options or customization. Overall, the graphics strongly cater to fans of classic 8-bit platformers.
- “The art style might not be for everyone but it fits very well.”
- “It didn't simply take the aesthetic of older games (which it did perfectly), but instead designed the game to feel like something you might have gotten from the NES or SNES.”
- “The graphics are attractively retro - I liked the art style.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The presentation kind of sucks; the visuals are all reused from the first game, and everything looks very samey and kind of bland.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The atmosphere is widely praised for its unique, chill, and mood-enhancing vibe that balances well with active gameplay. It effectively captures a distinctive blend of mellow jazz elements and samurai themes, creating a compelling and varied experience that stands out within the series. Many players find it both soothing and engaging, making it a memorable and fitting complement to the game's action.
- “I like to play this game when I'm feeling sad or anxious; the chill atmosphere combined with the active gameplay really helps reboot my mood.”
- “The atmosphere drips, and the mix of goons and yokai, each with distinct combat styles, keeps fights interesting and varied.”
- “Shin Samurai Jazz remains my favorite for its compelling atmosphere and flavor, along with a versatile and mood-reinforcing moveset.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and repetitive, especially due to frequent backtracking through an overworld hub filled with enemies that can easily damage the player. While not overly difficult, the combination of dull combat and precise platforming sections contributes to a frustrating and tiresome experience.
- “This makes getting through the game extremely tedious as there is a sort of overworld hub you have to go through multiple times and you just want to jump past the enemies without fighting them because it's so dull but they will get some cheap hits in and kill you.”
- “Especially after completing those more tedious levels.”
- “It's a short but tedious operation.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional experience is marked by frustration due to unexpected and seemingly unfair damage from simply touching enemies, leading to frequent accidental deaths rather than challenge from actual attacks.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Monetization is often seen as geared towards producing retro pixel games that feel like cash grabs, with many titles created using Gamemaker Studio targeting quick profits rather than quality.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report stability issues including buggy controls and frustrating enemy respawns, indicating the game needs an update to address these problems.