Samurai Shodown is one of the pioneers when it comes to weapon-based titles that have been satisfying our fighting needs since 1993. The latest in the franchise is the Samurai Shodown which was originally released on previous-gen consoles in 2019 and last year on PC as well. This time around, SNK Corporation has now finally released the game on Xbox Series X\S thus bringing it to next-gen consoles as well. This is our review of Samurai Shodown on the Xbox Series X in which we battle it out on some of the prettiest levels ever featured in a fighting game.
Before I begin with the review, if you have not noticed yet, this is a comparative review which means that I will be comparing the next-gen release of Samurai Shodown with the Xbox One release. I will not be going into a lot of details here however if you want to read a detailed review of Samurai Shodown, make sure that you check out our PC review of Samurai Shodown. We will be discussing the next-gen features of Xbox Series X in this review and how the game used the power of next-gen consoles to bring out its best form.
The main highlight of Samurai Shodown on the Xbox Series X is the blistering fast framerates that the game offers. Despite most titles touching 60 frames, Samurai Shodown is giving 120 FPS which is probably the highest for any fighting game that is currently available on the next-gen platforms. This is almost the double of 60 FPS that most games are currently touching on the console. This massive framerate means that the gameplay is even smoother and rarely feels laggy no matter how much action is happening on the screen at the same time. These higher frames are also accompanied by 4K resolution and enhanced visuals that really bring out the beauty of each of the levels in the game.
I have always loved the level design in Samurai Shodown and to this date, I consider them some of the best level designs in any fighting game. All of the levels really come out looking their best on the Xbox Series X with fluid animations on higher frames and 4K visuals. This crispy visual treat also applies to the explosive combat of Samurai Shodown as well as you continue to dish out the pain to your enemies. While the gameplay is exactly the same as that of the Xbox One X version of the game, the higher frames make it look even more precise and you will notice the difference right during your first match of the game.
One of the things that I was really looking forward to was the loading times of the game however they turned out to be a disappointment on the Xbox Series X as well. Although it might come as a surprise but for me, the Xbox Series X version was loading much quickly as compared to my PC version but still, they were longer than expected. My PC is no slouch either with a Ryzen 3700X, 32 GB 3600 MHZ DDR4 Ram with the game installed in a TEAMGROUP T-FORCE Cardea II NVMe but still my Xbox Series X was loading the game much more quickly than the PC version. It shows that the Series X release is more optimized than the PC release that I reviewed last year.
Samurai Shodown also comes with Smart Delivery which means that you do not have to purchase the game again if you already own it on Xbox One. All previous purchases upgrade free to the next-gen platforms so if you own the game already, you already set to experience the most-definitive edition of the game on your brand-new Xbox Series X with 4K and 120 FPS. One thing that I did not like was that despite the DLC already available previously for the game, the developers decided not to include them in the next-gen re-release.
Most of the next-gen re-releases come with their DLC already included in the game however that is not the case here. However, if you already own the DLC, you will be able to access it on the next-gen as well. Samurai Shodown’s DLC characters are an excellent addition to the game and they have almost doubled the number of characters that you can fight with in the game as compared to when the game was launched last year. SNK also has additional DLC characters incoming for the game so the roster is only going to increase, further increasing the value of your next-gen purchase.
Samurai Shodown is currently my favorite fighting game on the Xbox Series X because it not only features an excellent combat system and the weapons in the game are extremely satisfying to use, it is also the smoothest fighting game on the console. It means that every command you send to the game is executed instantly and there is zero lag when it comes to gameplay. It is certainly an excellent addition to the Xbox Series X\S’s catalog of titles and one that has a certain nostalgic factor attached to it as well.
Final Verdict:
Samurai Shodown gets the benefit of being one of the earliest titles on the next-gen titles including the Xbox Series X. It also brings crisp 4K visuals and a silky smooth 120 FPS gameplay which is ideal for a fighting title. The gameplay is extremely smooth and is feels smoother than any other fighting game that I have played on the Xbox Series X. If you already own the title on Xbox One, you are all set for the Series X version as you will upgrade automatically to the Series X but if you have to purchase the game yet, and have a Series X, I will highly recommend that you go for it. The game offers solid weapon-based combat that discourages button mashing and a brilliant set of characters with amazing level design. Highly recommended for the Xbox Series X|S consoles.
Final Score: 7.5/10
