Afro Samurai isn't groundbreaking, but will please fans.
Afro Samurai is a super violent action game based on the just as violent anime series of the same name. Admittedly, I
was not very familiar with the source material for Afro Samurai prior to picking the game up. However, I felt it a disservice to the game if I didn’t at least arm myself with bit more knowledge. So I at down and decided to see just what all the fuss was about, and I’m glad I did. Not only is the anime well worth watching, but being familiar with the series will most certainly enhance your experience with the game.
Afro Samurai’s story revolves around an afro-haired samurai named well, Afro, who is on a quest for revenge after his father is killed in front of him by a man named Justice. Unfortunately for Afro, going after Justice isn’t quite so cut and dry, because Justice is the owner of the ceremonial “Number One” headband, a headband that once belonged to Afro’s father until Justice killed him and took it. The only way Afro can challenge Justice for the headband and get his revenge is to find the owner of the “Number Two” headband.
The first thing you will notice about Afro Samurai is the striking cel-shaded visuals that are coupled with a kind of hand drawn style. Combined with slick animation, you have a visual style that is very evocative of the series. Blood and purple android juice flow by the gallon. Heads, arms, and legs fly through the air as Afro’s sword removes them from their owner.
The gameplay of Afro Samurai is pretty straightforward. A fairly deep combo system is used to slice and dice through hordes of enemies of both the human and android variety. A bullet time-like ability called Focus is also a part of your arsenal, allowing Afro to slow down the action and take aim for specific body parts. As the game progresses, you’ll unlock new combos and moves within Focus mode, keeping the combat about as fresh as it needs to be. Of course, the game isn’t all hack-n-slash, as the game throws several platforming segments at you to mix up the action. Afro does his best Prince of Persia impression, running and jumping along walls to get to hard to reach areas. While I normally appreciate any effort to break up the monotony of the typical action game, these portions of the game are hindered by both poor controls and an abysmal camera system. Boss fights carry a similar frustration, removing all of the fun, visceral combat from the game and forcing you into predictable “block, dodge, attack” patterns. To make matters worse, most boss fights are preceded by the aforementioned platforming bits.
One of Afro Samurai’s highest points is its audio. The game features voice work from Samuel L. Jackson, playing dual roles as both Afro and Afro’s imaginary companion Ninja Ninja. Kelly Hu and Ron Pearlman also reprise their roles from the series - Hu as Okiku, the closest thing to a love interest in the story, and Pearlman as the antagonist, Justice. The RZA, who scored the Afro Samurai series, returns to contribute to the game as well, although due to scheduling conflicts, much of the music was done by other artists under his direction.
Afro Samurai is not bad game by any means, and there is a lot to love if you’re a fan of the series. It just has the misfortune of showcasing all its most glaring flaws within large chunks of the gameplay, ensuring you’ll have to suffer quite a bit before you get back to the fun of chopping dudes in half.
