It’s hard to believe there was a time when Mortal Kombat sparked a controversy. Compared to the violent content (plus nudity and cursing) of Afro Samurai, Ed Boon’s 2D fighter seems very tame. This new hack-n-slash game, brought to us by Namco Bandai’s new Surge label, is not unlike the Splatterhouse franchise they plan to revive. It’s gory, vigorous and definitely wasn’t made for a young audience.

But is it fun? That depends on your preference (or tolerance) for action games that take the hack-n-slash route. Afro Samurai will impress many players with its immense display of surreal animations. Combining the best of Tekken and Devil May Cry (with a little Kill Bill thrown in for good measure), Afro Samurai has what it takes to make you crack a smile. But be warned: like every game of this kind, repetition is unavoidable.

Friday the 14th

Afro Samurai is like a horror flick for bad dudes everywhere. Tormented by his father’s death and ruled by the vengeance he seeks, Afro isn’t hoping to arrest the man who killed his dad. He simply wants to kill him. If other men – hundreds of them – must fall in the process, then so be it.

That isn’t much of a background, but that’s about all you get at the onset of Afro’s journey. The game will periodically introduce new tidbits, usually from the squawking Ninja Ninja or from a friend or foe itching to get a few things off his chest.

They Were Going for “Cinematic”

There’s no question that movies played a major role in Afro Samurai’s development. The way Afro swings his arms, gracefully (yet forcefully) thrusting his sword forward, seamlessly twisting and turning his body to move from one combo to the next as if they were all a part of one continuous chain – it’s a sight you just don’t see in video games. Devil May Cry 4 and Ninja Gaiden are close competitors, but Afro’s animations are significantly different. You wouldn’t look at this game and think it’s a clone. Aesthetically, the developers have done a stellar job.

Corresponding with the movie-inspired animations is a complete lack of on-screen game data. No health information, no combo tabulations, nothing at all. Health is indicated by the sound of Afro’s heartbeat (its beat increases as he takes damage). Upon death, both Afro and his enemies appear to be glowing red. The game isn’t very good at explaining this – I was initially under the impression that the blood that splatters across the screen was more than just eye candy. It isn’t.

Beyond his impeccable skills with a sword, Afro has just one special ability: Focus. Using this power (indicated on screen by nothing more than a glowing pendant), Afro can slow down time. While not an original development in game design, the black and white coloring and slow-motion assassinations are a nice shift back into cinematic inspiration. Focus can be used any time it’s available by pressing the R1 button. However, if you let it fill completely, Afro can unleash Overfocus, which lets him kill enemies with just one hit.

As an added bonus, Body Part Poker – a mini-event tied to Afro’s executions – gives you the chance to enhance your health and Focus power. Precise cuts are necessary, as you’ll need to take off an arm, leg or head of three specific enemies in order to win.

Every few dozen kills or so, the game announces that Afro’s level has risen. This is the only sign of Afro’s growth since the game does not use physical EXP or any other point system to show your progress. It says in the manual that “Afro’s pendant will sparkle red when experience has been received,” but the action is often too frantic to notice. Even so, the whole process seems automatic – it’s not like you can avoid EXP since it is awarded for killing enemies, an act that cannot be avoided. Invisible walls prevent you from progressing through each area until every enemy has been eliminated, all but guaranteeing that Afro will evolve at the game’s desired pace – not at the pace of the player.

No MapQuest Required

By pressing down on the D-pad, Ninja Ninja will appear to show Afro the way. Though this feature is necessary in a couple areas (more than a couple if you count the hard-to-see, poorly-marked doorways), Afro Samurai is far from an adventure game. You’ll spend 90% of the time battling, 7% platform-hopping (a low-quality version of Prince of Persia’s wall run), and 3% viewing story sequences that cannot be skipped.

That 90% is a mixture of awesome moments – most notably the first hour of play – and boring/frustrating scenarios, which occur primarily toward the end of the game. The thing that’s most troubling is that the thrill and excitement you get from seeing Afro perform his many moves (and knowing that you’re the one controlling them) is as good as the game gets. And that excitement comes instantly. So by the time you’ve reached the fourth boss, Afro Samurai becomes somewhat of a, “Yeah, so what else is new?” experience.

Gameplay: 6.9
Afro Samurai must live at the corner of Repeat and Button-Mash. It can be a thrilling game at time, one that will no doubt make you glad you played it, but is also fully capable of boring players with its single-mission format that goes nowhere after the first stage.

Graphics: 8.0
There isn't much to look at in terms of facial expressions or background beauty, but the battle animations are very impressive and are incredibly cool.

Sound: 7.0
Catchy, battle-fueled music is the highlight of Afro Samurai's sound.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Though a cheap and frustrating game at times, Afro Samurai does not provide a deep challenge.

Concept: 6.5
Despite featuring some of this generation's best animations, Afro Samurai is, by all accounts, just another hack-n-slash release.

Overall: 6.9
Initially a jaw-dropper but quickly a repetitive action game ruled by hack-n-slash mechanics, Afro Samurai is worth playing but does not warrant more than a rental.