Afro Samurai (video game)
| Afro Samurai | |
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| Developer(s) | Namco Bandai Games |
| Publisher(s) | Surge |
| Composer(s) | RZA |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| Release date(s) |
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‹See Tfd›
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| Genre(s) | Action,[1] hack and slash |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Afro Samurai is a video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, loosely based on the manga and anime series of the same name. It was announced in the February 2008 issue of Play magazine[2] and released on January 27, 2009.[3] The game was developed by Namco Bandai Games[4] and is the first game published under their western label, Surge.
Gameplay
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Afro Samurai is a 3D brawler with platforming elements. Using light hits, power hits, kicks, and blocks the player fights various enemies. Most levels culminate in a boss fight, and in-engine cutscenes advance the story.
The game features a cel-shaded animation style. Though it is a hack and slash game, the "fighting is a bit more strategic" and the player is able to block and use combos. The enemies will respond by rolling, ducking and hopping over the player's blade and occasionally using body orifices to catch the weapons, the combat system was worked on by Monty Oum.
Plot
Gianluca's cousin said that the one who becomes "Number One" will rule the world, wielding powers akin to a god. Someone becomes Number One by killing the previous Number One and taking his ceremonial headband. However, only the "Number Two" is allowed to challenge the Number One. Because of this, few people ever reach the Number One because the Number Two headband is constantly changing owners. Afro's father was the old Number One, until he was brutally killed by a gunman named Justice, an event witnessed by Afro as a child. Now an adult, Afro Samurai is the current Number Two and a master swordsman; he travels the road seeking revenge on Justice. Lengthy flashbacks interspersed throughout the story detail how Afro rose from frightened boy fleeing the death of his father, to master swordsman, and eventually to become the current "Number Two", while the story in the present deals with the adult Afro making his way to the mountain top keep of the "Number One" to duel Justice, while at the same time the mysterious cult known as the Empty Seven Clan sends various agents to kill Afro and take his Number Two headband.
Development
Voice acting
All of the main characters are voiced by the same actors as in the anime. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn served as the voice director for the game.
Music
Hip hop producer RZA is credited as music director, but due to time constraints, he was unable to contribute fully. Instead he told the team how he went about scoring Afro Samurai, and put them in contact with various individuals to assist them in delivering a sound similar to what he created for the anime. He did, however, send the team a couple of tracks to use in the game.
Downloadable content
The game's credits reveal that Namco Bandai commissioned a TV screenwriter, Peter Saji, to produce a storyline for a downloadable episode. In an interview, Saji admitted that multiple downloadable episodes are in production, but could not provide a release date.[5]
Reception
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The game was given moderate reviews, resulting in the Metacritic score of 65. Namco Bandai posted on its fiscal year report that the game sold 420,000 copies across all platforms in the US and Europe.[17]
Sequel
An episodic sequel was announced in June 2015, called Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma.[18] Volume 1 was released on PlayStation 4, and PC on September 22, 2015 and the Xbox One on October 8, 2015. In November 2015, the game was removed from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace and Steam and volumes 2 and 3 were cancelled due to poor reception.[19]
References
- ↑ "Afro Samurai Page". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ↑ "Latest Anime Game: Afro Samurai". Xbox 360 Fanboy. 2008-02-19. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ↑ "Afro Samurai Stalls to January 27". Gamespot. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
- ↑ "IGN: Afro Samurai by Namco Bandai". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ↑ ""Afro Samurai" DLC Revealed by Credit Reel -- Will Span Multiple Episodes". GameCyte. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
- ↑ "Afro Samurai for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ Haywald, Justin (2009-01-27). "Afro Samurai Review for 360, PS3 from". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ Matt Miller. "Blood and Steel". Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
- ↑ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 2011-06-07. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ "Afro Samurai Review". GameSpot.com. 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20090206164944/http://ps3.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r34690.htm. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2009. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ var authorId = "78864510" by Greg Miller. "Afro Samurai Review - PlayStation 3 Review at IGN". Ps3.ign.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ http://www.oxmonline.com/article/reviews/xbox-360/a-f/afro-samurai
- ↑ Vinson, Dana (2009-01-30). "Afro Samurai Review for Xbox 360". G4tv. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ ZTGD. "Afro Samurai | PlayStation 3 | ZTGD". Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ "Afro Samurai (Xbox 360/PS3) Review - Extreme Gamer". Extremegamer.ca. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
- ↑ Alexander, Leigh (August 4, 2009). "Namco Bandai Sees Loss As Afro Samurai Tops Sales". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
- ↑ Campbell, Colin (June 12, 2015). "Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma story trailer sets the stage for revenge". Retrieved July 1, 2015.
- ↑ Biordi, Jordan (19 November 2015). "Versus Evil Explains the Disappearance of Afro Samurai 2". Comics Gaming Magazine. Retrieved 20 November 2015.