The Cartoon Network animated series Afro Samurai has arrived onto the console scene in the form of a action game for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  The game plays very much like the PS2 era Shinobi games rather than either of the Ninja Gaiden games.  While the Ninja Gaiden games can be satisfying when you master them the ease of both Shinobi and Afro Samurai allow you to use your sword and focused attacks to destroy your enemies while still being able to have a good time.  It’s befitting that Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role from the animated series because you definitely feel like one badass motherfu(ok you get the idea) when playing the Afro Samurai Game.

It’s almost like poetry in motion when you get into a rhythm while fighting the hordes of ninjas and thugs you’re put against in the Afro Samurai demo.  The art style is shaded almost like a graphic novel and has super saturated colors that make the gushes of blood that come out of your enemies look like the old kung fu movies from the 70s.  The simple yet deep controls make moving through the environments a fluid dance as you hop from one enemy to another.

The Afro Samurai demo does a great job of showing how visceral of an experience the game can be and stops at a climatic moment leaving you wanting more.  I was curious about this title prior to getting my hands on the Xbox 360 demo and now that I’ve had a taste I definitely plan to get my hands on a retail copy to see how the full Afro Samurai adventure plays out.

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