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There’s a great and easily understandable logic behind each of Samurai Shodown’s four buttons: light attacks and kicks are quick and can interrupt slower attacks, medium attacks generally have long reach and can serve as great pokes in the neutral, and heavy attacks are huge, slow swings that deal appropriately massive damage but also come with a significant risk.
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Back to Basicsĭespite the graphical facelift, not much has changed in the decade since the last Samurai Shodown with regards to the basics of combat. Nuances like the best times to deflect, when to spot dodge, when to trigger rage explosions, when to use Lightning Blade attacks, and when to close your eyes, cross your fingers, and use a Darli Dagger punch to pull a victory out of thin air are all part of the mix. This level of simplicity definitely has its appeal, and Samurai Shodown strikes a good balance between approachability and deeper mechanics that helps separate those who just mash special and heavy attacks from those who take the time to learn. Instead, it strips all of that away, leaving a game that is laser focused on careful positioning, reading your opponent, and brutally punishing their mistakes. Samurai Shodown finds itself on the fighting game spectrum somewhere in between Street Fighter and Divekick, meaning it’s not about combos, juggles, block strings, frame traps, or other high-level fighting game techniques.