Samurai Jack is a cartoon series that comes in strong, ends, rests for a bit, then comes back every few years. That’s not a complaint as the series is amazing and one of the best-animated shows on cable when it airs. Its intense action and the incredible story still warrant a rewatch from time to time. For the uninitiated, Samurai Jack follows the tale of Jack, who is gifted a magical sword. The evil Aku decides the best way to avoid defeat is to send Jack fifty years into a dystopian future, starting on a hero’s journey trying to find his way back to defeat Aku.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time follows a similar plot to the series. You play as Jack who was sent into the future and need to find and stop Aku. The biggest difference between this and the series is that in the game, you know your friends and allies. You don’t have to know the entire story of Samurai Jack to enjoy the game, but it will enhance the experience if you are already a fan. The game starts using the original 4:3 animation of the TV show which just adds to the already wonderful aesthetic to the game. The original voice cast is back reprising their roles so any cutscenes or interactions are met with wonderfully acted voices.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a 3D hack-and-slash game that relies incredibly heavily on combat and exploration. As you progress through and encounter enemies you build skills and train, just like any good samurai. The level design is a mix of slightly open world and side-scrolling action. It’s presented in such a way that it breaks up the game in a welcome manner and feels fresh and not repetitive. The 3D style completely adds to the game and, much like the television series, the cinematography during cutscenes is incredible. Intense close-ups and slowed down action sequences keep true to the show and continue to add to this already gorgeous-looking experience. There are plenty of secrets hidden in the levels to make you want to keep searching without feeling too tedious. It’s also a smart way to show off how expansive the levels are.
The thing that really makes this game stand apart from other hack-and-slash titles is its robust combat. Heavy weapons, swords, and ranged weapons are all at your disposal. Each weapon plays differently and some weapons are better suited to some situations than others. It’s another way the game really makes it feel like how you play matters. As you progress you can build up skills and really focus on how you want to play. Combos? Defensive? Ranged? You can create the ultimate warrior in your quest. The combat is smooth and intuitive. If you’ve played a bunch of hack-and-slash games the controls will easily feel recognizable. It’s a game with a combat and control system build on nostalgia.
One of the things that Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time does really well is the boss fights. Each boss feels challenging without feeling overpowered. It’s a nice touch that doesn’t make the boss fight seem impossible, but just hard enough to make you strategize the best way to win.
The atmospheric music and sound to this game really stand out as it shows how big and how different the world is surrounding you. Hearing a tune change when interacting with characters from the show is a subtle touch that comes across and I am a huge fan of it. There’s something awesome about approaching The Scotsman or his daughters and hearing bagpipes in the background. As mentioned before, the original voice cast of the show is back so the voice acting is just another wonderful thing about this all-in-one Samurai Jack experience.
If you’re a fan of the show, a fan of hack-and-slash games, and a fan of games with robust combat, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is the game for you. Don’t sleep on this one for 50 years.
