Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku
We take a look at what SEGA has in store for the future of Bushido.
Tags: Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku Categories: Game Cube Previews, PS2 Previews, Previews
Posted by Mark "MadMup" Zwolanek on Mar 22nd, 2004
In August 2001, Cartoon Network premiered a cartoon unlike anything seen before. Samurai Jack’s visual style and storytelling style were distinctive and intriguing, and there was enough action to satisfy even anime fans.
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When an evil shapeshifter named Aku brings evil upon the land, one village sends a young man to “The Ancient Master” to learn how to defeat Aku. When the young man completed his training, he returned to face Aku, but the shapeshifter banished him to the distant future. In this distant future, a future shaped by the evil Aku’s rule, the young samurai is named Jack, and he travels the land in search of a time portal to return to the past to face Aku and wipe out his evil reign. Along his journey he helps those in need and battles the minions of Aku. With episode descriptions like “When Jack has his sword and clothing stolen, he must give chase to the white rabbit who took them while trying to conceal his nudity” (Episode 24), it is easy to see why the show’s unique style has gathered a large audience.
Now, for the first time, fans will have the chance to play as Samurai Jack in the upcoming Sega game Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku. Sega has chosen to bring Jack into a third-person action-adventure game, along with several of the characters and environments from the cartoon.
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The game takes place across 24 levels in four areas, from a bustling city to a sprawling mountainside. Not only will Jack have to face the flame-eyebrowed Aku (in several forms), but he will also face The Scotsman (a giant sword-wielding brute with a machine gun for a leg), Mad Jack (an evil version of Jack himself), and innumerable robot drones, wood kami, and flying termites. Along the way, Jack must also free captured locals and search for sushi to replenish his health. The environment is interactive, allowing for all manner of destruction.
Of course Jack’s main weapon is his samurai sword, but it has three different variations that can be earned: Fire, Crystal, and Electric. Different enemies will be more or less susceptible to each variation, so it is up to the player to find the best combination in each situation. He can also use his sword defensively, causing projectile attacks to be sent back to the attacker. Jack also has throwing stars and a bow with arrows for long distance attacks.
Jack also has a variety of moves at his disposal. Along with the expected running, jumping and ladder-climbing, Jack will also be able to quickly dodge attacks with a barrel roll, cartwheel behind the enemy quickly, and launch several mid-air attacks.
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Vanquished enemies will fill Jack’s Zen meter, which, when full, will allow him to pull off “sakai attack mode,” which slows the enemies and the environment down, allowing Jack to perform incredible attacks. Special moves include “windmill attack” and “tornado swipe,” good for dispatching a large number of enemies that surround you, and the “cobra chop” and “barrel roll” good for hitting an enemy several times in one fantastic move.
The game looks like it will do an excellent job of keeping the feel of the cartoon while bringing it into three dimensions. Characters and environments are easily identifiable, and fans should have a blast playing as their favorite cartoon samurai. While it remains to be seen if Sega has conquered the two most common problems with third-person action titles (the camera and repetitive gameplay), it certainly looks like they are off to a good start by remaining true to the source material.
Gamecube and PS2 owners can look for this game at the end of March. Xbox owners will have to wait a little while longer, as Sega has announced they will be waiting to see how the title does before making a decision about the XBox release.
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Tags: Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku
Posted by Mark "MadMup" Zwolanek on Mar 22nd, 2004 and is filed under Game Cube Previews, PS2 Previews, Previews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
