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We have been spoiled with scrolling beat’em ups and slash’em ups lately on our Switch, so checking out Samurai Riot Definitive Edition was high on our list!

The first thing that struck us when playing Samurai Riot was its Golden Axe play and feel, which isn’t a bad comparison at all. Going by the gorgeous visuals, one would argue that we are on some illicit substance obscuring our brain by comparing this game to Sega’s classic slash’em up. On visuals alone, you may have a point, but immersing yourself in playing the game, it does feel like its Sega forebear.

Samurai Riot is one darn slick with great challenging game for those of us that like to beat and slash some really bad guys. Oh yeah, grabbing a weapon is customary in games like this, so once it’s in your hands you can really go for the kill. Samurai Riot Definitive Edition launched back in 2017, so us Nintendo Switch owners have had to wait for a while, but it was totally worth it. This Definitive Edition sports gorgeous new animations at 60fps, new dialogs, improved combos to make it easier for average players and the new updated backgrounds round off a great gaming package.

We usually don’t care about the backstory to a beat’em up/slash’em up, but this one did pique our interest. The story compels the player to really think about their decisions in game and the ramifications of their choices. Having been hired to bring peace and tranquillity to the warring land, each choice you make as a Samurai, Tsurumaru / Sukane, will have an influence on your destiny and, with an arsenal of deadly attacks at your disposal, the fight to make it through each battle will require guile, skill and forethought!

Playing solo is good fun, but playing with a friend in co-op mode elevates this to darn great fun! Samurai Riot offers a plethora of choices and features including both solo and cooperative play, where the story immerses both players equally, with a multi-branching storyline, complete with eight different endings. Conversely, you could enter a PVP fight against your partner to win the lead! The more you play, the more you accumulate points to unlock new fighting schools for better replay value.

Like any game in this genre, this one is easy to pick up and play, but quite difficult to master. Samurai Riot Definitive Edition rewards the more demanding gamer with deeper content. Players can choose from 14 fighting schools (lots of replay value here!) that add an abundance of gameplay variation to the character’s moves and the devastation they can unleash upon their enemies. Hound Picked Games, together with Wako Factory, a French indie development studio, have done an amazing job on Samurai Riot Definitive Edition! This is a delightful 2D scrolling arcade beat’em up game that is fun to play solo or co-op.

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