Game Reviews

Super Samurai Rampage review - A wonderful slice of hardcore arcade action

Star onStar onStar onStar onStar off
|
iOS
| Super Samurai Rampage
Get
Super Samurai Rampage review - A wonderful slice of hardcore arcade action
|
iOS
| Super Samurai Rampage

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
There's a swishing, swaggering violence to Super Samurai Rampage. It does exactly what you'd expect a game with a name like that to do, and then it does a whole lot more.

It's a swipey hack-and-slasher with some of the best pixel graphics I've seen in a good long time. And on top of that it's a ridiculous amount of compulsive fun.

There's a compulsion here to jump back into the chaos of slicing and leaping, and you'll often find that your fingers get tired before your brain does.

Sword masters

The controls here are simple. Swipe on the screen and the swordsman you're controlling will dash off in that direction for a short way, slashing his blade as he does.

You're not just tied to left and right. You can leap into the air, then dart around slicing up the bad guys who pepper you with projectiles from above.

The aim of the game is scoring points. You do that by chaining together kills. The more kills, the higher your multiplier, before you eventually burst with electricity and head off on an brief, immortal murder spree.

Everything about the game oozes class. The controls just work, and while frantic swiping with little regard for what's going on will get you so far, you'll need more precision if you want to get the best scores.

Enemies flash white when they're about to attack you. And if you're not moving when they hit you, you'll die. You can deflect projectiles as well, but again you need to be swinging your sword when they hit you or it's game over.

You feel yourself getting better with every round. You're not just getting quicker, you're getting smarter. A focus move, pulled off by pushing on the screen, let's you take a moment to aim an attack. Particularly useful against enemies in the sky.

When you get a big enough score in one level, you'll unlock the next. There are three in total, and they offer different combinations of foes for you to try and take down.

Probably the only thing lacking from the experience is some way to enhance your character. XP or coins so you could learn new moves or toughen up would be particularly welcome.

Slice to see you

Super Samurai Rampage is a lovely chunk of fast-paced, addictive arcade action. It's slick to the point of being greasy, and you can't help but smile every time you dart through one of the assailants it tosses into the path of your blade.

It's not perfect, but if you're looking for a game that's going to grab your attention from the first cut to the last, then you should definitely check it out.

Super Samurai Rampage review - A wonderful slice of hardcore arcade action

A bleeding fast, super slick hack and slash game that you should probably be playing right now
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.