Samurai Shodown Sen

The past 12 months have seen somewhat of a renaissance in the fighting game, a trend continued with Samurai Shodown Sen . That it's urged on so vigorously is unsurprising as the title was developed by SNK, long-standing masters of the beat-'em-up genre. Sen is actually the 11th edition in an acclaimed cult series that started life in the arcades and, like its predecessors, boasts lavish, stylised visuals and intense weapon-based martial arts combat. For genre-purists, the difficulty curve may feel a little erratic, but if you're a nostalgic or curious player looking for a flavour of the rasping arcade machines of the past, Samurai Shodown Sen does a fantastic job of providing a contemporary taste of a golden era for gaming. Best played with friends, SNK's effort delivers a bold, action-heavy experience quite distinct from more mainstream beat-'em-ups. At a time when sober adventure titles still dominate the gaming charts, Samurai Shodown Sen offers a lively, pick-up-and-play alternative.