Inside Hotwire 3D

While prowling for the next fighting game, we stumble upon Namco’s upcoming highly stylized action title for the Xbox 360 called Afro Samurai. The game is set in feudal Japan and the fighting sequence will be headed by lots of slicing action, copious amounts of blood, and colorful commentary by Samuel L. Jackson. At its core, Afro Samurai is a button masher, with unlockable combos and discoverable special moves such as Hardwood Thrust and Pimp Hand to name a few. Using the left trigger, you can enter “focus mode” where Afro can charge up his katana and dismember with deadly precision. During this mode, a line will appear to provide additional slicing methods; you can either cut the person right between his eyes or choose to slash a chunk of his limb. The amount of blood on your clothes will point out how much damage you have taken. The same goes for your opponent’s health.

During the finishing blow, the sound of gushing liquid will measure whether or not you did a good job. As usual, the more blood the better. The game also features some light platforming adventures and these include running wall jumps and acrobatic moves. In terms of visual presentation, Afro Samurai blends modern hip hop and technology with traditional Japanese culture into a brutally fresh cinematic experience. The incredible striking sequence gives Afro Samurai a truly unique feel across remarkably animated environments as he wages war against his adversaries to become the ultimate Samurai. You might be surprised that Afro Samurai is not all about gore and violence but it includes a good storyline on love, loss, revenge, and betrayal. Namco promises to deliver an episodic experience with addictive, immersive and compelling gameplay that’s literally dripping in style.