Samurai II: Vengeance

Unlike most games in this collection, Samurai II: Vengeance is still sold on Google Play, priced at 99 cents and included free with a Play Pass subscription. Madfinger Games first released it on iOS in October 2010, and in February 2011 it became one of the first Android games built for Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 chip, running at 60 frames per second on those devices. A version for other Android phones followed on June 24, 2011.

What Is Samurai II: Vengeance

It is a cel-shaded hack-and-slash game and the sequel to Samurai: Way of the Warrior. You play Daisuke, a samurai hunting his enemy Orochi, and the journey moves through a seafaring village, a mountain outpost, a giant flying fortress and the Isle of the Dead. Along the way Daisuke learns that Orochi has bound his soul to the demon Mikaboshi, which sets up the final battle. The story is told through hand-drawn comic panels between levels.

How Combat Works In Samurai II

A virtual joystick moves Daisuke and attack buttons build combos, while a dynamic camera shifts to frame each encounter. Breaking barrels and killing enemies earns Karma, the currency that buys new moves, combos and health upgrades. Enemy groups grow larger and tougher as you progress, and ranged foes such as Samurai Archers force you to move rather than stand and swing. Spending early Karma on new combos rather than health makes the middle chapters much easier, since crowds fall faster. Traps and environmental puzzles break up the fighting, and Pocket Gamer warned that the learning curve looks steep at first.

Survival Mode And Unity Roots

Besides the story, a survival mode sends endless waves of enemies at you for score attack. Madfinger built the game on Unity 3.2, with enemy behavior driven by goal-oriented action planning, which was ambitious for a phone game in 2010. Its Metacritic average of 83 and two Czech Game of the Year awards, for best mobile game and for artistic achievement, made it the title that put Madfinger on the map before Shadowgun.

Samurai II: Vengeance On Today’s Android Phones

Madfinger has kept the game alive with occasional updates. One update improved performance on low-end devices and added gamepad support, and the Play listing was most recently updated in April 2023. The current listing shows more than 100,000 downloads and over 16,000 reviews, carries in-game purchases and is part of the Play Pass catalog. Because it is still maintained, it installs on modern phones without the problems that affect most games of its age.

Tips For A First Playthrough

• Smash every barrel you pass, since Karma adds up quickly.
• Learn one long combo early and use it on groups rather than tapping a single attack.
• Deal with archers first in mixed groups, because their arrows interrupt combos.
• Try survival mode after the first few chapters to practice crowd control.

Who Will Enjoy Samurai II

Players who like short, focused action games with a clear progression will get the most from it. Its cel-shaded look has aged better than many realistic games from 2011, and at 99 cents it remains one of the easiest classic Android action games to try legally today. Players who enjoy it can also look at Shadowgun Legends, Madfinger’s current game, though that is an online shooter with a very different structure rather than another samurai adventure.