Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 78 | 75 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 70 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 81% | 75 | 862 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 84 | 540 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 4, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 540 total reviews in window · weighted 164.5 up / 18.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (100)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
- 80
“A confident and assured update of a classic fighting game series”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Samurai Shodown is a great return to form for SNK’s swordfighting series. While it seems to be going for the Street Fighter V style of release and comes with the bare minimum, at least this game includes a standard arcade mode with endings and a fun (?) final boss called Shizuka to fight against. If you don’t mind paying triple-A price to train up for this game for future fighting game tournaments -and there will be if the Neo Geo World Tour is of any indication- then go nuts and play this 2D weapons-based masterclass.”
read full review ↗ - 60
- 70
“As one of many Ken 'Masters' (very pleased with that one), the initial reaction to Samurai Shodown is a jarring one. Expecting to mow down hordes of AI controlled characters easily and instead getting beaten to pulp in a matter of seconds can be off-putting, to say the least. What quickly becomes apparent however is that gameplay treads the fine and brilliant line of 'easy to play, difficult to perfect'. Once a bit of caution is implemented, not a lot in the genre is as satisfying as a graceful dodge, parry and complete destruction. This is great for forgetting the old ways and embracing the way of the Samurai.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Samurai Shodown feels like it was pulled from a forgotten era and given new life in 2019. SNK has more than proven they have what it takes to make a comeback with their latest title. With amazing style, gameplay that invokes a passion for fighting games of old, and charm coming from every crack, Samurai Shodown breathes new life into the series.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“An excellent fighting game fine-tuned for tense, thrilling bouts. While the fighting is always fun, its feature set is slim, with only a handful of modes that don't stray far from the core gameplay. If you're looking for a fight, you've found a good one, but don't expect a big story mode or much side content.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Samurai Shodown is back and it's arguably better than ever. SNK has delivered a truly gripping fighting game where the tides can turn in an instant, and it's this constant sense of tension that creates a uniquely electric experience. Against a backdrop of faster paced, combo-heavy fighters, Samurai Shodown stands out as a deliberate and excellently judged duelling simulator. Against a worthy opponent, there's simply nothing quite like it on PS4.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“A revamped classic comes PC within a year of its launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This version is virtually identical to its console counterpart, but with longer load times and fewer players in online mode”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Although a bit archaic on some of the single player content Samurai Shodown manages to successfully bring its style of combat to the current generation of consoles and deliver a technical fighter that is rare to find these days.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It is simple, yet deep in a different sense. It doesn’t require memorization, just good timing and understanding. It felt more user friendly than long string combos and the visceral attacks feel incredible.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Overall Samurai Shodown for the Xbox Series X is a pretty good 1v1 versus fighter. While I may not be able to compare it to the previous generation, it does a fairly good job at what it sets out to do whether you're planning for a night in for some couch versus or if you're feeling confident enough to take your skills online.”
read full review ↗
Fintendo
Nintendo Life
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Cubed3
Nexus Hub
PC Invasion
Push Square
LevelUp
Capsule Computers
ZTGD
Chalgyr's Game Room…and 88 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- New update for SAMURAI SHODOWN!Aug 9, 2024
- New update for SAMURAI SHODOWN!Jun 21, 2024
- SAMURAI SHODOWN ROLLBACK MAJOR UPDATEJun 4, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN ROLLBACK UPDATEDec 15, 2023
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12726133 is live!Nov 17, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12666884 is live!Nov 10, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12635021 is live!Nov 7, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12547626 is live!Oct 27, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12537037 is live!Oct 26, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12516098 is live!Oct 24, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12488041 is live!Oct 20, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN Beta 3 Rollback Patch ID 12477135 is live!Oct 19, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- SAMURAI SHODOWN ROLLBACK UPDATEJun 12, 2023
- 8/1 Update contentsAug 1, 2022
- 6/21 Update contentsJun 28, 2022
- May 25th updateMay 25, 2022
- Patch Version 2.32Jul 9, 2021