 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Afro Samurai
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Brutal fighting game with profanity, nudity, stereotypes.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that they should take heed to the "Mature" ESRB warning on Afro Samurai. The game is excessively violent, gory, profane, and shows partial nudity. Explicit sexual references are heard in the dialogue. Violence and profanity are most common, with the former showing body parts slicing in half and copious amounts of blood spurting out of the wounds. Characters make drug references and smoke cigarettes. Finally, the African-American protagonist is portrayed as a broad stereotype.
What's it about?
If you thought Samuel L. Jackson's previous projects were laden with profanity and violence, such as the Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction flicks, wait 'til you lay your hands on AFRO SAMURAI, an over-the-top animated adventure based on the television mini-series of the same name. If you're unfamiliar with the TV show, Afro Samurai follows an afro-donning, cigarette-smoking samurai (voiced by Jackson), who goes on a mission to avenge the murder of his father in a futuristic depiction of a feudal Japan. This lone warrior hacks and slashes countless enemies with his trusty sword.
Controlling Afro from a third-person perspective is pretty simple, with light and heavy attacks, kicks and jumps, and a reward for pulling "combos" featuring a mix of these moves: enough "Focus Points" accumulated by savvy ninja moves lets you press and hold a button on the controller and enter a slow-moving, black-and-white fighting mode, allowing Afro to pull off special attacks.
Is it any good?
This game honors the same beautiful graphical style as the show with smoothly animated movement, graphic novel-style storyboarding sequences, and dramatic slow-motion effects that all contribute to the game's charm. Add an original hip-hop soundtrack from The RZA (a.k.a. Robert F. Diggs, of Wu-Tang Clan fame) and you've got one interesting game from an audio-visual perspective.
But this "Mature"-rated game is not for young eyes (or ears, due to excessive cursing). Afro's vengeance spills copious amounts of blood as he takes down baddie after baddie -- it's possible to decapitate, dismember, and impale foes, with red stuff gushing and splattering with each slice -- even onto the "camera" for added impact. While fighting is the name of the game, there are also some less-gratifying puzzle-solving elements and "platforming" tasks that challenge players to balance on planks and platforms, jump and swing on poles, and so forth. Another issue is the auto-camera that follows you around this world, which sometimes obscures your view in tight places (usually indoors). Shortcomings aside, this game's high-production values (including its stunning art style, memorable set pieces, and great soundtrack) and over-the-top combat should more than satiate adult gamers with a yen for this kind of virtual violence.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether Afro Samurai's controversial content is more acceptable because it's an interactive cartoon instead of attempting to be a photorealistic violent game? And do celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman add credibility to this game? Are we more forgiving of its mature content because the cinematics are "artsy"?
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AGE
Fun.But quick
This game is a good hack n slash for Xbox 360.It's gory and has one level with topless girls in it and cursing all in it,its no problem for a normal 15 year old.You can rent it and beat it,you can choose what to chop off which is fun.But the camera angles are not good.
No kiddies here about 15 and older. 6/10
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AGE
not for kids.
Afro samurai is only for adults and parents you need to know that Afro samurai is in extremely violent video game that lets you cut people in half and you see gallons of blood spilling everywhere there's no sex in this game however there is partial nudity in the game where you have to fight the naked female enemies also characters use constant strong language throughout the game and Afro smokes a cigarette as he fights.
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AGE
afro samurai review
afro samurai is a great game i think depending on the age a kid shoul be able to play afro samurai.
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AGE
worst game ever
this game has the worst graphics. worst thing about it is that they made a movie about it. the game was like playing a sega game. and you must be like sega what! yeah, thats what i thought.
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AGE
Not as bad as people think
This game isn't as bad as people lead you to believe. The drinking and smoking is basically the standard of your average TV show. It's a lot more tolerable than gangster movies, where everybody's smoking 100% of the time. Same with the nudity. The violence can get a bit over the top at times, but after looking at games like Manhunt or Postal 2 it's not nearly as bad as I originally thought. The biggest problem is probably the language, but even kids probably hear it in their everyday lives at home or at school. Plus, there's always the mute button. I don't want to fool you into thinking this game is for minors or should be purchased for little kids, because that is not the case. It's definitely a game for people older than that. I think that a mature teen ages 15-18 could handle this game no problem.
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AGE
GO AFRO GO
AFRO YOU HAVE MADE ONE OF THE BEST ACTION GAMES EVER. FIRST THIS NOT FOR KIDS THE GAME FEATURES EXCESSIVE BLOOD BRUTAL VIOLENCE SOME IS EVEN IN SLOWMOTION THE GRAPHICS AMAZING. THE ART STYLE IS COOL FRESH AND CRISP. THE DIALOUGE S WITTY BUT FILLED WITH CONSTAT PROFANITY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER. THE ONLY REAL SEX IS THE ONE LEVEL THAT FEATURES TOPLESS WOMEN BUT OTHERWISENOT MUCH. THIS GAME ROCKS ALSO THE CHARACTER OF AFRO KICKS BUT YEAH AFRO IS ONE OF THE BEST HEROES OF 2009 SADLY NINJA NINJA IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DORKS OF 200P
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AGE
Don't buy or play it.
Terrible game. It made me literally want to pull my hair out. The violence and language is way over the top. Just over all one of the worst games I have ever played.
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AGE
Even disturbing when animated
Afro samurai is an average game with lots of gore, Where every move completely knocks the limbs off. Sure its stupidly cartoony but its still disturbing, Like that simpsons itchy and scratchy on a much higher scale. At least there is only swords and not ripping people apart like in darksiders. There are strip clubs much like GTA and plenty of language.
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| Platforms: | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Namco Bandai |
| Release date: | January 28, 2009 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | M for Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language |
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