Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, based on the acclaimed cartoon Samurai Jack from animation mastermind Genndy Tartaovsky, is a highlight reel of the show's events and a throwback to the heyday of licensed games. The first Samurai Jack game in sixteen years, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time puts players in the role of Jack, a master samurai with the only sword that can defeat Aku, the shape-shifting master of darkness. In an alternate finale to the series, Jack is sent through another time portal where he must return to iconic locales and enemies encountered throughout the show's duration in order to end Aku once and for all.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time plays in many ways like a game out of the PS2 and Xbox era, where licensed games designed like the recently remastered SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom reigned supreme. The game takes place in a linear fashion across several levels themed around episodes and arcs of the show. The robot-crocodile-infested swamps where Jack first meets The Scotsman, the red and black metropolis of Aku city, and the crystal mines where Jack teams up with an army of dogs all make an appearance. The show's distinct art style comes across nicely in the transition to 3D, but is never truly jaw-dropping, a criticism that plagued the 2004 game Shadow of Aku as well.
Jack always has his trusty magic sword to slice through the many enemies that come his way, but this is only part of the arsenal. Hammers, maces, and clubs along with ranged weapons such as bows, shurikens, and firearms can be collected or purchased throughout the levels. The game also features light RPG elements where Jack can unlock new combos, increase his stats, and gain abilities. Combat becomes more fun the more these skills get unlocked, although some won't be available until the late game. There are also different difficulty options to choose from, with the most difficult modes providing a serious challenge.
Die-hard fans of the series will get plenty of mileage out of the game's fan service. References to episodes both obvious, such as level themes, and subtle, such as an unlockable ability to "Jump Good," are placed throughout the game. The core voice cast of season 5 appears, including Jack, Aku (played by Greg Baldwin, who replaced the late Mako on Avatar: The Last Airbender as well), Ashi, The Scotsman, and his many daughters. Thousands have fallen in love with the cartoon's gorgeous design and cinematic action, and Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time was clearly made for the super-fan.
From the linear, level-based gameplay and destructive environments that hide collectibles in vases and crates, to the age of the source material (barring references to the more mature season 5), everything about Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time feels like a PS2 game, for better and for worse. The simple, throwback gameplay is fun and the fan service for such an iconic show is ample. The game becomes much harder to recommend for more casual fans of the show, as strange gameplay decisions such as forced perspective side-scrolling segments and technical difficulties occasionally bog down the experience. Overall, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a fun, though maybe forgettable, romp through one of the greatest cartoons of all time.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time releases today, August 21, on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Screen Rant was given a PS4 code for the purposes of this review.