The samurai known simply as Jack has finally made his way into a videogame. Making Shadow of Aku a reality was as daunting a task for developer Adrenium as Samurai Jack's eternal battle against the evil shape-shifter Aku. While the episodes are fairly formulaic -- Jack usually has to defend innocents from Aku or some other evil whilst searching for a time portal that will transport him back to his own so that he can save his people from slavery -- the real allure of this cartoon is its stylish presentation. With simple designs and straight lines, the use of color, choreography, and overall unique visual style makes Samurai Jack a unique viewing experience. Samurai Jack is a show that needs to be seen to be understood, which makes translating its powerful presence into a videogame no easy task.
With this in mind, Adrenium began development of a game featuring a time traveling samurai. However, shortly into development, Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku's publisher BAM! Entertainment cancelled the title. Adrenium had so much love for the property that it continued to work on the project with its own funds. Luckily, its dedication paid off once Sega picked up the title for publish. However, even with Adrenium's hard work and love for the series, was it able to realize Samurai Jack in videogame form? Is Adrenium's 3D translation of a highly stylish 2D world work? Read on to find out.
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