The girls are back in town, and this time on the PC as the once PS Vita game Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus comes in HD and 60 frames per second. The rival schools return with a plethora of ninja female characters, their extensive wardrobes including all the DLC, and a smidgen of exposed flesh. Marvelous Games are to be commended for bringing what is essentially a niche game to the PC ,but those who do enjoy a spot of titillating anime inspired action hack and slash fighting will be pleased with the release just for the sake of it being on PC.
To begin, anyone who has played the series on the 3DS, PS Vita or the PS TV device will be familiar but most notably should be impressed to finally be able to view the action in HD visuals much like the PS4 release of Estival Versus. However, there’s one major caveat. For some reason the game’s resolution appears to be off key and when playing at 1080p the characters look blurred and lacking in detail. It’s only when you’re running the game in borderless window using a 4K monitor does the game begin to look as you would expect. Hopefully a patch can fix this because at present the game looks far worse than the PS4 Estival Versus – even if it does look better than playing via PS TV.
Perhaps right there is reason enough to hold off purchasing then unless you’re fortunate enough to have a 4K monitor or TV hooked up to your PC. Yet, at the same time, it’s also worth considering that the game does run buttery smooth and maintains a healthy 60 frames per second making it extremely fast paced and ultimately gratifying and that’s before any of the fighters clothes get removed.
Technical issues aside, the core game remains the same as the handheld versions where four rival schools engage in various stories and battle each other in a number of locations. There’s some 20 odd characters to choose from and with two main single player modes of play, “Story” and “Mission” to sink your teeth into you can be playing for quite some time. What’s neat about each character aside from their personalities and looks, is how they fight. You’ll notice as you play through the stories how each fighter has their own quirks which means there’s a bit of mastery involved despite each level being pretty much the same thing repeated over and over. You’ll encounter some not very intelligent AI opposition who come at you in large groups and then one of the other girls who put up more of a fight. During bouts you’re able to unleash hard and weak attacks alongside combos, aerial attacks and special moves where your character transforms into a Shinobi and can then unleash even more powerful attack moves and specials. On the harder settings it’s much more challenging and has to be said, the normal mode is perhaps a touch too easy where most players will be able to breeze through the stories and missions quite effortlessly.
What’s neat about the fighting is the tongue on cheek and very Japanese humour where players are confronted by squeaky voices, and clothes ripping when taking damage. There’s also some moments where clothes/underwear is removed entirely but are censored to avoid any embarrassment. Whilst it’s a far cry from Hentai it’s still quite provocative which to be fair is part of its appeal. Take away the quirky characters, odd dialogue and sexy clothing and you are left with a pretty basic hack and slash game.
As mentioned the visuals certainly need to be fixed when playing at 1080p but if you do get to view them (how they are supposed to look) when using a 4K monitor then the upgrade from the original version is excellent. There’s an overall lack of detail though in terms of textures and level details, but it’s clear the girls themselves are the stars of the show.
Audio comes with English subtitles but no overdub unfortunately, but for many people this will be part of the appeal and means phrases don’t begin to grate which is plus especially as they will be repeated quite often. There’s a thumping guitar laden soundtrack to compliment the action here but it’s somewhat uneventful and can easily be ignored (or muted if that’s your calling).
In terms of longevity the story and missions will take a quite a number of hours and then there’s unlockables which can be purchased via the in-game store. Saving up enough cash for all of these takes quite some time and then there’s the option to change each character’s appearance with accessories, hair styles and underwear. What’s really neat is the character viewer where you’re able to view your chosen victim and then proceed to touch them inappropriately. Rather than simply stare at you dumbfounded, they will actually react with various comments which vary greatly depending on who you’ve chosen. It’s a small distraction but certainly worth it for a few laughs.
Once you’ve exhausted the single player content you’re then able to head online and battle other players in various modes such as deathmatch where it’s human and AI pitted together under a number of challenges and rules. This extends the play time further and is also a good way to share the experience with like-minded individuals.
Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus as a game for fans ticks all the right boxes and is a welcome addition for PC gamers. It’s a simple offering which anyone can pick up and play with relative ease. However, the game’s sexualized content might be a little too much for some players although it goes without saying Marvelous are strictly appealing to a particular audience here. The visuals are a bit worrying though in their current state and if they remain how they are looking at 1080p then it’s a bit of a let down, in fact utterly disappointing. Hopefully this will be fixed and at the very least are put on par with how the game looks at 4K or Estival Versus on PS4. So, the question remains, should you get this game? Well, Senran Kagura fans will not need any encouragement here but anyone else might find the game too basic and lacking depth. That said, if it’s fun you’re after then there’s a quirky game here that’s worth checking out for inquisitive minds and if you do ignore all of the sexual themes the core fighting game is easy to pick up play.
Score 7.5/10
