I admit, I've been pleased with SNK's little comeback onto the market, which came only a short time after they announced their closure in Japan. Now we're seeing a better dip into the home market than we've seen from them in years, with a number of their hit franchises finding their way to the PS2 and Xbox. Now Microsoft's console gets a taste of the sword-driven fighting game series Samurai Shodown, one that many hardcore fighting fans might consider the Neo-Geo equivalent of Street Fighter II in terms of brilliance and original gameplay. Well, I'd probably agree with that, although I think it works on an entirely different level than Capcom's classic brawlathon.

Samurai Shodown V is the latest in the long-running series, and it's not short in terms of fighter selection. Twenty six classic medieval fighters, each with different weapons, cultures, and backstory, are available to choose from, including a couple of new faces that make their debut here. Personally, I stick to old favorites, the likes of the quiet Ukyo and the devastatingly powerful Haohmaru, who has proven time and time again that he can provide the nice slice with his samurai blade. But then you have gargantuals, quiet fighters, and others to choose from, so feel free to establish your own favorites.

The game works on a 2-D level, so if you're expecting graphics along the lines of Dead Or Alive, you best move along. SNK has fashioned some fine 2-D animation here, complete with distinct player poses and charge-ups to get some Rage combos going into play. I wish they had provided a little more detail to those with hi-def set-ups, as the 2-D looks a bit primitive on a new TV. Still, it suits the art style of the series fine, so why knock it too much?

What I really dig, however, is the beautiful soundtrack, matching the mood of medieval Japan perfectly and even coming coupled with some terrific sound effects and voicework, kept mostly in Japanese and staying true to character. SNK could've easily crapped out here and given the characters raspy (or over-hyper) voices for the US audience, but, no, they kept it real for their fan base. Give 'em credit where credit is due.

The gameplay has light and heavy strikes aplenty, as well as the ability to build up super combos ala the Rage Gauge, which can effectively fill up with a few contact hits and some well-styled play. It's nothing new to the fighting genre, but it is a nice touch to those who have mastered the art form of 2-D, or have a comfort within the Samurai brand that simply needs to be filled. For those unfamiliar with this territory, there is a Practice Mode where you can begin to build your samurai greatness, although it seems a bit on the shallow side, especially when compared to other fighting games. Oh, well, a place to beat up someone is a place to beat up someone.

The big feature about Samurai Shodown V is its online play through the Xbox Live service. Within this service, you can find yourself matched up in head-to-head combat through typical versus match-ups, or within a tournament. The tournaments aren't exactly brain-work with their set-ups, but they are nice to enter into, just in case you're up for some serious slashing. The online play works pretty good, although there were times the loading was slightly strenuous as you led into a fight. A slight lag, I'm sure.

One has to question, however, the tactics of releasing a Samurai Shodown game now for the system. Will it sell well? Eh, it'll do decent amongst the fans, but SNK needs to realize that games such as this would sell better at the $20 price point, rather than $30. Sure, it's still got a lot of value to its name, but think about it. With other fighters available on the market for cheaper, wouldn't it be a wise decision to just release a great fighting game at an unbeatable price alongside it? What's ten extra bucks in comparison to unit sales? Or attracting new fans?

Eh, it'll hit that point soon enough anyway. The bottom line is this. Samurai Shodown V doesn't redefine the fighting genre at this point, and it pretty much knows it. It's built for the fans by those who know how to cater to them, so if you're a gamer that doesn't mind stepping into the shoes of a 2-D badass and watching your slashes work to sheer effect, there's nothing wrong with adding this game to your library. If you fall outside of that category, however, you're better left to a rental to see if this blade's as sharp as you'd like for it to be.