Second Samurai
{{More citations needed|date=March 2021}}
{{Short description|1993 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Second Samurai
| image = Second_Samurai_Mega_Drive_Cover_Art.jpg
| caption = Mega Drive cover art
| developer = Vivid Image
| publisher = Psygnosis
| designer = Raffaele Cecco
| composer = Brian Marshall (Amiga)
Matt Furniss (Mega Drive)
| released = {{vgrelease|EU|1993 (Amiga)|EU|1994 (Mega Drive)}}
| genre = Action, Platform, Strategy
| modes = 2-player cooperative
| platforms = Mega Drive, Amiga
}}
Second Samurai is a video game released for the Amiga in 1993. It is the sequel to the 1991 game First Samurai. A Mega Drive version was later released in 1994 which features different graphics, sound and level design to the Amiga version.
Gameplay
The game includes prehistoric and futuristic levels as well as feudal Japan as in First Samurai. Contact with enemies or falling off the screen (lives are not lost automatically) subtracts one point from the life bar. In the Mega Drive/Genesis version of the game, the Demon King from the first game taunts the player on a black screen when they lose a life with sayings such as "Give up mortal!" and "Going Down!" until the last life is lost.
Development
Following the success of First Samurai, Mev Dinc was interested in developing 'a sequel to end all sequels'. The concept of having 2 samurai to choose from was established early on. Psygnosis put forward an appealing offer for both the Amiga and Sega Mega Drive versions, to which Vivid Image gladly agreed.
Development for the game was going smoothly, and plans were even in place to release a Mega-CD version alongside the Mega Drive. In 1993 however, Sony acquired Psygnosis as part of their ramp-up for the PlayStation and mandated that existing console projects be cancelled. Vivid Image was able to negotiate a settlement, allowing the release of the Mega Drive version, and a full payout. The Mega-CD version was never released.{{Cite book|last=Dinc|first=Mev|title=Life Is A Game|publisher=Publishing Push|year=2021|isbn=9781914078590|pages=156–161|language=English}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|ASM=AMI: 10/12{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1994.03/page/n23/mode/2up?q=%22Second+Samurai%22|title=Sei dabei, Samurai|date=March 1994|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|page=26|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
SMD: 9/12{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1995.02/page/n27/mode/2up?q=second+samurai|title=Konsolen-Corner|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|date=February 1995|language=de|pages=30–32|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|AmAction=AMI: 87%{{cite magazine|last=Archer|first=John|date=Christmas 1993|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_49602|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Amiga Action|issue=52|pages=46–47|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|AmComputing=AMI: 91%{{cite magazine|last=Maddock|first=Jonathan|date=February 1994|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_8357|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Amiga Computing|issue=70|page=140|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|AmFormat=AMI: 91%{{cite magazine|last=Bradley|first=Stephen|date=December 1993|url=https://archive.org/details/AmigaFormatIssue053199312FuturePublishingGB/page/n59/mode/2up|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Amiga Format|issue=53|pages=60–61|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|AmPower=AMI: 90%{{cite magazine|last=Nash|first=Jonathan|date=December 1993|url=https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Power_Issue_32_1993-12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n39/mode/2up?q=%22Second+Samurai%22|title=Second Samurai|issue=32|magazine=Amiga Power|pages=40–41|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|AmUI=AMI: 85%{{cite magazine|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_7669|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Amiga User International|date=May 1994|volume=8|number=4|page=77|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|CVG=AMI: 89/100{{cite magazine|last=Tipping|first=Amanda|date=December 1993|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_41145|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=145|page=38|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|Hyper=SMD: 57/100{{cite magazine|last=Hopkinson|first=Russell|date=January 1995|url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-014/page/78/mode/2up|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Hyper|page=78|issue=14|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|MF=SMD: 40%{{cite magazine|author=Gotz|date=December 1994|url=https://www.ninretro.de/img/scans/smd/Second_Samurai_MF_12-94.jpg|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Mega Fun|page=124|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
|VGS=SMD: 58%{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ninretro.de/img/scans/smd/Second_Samurai_VG_12-94.jpg|title=Second Samurai|magazine=Video Games|date=December 1994|accessdate=April 5, 2021}}
}}
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Lemon Amiga game|id=934}}
- {{abime|id=1855}}
- [http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/genesis/data/586445.html Second Samurai] for the Mega Drive at GameFAQs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Second Samurai}}
Category:Cooperative video games
Category:Europe-exclusive video games
Category:Japan in non-Japanese culture
Category:Piko Interactive games
Category:Side-scrolling video games
Category:Video games about dinosaurs
Category:Video games about samurai
Category:Video games about time travel
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Category:Video games scored by Matt Furniss
Category:Video games set in feudal Japan