"Basically, the only reason why publishers pull the project out from the developer is when the developer isn't really meeting the requirements," Iwai tells Gamasutra in a new interview. Such was the case with BottleRocket, with the Namco Bandai EVP noting that a "performance issue" was to blame.

The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of Splatterhouse is now rumored to be in the hands of the team that developed Afro Samurai, the first game to appear under the publisher's Surge label. Iwai tells Gamasutra that, despite some "brutal reviews" for the licensed action game.

"The team did a great job with the limited amount of time, which allowed them to make improvements up to the last moment," Iwai commented. "But again, this is the very first internal project that we have started as a newly born Namco Bandai Games America."

Let's hope that Surge's next game will be more fondly remembered.

Q&A: Namco Bandai's Iwai Talks Tricky Topics In Western Markets [Gamasutra]

Afro Samurai follows the story of Afro, a samurai on a life-long quest to avenge his father's death, set against the backdrop of a futuristic feudal Japan, where traditional Japanese sensibilities mingle with hip-hop culture. The game loosely follows the storyline from the animated series, following the Samuel L. Jackson-voiced Afro as he travels the land encountering interesting new people, generally killing them in spectacularly bloody fashion.

Afro Samurai is Namco Bandai's first release under their Surge publishing brand, geared at releasing games that appeal to the western world's particular palette. Is Afro Samurai a game fit to launch a new label?

Loved
A Work of Art: By far the most striking aspect of Afro Samurai is the art style. A combination of water-brushed backdrops and cross-hatched cel-shading give the game a very unique and stylized look that is hard to covey in words. In a way it reminds me of the hand-painted look of Capcom's Okami, albeit a darker, grittier version.

Slice and Dice: Combat in Afro Samurai is quite visceral and highly satisfying, at least once you put aside the notion that this is just a generic hack and slash title. Landing punches, light attacks, and strong attacks builds up your focus meter, which allows you to perform focus moves. Time slows to a crawl, the screen turns white, and if you time it just right you wind up slicing through whatever is in the path of your sword, be it arm, leg, head, or torso. Lining up multiple enemies for a wide-sweeping focus attack is as satisfying as anything I've experienced in the genre.

The Got-Damned Voice Acting: The excellent voice cast from the anime returns for the video game adaptation, with stellar performances from Kelly Hu, Ron Perlman, and - of course - Samuel L. Jackson. As the voice of Afro's "traveling companion" Ninja Ninja, Jackson delivers some of the raunchiest dialogue I've ever heard, and he delivers it damn well. Just make sure you don't play it around anyone's mother, or things could get really awkward.

A Little Decapitating Music: If the anime Samurai Champloo taught me anything, its that hip hop music and samurai swords go together inexplicably well. I often found myself moving along to the music as I played (I would never call it dancing). Where the soundtrack truly shines is during the game's big set-piece battles, where the rhythm of the background music almost seems to guide your every move.

Hated
Slaughter, Rinse, Repeat: As entertaining as the combat in Afro Samurai is, repetition does set in from time to time, particularly in portions of the game where you kill enemy after enemy, desperately hoping that the next one is the last and you can move on. As frustrating as that can be, you'll also find yourself in areas where you wish enemies would just pop up to make things a little bit more interesting. For a game that focuses on the rhythm and flow of combat, the enemy flow can be annoyingly inconsistent.

Cheap-Ass Boss Fights: Boss battles in Afro Samurai have two settings - ridiculously easy or throw your controller at the screen shouting obscenities difficult. Things start off simple, with Afro needing only to block until he can get a few slices in, but soon you'll find yourself facing the flamethrower guy, also known as the f***ing flamethrower bastard. While similar games will at least hint at the strategy needed to take down a more difficult boss, Afro Samurai gets you used to fighting one way and then hits you with a guy you can't fight that way.

Platforming Done Wrong: The developmental focus for Afro Samurai was clearly the combat, as the platforming feels as if it were thrown together at the last minute, simply to provide a break in the action. The movement controls that flow so well during battle don't work nearly as well when trying to clear a jump or navigate some of the game's more labyrinthine levels, and the aforementioned camera issues just make it worse.

Not being all that familiar with the source material, I began playing Afro Samurai expecting to experience yet another sub-par anime tie-in that injected characters from the show into as basic a game as the developer possibly could in order to make a quick buck. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a beautifully rendered game with an involving storyline and compelling characters, all wrapped around a fighting engine that is completely satisfying, both in complexity and sheer bloody brutality. At times its pacing falters and frustration begins to set in, but then the fighting music kicks in and suddenly it's all worth it.

If you can manage to slice your way past the game's more pressing problems, you'll find that Afro Samurai has more than enough style and substance to make up for its shortcomings, delivering a solid, visceral hack and slash experience that's sure to satisfy the violent psychopath lurking in all of us.

Afro Samurai was developed by Namco Bandai and published by Surge for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was released on January 27th, for $60. Played PlayStation 3 version to completion.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ

Afro Samurai combines a hip hop vibe and music with a futuristic take on feudal Japan, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts mystic and urban. Now Namco Bandai Games hopes to take the unique feel of the cult hit series and carry it over to the video game world with an action-packed retelling of the anime's story.

Have they succeeded, or will they face the wrath of one bad motherf***er?

IGN
The story told in Afro Samurai isn't a sequel to the popular anime but more of a re-imagining of the origin we all know and love. As a child, Afro witnesses the murder of his father — a badass swordsman — in a duel for the No. 1 headband, which is basically the symbol of the greatest fighter on the planet. From there, Afro focuses on getting the No. 2 headband and avenging his father. On this journey, he'll make friends, make love, and make a whole lot of people die thanks to his trusty katana. The story itself is solid and intriguing, and it makes a somewhat decent appearance in the game, although if you have never seen the show, the emotional impact and the finer points of the story will be lost on you.

GameSpot
At the forefront of (the game's vibe) is Afro Samurai's combat, which cribs from most games of its type. You can issue weak and strong attacks, kick your enemies around, and string these three basic moves into a variety of combos. You'll spill a lot of blood using these simple actions, but if you really want to punish your acrobatic foes, it's better to enter focus mode and watch the guts fly. With a pull of the trigger, you can slow down time, adjust your blade's trajectory a bit, and lop heads, digits, or entire limbs off of your smack-talking enemies. You have to charge up focus mode by landing combos, but you will never go without the ability for long, and the resulting mix of old-fashioned button mashing and focus-powered slaughter is satisfying and fun.

Gamepro
While the game's faithfulness to the show is refreshing, the storytelling is rather inconsistent. I found myself lost from time to time as I ventured through Afro's disturbed memories. The platforming segments are also schizophrenic in their difficulty-they're either insultingly easy or obscenely difficult. Much in the vein of the Prince of Persia series, Afro can wall-run and leap across ledges in certain environments, but with clunky detection as well as clipping issues when it comes to some of Afro's more difficult acrobatic pursuits, the game just becomes plain frustrating in an extreme trial and error manner.

TeamXbox
All of the pieces of the gameplay puzzle appear to be here, but often times these bits feel strewn atop a table rather than ordered, glued together and framed. For instance, the HUD-less design of Afro Samurai obviously allows its style to shine through in as many instances as possible, but there will be times when you simply want more information, such as the location of your next checkpoint locale (rather than having to rely upon the “Ninja Ninja” GPS—basically, Sam Jax barking commands to your next route) or a little more clue as to how power-ups are affecting Afro’s battlefield prowess.

OXM
And the camera isn’t always on your side, swinging loosely during integral boss fights and often settling in the wrong position at the wrong time. It’s not so abusive that’ll you’ll be driven to tears, but with all the high-quality razzledazzle going on with Afro’s lovely looks, hip-hop beats, and sophisticated revenge tale, it’s too bad the spotless presentation doesn’t bleed seamlessly into every aspect of its gameplay and mechanics. Yet, Afro Samurai persisted in mesmerizing us. And really, with Sam Jackson spouting lines like “That girl puts the two ‘asses’ in ‘assassin’” in feudal Japan, how can we resist?

The two asses in assassin? Might have to buy this despite the average reviews.

The famed fried chicken franchise will be plastering stores, radios, and televisions with advertisement's promoting the video game, which is based off of an animated cartoon featuring the voice of Samuel L. Jackson. Restaurant customers will be able to participate in the Afro Samurai Enter-to-Win Sweepstakes, with a $7,500 grand prize up for grabs, as well as an Afro Samurai iPod.

The press release from Church's is calling this "advergaming", citing their SoulCalibur IV promotion last year as another example of this. Just figured I'd pass along the news and maybe let Church's PR know that no...this is not "advergaming". This is "advertising" for a game.

Church’s Chicken® Uses “Advergaming” and Text Messaging to Connect with a Cross Section of Urban Young-Adults

Church’s Chicken's New 2009 Promotions Connect Drumsticks and Joysticks

ATLANTA—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Church’s Chicken® begins a new year with interactive promotional initiatives that target the mature, multicultural, urban young-adults with the best of food, video games and mobile technology. Church’s Chicken announces the brand’s promotional partnership with SURGE, a studio and publishing label created by NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. The joint partnership has culminated in the release of Afro Samurai, an animated video game fusing hip-hop overtones with Japanese inspired themes. The brand is also in collaboration with Coca-Cola® on a promotion called Be Heard that uses mobile technology to engage and interact with a younger segment of the brand’s target audience.

Church’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Farnaz Wallace said, “Making sure that marketing campaigns are relevant while resonating with our customer base is vital and always our key ingredient in planning. The urban youth market is the second largest and fastest growing segment in the US and an audience we see emerging as one of our core customers. It just makes sense to reach out to them in non-traditional media platforms where they socialize and play to supplement long-term brand building and recognition within this important group.”

Afro Samurai, which is based on the acclaimed animated series, has a large cult-following. The video game has already gone gold and will be officially released throughout North America on January 27, 2009, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

Church’s Chicken, as the exclusive partner for the quick-service restaurant category, will promote the game with the support of national TV and radio advertising on urban young-adult channels and outlets in addition to in-store merchandising. The brand will launch a traffic-driving Afro Samurai Enter-to-Win Sweepstakes on January 26th to capitalize on the heavy Namco advertising campaign breaking behind the video game launch in late January. For the promotion, Church’s customers will have the chance to win the $7,500 grand prize as well as other prizes including a customized Afro Samurai iPod player, a copy of the game or gaming console.

But Afro Samurai is not the brand’s first foray into “advergaming”. Last year the brand had a successful run with the release of Soulcalibur IV®, yielding approximately 17,300 online sweepstakes entries where nearly 20% of those entries actively requested to receive coupons and promotional information from Church’s. The Soulcalibur IV promotion also increased traffic to Church’s official website by an average of 30% and supplemented an increase in the brand’s value combo sales.

“Gamers are an emerging loyal fan base akin to those of traditional sports like football or basketball. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 65% of American households play computer or video games. We made a strategic decision to be more steadfast in spending time, research and money in targeting to this growing influential segment,” Wallace added.

After conquering the gaming world, Church’s Chicken sets its sights on a mobile campaign to tackle the power of text messaging. The Be Heard promotion, slated for implementation early this year, allows customers to text in a code after answering four simple questions - polling their recent Church’s in-store visit. Once submitted, customers instantly receive a bounce-back coupon for exciting offers. The promotion wets more than the appetite with an opportunity to win $1,000 in cash to be awarded on a weekly basis for the 9-week promotion, and a Be Heard poster featuring artwork by notable visionary Kadir Nelson and an inspirational poem by acclaimed R&B artist Musiq Soulchild.

“With the rapid evolution of social and interactive technology like video games and cell phones, brands will be tested and graded on how their traditional marketing tactics intersect with emerging trends and digital past times. Pioneering new and exciting ways to connect with the younger demographic is ultimately the true testament to a brand’s insight, marketing dexterity and creative shelf-life. Our loyal fans can expect us to deliver more value-driven promotions, whether through traditional or new media, that successfully connects and effectively resonates with them in the near future,” says Church’s Director of Marketing Services and Communication, Jennie Hong.

While Church’s marketing recipe for success is going digital in 2009, the chicken chain will still continue to focus on new product introductions and innovative marketing initiatives that connect fresh consumer trends with the brand’s proven tradition of positive sales and sustainable success.

I love the art style. I love the music. The gameplay looks pretty interesting, to say the least. I'm a bit put off by the game being released under a label that eschews a name I trust for the name of a long-dead and sorely missed carbonated beverage in the name of appealing to my western tastes. Yes I know Coca-Cola has put out Vault, but it's not the same damn thing.

Samuel L. Jackson wouldn't put up with this bullshit.

The Surge label, according to Namco Bandai, is "dedicated to providing cutting-edge, genre-defining games that are targeted at satiating the appetite of western gamers" just like you. The first appetite sating game that will cut edges and define genres is hyper-violent Afro Samurai video game, due in January. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title is being developed by a team built from the ground up by Namco Bandai, which may have contributed to the new identity.

More titles under the Surge label are slated for 2009. We'll assume they will be logo appropriate in the electrifying edginess and style. Press release, which is making me thirsty for a citrusy soda, is after this.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES NEW ‘SURGE’ PUBLISHING LABEL

SURGE Represents Robust Line of Titles and Audience Expansion

Santa Clara, Calif., (December 4, 2008) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today unveiled the formation of SURGE™, a new studio and publishing label dedicated to providing cutting-edge, genre-defining games that are targeted at satiating the appetite of western gamers. SURGE will deliver quality interactive entertainment across a wide assortment of categories and platforms.

“SURGE presents a significant milestone for NAMCO BANDAI as it personifies our commitment to deliver compelling content for the discriminating player who is looking for games that are not only groundbreaking but also push the envelope,” said Andrew Lelchuk, executive vice president of sales and marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc. “Through passion and innovation, SURGE will complement our portfolio of established franchises and intellectual property while positioning the company as a creative force.”

Afro Samurai®, the high-style title that blends urban hip hop culture with traditional Japanese aesthetics, will be the first game to launch under the new label when it is released on January 27, 2009. Additional IPs currently in development and slated for 2009 will also be published under the SURGE label.

For more information about Afro Samurai and other NAMCO BANDAI Games products, please visit: http://www.namcobandaigames.com.