Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked delivers a playable side plot to the original anime series.
Gameplay: 8/10
Your favorite characters humbly return (well your favorite 3 actually) in this game and as always they are hungry and penniless. They board on a ship offering "free food". Jin is the only one who knows it's good to be true. And finally they are stranded in the middle of no where and that is where this small journey begins. You will meet new characters (and play one of them) and new (but rehashing) foes. The controls for the game is quite simple to master and takes a bit of time getting used to. I would highly recommend the dojo training first before playing the game. The gameplay itself gives the basic hack and slash with a twist. You now have rythm and maximus beat to change your style of hack and slash and a focus attack to move and attack quicker. This is cool and all, but it will get repetitive (not that some care).
Graphics: 8/10
Now this is what some anime game graphics should try to do: be as good as they can possibly be. Even though the characters a bit anime cartooned styled, the environment is close to real. The intro to the game has real cgi resolution so you know how the characters would look in real life. However when the cut scenes show, some characters tend to either not mouth to their voice or mouth too quickly before it ends.
Sound: 8/10
Now this really isn't a major factor in the game but we all love the sound of the hack of a katana and your enemies dying. We also love to hear the original actors come to voice their part (except for Mugen because the guy that played him is voicing for Vincent in Advent Children.). Now the sound is almost good quality. What you will find annoying is the battle tracks because there is only 2. Both can get pretty annoying after a while.
Value: 8/10
This is a buy for all the anime fans. For the first time in ages, Bandai had done the right thing when joining with Namco. For those who are not anime fans and love a more mature setting, try Devil May Cry 1 and 3.