Samurai II: Decapitation and disembowelment

Complicated at first but easy to grasp, Samurai II: Vengeance offers a balanced mix of slashing, bloody violence, and a puzzle-solving storyline.

The highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Samurai: Way of the Warrior brings a retooled gameplay method, ultrasmooth manga-inspired graphics running at 60 frames per second, and, of course new, bloodier fight techniques.

Daisuke seeks vengeance on his arch-rival, Orochi, and will stop at nothing to defeat him. The 3D levels are tracked by a dynamic camera that floats in and out of the action, revealing vicious adversaries and challenging obstacles in each level.

The battle sequences are intense and extremely gory (decapitation, disembowelment, and skewering are just some of the ways to dispose of your enemies), but an array of moves (that you acquire throughout the game by leveling up) allow for continued variance in fighting.

If the levels get too frustrating (those swinging spikes can be a real pain) there's Survival Mode, where you can build your skills as a sword-swinging samurai.

You can watch the official Samurai II: Vengeance trailer here.

Game Center compatibility allows users to track the global leaderboard and various achievements. Samurai II: Vengeance is available in Apple's App Store for $2.99 and is universal, playable on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.