Looking for great samurai games? And you don’t know what to play next? We’ve got your back!
And honestly, if you don’t know about samurai games, what have you’ve been doing your whole life? Just kidding, but samurai games are one of the best out there. Yes, they are played mostly by people that are into Japan and the specific Japanese culture. But they can be attractive to everyone.
They have everything that a game needs to have. The games are packed with great and interesting characters, history, and action. A lot of bloody action.
That said, even if you haven’t played a samurai game before, you need to now. We’ve gathered the best samurai games of all time, which you need to play in 2024.
1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
We need to start our list with this game because it’s the best game from last year and the best samurai game. It was released in the previous year for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, and it did receive the Game of the Year award. It’s a fantastic action game set in the Sengoku period in Japan. The main character is Wolf, a shinobi trying to take revenge on other samurais that attacked him.
2. Nioh
Released three years ago in 2017, it’s still one of the best samurai games. It easily blends highly fascinating Japanese history and culture with the supernatural, making a different version of the famous Sengoku period. Something a bit different from other games is that you play as William. Not a common Japanese name, you may think. Well, it isn’t. William is an Anglo-Irish sailor who is in pursuit of someone and arrives in Japan. Almost instantly, he gets into a fight with supernatural monsters, and the story begins. You will face many complex combats while playing the game, but they are right. Sometimes things will get tough, but it’s all worth it. You will fight both samurais and monsters, and what better than that? A bit of a downside is that you can only play it on PlayStation 4 or Microsoft Windows.
3. Onimusha: Warlords
This is another game set in the Sengoku period in Japan. It follows a samurai named Samanosuke Akechi, fighting the dark forces of Nobunaga Oda. You will need to fight all of the demons and save the princess. It may sound simple, but it’s not that simple. It gets a bit difficult once you get to Princess Yuki, but everything else is pretty awesome. Apart from your katana, you get other magical weapons, but you also get to solve puzzles. And one more extra is that sometimes you get to be in control of Kaede, your assistant who has different abilities and weapons than you. It was released back in 2001 and can be played on PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
4. Samurai Shodown 2019
This is the reboot version of the Samurai Shodown fighting game. It was released on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Google Stadia. This version is the same as the original, which means it is still perfect.
5. Way of the Samurai 4
This game was released back in 2011, and it’s available for PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows. It’s set in a fictional town in the mid-19th century. That makes this game reasonably interesting because it’s set in the most exciting period of Japanese history, the decline and fall of the shogunate. You will play as a ronin, and you can fully customize your samurai character and decide which faction you will support. You can choose from pro-government, the nationalistic isolationist rebels, and the foreigners – British Navy. This is not the perfect samurai game, but it has its charm. Interestingly, there are ten different endings, and the one you get depends on how you choose to interact with the world.
6. For Honor
This is a relatively young game, released back in 2017 by Ubisoft. For Honor will be great for hack-and-slash game lovers. You can choose from many characters that are samurais, from four different factions. You will be presented with very distinct weaponry and bad-ass fighting style.
It may sound funny, but you can also choose from some Viking characters that are thirsty for blood. But that’s not all; there are also Knights and Wu Lin warriors. It was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. And one thing you need to know, this is a multiplayer fighting game.
7. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
This real-time strategy game can be a real treat for samurai lovers. Once you start playing, you need to form your army, with which you will do a lot of things. You will need to carry out sabotages, infiltrations, murders, and so much more. It’s different from hack-and-slash games because you need to think and make up excellent strategies. It was released in 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Macintosh.
8. Total War: Shogun 2
Total War: Shogun 2 is only available for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. However, it’s still the best title of the Total War series even though it can’t be played on any video game console. If you decide to play this game, you will be the leader of a clan and its general, and you will need to manage your troops. It is a good strategy game, and some would even say it’s one of the best strategy games of all time. But you will need to play it and decide on your own. You will need to grow your army, expand your economy, and develop settlements and much more exciting stuff. The fans of Japanese history will enjoy this game because it’s the perfect example of feudal Japan.
These are the games we think you must play if you are into samurai games. Some of them are new, some of them are old, but all of them are great. If there are any other cool samurai games, let us know. And if you are ready to buy games? Remember to try coupons on CouponKirin.
