Samurai as a trope in media is almost as widely available as zombies; only difference being that people universally love the katana-wielding warriors. You can’t say that you wouldn’t love to perform over-the-top sword draws, and the slow blade sheathe as your enemies fall to the ground with a fantastic spray of blood. To feed that undying gamer thirst, here are the 10 best Samurai games for PC and Console that let you step into the battlefield with nothing but pure bloodlust.
Table of Contents
1. Ghost of Tsushima
With little uncertainty, this is the most beautiful game on this list, if not on any list anywhere. Rolling hills, fields full of lush grass swaying gently to the wind, the sun brilliantly illuminating this world so devastated by the horrors of war. The contrast of tranquil beauty against the backdrop of the senseless bloodshed is an excellent metaphor for the story of this game. Jin, the protagonist, fights to restore peace yet puts the fear of justice in the hearts of his enemies with sheer brutality. Ghost of Tsushima is very realistic yet almost poetically fantastical. If you could stop enjoying one of the most polished sword-fighting experiences ever created in a game for one moment, you would want to sit and just gaze at this world in awe. This game is damn near perfect if perfection is a thing that exists. The voice acting, the story, the cinematics, the movement, the visuals, the music, and the combat is just the pinnacle of videogame excellence.
Unfortunately, the game is a Sony exclusive only available on PS5 and PS4.
2. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Okay, you play as a shinobi, not a Samurai, but you fight against Samurai, which counts for something. Also, your primary weapon is a katana, which you must be highly skilled with to even survive in this game. It’s a game by FromSoftware so you can expect a very unforgiving environment. The game is rather fast-paced when it comes to exploring and navigating something that you don’t see in other Souls games. Sekiro’s combat tests your reaction time, patience, and pride at every level. Ordinary soldiers may kill you within a few strikes if you’re not careful. Your character, Wolf, will get insanely strong by the end game, but so do the bosses. The story is a tale of the deep spiritual corruption of the Ashina and it is up to the player to decide what outcome they want to manifest with their actions.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available on PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox One.
3. The Nioh Series
Most of Nioh is very similar to Dark Souls, but it has its own refreshing elements that give it a unique identity. It is a skill-based game that requires you to pay attention to your fighting stances and Ki pulses while effectively managing both in combat. The game offers a wealth of weapons, items, abilities, which gives players a certain level of creative freedom in fights. The gameplay, the environment, and the story of the game are so immaculate, that you can’t do them justice in a few words. Nioh is set in a historical fantasy setting, where you fight demons, mythical beasts, humans and many other interesting creatures from the Japanese folklore. The crafting and customizations available in the game are very intricate which gives players hundreds of hours of playtime with a rather unforgiving yet inviting growth curve. Nioh 2 increased the enemy variety, amount of weapons, abilities, playstyles, and visual customizations by a fair bit, making it a game you keep returning to.
Both Nioh games are available on PlayStation 4, Windows and PlayStation 5, unfortunately no Xbox release yet.
4. Elden Ring
Elden Ring isn’t exclusively isn’t exclusively a samurai game, but one of the 10 classes that you can choose at start the game with has the Samurai archetype. Elden Ring uses the same old Soulsborne formula with some new RPG elements in the mix. If you ever wanted to slay dragons, kill deadly beasts and fight demigods all while wielding a Katana, then Elden Ring is for you. The game is very unforgiving yet rewarding when you actually learn the mechanics. For the Samurai part, you get quite a few different types of katanas each with their own unique movesets and skills. Elden Ring features an incredibly dynamic weapon system and that goes for katanas too, some of the blades available in the game can be customized as the player wishes and you can also dual wield two different katanas.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows.
5. Total War: Shogun 2
Everyone is familiar with the Total War series and its combat-centric RTS gameplay. Total War: Shogun 2 lets you control hundreds, if not thousands, of samurai in colossal wars against other Japanese kingdoms in a battle for succession and dominance. If you like RTS, a few games can beat Total War in simulating tactically realistic scenarios, depth, great attention to detail, and historical accuracy (It is historically accurate to a degree). The game is set in the Sengoku period of the Japanese history and casts the player with a role of daimyo whose ultimate goal is to establish rule over Japan as the new Shogun. The game was initially released in 2011 on PC and was followed by a few DLC packs.
6. For Honor
For Honor has come a long way since its release in early 2017, the game has five Faction, one of which lets you play as Samurai. The Kensei character in the faction is the living incarnation of Bushido, they fight with nodachi, a type of large katana. For Honor handles the Samurai combat system quite brilliantly. The detail and fluidity of movements are very uniquely engaging as the game’s combat mechanics are very deep and competitive. For Honor’s primary focus is its PvP mode and it is one of the most intricate melee fighting games ever. Not only does this qualify as a best samurai game, but it lets you finally quash any claims made against the superiority of thousand times folded Japanese steel.
For Honor is playable on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S & PC.
7. Like a Dragon: Ishin!
“Like a Dragon: Ishin!” is a spinoff of the long-running Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. In this historical fiction game set during the last years of the Edo period, you play as Sakamoto Ryoma, a real-life samurai who wanted Japan to embrace democracy. The story follows Ryoma on his revenge pursuit which leads him in the middle of a much bigger and dangerous political plot. The combat system of the game plays just like other Yakuza titles, however now you get to wield a Katana plus a gun. You get a few different fighting styles to choose from: Swordsman, Gunman, Brawler, and Wild Dancer which makes for a very dynamic gameplay experience.
“Like a Dragon: Ishin!” was released in February 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
8. Onimusha: Warlords
Onimusha: Warlords is an action-adventure game developed by Capcom that takes place in a fictionalized version of feudal Japan. You play as a samurai battling against demonic forces. The gameplay features a mix of hack-and-slash combat and solving puzzles while exploring a world modeled after Japanese mythology. Onimusha is often compared to Resident Evil, although a slightly dated entry in this list, the game is a lot of fun. The game was first released on PS2 in 2001, followed by Xbox release in 2002. Onimusha: Warlords was recently remastered in 2018 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and eventually got a Windows release in 2019. If you are looking for a story based Samurai action packed in the old school game template, Onimusha Warlords is a perfect choice.
9. Samurai Warriors series
Samurai Warriors is a video game series created by Omega Force and Koei Tecmo. It’s like Dynasty Warriors but with samurai katanas. The first title in this hack-and-slash game series came out way back in 2004. In Samurai Warriors you fight vast armies while executing sensational combos, conquering entire cities, feeling like a huge badass. Every successive iteration of Samurai Warriors features additional content, improved gameplay, better graphics, and is always fun to play. The games are based around the Sengoku period of the Japanese history and feature several legendary historical figures from the country. The recent Samurai Warriors 5 release in 2021 was very refreshing but if you aren’t a Musou fan, getting into it might be difficult.
10. Samurai Shodown
Samurai Showdown mixes sword combat with fighting games, putting a unique twist on both genres. It’s not Street Fighter or Tekken with swords because it’s not just about deploying unending combos at your enemies. It takes more of a timing and strategy-based approach. Rather than permanently staggering your enemies with a barrage of attacks, you’re supposed to attack with higher precision. You must parry your enemy’s strikes and attack cautiously, as there is a significant charge-up time.
Samurai Shodown was released in 2019 on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox SeriesX/S and Switch.
Brief Overview of Samurai
Samurai hail from Japanese warrior caste, which during the Edo period became the highest ranking social class of Japan. They are known for their deadly swordsmanship, but these elite warriors also employed weapons such as spears, bows and arrows and knives. Some of the greatest Samurai that we know today emerged during the Feudal period of Japan, their lives and stories of battles have inspired countless amounts of video games, and characters.
If there are games you would’ve liked to see mentioned, or maybe your favourite Samurai title did not make it into the list, please let us know.
