What is the best samurai video game of all time?

Samurai games have brought feudal Japan's codes of honor and blade mastery to life across decades of gaming — which is the greatest of them all? From Ghost of Tsushima's cinematic open world to Sekiro's unforgiving precision, vote for the best samurai game ever made.

1

Onimusha: Warlords

Capcom's 2001 classic that fused samurai action with horror elements and resource management in feudal Japan, kickstarting a beloved franchise.

1000pts

2

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

SEGA's 2023 remake of the 2014 Japan-exclusive Yakuza spin-off, transplanting the series' drama and humor into the Bakumatsu period of Japanese history.

1000pts

3

Total War: Shogun 2

Creative Assembly's 2011 grand strategy masterpiece set in the Sengoku period, still considered the finest entry in the Total War series.

897pts

4

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun

Mimimi's 2016 real-time tactics game set in Edo-period Japan, acclaimed for its brilliant level design and deeply satisfying stealth-based gameplay.

692pts

5

Trek to Yomi

Leonard Menchiari's 2022 cinematic black-and-white samurai revenge story inspired by classic Kurosawa films, visually striking in every frame.

692pts

6

Rise of the Ronin

Team Ninja's 2024 open-world action RPG set during Japan's turbulent Bakumatsu era, blending character-driven storytelling with refined Nioh-style combat.

692pts

7

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

FromSoftware's 2019 precision-focused action game as a one-armed shinobi in feudal Japan, winner of multiple Game of the Year awards.

692pts

8

Nioh 2

Team Ninja's acclaimed 2020 prequel that refined every system of the original, widely praised as one of the finest action RPGs of its generation.

323pts

9

Katana Zero

Askiisoft's 2019 neon-soaked indie action platformer starring a katana-wielding assassin who can manipulate time, with a gripping neo-noir story.

323pts

10

Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch's 2020 open-world epic set during the 1274 Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island, acclaimed for its stunning visuals and katana combat.

323pts

11

Bushido Blade

Squaresoft's 1997 one-hit-kill sword-fighting game that modeled realistic blade combat decades before the genre matured, still ahead of its time.

323pts

12

Nioh

Team Ninja's 2017 Souls-like action RPG set in a demon-infested sengoku Japan, featuring deeply layered weapon stances and mythological enemies.

1pts

13

Assassin's Creed Shadows

Ubisoft's 2025 open-world action game set in feudal Japan, offering two protagonists — shinobi Naoe and samurai Yasuke — across an expansive world.

1pts

14

Way of the Samurai

Acquire's 2002 cult classic with a branching narrative set in a single town over a single day, offering radical replay value through divergent paths.

1pts