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.

999pts

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.

933pts

4

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.

799pts

5

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.

799pts

6

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.

799pts

7

Trek to Yomi

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

799pts

8

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.

559pts

9

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.

559pts

10

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.

559pts

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.

559pts

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.

349pts

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.

0pts

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.

0pts