So I'm looking for a good samurai game?

I've been watching a lot of Kurosawa movies recently as well as some pretty good anime stuff all centering around Japanese samurai. So I was wondering if you duders could recommend me some games revolving around them. I've played Way of the Samurai 3 (which I thought was ok) and Shogun: Total War. What games am I totally missing out on? Preferably for PC or Xbox 360, but if there's a PS2/Xbox game worth it I would drag them out of the storage closet.

Bushido Blade 1 and 2 for the PS1.

If you've already played through Way of The Samurai 3 then maybe it's worth trying Way of the Samurai 4? It's kind of more of the same I suppose but it has a pretty different theme to 3, and deals a lot with the first foreigners in japan.

Samurai Warriors... I was going to suggest Way of the Samurai, but seems like you already got to it. There aren't a lot of awesome samurai games out there which sucks.

Sakura Samurai's alright.

The Onimusha franchise got you covered! Though they're not quite rooted in reality mind... Also,

One of the only games in that entire franchise conglomerate that's actually alright.

Definitely Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman.

Actually, Samurai Warriors 1-3 are all a lot of fun, though 3 is only on the Wii (and on PS3 in Japan).

I was thinking the same thing. It seems like a pretty under-utilised genre.

I really like Way of the Samurai 3 and 4. 3 is on 360 and 4 is PSN exclusive. They are flawed but interesting games.

Beautiful design and attention to detail, but who would expect less from a Yakuza game.

@theht: I think I may know someone with Bushido Blade 2! Thanks for the suggestion.

@mrpandaman: will check that out, thanks! yea I've noticed there aren't many samurai games out there which is a damn shame

@soap: Anyway of getting that on something besides the PS3? Mine broke last year.

I feel like there should be a samurai fighting game out every year. Why is the world so unjust?

@esrever: Beat me to it.

Onimusha if you're into samurai killing demons. I thoroughly enjoyed the first game, I didn't play the sequels though.

Metal Gear Rising and Shadow Warrior (I know, not very Samurai-ish games. But they got swords!)

@sooty: man the Yakuza series is weird in the best ways. I need to replace this broken PS3 soon.

@esrever: holy shit that intro song.... sold

@viciousbearmauling: I've actually played Shadow Warrior, the cutting mechanic is great. I'm a long time Metal Gear fan but I'd heard mixed things about Rising. Maybe it's time to check it out.

Samurai Gun is a game to check out.

Couldn't agree more, for more than just fighters though. A very neglected setting.

Way of the Samurai.

original Way of the Samurai for the PS2. I loved that game.

It's crazy how few games with samurai themes came out for the current gen. Especially when you compare it to how many medieval European style games there are.

Well, there is always Sengoku Basara and the Samurai Warriors games. Your mileage may vary I guess, but Sengoku Basara 3 is one of my favorite games of this generation. There is, of course, Total War: Shogun 2. Then there's the Genji games, which are basically like a poor man's Onimusha. And then let's not forget about Muramasa, which is probably the most obvious recommendation on this list. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I left out some since you seemed pretty luke-warm on the Way of the Samurai series.

Onimusha 2. Sure it's old but I freakin' loved it.

Shadow Warrior

@stubbleman: I'd actually put that aside there because I'd heard a lot of people didn't like Way of the Samurai 3, I personally thought it was fun. Muramasa looks pretty rad, might have to drive back to my parents and steal my Wii back from them. Is Sengoku Basara an anime? I've got a buddy who's been giving me all these awesome samurai animes to watch and I think I remember him mentioning it. If so would you recommend the show?

Play Dark Souls with Eastern Armour and Uchi/Iaito/Chaos Blade.

http://www.greenmangaming.com/s/us/en/pc/games/indie/sengoku/

Going to try this since I apparently had 3 dollars credit on GMG for some reason, I like CK2 so maybe I'll enjoy this. If anyone's played it and has any mod recommendations I'll take em.

@funkasaurasrex: I actually tried once, but cheesing my way through Dark Souls once was enough for me lol.

Samurai Shodown?

I mean pretty much the best is Samurai Showdown 2 but if fighting games isn't your forte then I'd throw my hat in for Bushido Blade 1-2 and the Samurai Warriors series. Also If straight up action in that era is all u need then check out the Sengoku Basara series or Sengoku 3 for Neo Geo.

@l33t_haxor: @professork: Is there anywhere to get the Samurai Showdown games digitally?

Brave Fencer Musashi on PSone. Surprised nobody has said this. Loved this game.

There's the Onimusha series. I've always enjoyed those games but I doubt they age particularly well.

Does anyone remember a game where you're kind of like a samurai but possibly a cyborg as well? It was on PS2 and was a third person action game. Your body parts were all split up and scattered across the game world and you're getting them back one by one. As you do you gain new abilities. I think the first was your legs? Which allowed you to walk around. The next I think was your arms? That allowed you to hold a sword. Then the next was your eye, which enables you to see enemy health bars.

If anyone remembers that one I remember liking that at the time. It's not strictly a samurai game but I think it took place in a feudal setting, albeit a demon-esque one.

Afro Samurai.

Kengo: masters of Bushido is a great samurai fighting game with some really addictive RPG elements

I definitely wouldn't recommend the anime. Like the quality of the art seems really weak for Studio I.G and it just looks like trash compared to the games in my opinion. But that's just different strokes for different folks. I know there's plenty of places you can watch it like netflix and youtube and form your own opinion on it. So you've go that going for you.

And if you are interested in Way of the Samurai, then four is definitely cool and weird and dumb and I'd definitely recommend it if it wasn't as expensive as it is. Way of the Samurai 2 is still my personal favorite, though I know a lot of people default to 1. It's one of those series that doesn't necessarily have a best entry. Acquire is also known for making the Tenchu series on top of the Way of the Samurai series. And while that's more ninjas than samurais, they definitely evoke the setting and time period really well. Then there's the Shinobido series, which is also Acquire. It's more focused on the ninja stuff than the samurai stuff, but it's got some of the more open ended trappings of the Way of the Samurai games in there on top of the stealth Tenchu stuff.

I've also been on a massive samurai film binge recently. Starting the Kurosawa, then moving through Mifune, Nakadai and some others. I think I've more or less seen every samurai film worth watching at this point. There aren't really any games that capture the same feeling as those films, but Last Blade 2 has a lot of style.

Shadow Warrior

@razielcuts:

Blood Will Tell?

http://www.giantbomb.com/blood-will-tell-tezuka-osamus-dororo/3030-11334/

I came in here to say exactly this.

Bushido Blade 1 and 2 and the Way of the Samurai series. Can't do much wrong with those. Also, to go along with WOTS, Samurai Western.

Kenzan is by far the best Samurai game out there.

If you can import it there are some translated walkthroughs on youtube so you will understand the story and what to do. It is really a shame that we got the terrible dead Souls but never Kenzan... I really hope we can get at least Ishin but I really doubt it.

@gaminghooligan I would highly recommend Genji: Dawn of the Samurai. It came out at the ass end of the PS2 lifespan, so not very many people played it. The game has a compelling enough story, coupled with cool characters, memorable music, good-looking graphics, and bitchin' combat. Plus the entire game can be played with the original Japanese audio and English subtitles. It's unfortunate that the sequel on the PS3 was kinda broken, albeit aesthetically pleasing. But still, you should most definitely give the original a go.

@tumbell: Yup, that's it! Thanks.

I remember it being quite hard at the time and I got stuck on a boss. Then again I was younger, my eSports skills hadn't developed yet.

@darji: Yakuza of the End was a rad game. I don't know what game you were playing...

Hell naw. It's one of the worst games I've played across this generation; it's basically just Yakuza 4, but instead you're playing a shitty shooter instead of a clunky--but still awesome--brawler.

It was also the game that made Sega think "Oh well, they don't like Yakuza games anymore" due to low sales numbers. We're never getting Yakuza 5 because of that shitty game.

I wonder what the hell Sega is thinking these days?

No the shooting was really really terrible. Kenzan had not only a great story based on the story of Miyamoto Musashi but also had great combat as well.

Bushido Blade 2 is so awesome. It's definitely one of my favorite PS games, but then again I haven't touched it in 15 years so I'm not sure how well it would up today. It's still a little strange to me that there are a ton of people around that have never heard of or played the Bushido Blade games...man, I'm getting old.