Being a samurai or the closest thing to a ninja has always seemed like a childish dream that is farfetched. But with the creation of games, that dream seems to be closer and closer to reality. In fact, these days samurai and ninja games are pretty well made and are rather immersive with their open worlds and accurate time periods.
Since most of these games can be found on PlayStation, make sure to get some PlayStation Network Cards if you’re thinking of getting them!
More and more people are interested in samurai games and wielding a katana in the feudal age of Japan to defend their honor. Now, if you’re one of them; here are some games that could help activate further your samurai or ninja spirit.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Ninja)
An action-adventure in which a shinobi is on a mission for revenge and to rescue his kidnapped lord. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will immerse you in a fantasy world of magical healing and near-death battles. With gameplay focused on stealth and precision, most people have compared Sekiro’s difficulty to that of the Soul’s franchise (they are from the same developers, so no surprise there).
As you traverse through a beautiful world, you will have to make difficult decisions resulting in one of three different endings. The story is encapsulating and the combat impressive. Sekiro employs a battle system where you attack your enemy’s posture and balance then go in for the final blow rather than outright attacking them.
For Honor (Samurai)
There are four factions in For Honor, so you can try out being a fighter from different countries and time periods: the Iron Legion (Knights), the Warborn (Vikings), the Dawn Empire (Samurai), the Wu Lin (Ancient Chinese Army). Each hero is unique and the game focuses largely on sword combat.
Under each faction, there are four classes to choose from as well which makes the game sound like an MMORPG more than anything. But it’s not. There are multiplayer options and online multiplayer options to battle with randoms but that’s it. With a variety of weapons and fighting styles, this game brings more variety to the samurai genre.
Katana Zero (Ninja)
A dystopic neo-noir is probably the last thing you expected to see on a list of ninja and samurai games, but Katana Zero truly embodies the ninja spirit. With a katana-wielding assassin, we traverse a cyberpunkish world where one hit equals instant death. The protagonist has the ability to slow time through the intake of a drug, so he can evade bullets and slash to deflect them.
An assassin in a modern world of drugs, hitmen, and gangs; you are given contracts to end the lives of randoms across the city. But these lives are not so random after all, once the dots are connected and you move further along.
Ghost of Tsushima (Samurai)
Undoubtedly, one of the best samurai games to date, Ghost of Tsushima was one of the highly anticipated games of 2020 and it did not disappoint! Now you can embody Jin Sakai as he fights the Mongolian invasion in feudal Japan.
With stealth mechanics and precision combat in an open world where you are free to roam and take your time, this version of Japan is sure to amaze you. There are side quests to complete and NPCs to interact with along your journey to defeat the Mongols. If you’ve done all that, there’s a multiplayer mode, horde mode and raid added in late 2020 for you to try out as well.
The Messenger (Ninja)
An action-platform ninja game that starts with an attack on a ninja village by the Demon King. The Messenger is appointed to deliver a scroll to the top of a mountain and is aided by several people along the way. It’s hard to anticipate where this game would lead you next, and the plot twists that come your way will probably blow your mind.
The game plays with the notion of time travel and the concept of time as well as the usual platforming fun. The Messenger will continue to gain abilities as he journeys through different regions to deliver the scroll. These abilities will help him in battle and get through the different terrains of each region.
Nioh (Samurai)
If you’re more of a combat person that doesn’t really care much about the storyline, Nioh is perhaps one of the best to test out your combat skills. Nioh as well as its sequel consists of some of the hardest fights in gaming history with top-notch weaponry and mythology for those who are obsessed with combat.
Players would need a variety of combos and skills to defeat their enemies in this Soulslike hack and slash game. Gameplay revolves largely around the management of your Ki and changing sword stances for different enemies. You will be tasked with navigating infested levels and clearing them out.
Sounds like reckless combative fun, if you asked me. If you’re done with Nioh, you can jump into Nioh 2, so what are you waiting for?
Ninja Gaiden (Ninja)
One of the OGs when it comes to ninja games, the Ninja Gaiden franchise is definitely one of those games that you should try out if you’re into ninja games. The first game was released in 1998 and the latest game was released in 2014. Don’t worry though, the game still packs a punch when it comes to combat.
Ninja Gaiden is an action platform game and the franchise is known for its difficult combat so if you want to test your skills, you’ve found the right game to do it. Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is the latest release in the franchise, and is a spin-off of the original games. It features hack and slashes combat for you to fend off enemies and an ultimate attack that allows for the destruction of multiple enemies at once.
Total War: Shogun 2 (Samurai)
A part of the Total War series, Total War: Shogun 2 is a strategy video game set in feudal Japan during the aftermath of a war. You are tasked with a clan of your own, and your goal is to take over other clans and total control of Japan. There are nine clans in total, so you can choose from one of them. Unlike the previous games, this installment focuses on only one region: Japan.
Since this is essentially an all-out war, you have to strategize and plan for one as well. If you’re not into strategy and war management, perhaps you would want to sit this one out. The game is a boon amongst history fans since it features historical places and realistic historical events as well as historical figures.
Overall, it has good combat and a realistic war point of view with the values of a true samurai at stake.
Sum Up
These are eight of the best ninja and samurai games you could find out there, so make sure to try them out! They’re not for the faint of heart, each has its own merits and difficulties so don’t say we didn’t warn you! Anyways, do let us know in the comments below what ninja and samurai games you enjoy the most. We’d love to hear from you.
