3 samurai games you'll want to play if you're excited about Ghost of Yotei

The release of Ghost of Yotei will have players exploring the fields of Ezo while on a quest for revenge in a land filled with samurai in the 1600s Japan. Many aspects of its story and visual presentation are inspired by classic Japanese cinema, more specifically stories about samurai and their many exploits in the olden days of Japan. Tales of revenge and honor, sword fights, and politics are part of the drama, with unique visuals that everyone instantly tie to samurai films. Even its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, had many of the same influences and inspirations from these types of stories, despite other aspects of the era being part of the larger plot. But Ghost of Yotei and its prequel aren't the only video games that players have been able to dive into a samurai-inspired experience.

Japanese video games have often utilized imagery and narrative clichés from tales of the samurai, which have often led to interesting experiences across many different consoles. Whether things were based in reality and grounded, or fantastical and filled with mythological characteristics, players enjoy being part of a good samurai game. The amount of action and intriguing story elements that come from these kinds of games are always a good combination for a fun time. Here are three other samurai games you'll want to play sometime if you're excited about Ghost of Yotei.

Like A Dragon: Ishin!

It's like Kamurocho, but with samurai

The Yakuza series from Sega, recently re-titled Like A Dragon with newer releases, has always been over-the-top with its stories. Although it often takes place in a more modern setting in the city of Kamurocho, with its neon lights and current-day style, the series isn't afraid to take a leap into something new. Enter in Like A Dragon: Ishin!, which brings the gameplay and core formula of the series to the Bakumatsu era, the Edo period in Japan. The plot involves Sakamoto Ryoma, who players control as he tries to balance the pressures of living in Kyo and being part of the infamous group, the Shinsengumi. In the midst of this, Sakamoto searches for clues that will lead him to a murderer who killed someone very close to him, and hopes to seek justice for them.

The gameplay of Like A Dragon: Ishin! is very similar to previous Yakuza games, and more specifically Yakuza 5. Combat involves brawling with groups of enemies, which can be done with multiple styles of fighting that include multiple weapons. But in-between finishing missions during the main story, multiple side activities and side quests can be completed that give insight into the life of Sakamoto and the people around him. Leveling up can come from completing quests, which unlocks new abilities for combat, as well as other perks that help when exploring Kyo. If you've played any of the Yakuza titles which released prior to this, everything will look and feel very similar. Unlike those games, Like A Dragon: Ishin! has a few extra features that expand upon some of the side activities, including a dungeon-crawling mode that has players fighting in more battles for more rewards.

Some of the goofier aspects of the Yakuza series are also included in Like A Dragon: Ishin! in various ways that fit the time period. Karaoke and gambling are still side activities, as well as fighting arenas where players can make some extra cash. While the game still feels like the Yakuza games before it, the new setting and time period do offer enough of a change in surroundings to feel different and interesting to play through.

Onimusha: Warlords

A samurai Resident Evil

One of the biggest series from Capcom are the Resident Evil games. But as the company was looking to make more sequels to the series back in 2001, they ended up starting a new series for the PlayStation 2. Onimusha: Warlords is what happens when you take the basic concept of a zombie game and drop it into feudal Japan. You have zombified warriors and terrible beasts from Japanese mythology clashing with Sangoku period samurai. The game follows a samurai named Samonoske as he battles the forces of Nobounaga Oda, whose followers have utilized otherworldly powers to kidnap a princess and change the tide of war. A group of Oni give Samonoske a gauntlet to seal the spirits of the monsters he faces while trying to recuse the princess and defeat the remainder of Nobounaga's forces.

Gameplay in Onimusha: Warlords is closely similar to the Resident Evil games that were released on the original PlayStation, with tank controls and a fixed camera perspective. When the game was remastered and ported to newer consoles, the controls were tweaked for modern audiences and easier to use. This made the game feel more action-packed and less like a survival horror game. Samonoske could battle zombies and demons that appear while exploring new areas, including big boss fights that will push players to the limits in vicious conflicts. New weapons can be found and powered up, which give Samonoske new combat abilities and perks depending on the weapons he uses against enemies. Like the Resident Evil games before it, Onimusha: Warlords had multiple puzzles to solve when progressing through the main story, which often involved finding items and bringing them to the right locations.

While Onimusha: Warlords was a much more fantastical approach to having samurai in video games, it is often one of the more fondly remembered games from the PlayStation 2 era. Capcom went on to make multiple sequels and spin-offs for the series, which included new characters and bigger battles. The first game was ported to the original Xbox under the title Genma Onimusha, which had a few changes not included in the original. When Onimusha: Warlords was remastered years later for the PlayStation 4, it was given HD visuals, the option to switch between classic and modern controls, and had an assortment of quality-of-life tweaks to make the game smoother for new players.

Trek to Yomi

Side-scrolling samurai action

Most classic samurai stories involve some form of revenge against a person who wronged another, which makes for great drama in more films and video games. Trek to Yomi was released in 2022 by Devolver Digital, and tells the story of a man named Hiroki and his quest for vengeance against those who burned down his village. It's a side-scrolling action game with a visual presentation that is heavily inspired by classic Akira Kurosawa films, as well as 1930s silent movies. The game has a very old-school style to it that takes the same characteristics from those types of films and applies it to a 2D action game, resulting in something that looks very cool in motion and plays very well.

The story of Trek to Yomi takes place in the Edo period of feudal Japan, with many music tracks consisting of instruments that were around during that time period. The game was also influenced by Shinto mythology, which helped guide the direction of its visual presentation and other elements found throughout it. The gameplay consists of exploring locations in a 2D setting, as well as combat with various enemies that appear occasionally. Fights usually come down to blocking enemy attacks at the right moment to open them up for a counterattack, which can be done with light and heavy strikes. Attacks can drain stamina if a player is careless, so picking the right moments to attack is key to most of the tougher battles.

Besides combat, exploring around each area can yield some secrets. Finding shrines can increase health and stamina, which are huge assets for later battles. Going through each location thoroughly will have Hiroki encounter boss battles, as well as other characters that can help him out and lead to hidden bonuses. For most critics who played Trek to Yomi, the visual presentation was the biggest standout with it's attention to detail, while the combat and 2D exploration didn't really do anything special.

A good samurai's tale

There are many kinds of video games that implement aspects of samurai stories or characteristics into their experiences. When done well, people love diving into a good samurai tale that can be fun to see to the end. Not every samurai-inspired game goes on to become a classic, but the majority of them do offer something interesting or a unique twist that makes this type of storytelling feel fresh. For those who are enjoying Ghost of Yotei or have been excited about its release on PlayStation 5, there are tons of other samurai games with something to keep the vintage Japan vibes going.