22 Best Samurai PC Games You Have To Play

The way of the Samurai has been documented throughout history (with various amounts of accuracy). But many times, you will see a Samurai with a sword fighting off all sorts of evil or rivals. And that is more than enough to get them their own video game, wouldn’t you say? We’ll show you some of the best of them.

#22 Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Platform: PC PS5
Release Date: July 17, 2020

Steam | PlayStation

If you’re looking for a legendary Samurai title to play on PC, there’s only one true choice to get: Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. This is the title by Sucker Punch that took the world by storm thanks to its beauty, gameplay, style and everything in between. You play a lone Samurai on a mission to protect the island of Tsushima from the invading Mongol armies.

To do so, you must not be the trained Samurai you were taught to be, but a ghost that wanders the land and does what must be done to defend the people and your home nation. With incredible depth and great sword combat, you’ll be drawn into this title from the moment you start playing.

#21 Like a Dragon: Ishin

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: February 21, 2023

Steam | Playstation | Xbox

The days of ancient Japan might be long behind us, but its impact is still felt to this day, and there are still stories to tell.

In the story that is Like A Dragon: Ishin, you will be Sakamoto Ryoma, a lone Samurai who has been framed for the murder of his father and is desperate to clear his name. To do so, you must head to Kyoto, a place full of both injustice and hope; through your actions, you’ll determine the future of your nation!

Wield your sword, take down your foes, and learn why your father died. Can you reclaim the honor you lost?

#20 Strider

Strider the legendary Samurai returns in this reboot. He’s all the better for seeing us too. Are you ready to take on this awesome action-packed side-scroller? Many of you will remember Strider and his epic sword from Marvel vs. Capcom. However, he’s made several appearances in the past from arcade cabinets to the NES. This offering is truly a lot of fun. Chain together multiple attacks as you platform your way across the map. All the while making use of numerous weapons and unmatched abilities. Striking visuals and smooth gameplay make this a truly worthy use of your time.

#19 Katana Zero

Side-scrolling gory glory is what Katana Zero has to offer. But that’s not all… Katana Zero also features unique elements such as time mechanics and a kill cam that replays your progression through the previous level. This had a unique effect on me, it meant that not only did I try to complete the level as efficiently as possible but also as dramatically as possible too. Add to the mix a unique and engaging story with great RPG elements and it’s likely you’ll end up spending a lot of time on this game. Controls are tight, movement is fluid and you’ll find yourself striving for the perfect parry as a result. This is a bloody adventure, don’t miss it.

#18 Shadow Warrior 2

If you were a kid again and I asked you to imagine the perfect FPS samurai combat game without any limits, what would you imagine? Certainly something fantastic? Fast classic cars, samurai swords, massive guns, magic and ancient buildings. The enemies would surely be the most hideous and grotesque of monsters. Big, small, ugly and everything in-between. That should give you an idea of what to expect from Shadow Warrior 2. Add to that, a wide variety of swords, guns and anything else you could imagine. Now let’s be clear, this is a darn pretty game. You’ll switch seamlessly between weapons as you lay waste to any opponent in your path.

#17 Warframe

In this next third-person shooter, you’ll play as a high-tech combat killing machine. Use your skills, weapons(Swords included) and advanced features to put any would-be challengers in their place. Warframe features customizable options and a lot of in-depth character progression. It’ll build you into a Ronin of the cosmos. Warframe delivers incredibly tight gameplay, sleek combat and immensely fluid movement. You’ll have the option to play through this stunning game alone or to take it on with your crew. It’s time to sow fear among any who think they might best you.

#16 Naraka: Bladepoint

If you’re worth your salt as a gamer then you’ve likely played some form of battle royale format game. In fact, many of them are getting tedious at this point. Enter Naraka: Bladepoint. An engaging lightning-fast melee-based battle royale, that pits you against 60 other players. Unlike the other offerings in this genre, Naraka sees you scramble to get your hands on whatever sharp and dangerous implements you can. Then you’ll have to make use of incredibly precise timing and complicated aerial acrobatics. This makes for some pretty wild combat, especially with the unique character abilities, some of which allow you to become invisible and sneak up on foes.

#15 Ghostrunner

Starting off this list, we have a “Samurai from the future” in Ghostrunner. In this game, the world has already ended, and those who survived it, like yourself, are just trying to live on. But for you, that’s not enough, you want revenge on those who hurt you, and have to climb a massive tower full of enemies in order to get to them.

So good luck with that!

As the most skilled person around, you must move fast and hard to tear through enemies and make it up the tower. Not the least of which is because it’s one-hit kills in this game. So us your abilities to the fullest in order to come out on top. Or don’t’! And die, it’s up to you.

#14 Cyberpunk 2077

No, I’m not putting this game on the list because the main character is called Samurai (though it was an option…), we’re putting Cyberpunk 2077 on this list because of how you CAN use swords in the game to slice up your enemies. And…that’s apparently good enough for a Samurai comparison!

Either way, Cyberpunk 2077 (when it works…) is a title that gives you the freedom to do the game how you want, including whether you use swords, guns, cybernetics or something else entirely to complete your missions.

Night City is full of life and wonders, and you’re told to explore it at your leisure and see what might just unfold with you.

It’s not the game that was going to “change everything” as promised, but if you can look past the bugs (all of them), you might just find a fun experience.

#13 Soulcalibur Series

Ok, this one is a bit more cheating than Cyberpunk, but I don’t care because SoulCalibur is awesome and you can’t tell me otherwise.

The beloved fighting game franchise is one that does indeed take character classes and types from all walks of history. Pirates, ninjas, Shaolin, knights, monsters, Dominatrix (come on, you know it’s true with Ivy!) and so on. And for Samurai, you have Mitsurugi. A Samurai character so dope that he was brought over into Samurai Showdown later on.

Even if you don’t play as him, there are all sorts of characters that you can have fun with as you use a variety of weapons and abilities to come out on top and get the Soul Edge…or destroy the Soul Edge…your call.

#12 Sifu

If this were a martial arts games list, Sifu would be higher, but because it’s a Samurai list, we’re putting it a bit lower. Because while Sifu is a brutally fun game, you’re not a Samurai yourself, and you only kind of face them in the game (not including mods, obviously).

Regardless though, Sifu is fun, and the beauty of the game is how it weaves martial arts into the experience. You are a young learner of marital arts when your master gets killed. Now, you must get revenge on those who took them by beating swarms of enemies with your skills. But, when you “die”, you don’t end the game, you just get older and use that experience to try and take out everyone before you literally become too old to fight.

It’s fast-paced, hard to master, and things can turn on a dime, but it’s worth it in the end.

#11 Shadow Tactics

The Shadow Tactics series is one that showcases variety and uniqueness in a fun way. In the first game for examples, Blades of the Shogun, you’ll take the role of a specialist team who are tasked with a variety of missions. The character you choose will determine how you try and take on those missions.

One of those ways is the Samurai character, who will use his sword to take on multiple enemies at once and defeat them. Or, you can play as a ninja, a thief, a martial arts master, a master of camouflage, and so on.

Each character plays different, opening up the world to you in order to help you see all the angles. And if you like the first game in the series, you can get the others as well.

#10 Nioh 2

Don’t worry, the original is coming later in the list, but Nioh 2 is a bit lower because it tries to ratchet up everything that the original game did, and that might not be for you.

This time around, you’ll actually get to create your own character who goes on a journey to free Japan from the Yokai and other monsters that haunt it. And just like before, you’ll have a variety of techniques and abilities you can use to take them down, including some new ones for extra cinematic kills.

But don’t think the Yokai are just going to let you trample over them, they have their own new abilities to try and turn the tide of battle in their favor.

#9 Onimusha: Warlords

The original Onimusha was a classic when it came out, and praised for its gameplay and story. Now, you can play a better version of that title through Onimusha: Warlords.

This remaster/remake of the game brings back the classic swordplay of the OG title, but with visual improvements, quality gameplay changes to make the game flow and feel better, and more. Nothing is truly lost, but everything is improved.

You’ll have to cross blades with both man and monster in order to complete your quest, do you think you can be up to that task? If so, get this remastered game and see just how good you are at being a Samurai!

#8 Kenshi

The phrase “the world is what you make it” absolutely applies to Kenshi in the best of ways. In this game, you are not a “chosen one” kind of character. You are just a person thrust into a seamless world full of possibilities, ones you need to make the most of.

You’ll choose your character from a variety of character types, then, you’ll work hard to build up a group to help you fight and survive in this world. But again, you are not a “chosen character”, you must work hard for what you want, and that goes double for your squad. Everyone has a personality, a style, a life, and the ability to grow if you train them well.

As you go throughout the world you’ll face many challenges, and how well you build yourself, your team, and your preparation skills will determine how good, or bad, you do.

#7 Sword of the Samurai

Sword of the Samurai puts you in the role of a…yes, Samurai, who is trying to obtain two goals. First, to reclaim the honor he has lost. And second, to unite the 48 warring factions of Japan under your “noble rule”, earning the title of Shogun as a result.

The game doesn’t just focus on intense sword duels (though there are a lot of them in here!), but rather, on the choices you make. The characters you interact with will deal with you in a variety of ways depending on how you act with them.

You must win duels in order to reclaim honor, and help move your goal forward. Add that to truly authentic styles of music and visuals, and Sword of the Samurai is very much a game you should check out.

#6 Total War Shogun 2

While many of the games we’ve shown (and will feature soon) has you taking control of one character overall, Total War Shogun 2 is a real-time strategy game that has you being a character that controls a massive army.

In 16th century, Japan was in chaos. A legion of warring factions were trying to bring Japan to its knees under their own rule. You are now one of them, and must go and defeat the other nine factions in order to unite Japan once more.

…under your banner, of course.

You’ll have to use not just force, but tactics, economics, and even diplomacy in order to survive the threats all around you. But if you do it right, you must just be the one they call the Shogun.

#5 Nioh

The original Nioh has you playing as a traveler who lands upon the shores of Japan and finds the nation in a state of chaos. To survive, you must fight your way through hordes of warriors and monsters, all the while trying to find certain answers that you are seeking.

Many were blown away by the combat of Nioh, and it made the game quite successful. Plus, if you were to go and get the complete edition for the game, you’ll be able to get the DLC that helps expand the game even more.

Either way, you’ll have a lot of fun playing this game and slicing through all sorts of monsters on your way to the truth.

#4 Samurai Shodown

Often times, Samurai games focus on a lot of blitzing style combat, not really showing off the finesse and styles that the Samurai warriors were actually known for. The Samurai Shodown series though was one that dared to be different. Focusing very much on the gameplay and style of things versus just being flashy.

When the reboot came out, people were amazed by how technical and fun it was. As well as the variety of characters that you could play as in the game itself. You’ll need to learn various techniques to ensure you survive in intense battles. And, once you’re good enough, you can create “ghosts” for players around the world to go and enjoy battling against.

Add that to a wide array of DLC characters and you can see why Samurai Shodown got so high on this list.

#3 Samurai Jack Battle Through Time

This game means a lot to me, so it gets high up on the list for that reason alone.

Samurai Jack Battle Through Time is a game that is actually canon to the beloved Samurai Jack series. In it, Jack is in his final battle with Aku and on his way to the past when Aku pulls off one last desperate move. He pulls Jack into an alternate dimension where he can unleash his “greatest hits” to try and trap the Samurai and make sure he never gets home.

Now, as Jack, you must fight through these legendary episode battles, use a variety of weapons, and finally get back to the past!

If you’re a fan of the legendary series, then you’ll want to check out Samurai Jack Battle Through Time.

#2 For Honor

When SoulCalibur was discussed, I talked about how it was on the list because it did have a Samurai in the gameplay. But with For Honor, it gets to be here because you and others can play as a whole faction of Samurai, or Knights, or Vikings. It’s your choice.

But just as important, you’re not just able to play as one kind of Samurai, but several different kinds. That’s part of the fun. You’ll get to partake in massive battles that will help shape the future of the game, and if that means you slicing up various Knights and Vikings as Samurai? So be it!

Enjoy the various game modes, level up the classes you love to play as, and be the best Samurai that history (and this game) has ever seen!

#1 Sekiro Shadows Dice Twice

While we could’ve put a variety of games on top here, it honestly feels appropriate that Sekiro Shadows Dice Twice is the one taking the top spot (but to be clear, if this was PS4/PS5 games? It’d be Ghost of Tsushima). After all, this game really shows you the “realism” and brutality of being a ninja/Shinobi and the challenges that come with it…which includes facing a LOT of Samurai.

In the game, you play as a character named Wolf. Samurai have tried to kill you and have taken your lord. Now, using your skills with a sword and stealth, you must face your past and take back your present.

This game is meant for those who want intense and brutal combat. It is a From Software game, so you’ll definitely get that. By the time you’re done, you’ll want to take a breath…and then play it all over again.