The Best Samurai Games, Ranked

Video games set in feudal Japan offer the same intriguing distance of history as games set in the mostly concurrent European medieval period, but with ninjas and samurai instead of knights. The myths, stratified social classes, and skills in battle often associated with feudal Japan offers a wide range of settings, characters, and possible gameplay that has fueled both serious tactic games and whimsical action-adventure games alike.

A combination of the veil of time and rich mythology make feudal Japan a favorite setting for games with mystical themes. Ōkami has been particularly noted for its beauty and blend of folklore and gameplay. Games such as Otogi: Myth of Demons, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and Demon Chaos are just some of the demon-hunting video games set in feudal Japan. Cheerful dungeon-crawlers and side-scrollers like Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja and Pocky & Rocky balance more serious themed games. While some samurai video games are only available on various consoles (including the PS2, Nintendo DS, Xbox One, and more), others on this list, like Sekiro, have been released for PC as well.

What are the all-time best games set ancient Japan? Vote up all your favorite samurai games.