Whether in books, movies, TV shows, or video games, samurais are portrayed as being honorable warriors with both mental and physical fortitude.
Add swordsman to that list and you end up with a distinctive hero archetype that’s not only entertaining to play as but also allows for interesting stories to be told from the samurai perspective.
To illustrate just how remarkable samurais can be, here we’re highlighting the best samurai games on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Remember to save this list and check back in the future for more recommendations of the top samurai games on PC and console.
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Elden Ring
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Elden Ring is one of the greatest new releases to include a samurai class for those looking to master the art of the sword.
Along with superb dexterity, the Samurai starts the game at level 9 with a katana, bow and arrows, and one-handed shield.
Combine this with the Samurai’s Land of Reeds armor set and you end up with an outstanding starting class that will appeal to both Dark Souls veterans and novices.
Furthermore, players who select this class can look forward to exploring the world to track down the best equipment for the supreme Samurai build.
Hayai
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac
Hayai is an arcade-inspired indie action game that sees you attempting to survive an onslaught of foes using a unique mouse-based combat system.
The way it works is foes swoop in to encircle you before you get to draw your sword’s line of attack by hovering over each one to create a chain.
Once released, you’ll see your samurai flash across the screen in the blink of an eye and fell all opponents in one single swoop.
The game features five playable characters, each with unique playstyles, along with leaderboards and achievements that encourage you to modify your tactics.
For Honor
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One
Another samurai game we recommend is the online arena fighter For Honor, in which players pick from either Knight, Viking, or Samurai classes before heading into battle.
Each class can be customized and outfitted with a wide selection of melee weapons, emblems, and attacks that allow you to tailor your samurai’s combat style.
For Honor currently offers 18 unique heroes and maps along with PvP and ranked modes where you can hone your skills while unlocking new gear for your character.
While it’s admittingly grown a bit outdated in the tooth and doesn’t have the most welcoming community, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had with the right group of players.
Nioh 2
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4
Next up, Nioh 2 is a solitary action RPG that doubles down on the Soulslike design of its predecessor while allowing you to customize your own samurai character.
The game’s story takes place in Sengoku-era Japan prior to the original Nioh and sees you playing as Hide, a half-spirit half-samurai warrior with an extensive journey ahead of them.
In it, players can wield a vast arsenal of samurai-inspired weapons that includes odachi, kusarigama, and dual katanas among numerous others.
Each weapon features unique characteristics that affect your samurai’s playstyle to reveal new attack combinations with advantages and cons depending on the enemy you’re facing.
Ghost of Tsushima
Platforms: PS5, PS4
Of course, no samurai game list is complete without including Suckerpunch’s widely-acclaimed open-world title Ghost of Tsushima.
Set in 13th century Japan, the game sees you taking on the role of a samurai who’s compelled to bear arms after his home is overrun by Mongol invaders.
Throughout the story, Jin is forced to toe the line between hallowed samurai traditions and less-honorable ‘ghost’ tactics that rely on stealth and ferocity.
This allows the player some flexibility in how they decide to approach various challenges, leading to a more dynamic gameplay designed for diverse playstyles.
Total War: Shogun 2
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Samurai enthusiasts who enjoy turn-based strategy games have likely already dabbled with the Total War series, in particular Total War: Shogun 2.
This game casts you as leader and commander of one of nine clans belonging to different feudal Japanese provinces but you can increase that quantity to 12 by purchasing all the DLC.
Gameplay involves monitoring your clan and strengthening it by establishing settlements, training military units, researching technologies, and resolving political conflicts.
Based on the clan chosen, players may be better equipped to handle conflicts diplomatically or with a quick hand of justice by sending troops into battle.
Onimusha: Warlords Remastered
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
An updated version of a samurai classic, Onimusha: Warlords original released in 2001 and sees you playing as various Sengoku-era Japanese historical figures trained in the art of combat.
Each of them must rely on proven-and-true samurai battle tactics as they go toe-to-toe with supernatural forces, solve environmental puzzles, and explore lively environments.
The game’s biggest selling point is its stylish hack and slash combat which still holds up in 2025 thanks to a remaster that preserves Warlords’ gameplay and engrossing storytelling.
What you get instead are updated controls, support for widescreen displays, a new soundtrack, and other improvements that warrant revisiting one of the finest samurai games of all time.
Samurai Gunn 2
Platforms: Windows, PS5, Switch
If you’re searching for a samurai game you can play with friends, look no further than Samurai Gunn 2, the follow-up to the frenzied multiplayer brawler created by Beau Blyth.
In it, up to four players battle to the death across tiny platform arenas where each character is given a sword and gun with only three bullets.
While combat is easy to comprehend, it offers enough complexity to devise new strategies on the fly by climbing walls, dashing, playing dead, and turning invisible.
The sequel introduces a new Adventure mode where players can forge out their own path in demanding levels designed for both solo and cooperative play.
Kenshi
Platform: Windows
Our next samurai recommendation is the ruthless open-world survival RPG Kenshi, which sees players exploring a harsh wasteland teeming with adversity and rewards for those willing to struggle.
While it may not exclusively be a samurai game, it supports a wide range of character builds with unique weapons, including katanas.
Combat in Kenshi is as complex and merciless as its other gameplay systems, necessitating players to dedicate time to hone their attacks and only engage in battles that they know they can prevail in.
With that said, the game is exceptionally open-ended in terms of what you can do and where you can go, allowing you to join different factions, travel from town to town, and stir up trouble everywhere you go.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Mac, iOS
Many will recognize Samurai Jack from his Cartoon Network series and appearance in numerous sanctioned games, with Battle Through Time being the most recent one.
In it, players follow Jack as he’s compelled to travel through a timeless void by his arch-nemesis Aku and face off against his greatest foes with help from trusted allies.
The game functions as a retelling of sorts that chronicles Jack’s greatest escapades while introducing new features to keep combat feeling lively.
This includes over a dozen assorted samurai weapons along with a host of unlockable skills and a training mode to practice and get better.
Samurai Shodown
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch
Having hit its console peak in the 1990s, Samurai Shodown has spent the past few decades as a solely arcade and portable fighting game franchise.
However, the recent Samurai Shodown reboot revisits the series’ console origins alongside a PC port that sees players clashing it out on the worldwide stage.
In it, warriors from different backgrounds and styles come together to engage in intense sword-based combat unmatched by any other fighting game.
Considering the game’s community is divided among console, Steam, and Epic platforms, your optimal option for finding a match is using Reddit or Discord to find other players.
Samurai Warriors 5
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Although Dynasty Warriors is Koei Tecmo’s premier Musou franchise, the Samurai Warriors games are also excellent for some hack and slash fun.
The entry we’re recommending to players is Samurai Warriors 5, which reimagines the series with rejuvenated painterly visuals that make environments and characters come to life.
On the gameplay side of things, SW5 features a revamped roster of characters and tactical swift-paced combat that lets you beat throngs of enemies to a pulp using an assortment of weapons and abilities.
Furthermore, if you’re looking for gratifying and swift samurai combat that makes you feel like a formidable warrior, this is probably your best option.
Katana Zero
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Switch, Mac
Switching from 3D to 2D samurai games, Katana Zero is a sleek action-platformer that sees you playing as a katana-wielding assassin grappling with his mental health.
The game alternates back and forth between therapy sessions and challenging side-scrolling levels where players will have to deflect bullets, dodge attacks, and slice through enemies to survive.
Your character can also take a distinctive drug that slows time and lets them see into the future to predict their enemy’s next move.
It’s certainly one of the more demanding samurai games on this list but is worth checking out for its visual presentation and writing alone.
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Mac, Linux
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered is another well-received samurai game that incorporates ninja strategies into its combat while telling a unique story.
In it, players are cast as a fighter torn between ancient traditions and modern technology in a world plagued by corruption.
Each of the game’s 2D side-scrolling levels presents multiple paths to take depending on whether you want to play things covert or go in aggressive.
The Remastered version updates the now 10-year-old title with enhanced visuals, audio, developer commentary, and additional story content.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Mac, Linux
The next title we suggest samurai fans check out is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, a hardcore tactical stealth game that has you managing a team of samurai spies.
Its story takes place during the Japanese Edo period when a new Shogun has risen to power and organized a particular force to help squash a violent rebellion.
To be successful in your mission, you’ll have to combine the spies’ weapons, capabilities, snares, and tools while eliminating targets and avoiding discovery whenever possible.
There’s a considerable amount of variety in the characters’ playstyle and solutions for tackling just about every challenge the game throws your way.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One
Our ultimate samurai recommendation is FromSoftware’s magnificent action-adventure Soulslike game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Like many of the titles already mentioned, the game is set in Sengoku-era Japan and has you playing as a lethal Shinobi warrior on a quest to get vengeance against the samurai who severed his arm.
This entails carrying a katana and other conventional Japanese weapons into battle against larger-than-life enemies and bosses that benefit from From’s challenging combat mechanics.
At the same time, Sekiro stands out from other Soulslike titles for its fluid traversal in which your character’s prosthetic arm doubles as a grappling hook and varied tools.