Feudal Japan is one of the most interesting periods in world history, and, it just so happens, it perfectly suits so many game genres. The fact that so much of gaming is heavily influenced by Japanese hardware and software creatives only helps to put the period into focus across the entertainment medium. However, of late, it’s been another form of entertainment pushing gamers back to the days of the samurai.
The Shōgun miniseries from FX based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel hit the mainstream to earn critical and viewer acclaim, as relayed by its stellar Metacritic scores, offering up a view of feudal warfare and how European and Japanese cultures clashed. Naturally, seeing the samurai battle it out on screen only has gamers clamoring to jump into the setting themselves. Luckily, there are plenty of exemplary new and classic games out there to scratch that itch.
Immersing Oneself in the Feudal Japan Setting
The most recent big-budget game to delve into the setting is Rise of the Rōnin. Rather foolishly, Sony decided to publish the Team Ninja game on the same day as the eagerly-anticipated Dragon’s Dogma 2, which certainly hurt sales given the scale of both games.
Still, the PlayStation 5 exclusive’s favorable evaluation scores speak to it becoming a sleeper hit – much like Dragon’s Dogma once was. Boasting a superb mix of exploration, varied traversal methods, swordplay, gunplay, and a gripping story, Rise of the Rōnin has everything someone intrigued by Feudal Japan could want. It’s certainly worth a play if you enjoyed the superb Ghost of Tsushima.
For a game that offers a very different take on the period, switching from brutality to beauty, there’s Denshō. Created by Hacksaw Gaming, Denshō is one of the over 5,000 slots found at the highly-rated Nordis Casino online. The watercolor artwork immediately catches the eye while you spin to land owls, red-crowned cranes, and rōnin.
Those who enjoyed the artwork of the classic Okami will enjoy the work of this game. For more of an all-out war title, you can’t do better than Total War: Shogun 2 on PC. Released in 2011, it holds up very well to this day. If it’s a more intimate experience of swordplay as the hero samurai, Nioh and Nioh 2 are very challenging games, particularly compared to others in this setting, and there’s a lot of fun to be had in the plugin-play, 1v1 hit Sclash.
Even more Samurai Action on the Way
Top of the list for Feudal Japan gamers has long been one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming: Ghost of Tsushima 2. The original was such a colossal hit to end the PlayStation 4 generation that a sequel was inevitable. Sucker Punch Productions has kept tight-lipped, but with Sony likely putting on a State of Play Showcase this summer alongside the likes of Microsoft and Nintendo, it seems that now is the time for its reveal.
What has been confirmed is that Assassin’s Creed is finally heading to Feudal Japan in the form of Assassin’s Creed Red, in which you’ll play as a ninja. In the indie world, Digital Mind Games looks to be making a truly memorable experience with The Spirit of the Samurai. You fight mythical Japanese monsters and undead warriors as a samurai, a cat, and a Kodama (tree spirit), and it’s all done in this unique stop-motion aesthetic.
If you feel the need to unsheathe your blade and take to the fields of Feudal Japan, these are the games to look to.
