The Nioh Games
Launched: Nioh 1, February 2017; Nioh 2, March 2020
Playable on: PC, PlayStation
Team Ninja’s Nioh series aren’t necessarily the most accessible samurai games on this list, what with them being Soulslikes and all. However, the two in the franchise so far, Nioh and Nioh 2, are still exceptional samurai games to pick up if you’re itching to cut up some demon-shifting warriors with a katana or two. Set in a fictional Sengoku period, both games task you with thwarting a growing yōkai threat seeking to throw the world into chaos and disarray. While the first game sets up the events of the second game, I recommend starting with Nioh 2 simply because it features a variety of more robust systems—such as its character creator, fighting mechanics, and skill customization—than its predecessor while also giving you plenty of backstory to the events and aftermath of Nioh. But in truth, you can’t go wrong with either game if you’re into the samurai fantasy.
