Samurai seem to be a hot topic in video games nowadays. Ghost of Tsushima appears to be bringing samurai games back into the video game spotlight. While samurai games have been around for quite some time, there haven't been as many samurai titles this console generation compared to previous eras. Previous generations were rife with samurai action games thanks to the success of titles like Onimusha.
There were plenty more obscure samurai games, though, such as the little-known series called Way of the Samurai. The series gained a small following during the sixth and seventh console generation but fell dormant after the fourth entry released in 2012. With samurai games making somewhat of a comeback recently, now is the perfect time to resurrect the forgotten series.
The Way of the Samurai is a unique franchise. The games follow a young samurai over the course of a few days as he lives out his destiny. Players can choose to help small villages along the countryside or wreak havoc across the land. Gamers will have to travel across an open world and complete a variety of different quests in order to carve their place in history.
Most Way of the Samurai games has multiple endings making them extremely repayable. The endings correlate with a player's actions within the game. If a player decides to join an evil samurai clan and terrorize villagers, they will receive an ending that corresponds with their evil path. Nearly every decision will affect the overall outcome of the game. It is similar to Fable but with way more paths and in-game options.
Another thing that makes Way of the Samurai unique is how items transfer from one playthrough to another. This means weapons, items and armor from previous playthroughs will carry over to new campaigns. Every weapon will maintain its skill level, making players more deadly at the start of the game. This allows players to complete quests that may have been too tough in previous playthroughs. Players will also unlock new combos and improvements the more they use a weapon. It is an interesting feature that separates Way of the Samurai series from its competitors.
The Way of the Samurai series is one of the most unique action-adventure franchises to revolve around samurai warriors. It blends RPG elements with classic hack n' slash combat in a way few other games do. Its vast open-world puts players in a beautiful rendition of feudal Japan full of bustling towns and memorable characters. It's a shame that the series was so overlooked and didn't get the respect it deserves. Many Way of the Samurai fans would love to see a new entry on next-gen consoles. There is no better time to resurrect the series and take advantage of the samurai genre's newfound success.