The Spirit of the Samurai features some smooth combat | Hands-on preview
Although the preview offered a small glimpse into what The Spirit of the Samurai is, it was enough to know how satisfying the combat is. Cutting through the undead like fish wire through flesh, Takeshi guides his blade with precision and speed, cutting down enemies quickly and methodically. You use the right analogue stick in different directions to swing your sword, rolling out the way or parrying, doing whatever needs to be done in the moment. I fought enemy soldiers, zombies, and insectoid creatures, all showing off different attack patterns I had to deal with.
After learning the basics of combat, I went on my way through the village I was tasked with protecting. Although I only got to play as Takeshi, I did get to understand his moveset thoroughly, picking up new combos and additional weapons for use against my foes. The bow offers a ranged attack as do the kunai, but the sword was always my go to. Engaging in a sword fight was always so tense and personal, and each time you landed or took a hit, there was a weight to it that offered up a great level of authenticity.
The Spirit of the Samurai is a beautifully designed game, featuring some excellent design via its stop-motion art style. Scenes where Takeshi is running through the mist looked particularly special, but the way the village is lit and crafted make every moment worth soaking in. It was only a short preview, but the lighting is spectacular, and the character design is well detailed. On top of fighting off whatever threat descended on the village, there were a range of traps I had to avoid, too.
After heading underground, there were pits filled with spikes that caught me out multiple times, and cages filled with spikes that snapped from the ceiling and smashed around me, causing my head to swell and bleed. Some of the respawn points felt a little too far away, especially when the underground section wasn’t particularly bright. Falling into a trap then having to go through them all again got a little frustrating, but other than that, I have no concerns going into the full release.
I’m excited to play The Spirit of the Samurai when it launches. The combat is thrilling, and the swordplay is among its highlights. I was disappointed I didn’t get to check out how the spirit or the cat factor into the story and the gameplay, but hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer. From the 40 minutes I played, it’s definitely one I’ll be watching out for. I’m looking forward to see how this world comes to life throughout the story, and please, don’t let me have to wait too much longer to play as the cat!
The Spirit of the Samurai is coming to PC, and you can try the demo on Steam now.
