The Spirit of the Samurai review

The Spirit of the Samurai is constantly stunning, whether in the quieter moments or during full-on bloodbaths filled with undead enemies and destroyed buildings. The stop-motion aesthetic makes it one of the best-looking games of 2024, but while the visuals elevate this Metroidvania, there are certain elements of its combat and movement that hold it back. That said, it has some great moments as you switch between three characters on your journey to stop the Oni from taking control of your village and sending them back to the pits of hell.

The level of detail in not only the character animations, the backgrounds have so much going on. You get lost in this nightmarish version of Japan, a once peaceful and cultural haven now drenched in blood and death. There’s also a great attention to how lighting affects certain levels, building a fantastic level of atmosphere as you continue on your quest. While the story isn’t as strong as it could be, the focus is clearly on making this world a key focus, along with some smooth combat from time to time.

Speaking of combat, Takeshi, the samurai, has a basic moveset at first, but as you progress, new moves enter your arsenal and it’s a visual treat as you slash through enemies. Using the right analogue stick to attack feels more natural than the button presses you can also use, but on occasion some attacks aren’t as punchy or as fluid. It can be a little frustrating when it comes to the parrying and blocking, as you feel as though you’ve got it right only to get clobbered, and after playing a preview months prior, I was disappointed how it lost that charm.

Enemies are often straightforward to attack, but some do frustrate you, specifically those carrying a shield and those damn archers. The challenge does push you to approach them differently, but thanks to the jarring controls, you’ll often lose one of your three lives trying your hardest to fend them off. Pair that with poor checkpoints, you’ll end up replaying the same fights as well as certain platforming sections that do make you irritable.

Movement can also be annoying, specifically when you’re jumping over traps or trying to duck. Because of the stop-motion, it feels as though you have to jump at a very specific point, and if you miss then its likely going to result in death. While not a deal breaker, it does dishearten you from time to time, especially when you’ve moved through a large area only to have to start again. You do become used to it, and therefore you adapt to some of the ways you approach gaps or traps, but it would be nice to not have to worry anytime you approach an environmental obstacle.

The Spirit of the Samurai sees you play as two other characters, a cat called Chisai, and a tree spirit known as Kodama. While Kodama plays similarly to Takeshi, it’s Chisai that participates in pure stealth missions. These help to break up the familiar grind of combat and gives you something else to put your focus on, although I’ll never get used to seeing my cat lose its life in some pretty horrendous ways. Digital Mind Games has managed to blend some different ideas into its gameplay, and it’s great to see.

The Spirit of the Samurai is gorgeous if not horrific, with a beautiful blend of stop-motion and computer-animated environments offering a ton of detail. Combat can be fun, but sometimes you’ll get frustrated by how stiff and unresponsive it can feel. The same goes for its movement. Certain sections where platforming is at the centre mean if you’re not precise with a jump, it almost always means death. As far as Metroidvanias go, it’s still worth trying out thanks to its beautiful visuals and interesting characters.