Japanese-inspired Metroidvania The Spirit of the Samurai blends classic Hollywood influence with an adorable warrior cat

FGS
(Image credit: Future)

Stop-motion action metroidvania The Spirit of the Samurai just appeared at the Future Games Show at Gamescom Presented by Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII ahead of its release in Fall 2024.

The Spirit of the Samurai sees you play as three different characters as you fight to defend your village from an undead army led by a terrifying Oni. Leaning heavily on Japanese mythology, you'll play as samurai Takeshi, but also as Kodama, a diminutive but brave spirit, and Chisai, a warrior cat.

With The Spirit of the Samurai's in-game combo editor, Chisai will fight at Takeshi's side during side-scrolling 2D action sequences, but will also go it alone, outwitting foes that tower over them in sequences immediately reminiscent of classics like Limbo and Inside. Coupled with The Spirit of the Samurai's distinct animation style, whether you're on the front foot or on the run, each character has a unique approach to the enemies before them.

That's helped along by The Spirit of the Samurai's stop-motion animation. Inspired by legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen - who shaped the iconic monster designs behind enduring classics like Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad - this game blends its Hollywood influence with its Japanese mythology-shaped narrative with confidence.

The Spirit of the Samurai is set to release on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store this fall, and is available to wishlist now.

If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

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