Way of the Samurai 4

Way of the Samurai 4 is, like Deadly Premonition before it, a game that’s fundamentally a bit rubbish, but might be worth playing just to experience its weirdness and quirky sense of humour for yourself. The structure is the most interesting thing about the game. By replaying the story, and taking a different path through it, you get to know Amihama and its residents over time—although none of the characters are especially three-dimensional.

Deserving praise for encapsulating the sort of Japanese-themed action RPG shenanigans that PC owners rarely glimpse, it’s nonetheless fair to say that Ghostlight’s latest is far from perfect. For those willing to forgive its more archaically-rooted foibles however, Way of the Samurai 4 very often proves to be a hugely entertaining prospect while providing a gleefully quirky look at one of the most enticing and formative periods of Japanese history.

Ultimately Way of the Samurai 4 is a hard sell to anyone who is not already a fan of the series, and indeed even some fans may be put off by the radical shift in tone and humour. Graphically, this has never been a franchise renowned for technical innovation. The disappointing thing is that Acquire have not made any attempt to update their 2012 title for the PC audience, resulting in a very dated graphical presentation with flat and muddy textures and simplistic animation.