The Spirit of the Samurai

The Spirit of the Samurai is a decidedly particular game: it is full of very good ideas which, however, are never fully developed. The stop-motion style is still worth a try.

The Spirit of the Samurai is a very creative and ambitious game, although with nuances. It is a game that presents an interesting story, but its execution on a playable level leaves something to be desired. The stop motion animation is frankly impressive, but it seems to have been achieved at the cost of a lack of polish in its systems. The title loses important points because of all this, although it also wins because of the courage Digital Mind had to try something different.

It is a gorgeous game, with an excellent sense of atmosphere, and decidedly troubled gameplay. At its best, it plays like a classic rotoscoped platformer, which can feel charming in its own right, but at its worst, it is cumbersome and awkward. This Samurai most certainly has spirit, but his sword could use a little sharpening.

The Spirit of the Samurai has a great and evocative imagery and a delightful stop-motion style. The merits end there, because the game developed by Digital Mind Games has problematic hitboxes and lacks of precision in attacks and jumps, ending up frustrating the players.

While the game boasts an impressive stop-motion aesthetic and engaging Japanese folklore-inspired visuals, its repetitive combat, clunky platforming, and structural issues undermine its potential. Despite some interesting combat mechanics, technical bugs and uninspired exploration create a frustrating and anticlimactic experience.