Anyone ever play Sword of the Samurai?

**Amon_Zeth** · 07-10-2005, 21:59

For those who haven't, it's an old game made in 1989 with Sid Meier's cooperation about feudal Japan. The game is about how your character tries to elevate his position of power from a lowly gokenin (head of a samurai family) to ultimate authority as Shogun of all Japan. Even though it only has 256 colors and no use of the mouse, it's an amazingly versatile and deep game. You can raise armies, conquer land, threaten your enemies and kidnap their families, marry samurai daughters (for completely political reasons, of course), assassinate anyone who so much as looks at you funny, fight samurai, ronin and ninjas from one-on-one duels to huge melees like Kill Bill vol. 1, and on and on and on.

It's a pretty awesome game, and I would recommend that anyone who reads this should check it out and play it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the developers or staff for STW played this game and put some elements of the grand strategy etc. in. Has anyone else played Sword of the Samurai?

**The Scourge** · 07-11-2005, 00:01

used to play it .Great game for it's time .That's one game I wouldn't mind seeing get remade .

**Amon_Zeth** · 07-11-2005, 00:32

Originally Posted by The Scourge

used to play it .Great game for it's time .That's one game I wouldn't mind seeing get remade .

Ya, it would be pretty awesome to have an intergenerational Morrowind/Total War kinda game. What was your best score you ever got? Mine was 3460 points with a 200 year shogunate. I think I would've gotten a 300 year shogunate if I could've figured out how to get unsurpassed honor, the only thing I was missing.

**edyzmedieval** · 07-11-2005, 08:10

Originally Posted by Amon_Zeth

For those who haven't, it's an old game made in 1989

1989!!!!

The video card doesn't even support the game!!!

**The Scourge** · 07-11-2005, 10:43

Originally Posted by Amon_Zeth

Ya, it would be pretty awesome to have an intergenerational Morrowind/Total War kinda game. What was your best score you ever got? Mine was 3460 points with a 200 year shogunate. I think I would've gotten a 300 year shogunate if I could've figured out how to get unsurpassed honor, the only thing I was missing.

I honestly don't remember what my best score was ,it's been so long since I played it .
In some ways I liked the battle system better than Shogun ,because it wasn't about destroying every last one of your opponents men ,but more about winning the decisive battle .
Just think(Drools at the thought.) how that game could look today .

**TosaInu** · 07-11-2005, 12:22

I didn't have a PC back then

**The Scourge** · 07-11-2005, 12:39

I downloaded the game from this very site ,back in the days when it was just about Shogun .
Probably wouldn't run on XP though .

**Ser Clegane** · 07-11-2005, 12:46

I remember playing a similar game that has been published by Cinemaware during the late 80s for the Commodore Amiga:
Lords of the Rising Sun

I have to admit though that I do not quite remember the gameplay details

**el_slapper** · 07-11-2005, 13:09

played it a little bit on a P700 in december 2000 while boring at work. Not bad. Some annoying times, but overall an excellent design & masterpiece from SM.

No idea of my best score, though. Scores I usually do not mind.

**Amon_Zeth** · 07-11-2005, 22:22

You can still play it on XP, I've tried it. It works best with DOSBox, though.

**Lechev** · 07-13-2005, 14:49

This game was mentioned sometimes ago ( 2002? ) by an old patron which i cant remember who. Yes, it was an awesome game at its time.

I hope that this game wil get a remake but i would still emphasis on gameplay rather thn cool graphics. How about a Sword of Samurai:TotalWar?
Hehehehe.....