Stop-motion adventure The Spirit of the Samurai slices into a December launch date

This feels like the year of stop-motion animation games. Harold Halibut and Judero are about to yield the limelight to The Spirit of the Samurai, confirmed with a December 12, 2024 launch date. Sharpen those swords and ready those warrior cats, folks.

Wait, warrior cats? That’s right. If a harsh and violent samurai Metroidvania with stop-motion-style animation doesn’t quite grab your attention (it really should), then know this: There are places where you get to play The Spirit of the Samurai as the viciously adorable warrior cat Chisai. The newest trailer for the game shows Chisai in action, along with its also-cute Kodama partner fighting a grotesque spider.

The Spirit of the Samurai hacks its way to a late 2024 release date

When Chisai isn’t being cute and potentially deadly, you will play as the samurai Takeshi, who ventures out to end the Oni rampage. Whereas Chisai is used during climbing and platforming sections, Takeshi must overcome the odds. He does it not by being adorable (sadly) but by killing yokai, Oni, and other demons of Japanese mythology using his katana, bow, and spear.

The Spirit of the Samurai is a dark and brutal Metroidvania. Its visuals, inspired by the works of famous animator Ray Harryhausen, are harsh and dreary but absolutely gorgeous. Watching the game in motion is a visual treat. If you haven’t checked out the trailer yet, you really should.

But you can also wait until next week and try the game out for yourself. A demo for The Spirit of the Samurai will launch on October 14, 2024, for the upcoming Steam Next Fest. I’m not sure what the demo covers, but it’ll likely be an early section of the game. Hopefully, it includes some Chisai action. C’mon, you know what we want.

The Spirit of the Samurai launches on PC via Steam on December 12, 2024.