Offering a unique setting, Way of the Samurai 4 opens in mid-19th century Japan. For hundreds of years, the Japanese shogunate has operated under a strict policy of isolation, keeping the nation walled off from foreign trade and cultural influence. Now, for the first time in centuries, Japan has opened its borders to the world beyond. This new cultural landscape has created countless opportunities for the ambitious, and players are thrown into this world as a masterless samurai looking to make a name for himself.

Players will begin their experience in Way of the Samurai 4 by creating their own customized character. After building their samurai warrior and choosing from one of three distinct age groups – youth, young man or middle-aged – players are thrown into a tumultuous power struggle between three factions: the shogunate pro-governmental forces, the nationalistic isolationists, and the foreign powers who are heavily influenced by the British Navy.

As players freely discover a vibrant and living world, selecting which quests and missions to undertake will shape their own destiny as loyalties to each of the three feuding factions affects the branching storyline and which of the multiple endings will be experienced. The dynamic combat system includes a vast array of bladed and gunpowder-based customizable weapons, and the unique online feature allows the uploading and downloading of player characters to roam in other players’ games as an assassin to challenge and defeat in order t