Samurai Maiden is a Gen Z kid in Nobunaga Oda’s court

Have sword, will (time) travel

D3Publisher, known for giving us titles like Onee Chanbara Origins and the Earth Defense Force series, has pulled back the curtain on its latest work for hack ‘n’ slash fans to get excited about. After dropping a short teaser for the game late last week, the publisher released the debut trailer for Samurai Maiden this morning. From developer Shade Inc., perhaps best known for Gun Gun Pixies and the Bullet Girls franchise, the action title puts players in control of Tsumugi Tamaori who, after falling asleep following her history lesson, wakes up in Sengoku-era Japan. It’s there she meets Nobunaga Oda, who gifts her a sacred sword she’ll need to defeat undead mobs that have taken over the land. Tamaori may be out of place in the past but she won’t be alone. Along the way, she’ll hook up with three ninjas from the Honnoji Temple to aid her in her mission.

The three teammates will come in handy when players want to unleash attacks using the Gokage System – which combines her sword skills with their ninjutsu specialties – to help fight through the hellish hordes. As the girls adventure together and grow their bonds, they’ll also gain access to special abilities that can be unlocked when they share a kiss, something that’s hinted at the end of the trailer below. Before you get too excited, keep in mind this game is rated “T” for Teen.

The trailer makes a good enough first impression on me that I’ll have to keep tabs on Samurai Maiden as we draw closer to its release date. I know Shade Inc. might not have the most polished resume, but it doesn’t take that much for a hack ‘n’ slash to keep me entertained.

Samurai Maiden will launch this winter for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam.