The Expeditions series is one of those franchises that somehow managed to completely slip under my radar over the years. However, hearing about the fourth and latest addition to the lineup, Expeditions: Samurai, I immediately felt that I might have missed out on something special. Turn-based party combat set against rich historical backdrops sounds precisely like my kind of game. Based on my time with it so far, this preview of Expeditions: Samurai highlights a very promising start for what could ultimately become a fantastic strategy RPG.
Story and Narrative Choices
After taking players to the worlds of Vikings, Conquistadors, and ancient Rome, the series finally turns its gaze toward Japan. Set in the 1600s during the turbulent Sengoku-era, a period defined by devastating civil war, the game drops you into Japan in place of the famous historical figure William Adams. This premise crafts a fascinating alternate history interwoven with familiar faces straight out of history books. The setup is remarkably strong and fits the Expeditions formula like a glove.
As you journey through Japan and navigate its complex web of politics, you will constantly face meaningful decisions. These range from small choices that subtly shift how your crewmates align with (or against) you, to massive decisions that actively alter the course of the story. I have to admit, these choices can be genuinely difficult at times because their consequences are much more noticeable than expected. I am very interested to see if these early decisions will continue to ripple outward and impact the narrative later in the game.
The game features eight distinct companions, each slated to have their own dedicated storyline designed to peel back the layers and get you better acquainted with the characters. While I haven’t explored every character or reached the finish line with any of them in this early version of the game, these individual arcs start off with immense promise and are well worth pursuing even at this early stage.
Gameplay and Combat Mechanics
True to the previous entries in the series, Expeditions: Samurai utilizes a turn-based combat system. It keeps things relatively standard and accessible: you are allotted a specific movement range alongside a pool of action points to spend on your turns. The tighter level design successfully fosters a faster-paced combat flow, while the user interface makes it easy to track and execute your available skills.
The game also introduces a variety of weapons, blending classic equipment associated with Japan and samurai with gear reminiscent of the sea and pirates. This makes for an arsenal that is genuinely fun to experiment with. That said, I didn’t encounter a massive variety of weapons within the loot drops during my playthrough, so I am hoping the loot pool and weapon diversity expand significantly the deeper we get into early access.
There are several distinct classes to choose from, paired with a broad array of skills and stats to invest points into upon leveling up. This makes tailoring a party to fit your preferred playstyle straightforward in theory. However, I found that the character classes don’t do a fantastic job of guiding you toward which upgrades to prioritize. Because the initial variety of choices is quite broad and largely uniform across different characters, it was occasionally hard to know what I should be focusing on. Hopefully, the developers will implement better guidance for players during those crucial first few levels, or perhaps introduce an easy respec option at any given time.
Excitingly, Expeditions: Samurai also incorporates co-op functionality. It features a seamless drop-in/drop-out playstyle that allowed me to easily play by myself and then have a friend jump straight into my session to tackle challenges together. Having the option to share the journey with a friend is always a welcome addition, and from the small amount I’ve tested so far, it works remarkably well.
Presentation
Production values are notably high. Expeditions: Samurai comes fully voiced, a luxury we are rarely treated to within this genre, let alone in early access titles. The voice actors do a commendable job of bringing believable, grounded characters to life.
Visually, the game looks solid. While nothing wildly out of the ordinary, the environments are quite pleasant to look at, and the character presentations work well. Whenever conversations pop up, character portraits appear alongside fully rendered 3D models that actively talk rather than relying on static painted images, a subtle yet very nice touch that adds immersion.
Conclusion
Expeditions: Samurai in its current early access state is off to a fantastic start. As a newcomer to the franchise, it feels like the perfect entry point. The combat already feels great, and after just a couple of hours with the early access build, I find myself genuinely invested in the story and its cast of characters, eagerly looking forward to playing more.
If alternate history featuring real-life historical figures and turn-based party combat sounds appealing to you, I would certainly recommend checking it out. If you prefer to experience the entire narrative from beginning to end in one cohesive playthrough, you may want to wait for the full release scheduled for early 2027; otherwise, feel free to jump in and join the fun right now.
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