Samurai Ghost for the Turbografx 16 is a sidescrolling fighter/platformer not entirely unlike Splatterhouse, and probably not so coincidentally it's also by Namco. You play as an undead Samurai who must traverse Japan, reach the capital, and take down the evil warlord and cleanse the land. The sword-based combat provides a unique wrinkle, as you can swipe in various directions, block, and parry, which largely comes into play against the boss creatures. It's somewhat methodical, but the pacing is solid, with the occasional shift in level design such as being chased by raging flames or platforming over lava.
The graphics feature large, detailed sprites that are animated fluidly, although some motions do look a tad awkward. The music is creepy, and the scratchy laugh of the old priestess between level really sticks with me.
While it's the only English release in the series outside of emulation of the arcade game on Namco Museum vol. 4, it's actually the second game in the Genpei Toumaden series, which also entails another PC Engine platformer and this Famicom/Board game hybrid my brother and I are working on translating:
I like this one for its smooth animation, creepy theme, and cool swordfights. Played it? Liked it? Hated it?