Black & White Bushido

It's pretty fun!
Checked just now (October 2024) - offline solo/multi do work, so buying is not useless: you can play vs bots, or with people locally, or with people remotely (via steam remote play together - though I did not check it in this particular game).
Online MP appears dead indeed. If you start creating a match and then leave the lobby, your own session will appear in "find match" for a while, not joinable - jfyi it's only a phantom.

Between Light and Shadow
Sometimes you stumble upon forgotten gems by pure accident.
Black & White Bushido was that for me: a suggestion buried in a list of games about to vanish from Steam.
Gameplay Style: The Art of Disappearing
Forget soaring through the air like in Smash Bros.
Here, it’s not the strongest who wins, but the cleverest.
The one who knows how to blend into the shadows, hide in the light, and strike at the perfect moment.
Black & White Bushido forces you to see the stage not as a backdrop, but as a weapon.
You play as a moving shadow, a spirit at war.
Multiplayer: The Soul of Combat
Truth is, the online mode is dead.
No more servers, and yeah, that sucks.
But not all is lost.
Local multiplayer is still the beating heart of the game.
And with Remote Play Together, or just chilling on the couch with friends, it holds its ground.
A game that fights against oblivion, standing tall despite time’s indifference.
And if you don’t have anyone to play with, don’t worry.
The bots are well-designed, the achievements add some spark, and the combat system is solid.
Conclusion: Honor Among Shadows
If you’ve got friends eager to swing swords on 2D, this game’s for you.
If you miss those nights of local mayhem, of swearing between laughs, of the tension of stealth followed by a shout of victory…
Then don’t think twice.
Find a key.
Get it before it’s gone forever.

Will be Removed on 25th April
Dear Black & White Bushido Community,
We are writing to inform you that Black & White Bushido will be removed from the Steam store on April 25, 2025. This decision was made following the dissolution of the game's original studio.
We understand that this news may be disappointing, and we want to express our sincere gratitude to all of you who have supported and enjoyed the game over the years. It was a project filled with passion, and we truly value the community that grew around it.
For those of you who currently own Black & White Bushido, you will still be able to download, access, and play the game from your library after it is removed from the store on April 25th.
While Black & White Bushido will no longer be available for purchase on Steam, we hope that those of you who own it continue to enjoy the game with friends and family. Thank you for your understanding, for the memories and for being a part of the Black & White Bushido community.
for preservation.
get it while you can.

Fun for 2 player couch vs. You admire the asthetic environment but are also competitively demanding in focus when faced with your opponent.

Sadly dead and delisted what a cool idea for a game that I hope ether these guys or some one else tries again

Only negative is absence of pirates...

Awesome!