The setting for the game is a land called Nippon, and characters adventure in this heroic, mythic, and fantastic analogue of Japan's past.

The professions are Bushi (fighters), Budoka (martial artists), Yakuza (gangsters), Ninja, Shugenja (Taoist-style wizards) and Gakusho (priests, either Buddhist or Shinto).

For level advancement, honourable behaviour and loyal service to the character's social group (the local lord, the ninja clan, the temple, the gang, etc.)

Bushido received mixed reviews, with many critics praising the body of knowledge about Japanese culture, but questioning the number-heavy game design.

He also liked the introduction of "On points", noting that it "placed Bushido outside of the 'kill and pillage' category of RPGs [...] On encourages players to steer their characters into social and political, as well as combat situations, and does much to generate the authentic flavor of the game."

Okada also noted a lack of detailed background on medieval Japan, and concluded with a guarded recommendation: "Despite these faults, the game is worth the price to the person interested in developing a more cosmopolitan outlook.

"[7] In the January–February 1985 edition of Different Worlds (Issue #38), Scott Dillinger gave it an average rating of 3 stars out of 4, saying, "Professionalism is reflected in all aspects of Bushido and the research and design of this system combines to give players an opportunity to learn about, and to experience this fascinating culture and still have fun doing it.

Bushido was praised by Mike Brunton for focusing on "non-adventuring skills", indicating how it was different than the current version of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

"[10] In the pages of his 1987 book, Role-Playing Mastery, Dungeons & Dragons co-creator E. Gary Gygax mentioned Bushido in his short list of notable RPGs.

[11] In the June 1988 edition of Dragon (Issue 134), Jim Bambra compared the various role-playing game systems set in Japan, and found Bushido to be very complex.

"It is a game for dedicated gamers who, in their pursuit of Oriental action, are willing to struggle with rule books that make advanced nuclear theory texts seem like light reading by comparison."

Bambra also found the character generation system to be "difficult and involved", and the game's mechanics to "work fairly well but are convoluted in places."

The two other supplements under review this month [Runequest: Land of Ninja and Oriental Adventures] are superior models of presentation, and they build upon tried and tested systems.

Vaux did think that the game system was "number heavy and cumbersome, but the detail in explaining Japanese culture, ideology, philosophy and history is unparalleled in the industry.

However, Swan warned "It's not an easy game to learn — the rules more closely resemble those of a military simulation than a conventional RPG — but experienced players with an interest in the era should find a lot to enjoy."