Are you in the mood for a video game that takes place in feudal Japan? Have you been watching Shogun and are you excited about Rise of the Rōnin? Whether you’re a history nerd or a Japan enthusiast, these games offer a captivating blend of storytelling, culture, and historical accuracy
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – A Stealth Adventure in Edo Japan
Type of game: Tactical stealth
Platforms: Pc, Mac OS, Linux,PS4, and Xbox One
Year of release: 2016
Short description. An RTS stealth game that will remind you of the Commandos and Desperados series. The game takes place in Feudal Japan, during the Edo period. You can play as one of the 5 playable character, each with its own set of skills and abilities, which means each character will have a different style of gameplay.
Like a dragon: Ishin
Type of game: Action Adventure of the Yakuza franchise
Platforms: PS4 , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC
Year of release: 2023
Short description. An action adventure game, of the familiar Yakuza series. You play as a samurai that is searching for the killer of his father. It is a matter of honor and the gameplay is your typical yakuza fighting style, which this time, takes place in traditional feudal Japan. You also get to experience the well-known mini games of the Yakuza titles.
Ghost of Tsushima
Type of game: Action Adventure
Platforms: PS4 , PS5, Windows (May 2024)
Year of release: 2020(PS4)
Short description. A mature rated action adventure game, for its violence and partial nudity. You play as the samurai Jin Sakai. Your goal is to protecth the Tsushima island form the Mongolian invasion. It is an open world game and you can either play by melee attacks or stealth, thus becoming the “Ghost”.
Nioh
Type of game: Action role-playing
Platforms: PS4 , PS5, Windows
Year of release: 2017
Short description. An action role playing soulslike game, that combines feudal Japan and supernatural elements. You play as the Irish sailor William Adams, just like the historic Englishman who became a samurai. You will fight real people but also Yokai, japanese supernatural spirits, which will make your task even harder.
Total War: Shogun 2
Type of game: Strategy, RTT, Turn-based strategy
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Year of release: 2011
Short description. Another installment of the classic Total War series. Total War: Shogun 2 takes place in feudal Japan during the Sengoku period. You play as a warlord of one of the factions created after the Onin War, and your goal is to dominate and rule Japan.
Rise of the Rōnin
Type of game: Action role playing
Platforms: PS5
Year of release: 2024
Short description. The game takes place in the Edo period. Your character is one of the “Blade twins”, both trained anti-shogunate assasins and their main goal is to overthrow the shogunate. Choices are important in this game, as they will alter the course of the main plot.
I’m so excited about the Rise of the Rōnin, so this is next on my list. What is your favourite from the list, or do you have any more we should add?
Share your experiences or recommend other titles in the comments below.