Together with The Last of Us Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima acted as a swan song for the PlayStation 4, ensuring Sony’s console went out on a high note. Sucker Punch’s open-world action-adventure game went on to supply an expansion and a director’s cut for the PS5, and it’s comfortably among the many current system’s best first-party exclusives. The title was so successful, a movie is in production, and there may be hope that a sequel or spiritual successor might be eventually on the cards.
With high production value, a refreshing historical Japanese setting, smooth and fascinating hack and slash combat, and a lavish world that just begs to be explored, GoT is all-around good. While there will not be all that many projects that compare to Sucker Punch’s masterpiece, die-hard fans trying to find something to fill the void have a number of games just like Ghost of Tsushima that they’ll try.
Updated March 31, 2024 by Mark Sammut: March 2024 was a unbelievable month for motion RPGs, and that isn’t even counting February’s Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Valid criticisms aside, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has mostly hit the bottom running, and Capcom’s release is more likely to be remembered as a highlight of the yr. Nevertheless, this month produce one other notable motion RPG that GoT fans might want to examine out.
18 Rise Of The Ronin
An Open-World RPG With Souls-lite Combat & Set In Edo Japan
Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin launched to a positive but not glowing reception, a response not aided by the sport debuting on the identical day as Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma 2. The latter is arguably the superior overall experience, and it’s a straightforward suggestion for anyone searching for an open-world motion RPG with flexible classes and great combat. Nevertheless, Rise of the Ronin is way more similar in style, tone, and setting to Ghost of Tsushima; in reality, Team Ninja’s 2024 release almost looks as if a spiritual successor to Sucker Punch’s title.
Each open-world games are set during pivotal moments in Japanese history, with Rise of the Ronin happening in the course of the Edo period’s final years. Each games deliver fast-paced motion that seeks to be accessible but in addition difficult. While they’ve their similarities, Rise of the Ronin is nevertheless a singular beast, and Team Ninja’s Soulslike expertise shines through the unbelievable combat system. Although not as deep as something like Nioh 2, the gameplay is genuinely good and, more importantly, less punishing than a few of the developer’s previous outings. Rise of the Ronin has a sturdy number of unlockable combat styles, weapons, and skills.
17 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
A Modern Open-World With Versatile Combat & A Strong Narrative
After producing two unbelievable open-world superhero games for the PS4 (and PS5), Insomniac managed to outdo itself with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Featuring two playable characters (Peter Parker and Miles Morales), the 2023 sequel builds beautifully on its predecessors’ foundations, providing improvements in a number of key areas. While the core is basically the identical, the combat system has been enhanced through the addition of Venom abilities, together with the proven fact that the leads have unique skills and talents that fit their characters. The open-world is gorgeous and offers a solid number of secondary optional content, which was considered one of the few areas somewhat lacking in the primary Marvel’s Spider-Man. The story does an important job of highlighting each Parker and Morales, even when the previous gets more time within the highlight than the latter.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one other triumph for Insomniac and the PlayStation brand, and it was top-of-the-line games of 2023. Now, when put next on to Ghost of Tsushima, it is sort of a distinct open-world experience for the reason that combat and traversal mechanics are worlds’ apart; nevertheless, they each offer gameplay that’s satisfying together with immersive settings.
16 Nioh 2
Intense Fights, Deep Combat, & Japanese Setting
Ghost of Tsushima features a stupendous, historical, and wealthy Japanese aesthetic that’s present from start to complete. If someone loves the visual and magnificence elements of the open-world game, they need to try Nioh 2. Even though it’s far more fantastical in its enemy and boss designs, Nioh 2 has the identical vibrant aesthetic spread throughout its gameplay.
It incorporates a tough but rewarding combat system and characters should find themselves on the sting of their seats through a few of the tougher sections. Nioh 2 may appear more at home for fans of Sekiro and Dark Souls, but offers quite a bit for people looking for games like Ghost of Tsushima.
15 Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
A Soulslike With A Touch Of Chinese History
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a Soulslike RPG by Team Ninja. Although not an enormous departure from Nioh, the 2023 release does shake things up somewhat by emphasizing parrying above every little thing else. This mechanic is so necessary, the sport’s tutorial boss is essentially unbeatable if players fail to deflect their attacks.
Narratively, Wo Long is about during China’s Three Kingdoms era, although Team Ninja’s project isn’t as history-driven as Ghost of Tsushima. While players get to fight alongside quite a number of historical figures, they are going to largely be going up against supernatural enemies. When it comes to challenge, Wo Long is considerably harder than Ghost of Tsushima; that said, each games deliver fast-paced and skill-based combat.
14 Elden Ring
An Expansive Open-World Soulslike
Anyone who enjoyed the open-world explorative feeling of Ghost of Tsushima should try From Software’s latest release, Elden Ring. Although the problem takes some getting used to (unless players are already hardened from Sekiro), the world is incredibly expansive and beautifully designed. There may be a lot to see and do in Elden Ring, and players can easily pack 100 hours into their first playthrough depending on how much they explore.
With multiple ways to construct a personality, plenty of quests to sift through, hidden items and weapons galore, and tons of bosses to eliminate, Elden Ring is top-of-the-line open-world experiences currently in the marketplace and an important next step for Ghost of Tsushima fans seeking to flaunt their combat skills.
13 Way Of The Samurai Series
An Immersive Ronin Sim
Acquire’s Way of the Samurai has been somewhat forgotten during the last decade. While never considered one of the most important names in the marketplace, this series was consistently impressive. Each game does an important job of immersing players in a distinct era of Japanese history, casting them as Ronin who insert themselves right into a town’s political and social struggles. Way of the Samurai almost ventures into life-sim territory at times, with the campaigns not being afraid to slow things down at times.
The games (especially the sequels) provide quite a number of player-driven decisions as well, which boosts their replayability since two playthroughs can go in wildly different directions. All 4 entries are good in their very own right, but Way of the Samurai 4 might be the perfect entry point for brand new players. It has essentially the most polished and complicated combat system, together with an interesting setting that’s explored well. Still, each game is value a try, they usually will not be particularly long either.
12 Ninja Gaiden Master Collection
Difficult And Fast-Paced Hack And Slash Combat
The unique Ninja Gaiden for the NES was a difficult platformer, however the series saw a glow-up when Team Ninja brought it into the 3D space. The adventures of Ryu Hayabusa were grueling, pitting players against difficult enemies, platforming sections, and giving them an array of weapons they might should master to beat some truly difficult bosses.
It takes loads of patience, skill, and determination to make it through the Ninja Gaiden series, especially on the harder difficulties. Players searching for an additional challenge should give this older but often missed series a shot. Out of the trilogy available within the Master Collection, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is the pick of the bunch, offering a deep and difficult campaign built on a combat system that has aged magnificently. Its sequel is pretty good too, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is perfectly playable despite featuring some quite terrible boss fights.
11 The Onimusha Series
Japanese History With A Supernatural Flair
Players searching for a game with the same aesthetic and vibe but are craving something darker (although, some parts of Ghost of Tsushima get pretty dark) can look into the Onimusha series. This underrated franchise has the same vibe to the Resident Evil franchise but is about in Japan and follows an array of historical figures that must combat supernatural forces through combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration.
Those that have all the time desired to try a “melee-focused” Resident Evil-style title should find quite a bit to enjoy with Onimusha. It’s considered one of the higher cult classics on the market and although it’s kind of dated when it comes to graphics, it’s still an enthralling adventure. Onimusha: Warlords has received a solid PS4, PC, and Xbox One remaster, and that release is the perfect place for newcomers to start out.
10 Middle-earth: Shadow Of War
Smooth Combat, Adaptive World Thanks To The Nemesis System
Anyone craving one other open world with great story elements, characters, and fluid combat should remember to put Middle-earth: Shadow of War at the highest of their list. Drawing from lore and setups based on The Lord of the Rings series, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is the continuation of Talion’s journey from Shadow of Mordor.
The sequel includes some great updates in an open-world setting and provides players access to the entertaining and fascinating Nemesis system that could have them fighting against enemies from their past, further adding to the story elements as they make their way through each area.
9 Like A Dragon: Ishin!
A Yakuza Spin On Japan’s Edo Period
While predominantly concerned with gangster epics set in modern Japan, Sega’s Yakuza franchise is thought to take the occasional detour for its spin-offs. Like a Dragon: Ishin! is about during Japan’s Edo period and features characters inspired by history, albeit with faces that might be familiar to anyone who has played the mainline entries. A story about personal revenge that also highlights its intriguing era, Ishin! demonstrates the license’s stellar writing through its central quest and fun characters.
A remake of a 2014 Japanese-exclusive game, this spin-off features an urban open-world that is sort of small and can’t be in comparison with Ghost of Tsushima‘s massive map; nevertheless, Like a Dragon knows how one can benefit from limited real estate, and Ishin! isn’t an exception. The combat plays just like the mainline beat ’em up entries, albeit with a heavier give attention to weapons and the implementation of a novel card system. Players get 4 stances to rotate through, they usually provide a good amount of variety and unlockable skills. While not particularly deep, the motion is fast-paced and enjoyable, and it’s just neat to set a version of Kiryu wielding a conventional katana.
More importantly, Ishin! tells a gripping historical tale that helped shape modern Japan. Even whether it is fairly known inside the franchise’s native country, this story is more likely to cover latest ground for a lot of Western players, and the sport does an admirable job of respecting history while injecting that typical Yakuza flavor. The result’s an unquestionably Japanese experience that can be accessible to a world audience.
8 Horizon Zero Dawn & Forbidden West
Gorgeous Open-World & Satisfying Combat
One other game with unbelievable panoramic views, Horizon Zero Dawn finds the player adventuring across the country in a post-apocalyptic environment where mankind has reverted back to tribal instincts. On top of the attractive graphics, the battles are more focused too, and it has top-of-the-line combat systems in an open-world game.
Fighting giant mechanical beasts makes for a difficult next step after hacking up the seemingly entire population of Japan. The worlds of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are only as ambitious because the one in Ghost of Tsushima, as Aloy scales different terrains comparable to deserts, forests, and ancient ruins.
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
can be on PC.
7 Devil May Cry 5
Best Hack And Slash Combat On The PS5 & PS4
If a Ghost of Tsushima fan is searching for a game with an expansive world, gorgeous and varied environments, and a pronounced story, they mustn’t prioritize Devil May Cry 5. Conversely, if someone simply wants a title with deep hack and slash combat, they really cannot do higher than Capcom’s project. Actually, they must also try older entries within the series like Devil May Cry 3 and 4. Boasting three playable characters who’ve wildly different mechanics, DMC 5 is an absolute masterpiece in terms of its gameplay. Importantly, while accessible enough to not delay newcomers to the genre, the sport’s intricacies take some serious dedication to master.
To not take anything away from Nero and V, who’re fun characters to manage in their very own right, but Dante is DMC 5‘s magnum opus. Forged over roughly 20 years of games, the charismatic devil hunter’s mechanics are built entirely around combo chains. Dante also can switch between 4 styles on the fly, which is somewhat just like Ghost of Tsushima‘s stances.
6 Batman: Arkham City
Dense Open-Worlds & Accessible But Awesome Combat
It might be argued that Ghost of Tsushima is Batman: Arkham City with a samurai skin. The 2 games share a dense open world filled with surprises, and the combat systems are only as satisfying as each other, slashing from one enemy to the subsequent in a single sweet combo.
The world of Arkham is stuffed with puzzles and mini-games, just as there are in Tsushima, arrange by the Riddler, with so many side-missions that the sport feels almost bottomless. Rocksteady’s open-world title is a completionist’s dream, as there are such a lot of collectibles to search out, and identical to in Tsushima, the collectibles actually serve a purpose and are considered one of the the reason why Arkham City was named the perfect Batman game.
5 Samurai Warriors 5
Japan’s Sengoku Period In Musou Form
Technically, Omega Force’s Warriors games and Ghost of Tsushima each fall under the hack and slash banner; nevertheless, their combat systems are so wildly different that they’ll barely be described as the identical general genre. Be it Dynasty Warriors or considered one of the numerous license-based spin-offs, these titles pit players against literal armies, allowing them to blast enemies away by the tons of. The motion tends to be simplistic and, on normal difficulty, rewards button mashing, but it could be satisfying to demolish troops with a single swing of a blade. Even when not for everybody, the Warriors formula has proven to be successful.
Samurai Warriors focuses on Japan’s Warring States era that lasted from around 1467 to roughly 1568. The series features many historical Japanese figures as playable characters, and the campaigns revolve around necessary battles from the Sengoku Period. While arguably not the strongest entry within the franchise, Samurai Warriors 5 is nevertheless a good gateway into not only the subseries but in addition Musou games normally. The story focuses on two figures, Nobunaga Oda and Mitsuhide Akechi, although other characters are periodically playable.
4 Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
Vibrant World & Flexible Combat
Long before games like Ghost of Tsushima and Elden Ring set the usual for third-person motion in open-world games, Kingdoms of Amalur arguably represented the genre’s real-time combat peak. Originally released in 2012, the sport made waves due to a satisfying hack and slash system that had more in common with the likes of God of War than Skyrim. Built upon a sturdy weapon system and combo chains, Kingdoms of Amalur knocked its minute-to-minute gameplay out of the park.
Nowadays, the RPG shows its age, and the combat now not feels as revolutionary because it once did. Newcomers who pick up the Re-Reckoning version needs to be aware that they might be playing a PS3-era title with a fresh coat of paint because the remaster doesn’t feature all that many changes. That said, Kingdoms of Amalur‘s vibrant world has retained most of its beauty and its gameplay continues to be entertaining.
3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
A Dark Fantasy Masterpiece With Impeccable Storytelling
At this point, The Witcher 3 is essentially an automatic suggestion for anyone remotely excited by gaming. Craving an RPG? Try The Witcher 3. Desire a fantasy game? Try The Witcher 3. Searching for an addictive card game? Well, The Witcher 3 exists. Subsequently, GoT fans should actually try CD Projekt Red’s 2015 masterpiece, however the suggestion is fueled by greater than just habit. Each games feature expansive and detailed open-worlds which are concurrently beautiful but in addition grounded. Even though it is about in a fantasy quite than a historical kingdom, The Witcher 3 harbors back to the Medieval ages, carving a world that’s gritty, complex, and ancient.
Each titles feature real-time combat, although the systems are quite different from one another. The Witcher 3‘s gameplay might be polarizing because it comes with a reasonably steep learning curve. Much like GoT, players are role-playing as a longtime character quite than creating their very own, and The Witcher 3 expects players to live as much as Geralt’s legacy and tendencies.
2 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor
Nearly The Full Package
Although the definition of a mixed bag, EA’s Star Wars era produced a few gems. Arguably, Respawn’s Jedi series was the perfect thing to return out of this partnership, and each games are good to great. Fallen Order and Survivor forged players as Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan stuck in a universe run by an empire that very much desires to kill his kind. Taking inspiration from Soulslikes, Respawn’s titles deliver satisfying melee combat that is comparatively just like Ghost of Tsushima‘s system, although not quite as smooth. As he progresses through the campaigns, Cal step by step unlocks latest abilities that add variety to his moveset, ensuring the combat stays interesting for the long haul.
Although their combat works well, Fallen Order and Survivor shine of their stories, exploration, and world-building. Although not open-world, the games are built around reasonably large self-contained maps, particularly the sequel. As Cal gains latest powers, he’ll have the ability to access other parts of the degrees.
1 Atlas Fallen
Mostly Fun Combat & Movement
Atlas Fallen was a departure from Deck13’s older projects that largely adhered to the Soulslike blueprint. The Surge 2 might be the developer’s best game so far, and if someone is craving a sci-fi tackle Dark Souls that delivers difficult combat with a give attention to targeting body parts, they are going to likely find what they’re searching for within the 2019 release. That said, those games will not be all that just like Ghost of Tsushima aside from the actual fact they focus on melee combat. While not equivalent, Atlas Fallen is a greater shout for fans of Sucker Punch’s open-world release, although the suggestion comes with a disclaimer that the 2023 project has shortcomings that detract from the general experience.
Set in a fantasy world that has seen higher days due to an oppressive god, players step into the role of an unnamed, a descriptor used for people who find themselves essentially treated as slaves. After finding a special gauntlet that houses the spirit of a trapped being, players quickly unlock a few weapons and powers, the latter of that are step by step boosted throughout the campaign. Seeking to take down the deity, the protagonist travels across a desert-themed world in the hunt for enemies, upgrades, and secrets, they usually can complete loads of quests along the best way.
Atlas Fallen is an open-world game with enjoyable combat built around a momentum system that rewards aggression. Movement can be a giant a part of the equation, and Deck13 did an important job of making a world that takes advantage of the protagonist’s platforming capabilities. Now, the sport falls short in its story and enemy variety, the latter being especially frustrating because it gets tiresome fighting the identical monsters over and yet again. The camera can be not great. While removed from perfect, Atlas Fallen is a good hack and slash open-world option that might be accomplished fairly quickly.
