Games To Play If You Liked Ghost Of Tsushima (2023)

With the outstanding commercial success of Ghost of Tsushima, there has clearly long been a gap in the market for spiritual samurai games based in historical Japan. But the game’s success isn’t owed only to its theme, as Tsushima is a perfect storm that combines beautiful visuals, an elegantly designed open-world, a gripping narrative, and a ruthless combat system to boot.

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Completing Ghost of Tsushima may leave a thirst for more slash-em-up fun, gripping stories, or immersive open worlds filled with collectibles. What are the best games like Ghost of Tsushima?

Updated on May 22, 2023 by Mark Sammut: Sucker Punch's samurai-themed epic has very few peers, but fans should check out these games similar to Ghost of Tsushima.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is another Soulslike RPG by Team Ninja. Although not a massive departure from Nioh, the 2023 release does shake things up somewhat by emphasizing parrying above everything else. This mechanic is so important, the game's tutorial boss is basically unbeatable if players fail to deflect their attacks.

Narratively, Wo Long is set during China's Three Kingdoms era, although Team Ninja's project is not as history-driven as Ghost of Tsushima. While players get to fight alongside quite a few historical figures, they will be largely going up against supernatural enemies. In terms of challenge, Wo Long is considerably harder than Ghost of Tsushima; that said, both games deliver fast-paced and skill-based combat.

Elden Ring

Those that enjoyed the open-world explorative feeling of Ghost of Tsushima should check out From Software's latest release, Elden Ring. Although the difficulty takes some getting used to (unless players are already hardened from Sekiro), the world is incredibly expansive and beautifully designed. There is so much 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 build a character, lots of quests to sift through, hidden items and weapons galore, and tons of bosses to eliminate, Elden Ring is one of the best open-world experiences currently on the market and a great next step for Ghost of Tsushima fans looking to flaunt their combat skills.

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection

The original Ninja Gaiden for the NES was a difficult platformer but 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 would have to master in order to beat some truly difficult bosses.

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It takes a lot of patience, skill, and determination to make it through the Ninja Gaiden series, especially on the harder difficulties. Players looking for an extra challenge should give this older but often overlooked series a shot.

The Onimusha Series

Players that are looking for a game with a similar aesthetic and vibe but are craving something darker (although, there are some parts of Ghost of Tsushima that get pretty dark) can look into the Onimusha series. This underrated series has a similar vibe to the Resident Evil franchise, but is set in Japan and follows an array of historical figures that must combat supernatural forces through combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration.

Those that have always wanted to try a "melee-focused" Resident Evil-style title should find a lot to enjoy with Onimusha. It's definitely one of the better cult classics out there and although it's a bit dated in terms of graphics, it's still an enthralling adventure.

Marvel's Spider-Man

Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man is a fantastic open-world action-adventure game that is a PlayStation console exclusive. As Peter Parker, players get to swing across a well-realized version of Manhattan as they seek out crime sprees and indulge in a gripping main story.

In terms of movement and combat, Spider-Man and Ghost of Tsushima are rather different; however, the games have similar structures and rhythms, so they should be able to scratch the same itch. The spin-off game, Miles Morales, is also an easy recommendation, even if newcomers should definitely start with the 2018 release.

Middle-earth: Shadow Of War

Anyone craving another open world with great story elements, characters, and fluid combat should be sure to put Middle-earth: Shadow of War at the top 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 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.

The sequel includes some great updates in an open-world setting and gives players access to the entertaining and engaging Nemesis system that will have them fighting against enemies from their past, further adding to the story elements as they make their way through each area.

Nioh 2

Ghost of Tsushima features a beautiful, historical, and rich Japanese aesthetic that is present from start to finish. Those that loved the visual and style elements of the open-world game should definitely check out Nioh 2. Although it's much more fantastical in its enemy and boss designs, Nioh 2 has the same rich and vibrant aesthetic spread throughout its gameplay.

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It features a tough but rewarding combat system and characters should find themselves on the edge of their seats through some of the more challenging sections. Nioh 2 might seem more at home for fans of Sekiro and Dark Souls but offers a lot for those that enjoy games like Ghost of Tsushima.

Bloodborne

While the areas in Bloodborne form a series of paths more than a true open-world, exploration is always encouraged and rewarded. This is especially true in the spooky underground labyrinths known as the Chalice Dungeons, for they are randomized (though certain Chalices have the same criteria as one another if they are of the same type) and full of delicious loot to be found as well as cool bosses that cannot be encountered in the main game.

Also, there are a few awesome katana-like weapons in Bloodborne, so Ghost of Tsushima fans can stick to a similar blade.

God Of War & Ragnarok

Adventuring through a beautiful yet deadly world are things Ghost of Tsushima and God of War have in common. However, the combat in both is similarly satisfying in that they require quick thinking and deft reactions to deal with the variety and severity of threats that can charge toward the player at any moment.

God of War and its sequel, Ragnarok, give players quite a few offensive options, as Kratos and his son Atreus can be customized as well as loaded out with diverse gear that comes with unique traits and that can suit anyone's combat needs.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

From the legendary creators of Bloodborne and Demon Souls, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice could very well be the younger brother of Ghost of Tsushima.

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Whereas Tsushima is thought-provoking, looks great, can be heart-warming, can be heartbreaking, and has some great combat, Sekiro focuses on the fun hack and slash gameplay with a thinly veiled narrative. Though the difficulty level is high at first, Sekiro is buckets of fun, and it’s arguably a better splice-em-up than Tsushima.

Horizon Zero Dawn & Forbidden West

Another 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 beautiful graphics, the battles are more focused too, and it has one of the best combat systems in an open-world game.

Fighting giant mechanical beasts make for a challenging next step after hacking up the seemingly entire population of Japan. The worlds of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are just as ambitious as the one in Ghost of Tsushima, as Aloy scales different terrains such as deserts, forests, and ancient ruins.

Devil May Cry 5

If a Ghost of Tsushima fan is looking for a game with an expansive world, gorgeous and varied environments, and a pronounced story, they should not prioritize Devil May Cry 5. Conversely, if someone simply wants a title with deep hack and slash combat, they really cannot do better than Capcom's project. In fact, they should also check out older entries in the series like Devil May Cry 3 and 4. Boasting three playable characters who have wildly different mechanics, DMC 5 is an absolute masterpiece when it comes to its gameplay. Importantly, while accessible enough to not put off newcomers to the genre, the game's intricacies take some serious dedication to master.

Not to take anything away from Nero and V, who are fun characters to control in their own right, but Dante is DMC 5's magnum opus. Forged over the course of roughly two decades of games, the charismatic devil hunter's mechanics are built entirely around combo chains. Dante can also switch between four styles on the fly, which is somewhat similar to Ghost of Tsushima's stances.

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

As the most exciting part about new Assassin’s Creed games is where in the world they are based and what year they are set, a samurai-themed Assassin’s Creed based in Japan would have fans drooling. However, Ghost of Tsushima might be the closest it’ll ever come.

The games share a lot of similar gameplay, such as stealth, combat, and exploring a historical open world. Rogue might not be the most recent entry in the Assassin’s Creed series, but it’s the one most similar to Tsushima with an interesting historical theme and one of the series’ best villains.

Batman: Arkham City

It could be argued that Ghost of Tsushima is Batman: Arkham City with a samurai skin. The two games share a dense open world full of surprises, and the combat systems are just as satisfying as one another, slashing from one enemy to the next in one sweet combo.

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The world of Arkham is full of puzzles and mini-games, just as there are in Tsushima, set up by the Riddler, with so many side-missions that the game feels almost bottomless. Rocksteady's open-world title is a completionist’s dream, as there are so many collectibles to find, and just like in Tsushima, the collectibles actually serve a purpose and are one of the reasons why Arkham City was named the best Batman game.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Though it’s likely that anybody who has played Ghost of Tsushima has almost definitely played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, as the series has become so successful, the two games must be spiritual siblings.

Wild Hunt is packed with engrossing visuals that have been rated as one of the best of all time, a fun combat system, and adventuring across the scenic and wondrous wilderness. The game features some of the best sword-wielding and monster-battling of the current generation.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor

Although the definition of a mixed bag, EA's Star Wars era produced a couple of gems. Arguably, Respawn's Jedi series was the best thing to come out of this partnership, and both games are good-to-great. Fallen Order and Survivor cast players as Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan stuck in a universe run by an empire that very much wants to kill his kind. Taking inspiration from Soulslikes, Respawn's titles deliver satisfying melee combat that is relatively similar to Ghost of Tsushima's system, although not quite as smooth. As he progresses through the campaigns, Cal gradually unlocks new abilities that add variety to his moveset, ensuring the combat remains interesting for the long haul.

Although their combat works well, Fallen Order and Survivor shine in 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 new powers, he will be able to access other parts of the levels.

Dishonored

After finishing Ghost of Tsushima and being in dire need to continue splicing up enemies in rich environments, Dishonored is the best current-generation game to fill that hole. With supernatural abilities, the player is able to use almost anything found in the environment to hack away at NPC’s limbs, all the while being in a plague-ridden city modeled after late 19th-century London and Edinburgh.

The game encourages creativity to splice up enemies and has a combo system that rivals Tsushima’s. Even though the game is short, it has massive replay value as there are so many different ways to progress through the levels.

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