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Completing Tsushima may leave a thirst for more slash-em-up fun, an involving story, or just a wander through an open world finding hundreds of collectibles. Here are ten games to play if you liked Ghost of Tsushima.
Updated on January 25th, 2023 by Russ Boswell: Ghost of Tsushima stills stands as one of the best visual and narrative experiences to date, long after its release in 2020. Players have seen many games come and go but Ghost of Tsushima still reigns supreme on many open-world and narrative lists thanks to its stellar gameplay, character design, and overall story. Thankfully, there are still a lot of great games similar to Ghost of Tsushima for those that are craving something that feels even slightly close to the majesty they experienced with Jin Sakai’s journey. To give players access to even more games like Ghost of Tsushima, the following list has been updated with more entries and information..
20 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.
19 The Ninja Gaiden Series
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. The game series feels similar to titles like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, albeit not nearly as fast.
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.
18 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.
17 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.
16 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 from 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. 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.
15 Mad Max
Despite the world being a considerable bit more barren than the lovely Tsushima islands, Mad Max’s world offers many ways to slay foes: by gun, by car, or by the numerous other tools at one’s disposal. For example, in vehicular combat, players can harpoon other cars or bikes to make them spin out and collide with one another for immensely satisfying double-kills. Though, this technique requires the right speed, angle, and timing; things only the most masterful blacktop warriors can utilize.
14 For Honor
If playing as a warrior from the far east is what one desires, seek out For Honor and its samurai class, which offers 4 unique heroes to choose from. Two of which possess long, curved blades and attire akin to that Jin himself could be seen wearing in combat.
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The combat is also fairly well balanced in most situations, however, certain heroes require different strengths than others, meaning that different people will have different aptitudes for each hero. Play around with all of them and figure out which feels the best, and then enter the fray for potentially infinite hours of action-packed warfare.
13 Skyrim
The epic far-north adventure and 5th entry in its series, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim offers an open-world like none other before it. Huge in scale and packed with quests, random encounters, and fun combat of a great variety, Skyrim truly is the poster-child for video game freedom. The endless kinds of playstyles that one can come up with for hilarious or overpowered builds guarantee many hours of fun for fans of the Action RPG genre.
12 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 know 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 that one can use to sever enemies from their Blood Echoes.
11 God Of War
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 both require quick thinking and deft reactions to deal with the variety and severity of threats that can charge towards the player at any moment. One also has a few options for offense, 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.
10 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.
9 Yakuza 0
Less for its gameplay and more for its heartwarming narratives and consequential quests, the Yakuza series is a must-play for anybody who fell in love with the story of Ghost of Tsushima. The Yakuza franchise is such a deep series that it can be almost intimidating to start, as there are spin-offs of spin-offs, but Yakuza 0 is a great starting point as it’s a remake of the original and incorporates its own lore. And considering how the Yakuza director has doffed his cap to Ghost of Tsushima for its gameplay, that isn’t just an idiosyncrasy.
8 Shadow Of The Colossus
Though Shadow of the Colossus has little in common with Ghost of Tsushima in terms of its gameplay, it is one of the most scenic games on current consoles and its atmosphere is immeasurable even to Tsushima. Similar to Tsushima, the player rides on horseback over panoramic and beautiful vistas and most of the game is spent admiring each blade of grass. Though Shadow of the Colossus isn’t recommended for being a hack-and-slash samurai thrill ride, there are some of the most awe-inspiring boss battles, but they are far fewer than in Tsushima and require an element of puzzle-solving.
7 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, so many side-missions that the game feels almost bottomless. The game 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.
6 Horizon Zero Dawn
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 world of Horizon Zero Dawn is vast and even more ambitious than Tsushima, as you scale different terrains such as deserts, forests, and ancient ruins.
5 Red Dead Redemption 2
With every release of a new open-world game, it always opens up discussions and debates on what makes the perfect sandbox experience. While Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar’s swan song for the current generation, might be an obvious choice with its exploration and horse riding, there is much more in common with Tsushima than meets the eye.
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The two games both way outperformed sales-wise on an unbelievable level, storytelling is absolutely at the epicenter, and after all, samurais and westerns have been inspiring each other for decades.
4 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.
3 Onimusha: Warlords
Onimusha: Warlords might have to be dusted off before sticking the disk into the drive, as it dates back to 2001, but it isn’t any less relevant because of its age. Warlords directly influenced the production of Ghost of Tsushima according to Sucker Punch’s animations director, as both games see the player slash their way through a historical Japanese backdrop. Though the Onimusha series might veer off from the Tsushima similarities when it nose-dives into time travel, ‘Warlords’ is also worth digging up for having an engaging story.
2 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.
1 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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