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Cover of Shenmue

Similar games

Games like Shenmue

1999USK 12PC, PlayStation, Xbox

Shenmue sends you as young Ryo Hazuki on a quest for revenge in 1980s Japan, letting you explore a living town that follows a daily routine. Martial arts fights, quick-time events and side activities like arcades and jobs define this pioneering classic.

  • Dense, handcrafted world
  • Historical setting
  • Emotional impact
  • Open world
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Where to buy

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More in these topics: Story-driven games

In short: Games like Shenmue

Each of these 10 games shares something of what makes Shenmue special. The reasons are listed right on each game.

Similar in what way?

0 of 3

Up to three areas count more, the rest steps back.

Not for me Exclude horror, turn-based combat, pixel art …

Games where this is clearly part of it are left out, no matter how well the rest fits.

Horror Turn-based combat High difficulty Roguelike runs Shooter Pixel art Grind Survival PvP Open world Card game

10 games with a similar feel, sorted by match · How is this calculated?

Show games from the same series

Best match

Yakuza 0

93 %Match

2015USK 18PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified95 % positive

Brings what grabs you about Shenmue: a dense, handcrafted world, a historical setting and emotional impact.

A gripping yakuza crime drama set in bubble-era Japan, where brutal street brawls with switchable fighting styles sit alongside hilariously absurd side stories, karaoke and business management. Kiryu's and Majima's intertwined tales are among the series' finest.

Where to buy

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Similar games →

Yakuza 4

Emotional impact

Four protagonists tell an interwoven yakuza crime story in the nightlife district of Kamurocho, mixing heavy brawler combat with quirky side stories. It swings between serious drama and absurd humor, with countless minigames to discover.

Yakuza 2

Emotional impact

Kazuma Kiryu fights through Tokyo and Osaka in a gripping crime drama to stop an all-out gang war. Heavy brawling meets quirky side activities, offbeat substories and a serious yakuza saga.

Yakuza

Emotional impact

The series opener follows Kazuma Kiryu, freshly out of a ten-year prison term and dragged into a power struggle over 10 billion missing yen. Street brawls, side stories and minigames in the Kamurocho nightlife district blend serious gangster drama with offbeat humor.

Yakuza 4 Remastered

Emotional impact

Four protagonists, each with a distinct fighting style, tell a dense crime drama in the Kamurocho nightlife district. Its charm lies in mixing a serious yakuza plot and brawling with wildly quirky side activities.

Sid Meier's Pirates!

Historical setting

Live out a swashbuckling pirate career in the 17th-century Caribbean: sail freely, capture ships, sack towns, win sword duels and court governors' daughters. A breezy, varied blend of naval combat, trading and adventure.

Grand Theft Auto III

Open world

The landmark that took GTA into 3D: as a silent criminal you climb the underworld of grim Liberty City, stealing cars, running jobs for mob bosses and causing mayhem whenever you like. Satirical radio stations and the freedom of its open city made it the template for the entire sandbox genre.

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