'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Toshihiro Nagoshi wanted a video game that depicted the life of the infamous Japanese mafia, and thus, the Yakuza franchise was born.
An action-adventure game, Yakuza throws the player into the shoes of Kazuma Kiryu, who takes the blame for his mobster boss’ death to protect his best friend. A tight-paced story that spans over several instalments, the Yakuza series is a great game that focuses on crime and action.
In this article, we take a look at five of the best games you must try if you loved Yakuza.
5 best games like Yakuza
#1 Sleeping Dogs
With a plot that features the gangs that plague the city of Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs comes as close to the Yakuza narrative as any game can.
The story follows an undercover cop as he places himself in the company of mobs to gain their trust and take them down from within. The morally challenging choices he must make and the action-packed gameplay make Sleeping Dogs a great alternative to Yakuza.
#2 The Slater
The Slater is an action-adventure game that brings together the world of gangsters and drug lords. The player takes control of Mark Slater, a cop who is out to take revenge from the gangsters who murdered his father because of a new drug, D-Pain.
The ruthless and chilling story, as well as the great game mechanics, are some of the best features of The Slater, making it a worthy contemporary of Yakuza.
#3 Mafia 2
It’s the 1950s, the golden era of organised crime, and the world is only just coming out of the Second World War. You, as Vito Scaletta, a war hero with no option but to turn to the mobs for sustenance, set out on a quest to establish your criminal control over the city.
Mafia 2 is an incredible game that manages to capture the nuances of an ordinary man’s road to crime, which is reminiscent of the Yakuza series.
#4 Shenmue
The Shenmue franchise has often been compared to Yakuza for the apparent similarities between the two. However, both games manage to create their own unique identity. That being said, if you’re looking to play something like Yakuza, then Shenmue is a great option.
In Shenmue, you play as Ryo Hazuki, who is on the hunt for the Chinese man who killed his father and ends up sinking deeper into the world of gangs and crime.
#5 GTA 5
Is it possible to talk about crime games and not mention GTA? GTA 5 took everything great about the franchise and somehow made it better. The plot that switches narratives between Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, does justice to the legacy of GTA.
The game mechanics, action, the plethora of extra activities, side missions, heists and the superior graphics that tie all of it together, are among the heaps of reasons why you should be playing this game.
