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[keraj37]

We all love Japanese culture and traditions.
Its people are highly intelligent and cultural, and somehow spiritual in the way we in the West cannot understand fully.
That is why we also love games that depict that image.

For me the most "Japanese" game so far was Total War: Shogun 2.
Great atmosphere, music, cultural hints and history facts (and good strategic game).

But now, number one for me in that manner is Ghost of Tsushima.

The ambient music, the spiritual approaches into some game design decisions, the historical and cultural facts embedded into the core gameplay.
The game is truly "Japanese" in my feeling.

Well, I am sure there are some Japanese NeoGaf members here, so they are most welcome to comment, but in the end Ghost of Tsushima is how I feel Japan.

What is yours?

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Ghost of Tsushima.

 

[Kuranghi]

Ghost of Tsushima.

What a game, I wish could see it running with ultra draw distance and native 4K, its so beautiful and the colour/contrast when HDR is on is insane so with an even higher res than the PS5 version can't imagine it.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Probably Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. It's all about Kaiju culture.

 

[Robb]

Still have this gem on my Wii (assuming it can still boot);

By far the most Japanese game I’ve ever bought.. But more in the ‘crazy game show’ kind of way.

 

[Codes 208]

Sekiro

 

[Hypereides]

Way of the samurai 3. Underrated game with a great period setting imo. Has this "tailor-your-own-narrative" mechanic going for it with multiple branching paths. Your choices will determine how various characters' paths intertwine and what story unfolds.

 

[nush]

Yakuza series.

 

[Danjin44]

For me its Sekiro,, from its atmosphere and brutality in Sengoku period with dead bodies and scar of battles everywhere.

Another one with 13 Sentinels specially going 80s time period and 1940s during the war.

 

[Kataploom]

Ryuu Ga Gotoku is where it's at

 

[Astral Dog]

Okami

 

[Magic Carpet]

Katamari Damacy is the most Japanese thing on this rolled up ball of a planet.

 

[Mr Hyde]

I don't know much about japanese culture or history but to me, "japanese" games that you feel can only come from Japan, is wacky, philosophical and bat shit insane action games like Drakengard or Nier. But if it were something that should evoke japanese culture or history I would say Ghostwire Tokyo, which is a criminally underrated horror gem that feels japanese in every way possible, from gameplay to story to character and creature design.

 

[Robb]

Okami

That’s a great one.

I’d like to mention Rythm Heaven as well. That entire franchise is absolutely brilliant and have a very distinct Japanese touch.

 

[Krafter]

Probably Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. It's all about Kaiju culture.

I was going to say Noby Noby Boy or something weird like that, but this is a way better call.

 

[Wolfpact1983]

Ninja gaiden black & 2

 

[Puscifer]

Jet Set Radio Future


A bunch of ruffians fighting "the man" who has no issues sending in military attack choppers against teenagers for spraypainting in Neo Tokyo just shouldn't work

 

[TintoConCasera]

Earth Defense Force is like playing a japanese B movie.

 

[Deerock71]

Monster Hunter: Rise is the most Japanese thing I can think of.

 

[semiconscious]

Okami

just completed a replay. great choice!...

 

[digdug2]

Ninja Gaiden on NES is the one that still gives me that feeling. The anime-like cutscenes really ensnared me as a lad. I didn't know much about Japanese culture until later in life, so this game was filled with intrigue and my 5 year old brain couldn't fully wrap my head around what was happening.

 

[keraj37]

Okami

Very interesting, just saw a reveal trailer!

Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale

Nice one, I just watched that: link to trailer

Katamari Damacy

Watched that, what is this? link

 

[SCB3]

Yakuza/Like a Dragon/Judgement, Ghost of Tsushima and Persona 5

 

[Krappadizzle]

 

[Fabieter]

Disaster report deserves a mention

 

[sloppyjoe_gamer]

Persona 5

 

[SEGAvangelist]

I think Tokyo Mirage Sessions is my game like this. The big Atlus RPGs make you feel like you are experiencing another culture, but the Japanese Idol stuff along with SMT gameplay really does it for me.

Play the uncensored version on Wii U for the real experience.

 

[pauljeremiah]

 

[deathsaber]

LOL definitely Gal Gun. An on rails pseudo lightgun-like shooter where you have an army of anime school girls madly in love with you (the protagonist), who are chasing you down to proposition you and give you their "love confession". You fight them off by shooting them with a pheromone "gun" which essentially makes them orgasm and stops them in their tracks. Combine this multiple paths and some dating sim elements, and you definitely have a barn burner. Only in Japan.

 

[Muffdraul]

I wish I could say Incredible Crisis, but sadly I never got around to getting my own copy, my best friend had it.



I'll say my OG imported copy of Tenchu.

 

[BaldingAshCrimson]

Persona 2.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

 

[nkarafo]

 

[GZ!]

Muramasa The Demon Blade.

Edit: And Killer 7

 

[Pejo]

Muramasa The Demon BLade

Okami

Natsuiro High School

 

[Polygonal_Sprite]

Ghost is a strange one because although it’s obviously very Japanese in setting and style the underlying gameplay and game design is very much western. I enjoyed the game well enough but it was very Ubisoft.

For me it’s probably something like Ocarina of Time, Gran Turismo, Armoured Core or Persona.

 

[keraj37]

 

[Jinzo Prime]

This is a level of Japanese I didn't know existed.

Natsuiro High School

Never mind.

 

[LakeOf9]

Gotta be Persona 5

 

[JohnSpartanLee]

WarioWare, Inc.

 

[Crayon]

Cho Aniki?

 

[Mitsurux]

Samurai Showdown (Samurai Spirits). The Music and time period. (mixed in with some more fantastical elements..)

 

[hinch7]

Yakuza series.

Yeah, this is mine too. The series has a lot of the Japanese cultural references and also tropes in there, with humor to boot. And the city of Kamurochō based on real life cities in Japan.

If we count other wacky, out there Japanese games there's too many to list lol.

 

[nush]

Yeah, this is mine too. The series has a lot of the Japanese cultural references and also tropes in there, with humor to boot. And the city of Kamurochō based on real life cities in Japan.

If we count other wacky, out there Japanese games there's too many to list lol.

The mundane is just as relevant as the wacky in this series.

 

[Vyse]

I would have to say Seaman on the Dreamcast. That was a trippy game my friends. Loved that era of Sega.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Tokomeki Memorial

 

[hinch7]

The mundane is just as relevant as the wacky in this series.

Yeah thats what I like about the series. Exploring the city and more rural areas, doing random tasks and listening to NPC's is just a good vibe. The stories in there are pretty good too; consistant and have a lot of heart in them. And the way characters are and portrayed are very different to those made in the west. And what I find interesting about the games. That and the funny moments, silly mini games, crazy action and fights.

 

[Cattlyst]

Goemon on N64. That shit was crazy. That intro and the humour was just peak Japanese weirdness when I first played it back like 98 or whenever. Plasma!

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Non-wacky, it’s definitely Sekiro.

Wacky, way too many to choose from. Some great examples here, I’ll add Virtue’s Last Reward for some of the most Japanese designs you can imagine, plus a kind of storytelling that’s pretty much unimaginable in the west.

 

[phant0m]

Yakuza/Like a Dragon/Judgement, Ghost of Tsushima and Persona

/thread