Yakuza 0 is the perfect entry point into one of gaming’s most beloved series, and it earns that reputation honestly. Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima’s parallel stories mix genuine crime drama with absurd side content, from cabaret club management to disco dance-offs, all wrapped around brawler combat with real weight behind every punch. Few games balance tone this well.
If you have finished 1988 Kamurocho and Sotenbori and want more of that mix of memorable characters, dramatic storytelling, and lived-in city exploration, these 15 games deliver it from different angles. Some share the Yakuza universe directly, some lean into similar crime drama, and some trade Japan for other cities entirely. All are worth your time in 2026.
Quick Comparison: Top 5 Picks
| # | Game | Style | Price | Platforms |
| 1 | Yakuza Kiwami | Brawler crime drama | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 2 | Yakuza Kiwami 2 | Brawler crime drama | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 3 | Judgment | Detective action | $39.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 4 | Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Turn-based JRPG | $69.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 5 | Sleeping Dogs | Open-world crime | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
1. Yakuza Kiwami
Why it’s similar
Yakuza Kiwami directly continues Kiryu’s story after the events of Yakuza 0, set in the same Kamurocho with the same brand of crime drama and brawler combat.
What makes it unique
It is a remake of the very first Yakuza game, with modern combat systems and the Majima Everywhere system that has Majima ambushing you throughout the city for surprise fights.
Key features
- Remake of the original Yakuza story
- Majima Everywhere encounter system
- Same Kamurocho setting
- Modernized brawler combat
Price: $19.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
2. Yakuza Kiwami 2
Why it’s similar
Yakuza Kiwami 2 expands the classic formula Yakuza 0 established, with emotional storytelling, a huge amount of side activities, and improved combat systems.
What makes it unique
It introduces the Dragon Engine, giving combat and city exploration a more fluid, seamless feel than earlier entries, alongside a second city in Sotenbori.
Key features
- Dragon Engine improved combat
- Two explorable city districts
- Emotional, layered crime story
- Extensive side content and minigames
Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
3. Judgment
Why it’s similar
Judgment shares Yakuza 0’s developer and city design style, using the same Kamurocho setting for a detective story mixed with brawler-style action combat.
What makes it unique
It swaps organized crime drama for a mystery-investigation structure, with tailing missions, disguises, and puzzle-solving woven between fights.
Key features
- Detective investigation gameplay
- Real-time brawler combat
- Same Kamurocho city setting
- Strong mystery-driven story
Price: $39.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
4. Lost Judgment
Why it’s similar
Lost Judgment shares Yakuza 0’s strength in character writing and side content, with more advanced fighting systems and investigation gameplay layered on top.
What makes it unique
It adds a second city, Isezaki Ijincho, alongside Kamurocho, plus a school-set subplot and a Detective Dog companion that widen the investigation formula.
Key features
- Two explorable city districts
- Expanded fighting styles
- Detective Dog tracking mechanic
- Strong mystery-driven narrative
Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
5. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Why it’s similar
Infinite Wealth shares Yakuza 0’s universe and RPG progression roots, following Ichiban Kasuga through emotional storytelling, humor, and huge amounts of side content.
What makes it unique
It swaps real-time brawling for turn-based combat with job classes, and adds Hawaii alongside Yokohama for one of the biggest settings in series history.
Key features
- Turn-based combat with job classes
- Emotional, character-driven storytelling
- Two full explorable regions
- Massive amount of side activities
Price: $69.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
6. Sleeping Dogs
Why it’s similar
Sleeping Dogs shares Yakuza 0’s crime-focused open world and dramatic storytelling, sending you undercover into Hong Kong’s criminal underworld.
What makes it unique
Its open-world sandbox structure and Western-style mission design give it a different rhythm than Yakuza’s district-based city, with car chases layered into the martial arts combat.
Key features
- Open-world crime sandbox
- Martial arts combat
- Undercover cop storyline
- Hong Kong setting
Price: $19.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
7. Shenmue I & II
Why it’s similar
Shenmue shares Yakuza 0’s detailed Japanese city exploration and everyday activities, letting you wander a lived-in setting between story beats.
What makes it unique
Its slower, life-simulation pacing and pioneering open-world design were hugely influential on the genre, with a quieter, more grounded martial arts story.
Key features
- Detailed, lived-in city exploration
- Life simulation daily activities
- Martial arts combat
- Historically influential open-world design
Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
8. Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Why it’s similar
Like a Dragon: Ishin! shares Yakuza’s storytelling DNA and familiar character designs, reimagined in historical Japan with sword-based combat instead of modern brawling.
What makes it unique
Its Bakumatsu-era setting and samurai sword fighting give the series’ dramatic formula a completely different historical backdrop, using recognizable faces in new roles.
Key features
- Historical Japan setting
- Sword-based combat
- Familiar character faces in new roles
- Dramatic, politically charged story
Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
9. Mafia: Definitive Edition
Why it’s similar
Mafia: Definitive Edition shares Yakuza 0’s cinematic crime storytelling, following a driver drawn into organized crime with strong characters carrying the drama.
What makes it unique
Its 1930s American setting and open-world period city give it a very different flavor, with a slower, more methodical mission structure than Yakuza’s brawler pacing.
Key features
- Cinematic 1930s crime story
- Open-world period city
- Strong character-driven drama
- Remade combat and visuals
Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
10. Grand Theft Auto V
Why it’s similar
GTA V shares Yakuza 0’s crime-focused open world and memorable cast, with missions and side activities built around three very different criminal protagonists.
What makes it unique
Its massive open world and three-protagonist structure give it a scale and freedom Yakuza’s district-based cities don’t attempt, with a satirical tone throughout.
Key features
- Massive open-world crime sandbox
- Three-protagonist story structure
- Huge amount of side activities
- Satirical, over-the-top tone
Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
11. Persona 5 Royal
Why it’s similar
Persona 5 Royal shares Yakuza 0’s stylish Japanese setting and character focus, with a cast you genuinely grow attached to over dozens of hours.
What makes it unique
Its turn-based combat and social link system tie relationships directly to gameplay power, giving daily life choices a mechanical weight Yakuza doesn’t have.
Key features
- Social link relationship system
- Stylish turn-based combat
- School life simulation elements
- Iconic presentation and soundtrack
Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Where to Buy
Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.
12. Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Why it’s similar
Made by the same developers behind Yakuza, this game shares similar combat systems, humor, and side content, just reskinned into the post-apocalyptic Fist of the North Star universe.
What makes it unique
Its wasteland setting and iconic anime characters give the familiar Yakuza-style formula a completely different visual identity, with combat built around signature series moves.
Key features
- Same core combat as Yakuza games
- Post-apocalyptic anime setting
- Extensive side content
- Iconic Fist of the North Star cast
Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
13. Bully
Why it’s similar
Bully shares Yakuza 0’s smaller-scale open-world structure, with a wide variety of activities, characters, and quirky side missions layered into a single setting.
What makes it unique
Its boarding school setting and coming-of-age story give it a lighter, more mischievous tone, with classes and social cliques replacing organized crime.
Key features
- Smaller-scale open-world design
- Coming-of-age school story
- Wide variety of activities
- Quirky, memorable side missions
Price: $14.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
14. Saints Row: The Third
Why it’s similar
Saints Row: The Third shares Yakuza 0’s blend of crime sandbox and side activities, layering ridiculous humor over open-world missions and city exploration.
What makes it unique
It leans fully into over-the-top absurdity rather than dramatic crime storytelling, with wilder weapons, vehicles, and set pieces than Yakuza ever attempts.
Key features
- Crime sandbox with ridiculous humor
- Over-the-top action set pieces
- Wide variety of side activities
- Customizable gang and characters
Price: $19.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
15. Batman: Arkham City
Why it’s similar
Batman: Arkham City shares Yakuza 0’s fluid hand-to-hand combat system, with combos and counters rewarding rhythm and timing over button mashing.
What makes it unique
Its open-world Gotham setting blends stealth, detective gadgets, and superhero combat, giving it a very different power fantasy than Yakuza’s street-level brawling.
Key features
- Fluid combo-based combat system
- Detective gadget mechanics
- Open-world Gotham exploration
- Iconic Batman storytelling
Price: $19.99 Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Where to Buy
Available on Steam.
Full Comparison Table
| # | Game | Style | Price | Platforms |
| 1 | Yakuza Kiwami | Brawler crime drama | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 2 | Yakuza Kiwami 2 | Brawler crime drama | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 3 | Judgment | Detective action | $39.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 4 | Lost Judgment | Detective action | $59.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 5 | Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Turn-based JRPG | $69.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 6 | Sleeping Dogs | Open-world crime | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 7 | Shenmue I & II | Life sim adventure | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 8 | Like a Dragon: Ishin! | Historical action | $59.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 9 | Mafia: Definitive Edition | Cinematic crime | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 10 | Grand Theft Auto V | Open-world crime | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 11 | Persona 5 Royal | Turn-based JRPG | $59.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| 12 | Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise | Anime brawler | $29.99 | PC, PlayStation |
| 13 | Bully | Open-world adventure | $14.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 14 | Saints Row: The Third | Crime sandbox comedy | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| 15 | Batman: Arkham City | Superhero action | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
Conclusion
If it was the Yakuza universe that hooked you, start with Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Judgment. They keep you in the same Kamurocho, with combat and storytelling that feel instantly familiar.
If the crime drama and city exploration mattered most, Sleeping Dogs, Mafia: Definitive Edition, and Shenmue offer their own takes on that formula. And if you want the combat with a different flavor entirely, Batman: Arkham City and Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise bring their own combo systems to the table. Any of these 15 will keep your night on the town going well into 2026.
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