Video games have long explored different cultures and landscapes to bring players the immersion deserving of those games. More specifically, Chinese and Japanese themes have long dominated gaming, with beautiful music and symbolic iconography to help breathe even more meaning into those titles. The following are six games that utilise Asian-themes and what it is that Western players find so intriguing about them.
What Makes a Great Asian-Themed Game?
Naturally, games set in Asian regions need to be respectful to those cultures. As a result, what makes a great Asian-themed game boils down to how much attention to detail developers paid to things such as iconography and symbolism. There should also be a strict attention to immersion and sound that really draws from the beauty of those cultures.
These games in particular check each of those boxes and hone in on the beautiful aesthetic that’s expected from Asia. They’re also not limited to a single genre, so gear up to try out a new slew of games.
- Black Myth Wukong
In Black Myth Wukong, players will quite literally become the Monkey King, known as the Destined One in the game. The catch is that you’re playing to relearn all the abilities that you lost at the very beginning. The gameplay is reminiscent of popular Soulslike titles, though I’d compare it to faster-paced titles like Bloodborne or even Lies of P. That way, you can always play how you want. Not only does the game follow its own iteration of the classic novel, but it was developed by the Chinese studio Game Science as the third title under its belt.
- Kaiju
There are so many slot games that are based on popular anime shows. Take Kaiju, for instance, which is based on Kaju No. 8. You’re put in the shoes of HA-42, battling against rampaging monsters (better known as kaijus), to stay alive. Fans of the anime and even those who just like fast-paced visuals will likely love the Kaiju Battle Bonus. It lets you watch HA-42 fight a slew of kaijus on-screen when she lands on specific reels.
- Naraka: Bladepoint
This game might be a battle royale by genre. However, it doesn’t act like one. It switches out typical guns and weapons for your fists, strategic fighting, and combo racking. You’ll be put up against hundreds of skilled players online to fight your way out and be the last one standing. You’ll first settle on a character and then use martial arts to take down other players and stay alive long enough to win. It’s definitely difficult to master, but an absolute joy to test out what fits your play style best.
- 3x Monkeys
Here’s another game with imagery and symbolism of monkeys. 3x Monkeys slots is based on the Three Wise Monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil, though you won’t need to worry about what these monkeys see, hear, or say. The gameplay itself is smooth, simple, and just about made for fans of those who prefer less intense gameplay.
- Genshin Impact
Last is the mobile title that arguably helped put the West to understand how much fun gacha games can be. Genshin Impact only gives you the fun of the gacha gameplay, but you can also get lost in the massive open world. What’s even crazier is that your progress follows you to other hardware, meaning you can play on your phone, PC, or PlayStation without having to worry about starting anything over.