Summary
Japan is a relatively safe country because its laws on guns are strict. That means when a gun is deployed in a piece of media, it is important. For example, guns being pulled intheYakuzaseriesusually create big ordeals because of how illegal and dangerous they are.
Their rarity in Japan might be why so many games made over there feature them as they are almost like fantasy weapons. Influences from Western cinema may have also shaped the Japanese development landscape since the early 80s. These games in particular not only feature guns, but they take place in Japan, mostly around the Tokyo area. They will be ranked on their quality and how integrated they are in Japan.
Call of Duty: World at Waris not completely set in Japan as the game gave players two fronts to fight in duringthisWorld War 2excursion. One set of heroes fought in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese whereas another squad joined the battle in Russia. Both sides of this war aren’t as represented inWorld War 2games as the European front is. This gives thisCall of Dutyentry a special place in the franchise.
The Japan campaign was rather tropical as levels were designed around island hopping. It was usually quite intense too with flamethrowers being a devastating weapon. While not a high point in the series, again, it can be thanked for including the Pacific Theater as a setting along with the zombie mode that has carried on to this day.
5Gal Gun Returns
Love Is A Powerful Drug
Gal Gunwas originally released in Japan in 2011 with the remastered version hitting North America in 2021. Based on the subject matter, it’s easy to see why a game like this originally didn’t come over. The game stars a young teen boy in Japan who gets hit with Cupid’s arrow, causing all of the girlsin high schoolto flock toward him.
These girls are mad with love, so players have to shoot them down with what translates to extra doses of love, sending them to the ground on their knees. It’s a funny concept for an on-rails shooter, replacing monsters or soldiers with thirsty high school girls. It may not be a shooter for everyone, but there are laughs to be had with the silly premise. Plus the developer, Inti Creates, is a solid one having worked on a plethora of great titles including theMega Man Zeroseries for Capcom.
Sin & Punishmentis another game that was originally exclusive to Japan when it launched in 2000 for the N64. The funny thing is, most of the text may have been in Japanese, but the spoken dialogue was in English just like in theResident Evilgames. Also likeResident Evil, this dialogue is incredibly cheesy and not well performed which adds to the fun.
The game itself takes place in the then future of Japan, 2007, wherein a young set of rebellious teens fight against mutated beings and oppressive soldiers. Players have a bit more control over their avatar in this on-rails shooter as they can see their character and strafe around to avoid objects or attacks. It’s a short experience and it’s in the Switch’s N64 digital collection so it’s worth an afternoon of your time.
Yakuza: Dead Soulsis one of the strangest spinoffs in the series. It takes place around the normal haunts like Kamurocho in Japan but with a big twist. A zombie outbreak has occurred and instead of punching them to death like in the main games, players will be given a vast amount of guns from pistols to assault rifles. Also, there are multiple characters to play, likethe ever-entertaining Majima, giving players alternate perspectives in the story.
Players can expect to see the same wacky humor as the main games but it does lack a lot of the side content in an open-world structure. It may not be as tight as an experience as the main games but it’s still an absolute must-play for diehard fans. Fabs of zombie games may also want to give it a shot who then might get into theYakuzaseries as a whole by the end of it.
Binary Domain is set far in the future where robots have integrated themselves into modern day-to-day activities from shopkeepers to housework. However, there are still glitches in the system, and that’s where the game begins. After an incident that causes a bunch of robots to malfunction and rebel against humanity, a group of soldiers are sent to Japan to fight back. Think of it likeThe TerminatormeetsYakuzaas theYakuzateam worked on this, meaning that it can be just as cheesy as it is badass.
Players will lead this squadron with Dan and in every mission players can choose two squad mates to accompany him into battle. It’s a third-person cover shooter with squad-based mechanics. The better directions players give their squad, the more they will like Dan and in turn will unlock bonuses. Some skills and guns can be unlocked and upgraded, giving players plenty of ways to dismemberthese killer robots.
Ghostwire: Tokyois a first-person shooter but one fought with magic and not guns. It’s also the most authentic Japanese experience on the list as it takes place literally in Tokyo. Parts of the city were sealed off by ghost magic, and players were given the ability of magic and psychic powers by fusing with a deceased ghost hunter.
Players can harvest the elements of Wind, Fire, and Water which have distinct control patterns. Water magic, for example, has a short range but it is strong. Besides magic, players can also throw talismans at enemies or shoot a magical bow and there is askill tree inGhostwire: Tokyotoo. While parts of the city are locked down, areas will open up over time as players progress in the story or complete side quests. To experience modern Japanese city life sans the bustling crowds,Ghostwire: Tokyois a must-play.
