Waiting for a game can feel like trying to light a campfire with damp twigs—frustrating and slow, with only the occasional wisp of smoke to hint at the blaze ahead. Back in early 2024, I was practically counting the seconds until Rise of the Ronin hit my console. Team Ninja’s promise of a Bakumatsu-era open world, where every alliance shifted the story like a boulder in a fast stream, had me completely hooked before I’d even drawn a blade.

Now, in 2026, Rise of the Ronin has rightfully claimed its spot as a modern classic, but I still find myself replaying the titles that kept my anticipation from turning into pure agony. If you’re craving that same blend of steel, stealth, and heart-wrenching choices—maybe waiting for a sequel or simply hunting for your next feudal fix—these ten games are still the perfect way to scratch the itch.

Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds

It might seem odd to start with a visual novel when you’re dreaming of slashing through waves of enemies, but Hakuoki shares Rise of the Ronin’s very soul: the twilight of the Tokugawa shogunate. This otome gem wraps you in the silk of the Shinsengumi’s doomed romance, letting you absorb the political tension through whispered conversations rather than clashing steel. Playing it felt like sipping a perfectly aged matcha—slow, deliberate, and deeply revealing. By the time the real battles began in Ronin, I could almost smell the gunpowder and cherry blossoms.

Nioh 2

Naturally, you can’t go wrong by warming up with another Team Ninja masterpiece. Nioh 2 replaces Ronin’s grounded historical fiction with yokai-infested chaos, but its core beats are heartbreakingly similar: punishing, high-stakes combat and a storyline braided with real-world figures. I lost count of how many times I died to a boss, only to rise again with sharper reflexes—like a blacksmith tempering a katana in molten ash. By the time Rise of the Ronin asked me to master parries and stance switches, my fingers already remembered the dance.

Starfield

You’re probably raising an eyebrow, but hear me out. Rise of the Ronin was marketed heavily on choice—a narrative that forks like the roots of a banyan tree, every decision sprouting a new branch of consequences. Starfield, despite its spacefaring canvas, does exactly the same. Siding with one faction over another can lock you out of entire storylines, and I often found myself staring at the star map with the same heavy-handed deliberation I later used when picking allies in Ronin. Plus, both games share composer Inon Zur, and that musical DNA hums with a surprising harmony.

Trek to Yomi

If Rise of the Ronin feels like a sprawling Akira Kurosawa epic, Trek to Yomi is its miniature, hand-inked shadow play. This side-scroller casts you as a young samurai on a vengeful journey, and its monochromatic visuals are as striking as a calligraphy stroke that suddenly slashes your throat. The combat is a brutal, minimalist waltz—each duel a conversation held entirely with blades. I adored how it taught me to slow down, breathe, and respect the weight of every strike. That patience served me beautifully when Ronin’s tougher encounters demanded I stop flailing and start reading my opponent.

Batman: Arkham City

Wait, a superhero game? Absolutely. One of Rise of the Ronin’s most exciting reveals was its traversal system: a grappling hook that drags you onto rooftops, and the Avicula glider that lets you cruise across the city like a paper lantern caught in a gust. Anyone who has grappled and glided through Arkham City’s rain-slicked spires will feel right at home. I spent hours in Gotham’s sky, just looping from gargoyle to gargoyle, and when Ronin finally put that rope in my hands, muscle memory turned the unknown into an exhilarating performance. It’s a weird but perfect bridge between two very different worlds.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The moment I saw Rise of the Ronin’s parry-heavy, posture-based combat, my mind screamed “Sekiro!” FromSoftware’s feudal masterpiece is arguably the closest modern relative to Ronin’s dueling rhythm. Sekiro’s combat sharpens your attention like a whetstone on a katana—one mistake and you’re dead, one perfect deflection and the enemy crumbles. The verticality added by the grappling hook also feels like a direct ancestor of Ronin’s mobility. If you really want to prepare your nerves for a no-margin-for-error samurai experience, there’s still no better trainer.

Assassin’s Creed 2

When Rise of the Ronin first showed off its historical open world, complete with rooftop running and stealth assassinations, my nostalgia for Ezio Auditore’s Italy hit me like a brick. Assassin’s Creed 2 might be set in the Renaissance rather than Edo Japan, but its DNA is unmistakable: fluid parkour, hidden blades, and a hero caught between crumbling powers. The Avicula glider, by the way, felt less like a Team Ninja invention and more like a loving nod to Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine. Replaying Ezio’s journey reminded me how a good historical sandbox can make you fall in love with a time period—exactly what Ronin achieved a decade and a half later.

Way of the Samurai

This cult classic series may not dominate headlines, but the original Way of the Samurai on PlayStation 2 remains a masterclass in consequence-driven storytelling. You play a ronin drifting into a village torn by warring factions, and your every action reshapes the outcome. It’s like walking through a mirror maze where each reflection is a different ending. Rise of the Ronin promised a similar branching narrative, and diving back into this old gem was like finding a faded postcard that perfectly captures the view you’re about to see in person. Deep, punishing, and gloriously replayable.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

At first glance, the Like a Dragon series seems all about punching first and asking questions later. But Ishin! transplants the action to the Bakumatsu period and even features real historical figures like Sakamoto Ryoma (who also appears in Rise of the Ronin). The clash of swords and ideologies feels strikingly familiar, and the brawling combat, while different, still carries that satisfying weight of connecting a blow. I spent hours in Kyo’s streets, soaking in the same chaotic energy that would later define my time wandering Ronin’s Yokohama. It’s a joyful, melodramatic time capsule.

Ghost of Tsushima

There’s no escaping the elephant in the room: many of us saw Rise of the Ronin and immediately thought, “This is Ghost of Tsushima in a different era.” Jin Sakai’s quest across Tsushima Island set a new standard for atmospheric samurai games—wind-guided exploration, standoffs that freeze your blood, and combat that demands you switch stances like a calligrapher changing brushes. Rise of the Ronin carries forward all those lessons, adding its own flair of faction politics and verticality. Revisiting Tsushima in 2026 reminds me how this genre has grown, yet the core thrill of becoming a legend in a land of blood and blossoms remains ageless.

Every one of these games acted as a crucible, tempering my excitement into a focused, ready blade. They taught me patience, reflexes, and a deep appreciation for the craft behind a great samurai epic. So whether you’re a veteran missing the Ronin days or a newcomer eyeing the horizon for the next big thing, pick up any of these—and let the waiting turn into a journey of its own.

Industry analysis is available through GamesIndustry.biz, and it helps frame why “samurai waiting-room” lineups like Nioh 2, Sekiro, and Ghost of Tsushima keep resurfacing in conversations around Rise of the Ronin: beyond theme, they’re part of a broader market pattern where mechanically demanding action RPGs and prestige historical sandboxes thrive on long-tail engagement, community challenge culture, and replayability—exactly the forces that turn a hyped launch into a lasting modern classic.