Game recs with an urban japanese setting?

[Warlock2k]

Hey guys! I'm looking for games that take place in a modern Japanese city (or multiple cities). I've played Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and Persona 5, and I really enjoyed them, so I'm looking for more games that let you explore modern Japan.
Here are the consoles I can emulate/play on:
• PS1
• Dreamcast
• GameCube
• NDS
• Wii
• PSP
• PS3
• PS4
• Android
(Side note: visual novels are okay, as long as they aren't erotic/graphic. Steins;Gate looks amazing, but I don't enjoy depressing/traumatic games lmao)

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Yakuza/Like a Dragon
Kenka Banchou
Tokyo Xanadu
River City Girls 2

 

[SoThankful]

Maybe The World Ends With You (NDS). Never played it before, but it sounds like it's something you're looking for. Heard some good things about it, and there's also hacks and translations.

Post automatically merged: Apr 17, 2026

(Side note: visual novels are okay, as long as they aren't erotic/graphic. Steins;Gate looks amazing, but I don't enjoy depressing/traumatic games lmao)

 

[Viviana Santos]

TWEWY is really good, also the Yakuza series tho (I've only played Yakuza 0 so far though)

 

[Warlock2k]

TWEWY is really good, also the Yakuza series tho (I've only played Yakuza 0 so far though)

Planning on playing TWEwY, but I'll look into Yakuza! Thank you!

 

[Viviana Santos]

Planning on playing TWEwY, but I'll look into Yakuza! Thank you!

I recommend you play the Nintendo Switch version, The World Ends with You: Final Remix, since it has more content than the original DS version

 

[Warlock2k]

Maybe The World Ends With You (NDS). Never played it before, but it sounds like it's something you're looking for. Heard some good things about it, and there's also hacks and translations.

Post automatically merged: Apr 17, 2026

Gonna play TWEwY very soon!

Post automatically merged: Apr 17, 2026

Yakuza/Like a Dragon
Kenka Banchou
Tokyo Xanadu
River City Girls 2

Tokyo Xanadu looks great! Thanks for the rec :)

Post automatically merged: Apr 17, 2026

I recommend you play the Nintendo Switch version, The World Ends with You: Final Remix, since it has more content than the original DS version

I kinda wanna stick with the DS version, since I can easily emulate it, and I have a soft spot for the DS in general. Plus, emulating it is free and I'm broke as hell

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Planning on playing TWEwY, but I'll look into Yakuza! Thank you!

TWEWY is nice, it's on Android and also had a fanmade PC port albeit barebones.

 

[ThomatoSauce]

Not really sure if this counts as urban, but you might wanna give Jet Set Radio (or as it was originally called in the West, Jet Grind Radio) a try.

 

[Warlock2k]

Not really sure if this counts as urban, but you might wanna give Jet Set Radio (or as it was originally called in the West, Jet Grind Radio) a try.

I've heard great things about it, so I'll give it a try! Thank you!

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Hey guys! I'm looking for games that take place in a modern Japanese city (or multiple cities). I've played Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and Persona 5, and I really enjoyed them, so I'm looking for more games that let you explore modern Japan.
Here are the consoles I can emulate/play on:
• PS1
• Dreamcast
• GameCube
• NDS
• Wii
• PSP
• PS3
• PS4
• Android
(Side note: visual novels are okay, as long as they aren't erotic/graphic. Steins;Gate looks amazing, but I don't enjoy depressing/traumatic games lmao)

Oh I forgot to mention Scarlet Nexus, though the interaction with the city is a bit on the small side. Good one if you like action RPGs. As for Tokyo Xanadu,
We got it here.

https://retrogametalk.com/threads/tokyo-xanadu-ex-new-translation-with-artbook-and-ost.20822/

 

[Burzuru Burzuru]

I kinda wanna stick with the DS version, since I can easily emulate it, and I have a soft spot for the DS in general. Plus, emulating it is free and I'm broke as hell

i've been meaning to play the DS version myself. do any the NDS emulator's use ps4/ps5's touch pad in place of the DS touch screen? i always thought of it as as sensible function if it works.

 

[Warlock2k]

i've been meaning to play the DS version myself. do any the NDS emulator's use ps4/ps5's touch pad in place of the DS touch screen? i always thought of it as as sensible function if it works.

Unfortunately, I have no clue. I prefer using my phone's screen, so I've never tried it. I assume that only PS4s and PS5s will register a controller's touch pad as a sensor, whereas other devices (like phones) will register it as a button.

 

[Scotty Scotty]

The only game that comes to mind is Akiba's Trip. As the title suggests, the game is set in Akihabara. Can't get more "urban" than that lol.

 

[JustLooking456]

Shenmue 1

 

[Anoobis]

Rent a Hero No. 1 for Dreamcast.
Chulip, sort of.

 

[Burzuru Burzuru]

Unfortunately, I have no clue. I prefer using my phone's screen, so I've never tried it. I assume that only PS4s and PS5s will register a controller's touch pad as a sensor, whereas other devices (like phones) will register it as a button.

i figured out a way to get it working.

if you're using steaminput you can set the track pad to work as a mouse in controller settings.

 

[ichigoww]

I was going through what I've played on recent years, and I realized I haven't played any games with this setting in a looong time, the only one that comes to mind now is Racing Lagoon on the ps1 and I'm not sure if it counts

 

[BigTony]

Akibas Trip don't let it's silly concept fool you it's genuinely the best Japanese action RPG I've ever played and it's set in a pretty impressive recreation of Akihabara.
There's 3 games and an anime the first two game are great but the Anime and the third game Akibas Beat both suck don't even bother with them.

 

[Burzuru Burzuru]

I was going through what I've played on recent years, and I realized I haven't played any games with this setting in a looong time, the only one that comes to mind now is Racing Lagoon on the ps1 and I'm not sure if it counts

the prerendered character models are something else.

 

[Tekki]

If you are ok with a smaller Japanese town setting as opposed to a huge bustling city, I recommend Promise Mascot Agency.

 

[Infasis]

Maybe The World Ends With You (NDS). Never played it before, but it sounds like it's something you're looking for. Heard some good things about it, and there's also hacks and translations.

Post automatically merged: Apr 17, 2026

This reminds me, I actually recently found out there's a TWEWY PC port. I only played the beginning but it looked really nice and played awesome with proper mouse support. I think I'm finally gonna play it using that method.

 

[PSVitaForever]

I take advantage of this thread to say that "Tokyo Xanadu" for PSVita isn't in the Repo.
It's not a request, just a comment in case one of the moderators or repo curators reads it and decides to add it for people who may like it!

Also, I was going to suggest this one (not for the vita since you can't emulate it), also asked the ai but it seems people above has recommended all the titles with an urban jap settings!

edit: a few days ago I put "TWEWY" on my 3ds, never felt like playing it when I had the original ds but reading these comments I may try it! (I could buy the switch version, but I've always read good things about the ds title so I'll try that one first)

 

[werewolfx]

Tokyo Jungle

 

[Lokgamer]

Check out
Neo the world ends with you
Dusk Diver
Akiba Strip
Yakuza