You All Missed This 2023 Open-World Game That Blends Yakuza & Persona

by

It’s incredibly easy to overlook great games these days, with so many being released all the time. Ten or more years ago, even smaller games were fairly easy to find because of physical game stores. Now, with digital stores like Steam overflowing with both amazing games and low-quality ones, it’s almost impossible to discover anything good unless it was heavily promoted beforehand.

Both 2025’s hidden open-world treasure and this year’s suffer from the same problem: they’re incredibly good but haven’t gotten the attention they deserve. This game, inspired by the Yakuza and Persona series, is a masterpiece with detailed gameplay, a stylish atmosphere, a brilliantly written story reminiscent of Kitano films, and stunning visuals. I truly don’t understand why Fading Afternoon, developed by yeo, didn’t become more popular – it’s not only a fantastic open-world game, but also one of the best action games I’ve played in years.

Fading Afternoon Is Indie Yakuza & So Much More

I should start by saying I really love developer yeo’s earlier games, especially The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa and Arrest of a Stone Buddha. What I find so captivating about his work is the way he blends thoughtful, atmospheric storytelling with everyday life and action gameplay. It’s both philosophically interesting and genuinely fun to play. In The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa, something as simple as smoking a cigarette and skipping stones feels just as important as the fighting – it really adds to the experience.

Like many games, Fading Afternoon isn’t just about the action – taking over territories, eliminating rivals, and fighting in the streets. It’s also a deeply thoughtful game about getting older and the challenges of life, all experienced through the eyes of a yakuza. The game world is open and encourages you to truly live in it – you can cycle through the countryside, enjoy the rain, fish, eat, buy a place to live, and even just sit and smoke, all while a beautiful jazz soundtrack sets the mood, shifting from calm, reflective tunes to energetic beats during fights.

I especially remember the early parts of Fading Afternoon. You’re assigned to kidnap another captain and take them to a quiet rural area, where you have to wait for instructions. For a few days, you’re left with almost nothing to do, just relaxing in the peaceful countryside – napping in the sun, running errands at the local store, and exploring the woods. There’s a constant, underlying tension because you’re waiting to find out if you’re supposed to kill this person, but it’s strangely mixed with the feeling of everyday life. This contrast between suspense and the ordinary is a key theme throughout Fading Afternoon.

Once the gameplay really gets going, beyond the life simulation elements, Fading Afternoon is truly excellent. The combat is incredibly smooth and fast-paced, with every hit feeling powerful. You’ll often face multiple enemies, sometimes with allies by your side and sometimes on your own, so mastering the different weapons is key. There’s a graceful rhythm to the fighting, a constant exchange that makes every battle – whether it’s a territorial dispute, a thrilling fight on a train like in Oldboy, or a simple alley brawl – incredibly tense and exciting.

I Wish There Were More Indie Open World Games Like Fading Afternoon

I play Fading Afternoon quite a bit, and it always reminds me how rare games like it are. It’s not that we need fewer indie open-world games trying to capture the magic of Persona and Yakuza – though more of those would be nice! It’s more that the indie open-world genre, overall, feels underdeveloped. Specifically, there aren’t enough 2D pixel-art open-world games that focus on creating small, detailed, and immersive environments. These intimate spaces often feel more engaging than the large, sprawling worlds found in many 3D games.

The beauty of Fading Afternoon, and really all of yeo’s games, is a huge part of what makes their worlds feel so real. Every detail is carefully made and packed into the environment, creating a truly immersive experience. In my opinion, this is what makes it one of the best open-world games ever created, and I hope it inspires other indie developers. Like the Yakuza series, its smaller, more detailed world feels believable and vibrant, allowing the important roleplaying and thoughtful themes of Fading Afternoon to really stand out.

I desperately want more games like Fading Afternoon – even ones that capture a fraction of its magic – which really shows how incredible it is. The creator is a brilliant storyteller, on par with Takeshi Kitano, and builds worlds you genuinely want to lose yourself in. Fading Afternoon is a truly exceptional indie game, easily one of the best ever made, and a great example of why indie games often offer more substance than big-budget titles. If you enjoy games like Yakuza and Persona, I strongly recommend checking out Fading Afternoon – it’s available on Nintendo Switch and Steam, and I promise you won’t regret it.

What’s your favorite indie open-world game? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/5-most-important-things-every-great-open-world-game-needs-to-have/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-22 20:23