Thanks to Odyssey and a couple of Pirate Warriors releases, we have a few decent One Piece games to play… except not a single one is an open-world RPG. With its proposed freedom and exploration, the genre would be the perfect fit for Eiichiro Oda’s world, but the cost of developing a good version of this type of project means that one will likely never materialize. If you want to scratch this itch, you need to look elsewhere and find open-world RPGs that fit One Piece‘s vibe.
Naturally, the most obvious route is to just pick a pirate-themed open-world game like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag or Sea of Thieves, but none of those are RPGs. While a better fit, Windrose‘s tone is wildly different from One Piece, and it’s more of a survival game than a true RPG. To be honest, I think we need to get a bit more creative with our picks, finding open-world RPGs that capture One Piece‘s shonen spirit, crew-building theme, vibrant world, and sheer joy.
Ys X: Nordics Blends Fantastic Combat With Island Hopping And Naval Battles
For Those Who Love One Piece’s Fast-Paced Battle Shonen Action
- High-octane battle system that captures One Piece‘s over-the-top nature.
- Travel by sea to different islands. The main faction essentially consists of pirates, or marauders.
Anybody craving brilliant real-time action cannot go wrong with Nihon Falcom’s Ys, and the most recent entries slip into open-world territory to an extent. Although Ys VIII might be the better overall game, Ys X offers way more elements for One Piece fans to gravitate towards.
Firstly, and most importantly, the whole story revolves around a seafaring warrior clan known as the Norman, who aren’t exactly pirates but share quite a few similarities. Secondly, the open world consists of the Obelia Gulf, which functions as an archipelago, and you travel between islands using a ship that can be upgraded. Although fairly simple, naval battles are part of the equation, and you recruit crew members by rescuing them.
Thirdly, the two-character combat revolves around frantic but controlled action that wouldn’t look out of place in a shonen anime. Ys X only has two playable characters, but they are incredibly well-developed. Finally, the campaign follows the One Piece blueprint, with the heroes traveling to a new region, clearing out monsters or tyrants, saving the locals, and moving on.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon Tells A Classic One Piece Story
Ichiban And Luffy Are Two Peas In A Pod
- Collect a crew of misfits.
- Unapologetically over-the-top combat.
I know what you are thinking: why not Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii? To be honest, I almost went with that game, but I feel that describing it as an “RPG” would set the wrong expectations. Don’t get me wrong, One Piece fans will probably love its wacky tone and pirate shenanigans, as long as they know they are getting an action-adventure game with small role-playing mechanics.
Anyway, Yakuza: Like a Dragon fits One Piece shockingly well, and there isn’t a massive difference in how the former presents gangsters and the latter handles pirates. After an 18-year prison sentence, Ichiban finds that he has no clan, home, or future, especially since his former patriarch seems to want to kill him. Fiercely loyal, headstrong, optimistic, and dense, Ichiban might as well be gaming’s Monkey D. Luffy, and they would get along perfectly.
Throughout the story, Ichiban gradually assembles a crew of social outcasts, similar to how Luffy brings together the Straw Hats. They fight underground crime syndicates in the midst of a faction war and corrupt politicians, conflicts that are One Piece‘s bread-and-butter. The turn-based combat fits the criteria, too, by embracing the inherent silliness of classic JRPG games like Dragon Quest.
Infinite Wealth qualifies, too, but everyone should start with Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Shares One Piece’s Political Themes
An Open-World RPG All About Defying The Rulers
- Found family dynamic.
- Impressive sense of scale.
Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles games all stand as top-tier open-world RPGs, and the third entry includes quite a few things that overlap with One Piece. Set in the world of Aionios, the story revolves around two factions caught in an endless war orchestrated by an immortal council, similar to the dynamic between pirates and the World Government. Born as adults with a 10-year life cycle, soldiers exist to die, and the story kicks off once 6 characters from different sides must form a truce.
The Straw Hats basically function as a found family, and that’s exactly the rapport that forms between the core party members. They go from enemies to a tightly-knit group that engages in endless banter, shares trauma, and builds unbreakable loyalty. Their journey consists of traveling across a massive world, liberating colonies and steadily chipping away at the war machine run by the shadowy rulers, the latter of which hold direct parallels to the Celestial Dragons, Five Elders, and Imu.
Although lacking the seafaring pirate element, Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s world absolutely matches the Grand Line in terms of scale, wonder, and mystery.
Genshin Impact Fits One Piece’s Vibe (And It’s Free)
No, Seriously, Genshin Impact Is A Good Fit
- Party synergy.
- Elemental powers that look great in combat.
Yes, I know that mentioning the definitive gacha game in any article comes with the risk of dismissal, but Genshin Impact holds too many positives to not warrant a mention in this article. The free-to-play open-world RPG boasts gorgeous, vibrant visuals that echo One Piece‘s colorful aesthetic, all the while going out of its way to ensure each new region has its own personality. The game structures its main story around regional arcs, with major chapters typically involving entering a new nation suffering from a self-contained crisis.
Genshin Impact combat emphasizes team building, as you construct a party of 4 characters who specialize in different types of abilities, be it magma, ice, or gravity. Although nowhere near as diverse and creative as Devil Fruit, the characters’ powers are still visually exciting and match some of the more powerful One Piece characters. You even unlock unique traversal mechanics, although nothing quite like Luffy’s stretching ability.
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Lets You Live The Pirate Life
Freedom On The Sea, Just Like Luffy’s Dream
OK, this one comes with a few caveats. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire is an absolute masterpiece that shines as an RPG, open-world game, and even pirate-themed adventure. However, we are talking about a deep isometric cRPG here, so the gameplay doesn’t really match One Piece‘s battle shonen explosiveness. That’s not to say it’s bad, far from it, but it is different.
All things considered, One Piece doesn’t actually dedicate all that much time to the Straw Hats’ daily life or Luffy’s ship management skills, and fans are just left to assume that everything works out relatively smoothly (mostly thanks to crew members like Nami and Franky). However, if you would like to embrace this understated side of things, Deadfire gives you full ship customization, crew recruitment and management, and even naval combat.
Despite being very different in many ways, Deadfire provides pure high-seas freedom in a way that matches the appeal of pirate life in One Piece. You also have warring factions, distinct island cultures, party banter, and political themes.
