The Best Video Games Inspired By Chinese Culture

There have been plenty of attempts to recreate certain aspects of traditional cultures in gaming and Chinese culture has been a big part of it. So many video games have been set in ancient, medieval, and even modern China and have tried to replicate traditional Chinese settings, culture, and parts of history.

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While not every game manages to replicate the magic of China, some have hit the mark well and this article will list all of them, as well as talk about what parts of Chinese culture they have taken inspiration from.

9 Jade Empire

Released in 2007, Jade Empire is a brilliant ARPG that is set in a fictional empire that contains many aspects of ancient Chinese mythology. This game is extremely beautiful, especially for its time, and any fan of Chinese culture will appreciate it.

The environments and the setting of the game take huge inspiration from ancient Chinese dynasties such as the Song Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. The various demons and mythological creatures in the game are fictional, yet are inspired by original source material such as Classic Chinese Novels.

8 Gujian 3

• Platform: PC
• Developer: Aurogon Shanghai

The whole of the Guijan series takes place in ancient China, but it’s the third and latest edition, which is the best game in the series. This is an ARPG that also takes place in a fictionalized Ancient China, where the bosses are inspired by Chinese mythology and many of the locations are based on real-life historical sites in China.

Although the game isn’t perfect as its English translation isn’t always the most accurate, it is still a great fantasy game that comes with a complicated yet great plot and an amazing setting. From the cuisine to the fashion, everything is as true to Chinese culture as possible.

7 Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact is one of the biggest Chinese games of all time, and it unsurprisingly borrows many elements from Chinese culture that many players might not be aware of. Many of the characters in the game, such as Qiqi and Zhongli, are based on aspects of Chinese and Taoist culture.

The nation of Liyue in Genshin is completely based on the city of Guilin in China with its beautiful mountains and gardens. Its background music also features the use of the Zheng and Pipa, which are traditional Chinese instruments.

6 The Rewinder

• Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
• Developer: MistyMountainStudio

The Rewinder is an adventure puzzle game that may not be too popular, but it’s one of the best depictions of Chinese mythology and culture. The game’s design is based on Chinese ink paintings, which are represented in the form of its pixel art style.

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The use of traditional Chinese folklore elements is common throughout the game and the overall concept is also amazing, with the player playing the role of Yun, whose job is to figure out what is troubling the lost souls and help them find their way back to the afterlife.

5 Dynasty Warriors

• Developer: Omega Force and Koei

While it might not be the most historically accurate adaptation, many parts of the Dynasty Warriors series take huge inspiration from a Chinese classic novel named Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The weapons and outfits of the characters in these games are mostly accurate and depict fine elements of ancient Chinese culture.

One of the best parts of this series is its fascinating storyline, which includes some real and some fictional aspects of Chinese history, which are fun and very entertaining to follow along with.

4 Sleeping Dogs

Unlike most other games on this list that interpret ancient Chinese culture, Sleeping Dogs lets you witness the daily ongoing lives of the people of modern Hong Kong. This game is renowned for doing an incredible job of capturing the look and feel of the city and how authentically it replicates Chinese culture.

Many of the characters and NPCs in the game communicate in Cantonese apart from a few that speak English. The more you explore the world and story mode of Sleeping Dogs, you will find more traces of Chinese culture, from authentic street food to gang culture in the form of the Triads.

3 Xuan Yuan Sword 7

• Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/X|S, PS4
• Developer: SOFTSTAR, DOMO Studio

Set during the reign of the Xin Dynasty, Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is a beautiful celebration of Chinese culture and heritage. Everything in this game is based on ancient Chinese mythology and history, from the different Gods to monsters to the streets and the people of the game.

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Almost every ARPG fan is bound to enjoy Xuan Yuan Sword 7, regardless of whether they are interested in Chinese culture or not. It is easily comparable to some of the best games within its genre, yet it doesn’t usually get the love it deserves.

2 Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is an ARPG steeped in ancient Chinese literature. The game follows a fictionalized story of the end of the Han Dynasty in Guangzhou and features many aspects and creatures from Chinese folklore, such as the dragon deity Yinglong.

Even the combat, which is one of the best aspects of the game, is based on traditional Chinese martial arts. The five elements of Chinese Philosophy Wuxing, namely earth, wood, fire, metal, and water also play a huge role in defining character stats.

1 Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom

• Platform: PC
• Developer: Impressions Games, BreakAway Games

Not only is Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom one of the best city-building games of all time, but it also beautifully replicates the history of the Chinese empire across more than 3000 years. Starting from the Xia Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, you get to experience the changing of the culture of China over time.

From the buildings to food to the people, you get to experience everything change as technologies are upgraded from ancient China to Medieval China through the campaign mode of this game. There are also many iconic Chinese monuments, such as The Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army, which you get to witness grow and change over time.

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