Best Koei Tecmo Games

Tecmo was established in 1967 while Koei started in 1978. They first merged in 2009 as Tecmo Koei, but have now been established as Koei Tecmo. Even though their name might not always appear in each entry on this list, some of their partner companies like Omega Force or Team Ninja will be counted as well. We have some other notes for this article as well.

It’s worth noting, however, that even though the publishing rights to some of these games may belong to other companies elsewhere in the world, a game will be considered if it was at least published by Koei Tecmo in North America. Time to see what this research uncovered.

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Updated on January 19, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Koei Tecmo has been the publisher and developer behind some of the best JRPGs ever. The company has a strong focus on creating RPG games, which has resulted in the birth of many beloved franchises.

From the Dynasty Warriors series to Atelier, Koei Tecmo has brought some amazing adventures through the years. But it hasn’t always been RPGs. The company has also dipped a toe on other genres too, a good example of which is the Dead Or Alive series!

18

Hyrule Warriors

Merging Dynasty Warriors’ Combat With Zelda’s Universe

Systems

Released

September 26, 2014

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Created for the Wii U, Hyrule Warriors was co-developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja and published by Nintendo outside of Japan. It is an offshoot of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, taking that style of hack-and-slash gameplay and mixing it in with The Legend of Zelda.

It works incredibly well. Sure, like all of these games, Hyrule Warriors can get repetitive, but the true fun lies in co-op and extreme fan service. As combat is the main focus of Hyrule Warriors, there is no puzzle-solving gameplay similar to mainline titles of The Legend of Zelda, but the game still comes with different modes than campaign, including an Adventure mode that challenges players inside campaign locations to beat a variety of objectives.

17

Dead or Alive 6

A Good Evolution In Combat With A Weird Take On Costume Progression

Systems

Released

March 1, 2019

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

With this release and several recent proceedings, it’s become more about the jiggle physics on characters and less about combat, at least when it comes to the public discourse surrounding Dead or Alive. It is good for what it is and has a dedicated following, but it’s no Street Fighter.

While this game had some gameplay improvements here and there, it ditched the previous way of unlocking new costumes for the characters and made it random. In Dead or Alive 6, players need to unlock costumes by collecting Pattern Points, but those points are randomly assigned to available costumes, which means if someone isn’t lucky, it could take them so much time to eventually unlock a certain costume they want. And yet, the player then needs to grind for Player Points to purchase the unlocked costume!

16

Toukiden 2

A New Take On Monster Hunting With Small Innovations

Toukiden 2

Systems

Released

March 21, 2017

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Filled with giant prehistoric-looking monsters, Toukiden 2 is quite similar to the Monster Hunter series, but with a different combat approach. This game came out a year before Monster Hunter: World, but never reached the popularity of Capcom’s ground-breaking experience.

Toukiden 2‘s combat focuses on a unique progression system, where the player is required to win battles against monsters to grow and unlock specific upgrades called Boosts, which are different from one class to the other.

The action phase in Toukiden 2, however, is less tactical compared to Monster Hunter: World, and fighting different demons may not require the player to search for creative ways of engagement.

15

Attack on Titan

A Great Fan-Service With Mediocre Combat System

Systems

Released

February 18, 2016

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

As the first game in the series, Attack on Titan is based on the first season of the anime, where all the main characters are playable. As far as the story goes, this is an authentic experience that appeals to those who love the anime series, but the combat system might not satisfy gamers.

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The exhilaration and thrill of sweeping through cities and valleys like a more deadly Spider-Man who happens to be trapped in Shadow of the Colossus is a unique experience in Attack on Titan, but there are some technical hiccups in the PC version that could hamper down the overall joy.

14

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

Expanded Largely In Every Aspect But Plagued With Technical Issues

Systems

Released

November 20, 2020

After the surprising success of the first Hyrule Warriors title, Nintendo decided to release another game in this spin-off series that focused on the world and art style from Breath of the Wild. The end result is a great title that does a brilliant job of fleshing out the amazing lore of the latest chapter in The Legend of Zelda series.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is pretty rough around the edges, running at a pretty shoddy frame rate on the Nintendo Switch at times. However, there’s no denying the fact that the game is quite fun when it runs smoothly, with the novelty of controlling multiple characters and exploring the lore of the world being a major plus point.

13

Attack On Titan 2

Fixing The Original Game’s Problems With A Longer Story

The first Attack on Titan game was pretty decent in its own right, although there was no denying that it was a bit rough around the edges. Thankfully, a lot of the problems from the first game were corrected in the sequel.

Players who have yet to try these Attack on Titan games should just opt for the second one instead, since it starts from the story’s beginning but with an entirely fresh viewpoint. It’s a great way to re-experience the story of this amazing series, which has taken some really wild turns with the latest season.

12

Metroid: Other M

A Significant Visual Leap With Innovations In Gameplay

Systems

Franchise

Metroid

Released

August 31, 2010

Because of the lukewarm reception, this pretty much killed the franchise all the way up until Metroid Prime: Federation Force, which was also nothing to write home about. The core gameplay is mostly solid. However, the motion controls and the awful story are what really hold this game back.

Introducing melee combat to the series was an adorable innovation in Metroid: Other M. This wasn’t the only innovation though, as the gameplay featured some other changes in health restoration and a few other aspects compared to the previous games. Other M was also a significant graphical improvement in the series.

11

Pokemon Conquest

Translating The Power Of Pokemons Into A Turn-Based Combat System

Systems

Pokemon Conquest is a combination of the real-time strategy simulation franchise, Nobunaga’s Ambition, and well, Pokemon of course. It is a tactical RPG and one that has been dying for a sequel for over a decade now. It may seem weird to battle Pokemon in feudal Japan, but this game is pure gold.

Conquest opts for turn-based combat where the player needs to use different Pokemons and their flexible abilities to win the battles. The combat system requires more skill compared to previous Pokemon titles, as it is crucial for players to have a strategy before making a move.

10

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence

Recreating Massive Historical Battles For Strategy Lovers

Systems

Released

September 1, 2015

Developer(s)

KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

As we just said in Pokémon Conquest, this is a real-time strategy simulation game. Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence is similar to something like Civilization, but one based on Japanese history.

Nobunaga’s Ambition is not for the faint of heart, which is to say it is difficult to learn. There are a lot of mechanics. While that may bar entry for a lot of gamers, simulation enthusiasts should be enthralled.

Combining the grand strategy elements with full control over battles, just like the Total War franchise, makes Sphere of Influence an expansive experience that sometimes suffers from this lack of focus on a certain genre.

9

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout

An Introducing To The Best-Ever Atelier Protagonist

Systems

Franchise

Atelier

Released

October 29, 2019

Developer(s)

Gust

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Atelier Ryza was developed by Gust and published by Koei Tecmo. This, and its predecessors, are prime examples of B-tier RPGs. They are beloved by a niche audience and don’t strive for anything more than what the fans enjoy.

They aren’t about saving the world but more about becoming amazing alchemists to best serve the town they are based in. With this latest entry, there has never been a better time to hop in and bask in the anime-inspired beauty.

8

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly

A Japanese Horror Adventure With A Unique Gameplay System

The Fatal Frame series reached its peak with the second entry, thanks to its haunting atmosphere. The game nailed it in delivering a horrifying experience, where the players can feel the inability of the protagonists to deal with a doomed village full of hostile ghosts.

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All players can do is take pictures of the ghosts using a special camera. There is no fighting, but the exploration, and said camera’s unique mechanic enable an engaging experience that players can’t leave without knowing what will happen in the end.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly later received an enhanced version that added a first-person view as well, making the overall experience scarier.

7

Persona 5 Strikers

Putting The Beloved Heroes Against Hordes Of Demons

Systems

Released

February 3, 2021

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Persona 5 is one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. Given the massive popularity of this series, it should come as little surprise that Atlus has opted to cash in on the popularity of the critically acclaimed game multiple times.

Along with an updated release and a dancing game, Atlus teamed up with Koei Tecmo to release Persona 5 Strikers. A crossover between the Persona and Dynasty Warriors series, Persona 5 Strikers struck a great balance between the two and is arguably the best Musou game to date… at least.

6

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition

Significant Improvement For Combat System But Letting Go Of Story

Systems

Franchise

Nioh

Released

March 13, 2020

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

It’s genuinely surprising to see that Nioh 2 ranks lower than its predecessor. After all, this sequel improves upon the original in many ways and is considered by many to be the superior product when it comes to combat, but this wasn’t the expected sequel for those who loved the predecessor’s story.

The hard-as-nails gameplay and amazing levels make for a great time indeed. It might not be the most accessible game around, but Nioh 2 is the perfect title for players who are seeking out a samurai Souls-like to while away their days.

Unlike the original iteration though, the story is shallow, mostly because the protagonist isn’t as deep as William, and the overall experience just tries to focus the player with gameplay challenges rather than telling a compelling story.

5

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream

A Lovely Adventure With An Abundance Of Content

Systems

Franchise

Atelier

Released

February 24, 2022

Developer(s)

Gust

Following the first game’s events, Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is a worthy experience for all fans of the series that comes with beloved characters, a lot of story content to discover, and an engaging turn-based combat system.

There is a total of six playable characters in Atelier Sophie 2, and each one comes with a background story consisting of multiple quests. In short, Atelier Sophie 2 is more like a single-player iteration of Genshin Impact but with turn-based combat. Not to mention though, what makes it stand out is the potion-crafting system that encourages players to hunt for resources and unlock new recipes, which enables crafting stronger potions and use them on the playable characters.

4

Nioh

Giving Birth To A New Souls-Like And A Perfect Story

Systems

Franchise

Nioh

Released

February 7, 2017

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Nioh was developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo worldwide while Sony handled the worldwide console distribution outside of Japan. The game borrows the gameplay style of Dark Souls and throws in The Witcher as if he were a Samurai.

Seriously, the protagonist, William, looks like Geralt. Anyway, since Capcom is keen on not properly reviving their Onimusha franchise, this is the closest thing we are going to get for a while and that is not a bad thing.

3

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Excellent Combat System Accompanied By Amazing Visuals And Deep Characters

Systems

Franchise

Dynasty Warriors

Released

January 17, 2025

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Dynasty Warriors franchise has had so many entries so far, but none of them managed to impress so many players in a short amount of time after release. What makes Origins the best entry in the series is the joyful combat systems that players can get enough of.

The battles are immensely epic, and the amazing weapon variety makes it a joy to use them against so many enemies at once. Each weapon feels unique and adds a lot of variety to the combat. Thanks to this well-thought battle system, the gameplay loop barely feels repetitive as the player enjoys what they do.

Origins is also a massive visual leap in the franchise, which is part of the reason why the battles feel so epic in this game.

2

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Improving Upon Previous Entries With Better Gameplay And Bigger World

Systems

Released

July 26, 2019

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Yes, believe it or not, Koei Tecmo had a hand in making the best game on Switch in 2019. Fire Emblem: Three Houses was co-developed by Intelligent Systems and Koei Tecmo and published by Nintendo for the Switch.

This makes sense on two levels. One, they are used to big battles like in Dynasty Warriors. Two, they are also versed in strategy RPGs. Put that together with Intelligent Systems, and the result is one heck of a Fire Emblem game.

Three Houses introduced a number of new mechanics both to the battle system as well as the character progression, which provided more flexibility. The Battalion system, specifically, was fun improvement in refreshing the battles.

1

Ninja Gaiden Black

A Classic Hardcore Experience Before Dark Souls Was Born

Systems

Released

September 20, 2005

The Ninja Gaiden trilogy includes some of the hardest hack-and-slash games ever made. Players need a supreme amount of skill and tenacity to understand the patterns of tough enemies and imposing bosses found throughout the games.

At the time of its release, Ninja Gaiden Black was a critically lauded re-release of all three games which featured new content, as well as additional difficulty modes. It was a massive upgrade that received a ton of love and is currently one of Koei Tecmo’s most beloved games to date.

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