Yakuza: Like a Dragon

At its core, this is still the Yakuza that we know and love, with shocking story beats and fantastic characters, but in embracing the structure of an old school RPG, it successfully branches the series off in a whole new direction. Equal parts refreshing and familiar, it's a crazy and creative game that knows how to have fun, as Ichiban Kasuga proves himself a worthy successor to the one and only uncle Kaz.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an important entry for a series that's trying to redefine itself without losing what makes it Yakuza. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even though its pacing was inconsistent. A lot of the enjoyment is due to the new protagonist Ichiban, his memorable companions, and their relationships, which are engaging to explore. Most of the adventure is set in the Yokohama region, which is a joy to interact with, and so are its shops and engaging side stories.

Not only is the experience better thanks to the higher resolution, better frame rate, and faster load times, but it’s just a damn good game that I’m happy to play multiple times. There are definitely a few growing pains in the transition from beat-em-up to RPG, but I have no doubt that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will address these issues in the next Yakuza game. And with the way Yakuza: Like a Dragon ends, I hope they are already working on a sequel. Because I want more!

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a passing of the torch, and a fantastic entry in a beloved franchise that proves that it's in good hands with Kasuga Ichiban.

Like a Dragon is a departure from the games that came before it, but I found those changes to be revitalizing. As much as I enjoyed the Yakuza formula, it was definitely a formula. Like a Dragon has enough familiar elements to make it feel like, at its heart, it’s a Yakuza game. All the while, I fully appreciated how much of a new identity this entry is establishing. Here’s hoping this is the first step in yet another great journey for the series.

As is standard for the series, the game does not hold your hand and some parts have a steep learning curve but that is all part of the challenge in a Yakuza game.