Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a role-playing game that was developed and published by Sega in 2020. The game isn’t new, and this version is the eighth installment of the game. However, this installation is very different from the previous seven. 

The previous seven games always had a character named Kazuma Kiryu as the main protagonist, and the story often revolved around his life. However, these eight installments introduce a new main character called Ichiban Kasuga. Of course, other characters are playable in the series, but Kasuga is the main protagonist, and the game follows his life after he spent 18 years in prison. 

So Yakuza: Like A Dragon is different from the other eight Yakuza games in terms of story, but does that mean it’s worth playing? Let’s find out. 

The Story Is Different And Better 

Too many times, we’ve seen video games try to change the story of a game to something they think is better. And too many times, we’ve seen them fall flat on their faces. We saw it with the Prince of Persia: Warrior Within game in 2004, and we saw it with the Dragon Age 2 in 2011 as well. Thankfully, we didn’t see it with Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Although the story is markedly different from its predecessors, it’s a lot better than it. That’s not an easy feat, especially in terms of video games. 

First off, the game takes us away from its traditional Tokyo setting and takes us to the game’s fictional recreation of Kabukichō, called Kamurocho. The change of scenery is great, and it’s something that players of the previous titles will greatly enjoy. Most of the game’s action takes place in the Yokohama district of Isezaki Ijincho, which is Yokohama’s real-life Isezakichō district. As said earlier, the game goes in a novel direction by now removing the traditional protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, and bringing in an unknown character known as Ichiban Kasuga.

Kasuga goes to jail for a crime he didn’t commit in the game— you know, your classic framed bystander story. But he wasn’t framed. He just took the fall for a higher-ranking member of the Tojo Clan’s Arakawa Family. Before going to prison, Kasuga is promised to be treated like royalty after serving his time. But, as you’d expect, after his release, there’s no one there to greet him. It gets even worse when he manages to track down the head of the Arakawa family. He’s shot, and his presumed dead body is dumped in another city entirely. 

This new city is where most of the action in the game takes place. In this new city, Kasuga is terribly poor and has to do odd jobs to get money. However, as he works, he remembers the debt he is owed and the treacherous way he had been treated, and he promises to take revenge. That’s the entire plot of the game— it’s Kasuga’s plan for revenge against the Arakawa family— but that’s an overly simplistic way to look at it. 

While a lot of players may not feel emotionally connected to Kasuga at first because he’s a new character, they will certainly grow to love him. He’s way more vocal than Kiryu, and this fact makes his journey all the more personal. 

The Turn-Based Style Isn’t Perfect, But It’s Better than Most.

A game’s story may be the greatest thing since sliced bread (this isn’t), but the game would still be a deserved flop if the gameplay isn’t good. Despite the turn-based style, the fighting in the game feels dynamic, but it’s not completely so. For example, party members cannot be moved manually across battlefields. However, if you place them well at the beginning of battles, you may reap some rewards. 

The game isn’t completely divergent from the Yakuza games before it, as it still allows you to acquire items lying on the floor and use them for battle. However, time and chance affect this as well, as party members can only utilize items near them at the point of their attack. An important thing to note about this game is that it utilizes turn-based strategy better than most games. Because of the turn-based strategy of the game, the game is now allowed to experiment with RPG features— another important departure from the styles of previous games. 

The Dual Audio is Really Good

The game also comes with dual audio— but not the regular kind of dual audio. The localization has improved incredibly, and the entire experience is a lot richer than with previous games. 

Different But Not Too Different

Despite the huge differences between Yakuza; Like A Dragon and other Yakuza games, many of the traditional features that made the Yakuza series so successful stay. There are still huge sidequests and substories, and it’s really fun to discover them. Even after hours of playing, you will still be discovering substories deep into the game. 

Despite having lots of changes, Yakuza: Like A Dragon is still a Yakuza game. It’s still funny in the classic Yakuza manner, and the never-ending plot twists are still present in the story. It’s a Yakuza game alright, but it’s in an entirely new garb. 

Verdict

If you’re used to playing the Yakuza games, you’ll probably love Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Of course, it may take you a while to get used to the new and improved scenery, but you’ll get used to it all the same. And then, you’ll begin to enjoy the game. If you haven’t played previous Yakuza titles, you may get annoyed by the numerous cut scenes at the beginning of the game, but once that is cut out, you will start to enjoy it.