Yakuza: Like a Dragon Reviews

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Gameblog
Romain Mahut
Top Critic
9 / 10
Mar 25, 2021

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a must-play for both Yakuza and J-RPG fans. The PS5 version is a step-up from the original release and the story is as gripping as ever. We just wish that the PS5 version had made use of the DualSense's features and the Activity cards.

Review in French | Read full review

Jan 19, 2021

If you’re a fan of RPGs, crime dramas or just want to try something a bit different, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is definitely worth your time.

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90 / 100
Dec 9, 2020

Yakuza Like a Dragon is one of the best RPGs of the year. RGG Studio has managed to create a great introduction of the series for the new generation.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9.3 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2020

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is worth your time. While you might not like it if you were a fan of the older Yakuza titles, or if you are looking for something dark and serious, anyone who just wants to explore Japan while having some fun and beating some gangster's faces in old school JRPG style will love this title.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 17, 2020

Yakuza: Like a Dragon's switch to turn-based RPG combat and team-based tactics may bite off more than it can chew thanks to terrible difficulty spikes and ill-defined character progression, but it's still a breath of fresh air for the series. Ichiban Kasuga and his pals are an entertaining lot, the game has plenty of style, and even though the combat devolves into an ungodly grind, it's a flashy new start to one of Sega's best franchises.

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85 / 100
Nov 11, 2020

Crazy RPG with a loving game world and trashy charm, in which the graphics no longer look fresh.

Review in German | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2020

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the Yakuza many have come to know and love. An engrossing story, even if it does veer into the quirky and downright bizarre all the time, keeps players invested in Ichiban's quest to become a hero. The turn-based battles make the game even more accessible than earlier entries, with a few real-time aspects such as dodging and damage multipliers thrown in for good measure. Some odd monetization makes getting the complete version of the game pricier than usual, but it seems some next-gen games are priced higher these days as the norm. Still, you're not missing anything essential if you opt to buy the base version of this game. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a seriously fun time and a great soft reboot of a beloved franchise.

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4.5 / 5.0
Nov 10, 2020

Change can be scary, but Yakuza: Like a Dragon proves it’s usually for the best. Though it has a few flaws, it’s still a standout title in the series and a strong indicator that the franchise has more than a few great stories to tell. It’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed, and that fans new and old will want to check out as soon as possible.

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Nov 10, 2020

The latest installment in the Yakuza franchise takes the series in a brave new direction. And while it takes a moment to get used to the new characters, setting, and battle mechanics, you'll soon find yourself sinking into a fully-realized world that's charming, heartfelt, and an outright blast to play - even if you're not a Dragon Quest fan.

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9.5 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2020

Kiryu who? I'm all about that Kasuga life now. Yakuza: Like a Dragon took no time at all to become one of my favourite Yakuza games to date.

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Nov 4, 2020

Yakuza: Like a Dragon might be a massive change for the series, but it certainly doesn't suffer for it. It's the most exciting and fresh the franchise has felt since Yakuza 0, and players will quickly fall in love with its quirky cast of characters. Like a Dragon is compelling because of how it plays double-duty as both a love letter and parody of the JRPG genre. Its story and combat system take some time to really come together, but once they do, it's a wild fever dream that's not easily forgotten, and one that can be enjoyed even by those who aren't traditionally interested in JRPG stylings and turn-based gameplay.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2020

Like a Dragon is the story of a carp that turns into a dragon, of a gang of scapegoats who decide to defy the established order and come to the head of a desperate situation. Ichiban Kasuga is an individual far from dojima's stoic and serious Dragon but has an equally kind soul and crackling personality, which makes him - along with his strange clique - the symbol of Yakuza's rebirth. A rebirth that passes through a fun and enjoyable but also improveable role-making formula. With this seventh chapter, in other words, the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has shown us the potential of what would seem to be his idea for the future of the series, which with the advent of next-gen consoles could give us great surprises.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Generación Xbox
Adrian
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2020

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a great turn-based RPG that will keep you hooked on the screen for many hours. One of the best games of the genre on Xbox.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10
Nov 4, 2020

An utterly charming yarn about friendship and kindness that breathes gritty modern life into the quaint JRPG format of classic Dragon Quest.

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9 / 10
Nov 4, 2020

As the Yakuza franchise is still trying to become a household franchise in the West, the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio decided to flip the switch and create a turn-based RPG. The result of that experiment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, is a resounding success. The "dynamic RPG" gameplay fits the Yakuza universe and tropes like a glove and its mechanics are surprisingly deep. And the fact that the game's new characters are lovable doesn't hurt. The turn-based gameplay will probably put off some gamers but Yakuza: Like a Dragon truly deserves a shot. The Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio made the JRPG genre proud.

Review in French | Read full review

ACG
Top Critic
Wait for Sale
Nov 4, 2020
Yakuza Like A Dragon Review - Sometimes Just Dragging "Buy, Wait for Sale, Never Touch?" video thumbnail
Nov 4, 2020

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a triumph, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should be commended for redefining such a seasoned franchise, despite the backlash it might have received. Leaving Kazuma Kiryu behind hasn't been easy, but Ichiban Kasuga and company have crafted a compelling path into the future that I cannot wait to see continue.

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3.8 / 5.0
Mar 8, 2021

Yakuza: Like a Dragon understands what players expect from the beloved franchise. There is an engaging story with a troubled, but the not irredeemable protagonist, that sucks players in. The gameplay is a bit on the hollow side, though far from the worst RPG around. At worst it's just an easy and repetitive turn-based game, but nothing too hard. Combine this with stunning graphics and impressive length and it's really hard to find many flaws with Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

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9.3 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2020

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a rousing success. The timing is excellent, too. It’s the dawn of a new console generation and it’s an exciting time for this storied franchise to turn a new page. As far as launch games go, this is one of the best, for several reasons. It offers some presentation ‘wows,’ but even more importantly it offers a deep, long, compelling story with memorable moments and characters, with strong gameplay and lots to do. It’s built off of the success of the previous fifteen years of Yakuza, but Like A Dragon blazes its own path, too — you need not have played any of the previous games to fully enjoy this one, yet I appreciate that this game honors the past while forging its own future. PS5 owners have something great to look forward to in March, but if you’re lucky enough to have the new Xbox, this is a great game that is also very well priced right now at just $50.

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4.5 / 5.0
Nov 28, 2020

For those who have a PC, the Xbox version that you purchase digitally will give you access to the Windows 10 version of it as well. It also has the Play Anywhere feature meaning you can continue your progress whether you are playing on an Xbox console or PC. Sadly, I've experienced several crashes when playing on PC but it certainly looks the best on PC running at max settings on an RTX 3080.

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