Yakuza: Like a Dragon Reviews
Yakuza: Like a Dragon, in my humble opinion, is one of the best AAA RPG experiences of 2020, and I am shocked I just wrote that sentence.
If Yakuza is to truly grow, we need to be the one to call it in.
The latest entry in the over the top crime drama saga breaks new ground for new fans and series veterans.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is about the importance of friendship and striving to become a better person, which is a message we could all do with right now. It also happens to be a sensational new dawn for a series that's brave enough to shake up the formula and accomplished enough to pull it off with aplomb. To quote Ichi, “let's do some hero shit!”
With a new battle system and new main character, Yakuza: Like A Dragon aims to be a new entry point to Yakuza newcomers even though it is anything but that.
Yakuza Like a Dragon is both a fresh start and a shot in the arm that caters to series veterans and newcomers like. It bears all the hallmarks of a great Yakuza game, while making a damned good case for its revamped battle system. After Yakuza 6 topped the rest of the franchise with a matured and succinct focus it feels even more exciting to see the whole thing blown wide open again and have Ryu ga Gotoku just run wild. Kudos is deserved at Sega of America for their commitment to the game's localization as well, which is incredibly considered and comprehensive. I think I've found a new favourite Yakuza game.
After the culture shock of such a total change to the Yakuza recipe, I’m extremely glad the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio team took such a big leap when Kiryu’s tale came to an end. Like A Dragon is a revitalised game full of fresh ideas and proves that the series won’t be re-treading the same ground with Ichiban in the driver’s seat. If this is the first step into the new age of Yakuza, I can’t wait to see how bonkers the next game will be.
With all the new changes to the standard Yakuza formula, has the latest installment still managed to capture the hearts of diehard fans? Like A Dragon is Ryu Ga Gotoku's most ambitious game yet, but how does it stack up with the rest of the series?
Even with these minor annoyances - not least those carried over from previous games in the series - what brief frustrations that do surface are quickly and easily eclipsed by everything else going on in Like a Dragon. Or more appropriately, by the sheer scale of deviation and conviction that this year's entry shows in proving that this genre of gameplay - this more classically RPG-centric approach - is an unquestionably excellent fit for the series.
Taking even the most passing of glances at any of the pre-release trailers and seeing real-world jobs like chef or bouncer or pop idol or musician re-imagined as RPG character classes, or witnessing crustaceans swarming enemies in what looked like mage abilities (aka spells), you could very easily chalk it up to the Yakuza team indulging in their absurdist tendencies.
Even with these minor annoyances - not least those carried over from previous games in the series - what brief frustrations that do surface are quickly and easily eclipsed by everything else going on in Like a Dragon. Or more appropriately, by the sheer scale of deviation and conviction that this year's entry shows in proving that this genre of gameplay - this more classically RPG-centric approach - is an unquestionably excellent fit for the series.
Yakuza Like a Dragon is the best we could hope for the franchise, after the end of Kazuma Kiryu's storyline. It's a full fledged RPG now, and this change works extremely well with many of the pre-existent mechanics of the franchise. Don't miss it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall, I can confidently say Yakuza: Like A Dragon is an impressive new addition to the series with stunning visuals, interesting characters, and an incredibly engaging story. However, the newly introduced gameplay mechanics hold the game back with several balancing issues, and coupled with its vastly different elements, it might be a tough sell for longtime fans of the series.
Yakuza is reborn in this brilliant and compelling new addition to series canon that recontextualizes series tropes and mechanics for an entirely new genre, delivering one of the best outings the series has ever seen.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon refreshes the action with a turn-based JRPG that retains its charming identity, but it falls into some pitfalls that are emblematic of the genre.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon reminded me why I loved video games to begin with. I cannot think of a game this year that has gripped me this tightly and didn't let go. Here comes a game brimming with joy and excitement that is earnest with its drama and comedy. It's the sort of game you can gush about for hours, and I will long after this review is published. Anyone who loves RPGs, open world games, comedies, crime dramas, and games PERIOD should have a lot of fun with the newest Yakuza.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon proves you can make a masterpiece by experimenting with the formula. It is more than just being the best Yakuza game yet, but also one of the best RPGs ever made. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio did their homework, understand what makes a great JRPG, and combined it with their honed craftsmanship of decades of making some of the best crime dramas in video games.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon signifies a significant departure from the traditional Yakuza game format but the new gameplay approach opens up the franchise to a bright new beginning that incorporates defining elements of the Yakuza series in new ways.
Someone once said that Shenmue crawled so that Yakuza could run. If that’s true, then Like A Dragon is the Usain Bolt of the series. There is so much to love and discover in the game’s 50 to 70-hour main story. Top this off with a new game plus mode, and you have an RPG that I can easily see being played for hundreds of hours.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the most satisfying JRPGs released this generation and a great example of how to deal with a series while changing its genre to something completely different.