Yakuza: Like a Dragon Reviews
Ichiban’s journey is an epic tale of loyalty, love and honour, and this is likely to be an experience you’ll remember for years to come. Like a Dragon is an absolute must-play.
While minor storytelling and other issues persist, I had a great time playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It’s a story of friendship, family, and betrayal with constant twists and turns, set in an intriguing world. It’s all set in a city with tons to do, so it never gets old – or if it does, then you can just hop on a go-kart or go to the arcade for a while.
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 another great addition to the Yakuza series. Trading real-time combat for turn-based combat is the change-up the series needed, making the once-great series, amazing.
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. While the introduction of RPG mechanics was a daring move, it ultimately paid off, and I prefer the full-on RPG approach over the old brawler gameplay. Most of its RPG systems are simplistic to the point of almost being repetitive, but it lays a solid and fun foundation upon which future titles can build.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an ode to the RPG’s of yesterday, while also moving the series in a bold and exciting new direction.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon does exactly as hoped and brings a whole new audience to the series with a reinvention of sorts. It plays well, looks great, and has one of the simplest stories to understand fronted by Ichi, the most likeable protagonist so far. It was a bold move in it's radical approach to the combat system that has paid off spectacularly, when partnered with a wealth of sub-quests that never feel forced and always delight. If you are a long time Yakuza fan, take comfort in knowing that even in a new direction this not only holds up, but is the best in the series. For newcomers, go and grab one of the games of the year. Consider this reviewer converted.
This story of not just Ichiban, but also his allies both former and new, is a tour de force that sucks players in completely. It’s a roller-coaster taking players through the full gamut of emotions and an easy, if slightly caveated, recommendation even to newcomers.
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
The good news is that Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the same incredible game on PS5, as well as an excellent RPG. This particular release amounts to a light coat of polish that makes some subtle improvements but nothing truly revolutionary as we’ve seen with some other PS5 upgrades. This may largely be owing to the fact that the original release already looked excellent, but it still would have been nice to see the PS5 release support a full 4K60. Also unfortunate is the lack of using much of the DualSense controller’s features, but again, this is the sort of addition that’s hard to shoehorn in after the fact. While the PC is still the best place to play Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the PlayStation 5 can keep pace well enough and it’s a solid way to experience Ichiban’s incredible, can’t-miss story.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a beautiful subversion of Japanese RPGs. Despite being located in an environment quite distant from the traditional to the style, all its characteristic elements are present and have been implemented in a very competent manner. Unlike certain IPs that, aiming at Western success, try to adapt to our market, the Yakuza series has a very unique identity due to the fact that it is not ashamed to present itself as a product from the East. This is now being put to the test more than ever.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon proves that, the more the franchise changes, the more it stays the same - effortlessly excellent.
In conclusion if you are a fan of the Yakuza series (as I am) this game is for you although it would also be a great introduction for anyone new to the IP. 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. The major design changes to the gameplay have not spoilt the experience and many hours can be happily spent running around Yokohama.
In summary, Yakuza Like a Dragon is an excellent JRPG, with a complete package of activities outside of the basic gameplay routine that will "suck in" whoever goes along with it.
Review in Greek | Read full review
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.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon isn’t just a new entry into the Yakuza franchise, it’s the shot of adrenaline it needed to wake up the Dragon. A fantastic adventure, and a must play.
Ichiban himself is an interesting character and his friends are such a crazy bunch too. We definitely recommend playing this episode. For us, the game exceeded all expectations we had. It's just a shame that Kiryu didn't have more space, but hopefully we'll see him in the next episode.
Review in Czech | Read full review
What a wild ride it is. I didn't want Yakuza: Like a Dragon to end. A part of me wonders if I grinded out battles and business minigames more than was intended, simply because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Ichiban and friends. Fortunately, the story wraps up nicely and leaves the door open for a possible sequel - even though it wavers a bit near the end. This isn't farewell to Ichiban. With a new cast of charming characters, Like A Dragon feels like the start of a new saga in the Yakuza franchise. Until next time, Kasuga-kun.
Veteran fans of the Yakuza series have nothing to worry about – despite the drastic changes in gameplay, Yakuza: Like a Dragon remains the Yakuza we know and love.
Review in Slovak | Read full review