Yakuza: Like a Dragon Reviews
While beat ‘em up fans may disagree with this change in direction, there are many who are welcoming the change, and it’s bringing in new fans of the series.
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
Yakuza: Like a Dragon lives up to the monumental legacy of its predecessors but isn't afraid to strike out and carve a bold new identity of its own.
What they have here is an amazing foundation for the future of the franchise.
If it's not the best game in the series, it's not too far behind, which is saying quite a bit for one that has spent the entire eighth generation improving itself.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a rich RPG full of interesting content. It may not be the top in its genre, however, it certainly does things well enough to fully deserve your attention. Great story and diverse playability make it a title which will keep your eyes on the screen for an impressive amount of time.
Review in Czech | Read full review
By the end, I was fully onboard with our new protagonist and I truly hope Like A Dragon is just the beginning for its unique cast. I want to see more from them, I want the series to continue to evolve this new RPG style combat and progression, and I love looking at this world through a more current and modern day lens. Between this and Judgement, we’re seeing the series evolve to some exciting and interesting places and I feel like somehow, the best is still yet to come.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a great entry to the series that dares to reinvent itself and make itself very welcoming for those who are still on the fence on the Yakuza series as a whole. The JRPG mechanics are solid, the side content is plentiful, silly, and full of life, the characters are deep, and the story is full of mystery, intrigue, and drama which all make up an incredibly enjoyable ride with all the unique sauce that Yakuza is known for and is definitely something worth checking out for fans of the old Yakuza and new ones who want to get into the series.
Yakuza Like A Dragon once again demonstrates the incredible quality of Ryū Ga Gotoku Studio's productions. A huge game, animated by a wonderful story and surrounded by a huge amount of fun side activities. Don't miss it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall, I loved my time with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and while there are imperfections in the game, they are equally a part of its charm.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is almost a soft reboot of an aging franchise. It takes the long-running series in a new direction that works really well as a first outing.
Forget about Kiryu. There’s a new Dragon in town! “Yakuza: Like a Dragon” proves that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has still a lot to offer. Fresh mechanics, interesting characters, new town and Mario…I mean – Dragon Kart.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio succeeds in the challenging task of renewing a historical series, creating an ideal starting point for newcomers but at the same time fully satisfying old-time fans too. It won't please anyone and the new turn-based combat system can use some improvements, but this is definitely a game to not overlook.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you’re a die-hard fan of the Yakuza series, then there’s plenty to love here. Even if you’re not, this is a great place to become one, especially given the standalone nature of this title. With that in mind, joining Ichiban’s heroic journey is an easy choice here.
Just like past games, Yakuza: Like A Dragon still retains the magic of balancing the serious and the absurd side-by-side with deft precision and skill. You won't regret this trip down Isezaki Ijincho and getting enamoured by its 40-hours plus journey.
Daring to get out of their comfort zone, Ichiban Kasuga came to claim Kazuma Kiryu's throne and he took it, with a thrilling white knuckle ride of a JRPG. Do not miss out on Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio's best adventure to date.
Give it up to Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for actually making the impossible work like a charm. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is more than just a great transition to a brand new JRPG environment. It might as well be one of the best Yakuza games ever made, and one of the best JRPGs I’ve played in years. Once you get rid of an admittedly slow start, you’ll be greeted a fantastic story, great combat system, relatable characters, and a ludicrous, borderline insane amount of content.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a great chapter in the Yakuza saga, and Ichiban is a good heir to Kiryu. Perhaps the change of gameplay to JRPG will put back some veterans of the saga, but Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has tried to develop dynamic combats not leave a break for the player. Being a reboot of the series, it's a good entry point for new players, too.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ichiban Kasuga is a worthy successor to the legacy Kiryu created, and his journey makes the story just as enthralling as any entry in the series. I entered this experience with an anxiousness never experienced before. What ensued was one of the best JRPGs from this console generation and one of the best Yakuza games of all-time. I implore fans, or anyone curious about the series, to play this game as soon as possible. Yakuza: Like A Dragon is truly is number one.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a brave and brilliant next step for the Yakuza franchise.