Yakuza: Like a Dragon
YAKUZA: LIKE A D RAGON doubles down on the series’ RPG elements with a brave new turn-based battle system.
Playing a Yakuza game without series stalwart Kazuma Kiryu in the leading role takes some getting used to. But luckily for Yakuza: Like a Dragon, it’s easy to warm to new hero Ichiban Kasuga. He has all the strength and determination of his predecessor, but with a goofy sense of humor and an endearing enthusiasm for everything he does—whether that’s taking on the Korean mafia or employing a chicken to run a sweet shop.
Ichiban starts out as a low-level yakuza in Kamurocho, the Tokyo red light district that serves as the main setting for most of the Yakuza games. But after a series of unfortunate events, he ends up homeless in Yokohama. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is about Ichi getting his life back together, reckoning with his past, and beating a lot of people up along the way.
In many ways, this is classic Yakuza. It features an immersive, detailed urban Japanese setting filled with minigames, absurd sidequests and karaoke bars. The story is an unlikely mix of criminal conspiracy, heartfelt melodrama, and slapstick comedy. And when a problem arises, it’s usually solved with outlandish violence. If you’ve played any Yakuza game before, its distinctive rhythms and quirks will be instantly familiar.
However, when it comes to the combat, this is anything but a typical Yakuza game. The usual combobased brawling has been replaced by a new turn-based battle system. It’s pretty standard JRPG fare, with buffs, debuffs, status effects, and a mix of weapon-based and magic attacks.
The vibrant presentation, superb animation, and lively pace make up for its simplicity, but selecting things from a menu does lack the satisfying brutality and immediacy of a standard real-time Yakuza fight.
There are some real-time elements. Hit the block button at the precise moment an enemy’s attack lands, and the damage you take will be reduced. And the power of some special abilities can be boosted by following simple QTE prompts.
DRAGON PUNCH
The problem is, there’s far too much fighting. Yokohama isn’t as dense or storied as Kamurocho, despite being several times its size, but the developer’s knack for evocatively capturing the mundane details of everyday life in Japan is as strong as ever. I just wish I could enjoy the place at my own pace without running into large groups of enemies every 30 seconds.
In previous Yakuza games you’d frequently get stopped on the street by thugs looking for a fight, but the battles were over pretty quickly and seamlessly. Here, the endless transitioning in and out of turn-based battles really ruins the flow of exploration.
You feel like you’re being interrupted, rather than these encounters being an organic part of the world. And the sheer volume of battles means the novelty of your party’s ludicrous special abilities soon wears thin, which in turn makes the combat incredibly repetitive.
This extends to the dungeons too. These maze-like collections of bland corridors are filled with rubbish loot and non-stop battles, marking a real low point for the series.
It’s a shame, because when the combat isn’t grinding you down, Like a Dragon has moments of brilliance. I love hanging out with my party between missions, singing karaoke, and knocking back beers. The characters are as colorful and interesting as you’d expect from the series—especially Nanba, a tough but kind-hearted homeless guy who gets some of the game’s funniest lines.
The Yakuza games have always told great stories, but Like a Dragon lacks the thrill and focus of Yakuza 0. There are some standout scenes, especially in the first few acts.
Ichiban crawling out of the gutter and trying to make a name for himself in Yokohama are some of the best moments in the game. But the overall narrative is quite weak, with a meandering pace and some slightly ridiculous twists towards the end.
Like a Dragon is one of the most uneven Yakuza games in the series. A lot of the time you can’t help but get swept up by its eccentric charm. Then, at other times, you’re praying for the battles to end as you traipse through another series of corridors.
When it comes to the combat, this is anything but a typical Yakuza game