Product Listing

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a great franchise reboot for newcomers to enjoy

By Tim Augustin - 15 Dec 2020

The story, new protagonist and Yokohama

Image: Sega

Farewell, Kazuma Kiryu. Hello, Ichiban Kasuga!

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is the seventh game in the Yakuza series, but it’s a special one. Legendary protagonist Kazuma Kiryu has departed the series, after his story was told to completion in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. To continue the series, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio decided a soft-reboot was in order and gave Yakuza 7 an entirely new protagonist in a new open-world setting. There’s a lot of newness going on here, but fans of the franchise need not be worried - this is as classic a Yakuza game as they come. 

This soft-reboot acts as a great jumping on point for newcomers to the Yakuza series, and its earnest story, memorable characters and winding story cement it as one of the greatest RPGs released this year. 

 

Brand-new coat of paint, same ol’ Yakuza

Yakuza's story loves to dip into absurdity every now and again. Ichiban's hair, for example, is not wild and frizzy by choice - it's the mistake of a barber misunderstanding his haircut order. Denizens of Yokohama constantly poke fun at him for it, too. Poor guy.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon starts in a pretty tragic place. We step into the shoes of the series’ new protagonist - Ichiban Kasuga, an optimistic, goofy and utterly loyal member of the Tojo clan’s Arakawa family. After taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit to protect his boss, Arakawa, he gets imprisoned for a long eighteen years. When he finally gets released in 2019, however, he realises that things have changed. 

Arakawa has sold out his entire clan, and allowed another to take its place in Kamurocho. Upon confronting his former boss for answers, Arakawa simply levels a gun at him - and takes the shot. Betrayed and confused, Ichiban wakes up in Yokohama and has to adapt to his new life as ex-Yakuza member - with no old friends or alliances to turn to, in a strange new place. 

This is just the beginning of the game, but it does so much to endear you to Ichiban. The game first takes you on a tour through all the Yakuza family members he holds so dearly, which makes it hurt so much more when all of them betray him. Despite his tragic origins however, Ichiban has a lovably sunny disposition, shown off in his enthusiasm about the smallest of things - such as running a business into the ground with the help of a chicken. He has a strong moral compass, and doesn’t hesitate to point out right from wrong, even to his friends.

He’s also a massive fan of Dragon Quest, which is a surprisingly plot-relevant tidbit, as it contextualises the game’s turn-based combat. We'll get to that in a bit.

 

Yokohama is a city of dreams, and Ichiban’s a big dreamer

Yokohama is filled with strange characters to meet, and you're given plenty of choices to deal with them however you see fit.

If this is your first Yakuza game, you might be struck by how much the game flat-out refuses to take itself seriously. Sure, the main story unfolds like a gritty crime drama where Ichiban seeks answers from those who betrayed him - but the world you explore in Yokohama and the colourful cast of characters rarely meet the same tone. This includes your companions, of course. In Dragon Quest-like style, Ichiban quickly assembles a party of his closest friends throughout his adventures, and their bonds tighten as the story goes by. 

The Yakuza series is known for its strong characters, and Like A Dragon continues that tradition. The companions you meet come from all walks of life, somehow roped into Ichiban’s dealings with the various crime families in Yokohama. I’ve played the game with both English and Japanese voice acting - and can confirm that both are pretty great, with really strong performances bringing these characters to life. Ichiban’s bonds can also literally level up whenever you head into a bar called Survive, and have a conversation with your partymembers. Though the story does plenty to flesh them out, this optional side-activity lets you get to know them better. 

Ichiban has some good friends, and the story fleshes them out well.

Hands-down, my favourite part of this game is how effortlessly it can leap from being dramatic to ridiculous in a matter of seconds. You could be in the middle of an intense boss battle - and then summon a violent crawfish to help you out. A sidequest once had Ichiban follow the sounds of crying babies - only to end up in an altercation with adult men wearing diapers. I will admit, though: I was a little disappointed with Yokohama. It’s a little too big, and I remember missions that would ping-pong Ichiban and his party back and forth across the map. It gets tiresome, holding down R2 and sprinting for minutes at a time. There’s fast travel too of course, but I had enough loading screens to deal with as is. 

The sidequests are definitely worth doing, though. Their rewards might often be disappointing, but there are a lot of heartfelt moments to be found in the smallest substories. The main story, when it’s not meandering down long detours, is pretty interesting - portraying the Yakuza as they grapple with politics in these modern times, and Ichiban’s discomfort with that change.

Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
8.5
  • Playability 7.5
  • Graphics 9
  • Sound 8
  • Addictiveness 7.5
  • Value 9
The Good
Great characters
Ichiban’s backstory is compelling
Complex narrative
Lots of side activities and great open-world
The Bad
Combat isn’t great
Running into combat every 30 seconds is even worse
There are boring lulls in the story and sudden difficulty spikes
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.