Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,669 reviews
  • story
  • emotional
  • gameplay
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Game Cover
Like A Dragon Gaiden has one of the better stories of the series, acting as a love letter to Kiryu that fans are going to fall in love with.
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In "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name," players assume the role of Kazuma Kiryu, who has faked his death and abandoned his yakuza past to protect his family. However, he is drawn into conflict by a mysterious figure and must confront his past. The game also includes a Coliseum where players can fight as or alongside legendary yakuza characters. This content is part of the Digital Deluxe Edition of "Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth."

Play Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,669 reviews
story405 positive mentions
grinding31 negative mentions
  • story1,288 mentions

    The story of "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name" is generally well-received, praised for its emotional depth and character development, particularly in relation to Kiryu's journey between "Yakuza 6" and "Like a Dragon." While the main narrative is shorter than typical entries, lasting around 10-15 hours, it effectively ties up loose ends and sets the stage for future installments, with many players finding the ending particularly impactful. However, some critiques highlight pacing issues and a reliance on side content to extend gameplay, which can detract from the overall narrative experience.

    • “The story is absolutely amazing, so much so that I even shed a tear (or two) at the end of the game, although I won't spoil the reason.”
    • “Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a captivating addition to the series, offering rich content that fills in the missing story pieces and features an emotionally touching ending.”
    • “The story, gameplay, and characters have me hooked, and I can't stop playing it.”
    • “The entire story revolves around some joryu guy??”
    • “It's hard to shake the feeling that they started this project as an arena brawler before deciding to wrap a story around it.”
    • “The story itself was alright, but I found it to be quite short and lacking in depth compared to previous entries.”
  • emotional286 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name" has resonated deeply with players, many of whom report shedding tears during the game's poignant ending. The narrative is praised for its rich storytelling and character development, particularly in relation to Kazuma Kiryu, making it a heartfelt conclusion to his journey. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to evoke strong emotional responses, with numerous players stating it is one of the most impactful experiences in the franchise.

    • “The story is absolutely amazing, so much so that I even shed a tear (or two) at the end of the game, although I won't spoil you the reason.”
    • “The ending made me cry, this series has that much of an emotional pull.”
    • “The ending is one of the most emotional endings in this series, and it also leads into the opening to the next game: Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth.”
    • “The story is boring and riddled with major plot holes.”
    • “The emotional depth is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I felt no emotional impact due to the predictable and uninspired narrative.”
  • gameplay252 mentions

    The gameplay in "Like a Dragon Gaiden" has received praise for its refined mechanics, combining classic beat-em-up styles with new features like the agent fighting style, which adds variety and depth to combat. While some players miss the traditional brawler mechanics from earlier titles, many appreciate the smooth combat flow and engaging mini-games, though the game's relatively short length and some repetitive elements have been noted as drawbacks. Overall, the gameplay is considered a strong return to form for the series, offering a satisfying experience for both newcomers and long-time fans.

    • “The gameplay is a refinement of Kiwami 2's with a hint of Judgment.”
    • “The combat is by far the most fluid and fun in the series to date, beating out Lost Judgment as it takes all the strengths from that game and combines it with new and interesting mechanics to make it more interesting.”
    • “The new gameplay as agent is super fun and you can handle large crowds easily.”
    • “The core gameplay itself - with no side content - can't be more than 10 hours.”
    • “It artificially extends the gameplay time to beat the main story too by forcing you to beat some side quests in order to progress.”
    • “I tried to swallow the boring gameplay just for the story but the story is too derivative and the filler between the main objective is boring and just an excuse to insert padding by doing menial tasks.”
  • music112 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the soundtrack as one of the best in the series, featuring a mix of emotional and catchy tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some noted a few generic or less memorable pieces, the overall consensus highlights standout compositions, particularly during key moments like boss fights and emotional scenes. The karaoke songs also received positive mentions, adding to the game's musical appeal.

    • “The soundtrack is the best out of all the games.”
    • “The music fits and enhances scenes and fights as great music should.”
    • “Continuing RGG Studio's long track record of great and memorable video game music, the soundtracks in this game are all very catchy and enhance the experience greatly.”
    • “Unnecessary neon special effects on everything, music is terrible (which was always strong in this franchise).”
    • “The game is too short for the price, the story is okay and there was no memorable music.”
    • “-music (not the karaoke) I don't feel like there's any track that worth remembering at all aside from the final boss theme that stands out the most, which kinda makes me sad that at least the Yakuza series would've done music right and there would be few tracks from every game that definitely stand out.”
  • graphics106 mentions

    The graphics in this game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning realism and vibrant design, often described as the best in the series. Players have noted significant improvements in lighting, textures, and overall visual fidelity, with many praising the cinematic quality of cutscenes and the optimization for various hardware setups. While some minor graphical inconsistencies were mentioned, the overall consensus is that the visuals are breathtaking and a major highlight of the game.

    • “What truly stands out in this game, as well as in Infinite Wealth, are the graphics and overall design, which are pure 2024—simply flawless.”
    • “The graphics are even better and look more photo-realistic than before, with FSR, FSR 2, FSR 3, and SSE for your viewing pleasure (I personally use SSE ultra quality, it looks gorgeous).”
    • “The visuals are breathtaking, and the story is just too engaging.”
    • “While mechanically sound, graphically it's nothing to brag about.”
    • “Graphically it's better than 7 but continues the long running track of dragon engine games always looking worse than the last, with this game being noticeably uglier than Lost Judgment while also having way less effort put into the presentation, with very few prerendered cutscenes as well as a general lack of polish all around.”
    • “Otherwise, the graphics look like a small step up from Yakuza: Like a Dragon—Kasuga's game.”
  • humor57 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending absurdity with heartfelt moments, particularly through its engaging side quests and character interactions. Players appreciate the mix of funny dialogue, quirky minigames, and the series' trademark wacky scenarios, which maintain a balance between comedic and dramatic elements. While some found the main storyline to be more serious, the overall experience is enriched by the familiar, offbeat humor that fans of the franchise have come to love.

    • “Beautiful graphics, lightning fast combat, great sense of humor, and engaging quests/story.”
    • “Yakuza is funny because it proves that a good story, a lovable cast, a refined world with fun substories and the omnipresent feat of being able to convince you that the fate of Japan rests upon a fight between two shirtless men is enough to make this one of my favorite games this year.”
    • “Once again the beautiful dragon engine is back and the ragdolls are as goofy and hilarious as ever.”
  • optimization38 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received widespread praise, with many players reporting smooth performance across various hardware setups, including older graphics cards. Users noted that the game runs exceptionally well, even with high visual settings, and highlighted the lack of bugs or significant performance issues at launch. This level of optimization stands out in contrast to many contemporary releases, making it a commendable achievement for the developers.

    • “I don't know what black magic RGG Studio worked on this game to get it to run so perfectly, but this is so fantastically optimized, even including DLSS, all while boasting very nice visuals around Sotenbori.”
    • “The graphics in this game are top notch and this game is really well optimized in terms of PC performance requirements.”
    • “It's rare to see a game nowadays with almost flawless performance on its release; yes, it has Denuvo, but it doesn't affect the game while playing.”
    • “Maybe wait a while for some performance things to be ironed out if your computer is not so good.”
    • “Somewhat unrelated to the game but I'd figure I would mention, the performance on PC is yet again worse than previous games.”
    • “Game optimization sucks ass.”
  • grinding37 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding in this game to be a mixed experience; while some aspects, like cash grinding through minigames and the coliseum, can be enjoyable and rewarding, others, particularly the akame network and certain character upgrades, are described as tedious and time-consuming. Many reviewers suggest that early grinding should be avoided to unlock better methods later, and while the game offers a rich story and engaging side content, the necessity of grinding can detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “There is no grinding that is not rewarding.”
    • “Worthwhile to get all achievements; getting them isn't all that grindy and it's actually fun!”
    • “The fact they use FMV adds to the experience, and they made it not grindy at all like in past titles.”
    • “The akame network is the most grindy, boring, mind-numbing garbage ever and is basically mandatory to upgrade your skills, so it's unavoidable and painful!”
    • “Even though my play hours said 20 hours, 4 hours was actual story content while the rest was filled with grindy, boring minigames.”
    • “During the early parts it does not affect the pacing that much, but during late game the point requirements force the player to do all the substories and minigames for points, on top of grinding for a stupid amount of money in the castle, to upgrade abilities.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game has been widely praised for its impressive visual quality, engaging soundtracks, and immersive environments that enhance the overall experience. Players particularly enjoyed the final boss fights, noting their memorable cinematography and emotional context. However, some found certain areas, like Sotenbori, to lack depth, leading to moments of boredom during exploration, despite the game's overall vibrant and lively aesthetic.

    • “The atmosphere and visual quality exceeded my expectations.”
    • “It is certainly one of the best end fights in terms of atmosphere and cinematography, depicting all the legends in a respectful and memorable manner.”
    • “The atmosphere, the OST, the combat, the minigames, they basically took each of their best parts of their games and packed them into one game.”
    • “Sotenbori's simplistic layout and bland atmosphere turned exploration into pure boredom after 10 hours of playtime, and the new slingshot gadget that let joryu grab objects out of reach, while a nice touch, never got its usability expanded outside of combat and can be safely tossed into the 'one-off shallow mechanic' bin that includes Lost Judgment's parkour.”
    • “The atmosphere, the OST, the combat, the minigames; they basically took each of their best parts of their games and packed them into one game.”
    • “It dictates the mood and sets the atmosphere for the events we participate in.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the game is mixed; while some users report a few minor glitches that don't significantly impact gameplay, others highlight a range of bugs, stiff animations, and unfinished content. Despite these issues, there are also positive remarks about the game's stability, with some praising it as relatively bug-free compared to other AAA titles.

    • “Rgg is one of the last developers of our generation that can launch a game which is not buggy, unstable, unoptimized, or broken beyond oblivion.”
    • “It's buggy; the cheap-looking animation and camera work, as well as snapping from early Dragon Engine games, is back, and a lot of the heat actions feel impactless.”
    • “Agent style is unfortunately terribly undercooked; it's limited, stiff, and buggy.”
    • “1 out of 2, if not more, AAA games come out unfinished, buggy, with a plethora of content locked behind DLC and expansions, all of it for now 70 or 80 euros.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players enjoy the fun side content and minigames that offer significant replay value, others feel that the absence of a new game plus mode and the game's shorter length limit its overall replayability. Despite these concerns, many appreciate the quality and quantity of content available, making it worthwhile for repeated playthroughs.

    • “However, side content (aka akame requests if you plan to get to max level) takes pretty long, and all the other activities are pretty fun and replayable.”
    • “Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is definitely not just your typical spin-off. This game appears to be so simple even though it really isn't. The sheer amount of content and quality this game has makes the price so worth it. The minigames are great as always, the combat is great too, and the amount of replayability that you can get out of this game is insane.”
    • “There's not much replay value.”
    • “My only real gripe is the lack of New Game Plus, as I think this hurts the replayability, especially given its shorter length.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development, particularly for Kiryu, is highlighted as a significant aspect, with some users noting it as the most substantial growth seen in the series. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of memorable fights and bosses, suggesting that the overall combat and character development may have regressed compared to previous installments.

    • “Most importantly, Kiryu's character development.”
    • “The most character development Joryu has ever had.”
    • “In a longer game, there will be more time for character development to hype things up.”
    • “Combat and character development definitely took a step in the backwards direction.”
    • “On the topic of fights, from a pure gameplay point of view, there are no memorable fights nor bosses in the mainline quest. Maybe in a longer game, there will be more time for character development to hype things up, but boss fights are shockingly plain.”
    • “Most character development Joryu has ever had.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization of the game is perceived as a cash grab, with many reviewers feeling that it prioritizes profit over genuine value or innovation within the franchise. Players express disappointment that the game feels more like an advertising campaign than a standalone experience, leading to unmet expectations regarding its content.

    • “You really can tell that the only reasoning behind this game was being a cash grab rather than bringing any value into the franchise.”
    • “Frankly, the whole game felt just like an advertising campaign for IW.”
    • “During that hour, I had an absolute blast, and it's barely visible that LAD 8 is their focus and this is only a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

25hMedian play time
28hAverage play time
10-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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