Yakuza: Like a Dragon

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 24,601 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Yakuza: Like a Dragon Game Cover
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.
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In Yakuza: Like a Dragon, players control Ichiban Kasuga, a former yakuza member who is released from prison after 18 years and seeks to uncover the truth behind his former gang's betrayal. The game is set in the city of Yokohama and features turn-based combat, job system, and a multitude of minigames. The game's story offers a unique take on the yakuza genre with its focus on redemption, friendship, and the struggles of the working class.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 24,601 reviews
story4,660 positive mentions
grinding1,198 negative mentions
  • story11,472 mentions

    The story of "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" has received widespread acclaim for its engaging narrative and character development, often described as one of the best in the series. Players appreciate the blend of serious themes, such as betrayal and redemption, with the franchise's trademark humor and absurdity, making for a compelling experience that resonates emotionally. While some critiques mention pacing issues and the need for grinding, the overall sentiment is that the story, alongside its rich side quests and character interactions, creates a memorable and immersive journey.

    • “The story and characters are by far the highlight of this game, with each character's development and relationship uniquely fleshed out and organically presented, featuring elements of betrayal, family, loss, and overcoming adversity.”
    • “The story pulled me in right from the start, and like every Yakuza game I've played, it had that perfect mix of cringy, funny, and serious moments.”
    • “The story is amazing, filled with emotional depth and engaging character arcs that kept me invested from beginning to end.”
    • “Nothing close to how good the previous Yakuza games are; turn-based combat in this game is terrible, the story is boring, and you cannot play as Kazuma Kiryu (the best video game character, probably).”
    • “The story definitely was stretched out too much to pad time.”
    • “The main story kind of bored me at some parts, but that's more because I am just not the type for this kind of story.”
  • gameplay3,264 mentions

    The gameplay of "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" marks a significant departure from the series' traditional beat-em-up style, transitioning to a turn-based RPG format that has received mixed reactions from players. While many appreciate the fresh mechanics, engaging story, and character development, some criticize the gameplay for being simplistic, repetitive, and overly reliant on cutscenes, leading to a slower pacing. Overall, the game is praised for its humor, depth, and the integration of RPG elements, making it a compelling experience for both newcomers and long-time fans of the franchise.

    • “The turn-based combat is uniquely inspired by the real-time guard mechanic to keep you constantly engaged, and the plethora of jobs/roles each party member can specialize in adds great style, strategy, and nuance to the gameplay.”
    • “Despite the shift from action-packed gameplay to a turn-based RPG format, it revitalized the series in unexpected ways.”
    • “The gameplay is surprisingly engaging and I enjoyed it as someone who usually dislikes turn-based combat.”
    • “The thing I absolutely cannot get past though, is how awful the gameplay is.”
    • “But when you abstract that stylish gameplay away into a simple 'hit the attack command' it just feels like busywork.”
    • “Games like Persona 5, Shin Megami Tensei 3, or Paper Mario TTYD allow the player to style on the opponent in a turn-based context through making a perfect strategy where they can clear encounters without the enemy even taking a turn, but Yakuza 7's lack of complex options or meaningful difficulty means this type of gameplay doesn't exist either, making it so the player might as well autobattle through each fight.”
  • humor1,883 mentions

    The humor in "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" is widely praised for its clever blend of absurdity and heartfelt moments, often eliciting genuine laughter through its quirky side quests and character interactions. Players appreciate the game's ability to balance serious themes with comedic elements, making it both entertaining and emotionally engaging. The protagonist, Ichiban, is particularly noted for his humorous and relatable personality, contributing to the game's overall charm and appeal.

    • “Perfectly balancing a super serious mob crime drama with some of the funniest and goofiest moments that had me dying on the floor laughing, my first foray into the Yakuza series was a resounding success.”
    • “The writing is excellent and humor infuses the whole game.”
    • “The game will have you laughing, enraged and crying, sometimes all in one chapter.”
    • “It's complicated, full of characters, grounded conspiracies, sound motivation, drama... and you get to experience it through Ichiban, the most shonen of all shonen protagonists, to the point it's not funny anymore.”
    • “I thought this game was supposed to be funny; instead, it gave me the sad.”
    • “This is in stark contrast with the story, which is rather tragic and not funny at all.”
  • grinding1,223 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it is a common feature in JRPGs, it can become tedious and detract from the overall experience. Several reviewers highlighted significant difficulty spikes in the late game that necessitate grinding, often leading to repetitive gameplay and frustration. However, some players found the grinding to be enjoyable, especially when engaging with side content and mini-games, suggesting that the experience can vary greatly depending on individual preferences for grinding in RPGs.

    • “Yakuza: Like a Dragon is exactly like the name suggests, a fun party turn-based JRPG with good writing, great voice acting, cool cinematic cutscenes, likable characters, not very grindy, wacky enemies, nice soundtracks, some banging boss battle music, full of side activities that you can just do for fun, and a wide variety of attacks with cool animations instead of just sitting in one place.”
    • “Thankfully it's not grindy and it's quite easy to finish.”
    • “I love JRPGs but I was highly skeptical they could make this fun and not grindy.”
    • “The grindy parts distract from the fun.”
    • “Grinding invested vagabonds in the Kamurocho dungeon for the true final dungeon really sucked, and I don't care if it's a JRPG staple, grinding is never fun.”
    • “The only big downside is the combat, with one really rough difficulty spike near the end, basically forcing you to spend a couple of hours grinding without progressing at all.”
  • music1,024 mentions

    The music in "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its diverse and engaging soundtrack that enhances the game's emotional and comedic moments. While some tracks are described as "bangers" and fit perfectly with the gameplay, there are criticisms regarding the repetitiveness of certain battle themes and a perceived lack of variety in the karaoke options. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the best in the series, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere.

    • “The music is top-notch, and the English voice acting is almost universally great.”
    • “The soundtrack in this game, like in all the other titles, is just out of this world.”
    • “The music fits the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Also the weakest soundtrack in the series.”
    • “It is not the only type of music or sound effects you get, but this is truly the worst kind of stock-music hell you can get.”
    • “The most anticipated thing that I was looking forward to and got really disappointed is long battle, long battle in this game is lame and boring, just spam orbital strike and move on and that's it, battle music is sucks and uninspired.”
  • emotional909 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" is widely praised, with players highlighting its ability to blend absurd humor with deeply touching moments, often leading to tears. The protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, is noted for his emotional depth and relatability, making players feel invested in his journey through a mix of heartfelt storytelling and quirky side quests. Overall, the game is described as an emotional rollercoaster that successfully balances comedy and drama, leaving a lasting impact on players.

    • “The story was an emotional journey from start to finish that had me laughing and crying, especially in one of the final cutscenes between Ichiban and the primary antagonist.”
    • “This game is a celebration of the Yakuza franchise from start to finish, with some of the best emotional storytelling in the series.”
    • “The story truly blew me away and made me cry; thank you Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for making such a great game and giving me one of the best experiences of my life.”
    • “This game might be fun, but it's on rails for way too long with nothing but a really boring story.”
    • “Tl;dr boring story, alright side content, open world that's a slog to traverse, horrible turn-based combat and disgusting DLC practices.”
  • graphics701 mentions

    The graphics of "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, detailed character models, and immersive environments, effectively bringing the game's vibrant world to life. While some players noted minor graphical inconsistencies and performance issues, the overall presentation is considered top-notch, maintaining a high standard within the series despite being a few years old. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to run smoothly on various hardware, further enhancing the experience with its engaging story and dynamic gameplay.

    • “The graphics are stunning, there are a lot of wacky things to see and do, and the new cast of characters are fun.”
    • “Graphically, the game is stunning, with detailed character models and environments that bring the world of Yakuza to life.”
    • “Incredible story, voice acting, goofy humor, beautiful graphics and amazing combat system.”
    • “Underwhelming: the graphics and overall presentation did not meet modern standards.”
    • “The graphics are somehow worse than Yakuza Kiwami 2, despite it coming out years later.”
    • “For a 2020 title, the graphics and animations here are pretty crap...”
  • optimization237 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant stuttering, frame rate drops, and other performance issues, particularly on PC. While some users report smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others struggle with poor performance even on recommended hardware, indicating that the game may not be well-optimized for a range of setups. Overall, while there are patches that have improved performance for some, many players still find the optimization lacking, especially compared to previous titles in the series.

    • “Good story, good characters, good gameplay, very funny and technically very well optimized game, must play.”
    • “Optimization is wonderful and the game runs smoothly in a clean 60 fps without any effort even on a middle of the road PC while looking fantastic.”
    • “I can safely say this game is pretty optimized as of version 1.06 which is the most recent available patch of the game as of the time I write this.”
    • “But lately for some reason, the game has just started stuttering for no reason whatsoever.”
    • “Terrible optimization for PC - the game won't stop stuttering, even when you downgrade all the settings so it looks worse than Yakuza 0.”
    • “You know I am absolutely pissed off that I am basically not allowed to experience this game without awful hiccups, the frame rate constantly drops way below 60, and even setting it to 30fps the frames drop way too low to single digits whenever I turn a corner in the game.”
  • character development122 mentions

    Character development in "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" is widely praised, with players highlighting the depth and organic growth of characters, particularly the protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, who is noted for his exceptional development compared to previous series leads. The game effectively intertwines character arcs with the narrative, offering rich backstories and engaging side stories that enhance player investment. Overall, the character interactions, humor, and emotional depth contribute to a compelling experience that resonates with players.

    • “The story and characters are by far the highlight of this game, with each character's development and relationship uniquely fleshed out and organically presented with a classic Yakuza story spin, featuring elements of betrayal, family, loss, and overcoming adversity.”
    • “Ichiban Kasuga is a phenomenal main character who shows character development throughout the story, and the voice acting for all characters is fantastic.”
    • “This game has a story that blew all of my expectations out of the water, thanks to its fantastic writing and character development that truly made me feel attached to the main cast.”
    • “I love story and character development, but the amount of dialogue and cutscenes is insufferable.”
    • “As usual, the story might not be everyone's cup of tea; the character development is kind of stilted in spots, and a few recurring elements are a frustrating exercise in dramatic irony.”
    • “Not that huge of a deal, just felt like a missed opportunity for more character development.”
  • stability76 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting minimal to no bugs or crashes, especially in comparison to other recent titles. While some users experienced occasional graphical glitches and stuttering in specific areas, these issues were not widespread and did not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience. The game runs well on various systems, including the Steam Deck, and is noted for its polished performance and solid frame rates.

    • “So far, I've encountered absolutely no glitches, bugs, or crashes.”
    • “The game runs great, with plenty of options to tweak for performance.”
    • “Visually, this game still looks and feels very current, and runs great on my system (5950x, 3080 10gb, 64gb@4000 @1600p) with an average of ~100-120 fps and rare but consistent drops to about 40-60 in the park at times.”
    • “My only complaint is that sometimes the game glitches and buildings go missing.”
    • “Bought the legendary hero edition, turns out if the game freezes while you're redeeming the DLC items they just disappear and you have to pay $10 each for them to show up again.”
    • “The game does have noticeable flaws though - combat in street encounters is extremely buggy and characters often get stuck for minutes.”
  • atmosphere68 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and detailed environments, effectively capturing the essence of Tokyo and Yokohama. Reviewers highlight the vibrant settings, engaging music, and the ability to shift between humorous and serious tones, creating a rich and captivating experience. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the overall ambiance and attention to detail contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the Yakuza series.

    • “From the well-detailed signs and street posters to the alluring cafes, even the meticulously crafted architecture of the buildings, the attention to detail immersed me into the atmosphere of the city, giving me a refreshing take on open world games, at a time where most of them take place in the US.”
    • “The music, the atmosphere, the localization, the dialogues, the one-liners, the amazing voice actors both Japanese and English dub (I prefer the English dub and would give an award for best performance to pretty much everybody) the story, the characters, the cities, everything has so much heart in it.”
    • “The atmosphere is so thick that you can almost feel the problems and joy the characters go through.”
    • “At some point it gets too way repetitive and it kills all atmosphere.”
    • “As much as I love this game from perspectives of environment, atmosphere, characters, main story and side stories, the very mechanics of the game are highly annoying, and that's what made me switch review from thumbs up to thumbs down.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game feels so natural like other RGG titles.”
  • replayability56 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with a rich narrative, a charismatic cast, and an abundance of content, including numerous minigames and side quests. Players can engage in various job classes and difficulty levels, enhancing the experience and encouraging multiple playthroughs. Overall, it offers a flexible and enjoyable gameplay experience that keeps players coming back for more.

    • “Tons of replayability, packed full of content, minigames, and tons of side stuff to do.”
    • “That being said, the game is jam-packed with content, perhaps the most compared to all other Yakuza games. The depth in the new combat system and the different jobs/characters makes the game very flexible and replayable, providing opportunities to try different approaches to situations.”
    • “The endgame and replay value come from playing New Game+ on higher difficulties and maxing out every job (there are a lot).”
    • “As for replay value, I ended my run at 60 hours, and as usual, aside from the main story and substories, there is a plethora of minigames which I didn't bother to 100% complete.”
    • “The endgame and replay value comes from playing New Game+ on higher difficulties and maxing out every job (there are a lot).”
    • “I've placed 55+ hours into this game and have not even touched New Game+, which includes hard and legend difficulties for replayability.”
  • monetization24 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players expressing frustration over the presence of microtransactions in a single-player experience, viewing it as a cash grab. However, others appreciate the depth of the game's business mechanics and the creative integration of advertisements within the narrative. Overall, while the game offers engaging content, the inclusion of in-game purchases remains a contentious point among players.

    • “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
    • “Ryu ga Gotoku has become a cash grab studio :(”
    • “I know the boosts can be ignored, but microtransactions in a single-player game are just so iffy to me.”
    • “If you like cheap nostalgia cash grabs, they've at least got Dante from Devil May Cry.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

Buy Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Play time

41hMedian play time
62hAverage play time
45hMain story
103hCompletionist
8-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 123 analyzed playthroughs

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