After having no prior experience with the series, I’m in the middle of playingYakuza: Like A Dragon, and it’s not at all what I expected, which has turned out to be a nice surprise. Formerly known outside of Japan asYakuza, theLike A Dragonseries has been a long-standing pillar for Sega. Although its acclaim has been well-known to me for quite a while,actually getting into the series is – or was – a bit of a conundrum.
Like A Dragoncurrently has nine mainline entries and just as many spin-offs, spanning from the PlayStation 2 to modern hardware and practically every platform in between. Although I’m certainly missing out on some amazing games, catching up on the last 20 years ofLADdoesn’t really appeal to me. Last year, though,Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealthwas released to widespread acclaim, and following it more closely gave me a better idea of what the series is about, or at least what it’s become.The series' new protagonist (and a generous sale price) gave me the perfect opportunity to dip my toes in, and I’m glad that my expectations were wrong.
I’m Just Now Getting Into Like A Dragon Thanks To The Ichiban Kasuga Soft Reboot
New Protagonist, Same Beloved Series
The series' big, international transition fromYakuzatoLike A Dragoncame via 2020’s aptly-namedYakuza: Like A Dragon, which sees the focus shift from long-time leading man Kazuma Kiryu to rising star Ichiban Kasuga. Its sequel,Infinite Wealth, was what piqued my interest, butI didn’t want to jump in without seeing Kasuga’s origin.
Luckily, Sega has just the thing for someone like me: theLike A DragonSeries Starter Pack bundlesYakuza: Like A DragonandInfinite Wealthat a retail price of $80. Not a terrible deal, consideringInfinite Wealthstill goes for $70, but it seems to go on sale semi-frequently, and I managed to pick up the series' two newest mainline entries for $40.
Price-tracking websites likePS DealsandSteamDBshow that theLike A DragonSeries Starter Pack reaches this 50% discount fairly often.
It’s the exact solution I was looking for. I got in on the ground floor of Kasuga’s story, and could feel safe in the fact I gotInfinite Wealthat a discount even if the series ends up not being my cup of tea. I may be missing some subtle nods or recurring elements, butI haven’t felt like coming so late to the series has jeopardized the experience. It’s also nice to come into a series that’s well-established and has been iterated on, even ifYakuza: Like A Dragon’s turn-based combat was a novelty compared to previous entries.
Like A Dragon Isn’t Necessarily A Crime Thriller
Before I started playingYakuza: Like A Dragon, I had only a general understanding of the series. I was aware ofLAD’s reputation for mini-game variety, and knew that a big selling point was its slice-of-life segments. I also only had a slight idea of what the series' earlier games were about – Kiryu largely being unable to escape the criminal underworld.
ForYakuza: Like A Dragonspecifically, I’d also gathered that its primary gimmick was grafting traditional JPRG mechanics and tropes onto its modern-day setting (the game takes place primarily in Yokohama in 2019). I figured such a famous series deserved as blind of a first playthrough as I could manage, soI startedYakuza: Like A Dragonexpecting a significant amount of mafia intrigue and a crime thriller narrative.
There’s certainly a healthy dose of Yakuza drama in the very beginning (and I’m expecting it to all come back around eventually), but most of myYakuza: Like A Dragonjourney so far has been entirely unexpected.Most of the early portions revolve around Kasuga becoming homelessas the result of serving 18 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Kasuga daydreams about being aDragon Questhero, which warps his perception of in-game combat encounters, but also provides some brilliant ludonarrative harmony where your low-level party must deal with the very real hardships of homelessness.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS5 Review - Kasuga Never Looked So Good
Yakuza: Like A Dragon was one of the most unique titles of 2020, and it has received a new coat of polish when releasing on the PS5.
Scrounging around vending machines for a few yen isYakuza: Like A Dragon’s real-world equivalent to the nonsensical (but still very satisfying) act of smashing ceramic pots to look for rupees inThe Legend of Zelda. When it became clear that the game wasn’t going to gloss over Kasuga’s homelessness or give him an easy way out, I braced for the worst – it would be very easy for a game to punch down on the downtrodden, making jokes at their expense, or suggesting the less fortunate are to blame for their situation.
What has really endeared me to the series, though, is thatYakuza: Like A Dragondoes the exact opposite, using Kasuga’s odd circumstances to not only sympathize with its homeless characters, but empower and humanize them earnestly. Homeless folks, sex workers, and immigrants are just a few of the demographics thatYakuza: Like A Dragontakes a magnifying glass to, resulting in a lot of feel-good stories where you, playing as Kasuga, get to help and learn about people in difficult situations that aren’t uncommon in real life.
Yakuza: Like A Dragonis not all dour and preachy, though. For every heartfelt, life-affirming moment, there’s a silly mini-game or mission, like one where you have to help a guy covered in soap bubbles dodge sprinklers and hoses on the way to buy a new outfit so he isn’t arrested for public indecency. The game’s attempt at a modern-day JRPG is clever from a mechanical standpoint, butits willingness to engage with touchy subjects – and do so deftly – is what’s really fantastic and expectation-shattering.
I See Why Sega Wanted To Abandon The Yakuza Name
Like A Dragon Isn’t Really About Being A Yakuza
Yakuza: Like A Dragon’s unusual story beats are largely possible because ofIchiban Kasuga, who is steadfast in wanting to help those who have been wronged or taken advantage of. He starts the game as a rather ineffective Yakuza, cleverly interpreting his boss' instructions to help the person he’s supposed to be shaking down, someone who’s fallen on hard times. Even with my limited experience with the series, it seems that Sega moved away from the internationalYakuzamoniker because it’s no longer apt.
The inciting incident may entirely involve organized crime, and I fully expect the Yakuza drama to return throughout, but “Like A Dragon” evokes a more general sense of empowerment. Now that I’ve played a bit of the series, I understand why Sega is phasing out such a well-established series name. Aneager and earnest character like Ichiban Kasugawas never meant to succeed as a Yakuza, and even though I wasn’t expecting it, I’m gladYakuza: Like A Dragonhas gone in such different directions.
