Yakuza: Like a Dragon: Review des JRPG-Highlights

After almost a year, Yakuza 7 finally arrives in the West under the name of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. With the simultaneous release on Sony and Microsoft consoles, even more players now have the opportunity to take their first steps in the renowned game series. But fans who have already spent numerous hours in Kamurocho should definitely not ignore this part.

In Japan, the Yakuza series is one of the most popular franchises. In the West, games are slowly struggling to get out of their niche. Since the release of the prequel, Yakuza 0, the interest of the players has grown. With a total of 8 titles now released, most of which chronologically based on each other, getting started is often difficult.

With the renaming of Yakuza 7 to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Sega wants to lead by example. By deleting the number in the name, the publisher invites players to come online for the first time. While the predecessors were primarily concerned with main character Kazuma Kiryu, Like a Dragon features a new hero in the lead role: Kasuga Ichiban. S.Veterans and newbies alike can look forward to an entirely new saga with a fresh face on the cover.

At first glance, Yakuza: Like a Dragon doesn’t change the basic gameplay of the series. Begin your adventure in the typical Kamurocho entertainment district series in Tokyo and explore the streets and shops in Ichiban’s skin. But already the first encounter with the enemies reveals a huge innovation: Compared to the Beat ’em Up-style combat sequences of the previous parts, Like A Dragon uses a turn-based combat system, similar to titles like Dragon Quest. But the jRPG parallels don’t end there. After winning discussions, Ichiban receives experience points, levels up, and improves his work and associated skills.

During the prologue, your journey will take you to the location where Yakuza is located: Like A Dragon – Yokohama. Therefore, the title is not only based on a new main character, a new combat system, but also a completely unused scenario.

Luckily Ichiban doesn’t have to make his way through the henchmen who look at you crookedly on the street. Gradually, you will be joined by a diverse cast of characters who enrich the story and stand by your side in battle. It’s exciting to see how Yakuza: Like a Dragon adapts famous RPG archetypes to its game world. For example, you will meet the homeless Namba, who takes on the role of a magician. Instead of going directly into the fight, he prefers to throw beans at the enemies, which hurl a swarm of pigeons at the enemy.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is filled to the brim with such unique and adorable characters. Even characters who are only on the fringes of the action are endowed with credible motives and leave a lasting impression. This has been a strong point of the series in the past and Like a Dragon is no exception.

In addition to the charismatic actors, Yakuza: Like a Dragon also offers a compelling story full of twists, which manages to perfectly stage its characters. Despite many tragic and serious moments, the game manages to generate a perfect balance with its whimsical nature. Away from the dark paths, there are numerous moments that prove that the game series doesn’t always take itself very seriously.

Many of these lighthearted and bizarre events are incorporated into the numerous side stories. These fill in the main story perfectly, which is well programmed by the pacing. Often the people and scenarios are exciting enough to distract you for hours.

Obviously, Like a Dragon cannot miss a great trademark of the Yakuza series: the minigames. These are available in different sizes. As usual, you can spend your hard-earned yen in the arcade. In addition to old school games like Fantasy Zone, OutRun and Space Harrier, you can also play the Virtua Fighter 5 fighting game. Or try your luck with one of the UFO catchers and try to fish out the Sega mascot of your choice. If you like it musically, you can pass the time in a karaoke bar and press the buttons to the right beat while the members of your group play the selected song.

But there are also far more side attractions involved. One of them is Dragon Kart. Here the characters get on the go-karts and whiz through the streets of Yokohama. Including insane bonus weapons, of course, to hinder competition.

If you feel like traveling to Japan, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the ideal replacement. The game world is so authentic that you get the feeling that you are on the streets of Yokohama and Kabukicho (the real model of Kamurocho). It starts with the neighborhood design and ends with the soundscape that makes Japanese fans’ hearts beat faster.

It is the numerous details that bring the world of Like a Dragon to life. Conbini shops have their own musical jingle. You can help yourself to drink dispensers on the streets and air conditioning hums in the alleys.

Anyone who has never been to Japan will get a surprisingly real impression of the land of the rising sun (at least from urban areas). Everyone who has already spent their holidays there will be reminded of their consecutive stay.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon offers everything that defines the series: strong characters in an exciting story, wacky humor, a dense game world and numerous side missions. Coupled with a new gameplay system and a new protagonist, this is the perfect title for fans of the series and anyone who has been waiting for the perfect time to start.