On April 1st, 2019, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, a studio under SEGA specialized in developing the Yakuza franchise, surprisingly uploaded a gameplay video for the next Yakuza title. Interesting things about this video are the new characters and all-new, all different gameplay compared to past titles.

After all this time, we know the Yakuza games as an action, beat’em up game, with one versus many, but, from the trailer given, the gameplay changed into a turned-based RPG (role-playing game) that consists of four people in one party, similar to Japanese RPGs in general.

At first, the gameplay change was considered as a joke among gamers and fans, regarding the studio uploaded the video on April 1st, or also known as April’s Fools Day. But unexpectedly,  SEGA said that this turn-based gameplay will be the new gameplay on the next installment. The change once sparked pros and cons among fans, and at that time, many fans said that they won’t play the game unless the gameplay returned to the usual beat’em up. But, this change was not without a reason.

According to the creator, Toshihiro Nagoshi, the change in gameplay happened because he wanted to give a new and fresh thing to gamers and fans after the end of Kazuma Kiryu’s journey in Yakuza 6. Even though Kiryu is now gone from the spotlight as the main protagonist, the series goes on. With a new character at the helm, the new gameplay also required to differentiate the difference between Kiryu’s Saga and the new saga.

Then, going to the question, is Yakuza: Like a Dragon is worth it to play, own, or skip? To answer all the doubts, here’s the review of Yakuza: Like a Dragon by Dunia Games.

Overview

This November, gamers all over the world will be able to play one of the most anticipated games this month, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, or also known as Ryu Ga Gotoku 7: Hikari to Yami no Yukue in Japan. This game was released on November 10th, 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Xbox Series X. For the PlayStation 5 version, the game is due out on March 2nd, 2021 next year.

This game is the first game from the Yakuza franchise to be released on next-gen consoles, the fifth game to receive an English dub (after Yakuza 1 on PS2, Binary Domain on PS3, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise and Judgment on PS4), and the fourth game to be released on PC via Steam. For your information, Dunia Games play the game on PlayStation 4.

Aside from being released on multiplatforms, this game is also available in multiple editions for each console. From the Day Ichi edition to Legendary Hero Edition, all versions come with their own bonuses. If you want to know more, then look at the image below:

For those of you who want to play it on PC, here’s the minimum and recommended requirements to play the game:

Minimum Requirements:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 or AMD FX-8350
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: Windows 10
• VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 2GB or AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB
• PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
• VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
• FREE DISK SPACE: 40 GB
• DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB

Recommended Requirements:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400
• RAM: 8 GB
• OS: Windows 10
• VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB
• PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
• VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
• FREE DISK SPACE: 60 GB
• DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 3 GB

Ichiban Kasuga and the Disappearance of Tojo Clan

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the continuation of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. As we explained above, you won’t play as Kazuma Kiryu anymore, but instead as Ichiban Kasuga, a yakuza of the Arakawa clan, a third-tier yakuza family that operates in Kamurocho, Tokyo.

One day, Ichiban was asked by his patriarch, Masumi Arakawa, to take the blame for the murderer, and the culprit is also a member of the Arakawa clan. Ichiban was shocked by this request, but he considered this task as a gratitude to his boss for taking him in as a family. Ichiban was later incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.

After being incarcerated for almost 20 years, Ichiban is finally free. But, he is shocked when there’s no one from his clan to welcome him. Feeling strange, Ichiban heads to Kamurocho, Tokyo to asks his patriarch. But, what happens next is beyond expectation, Arakawa shoots him and later exiled him to Isezaki Ijincho, Yokohama.

In Ijincho, Ichiban meets Koichi Adachi, a former detective who says that his patriarch, is responsible for the disappearance of the Tojo Clan from Kamurocho a few years ago. To answer all the confusion and mysteries, Ichiban starts his journey at Yokohama by collecting clues and recruiting people who are indirectly involved with the disappearance of the Tojo Clan by his boss.

Turn-Based Combat System

The combat system in this game is loosely based on the turn-based combat system as seen in Dragon Quest games. As a trivia, Ichiban loves to play video games as a hobby, and Dragon Quest is one of his favorite games.

When Ichiban and the party encounter enemies, the screen will change into the battle phase and later followed by the enemies and the party changing appearances (this because those changes occur in Ichiban's mind). After that, the player will be given options to decide the character’s action, whether to attack, guard, use skills, etc. (using items or call summons). When selecting “Skills”, the screen will show skills that every character has learned. Those skills are divided into four categories: aggressive, passive, recovery, and special attack.

Similar to Dragon Quest, the job system is also present. Aside from each character having their default job, you can also switch jobs to learn new skills, but some jobs are gender-limited. On top of that, this game also has a summon system. With his smartphone, Ichiban will call his allies on his contact to help him and his party in the battle.

Explore Three Different Cities

This game features three different cities to explore, the first is the Isezaki Ijincho district located in Yokohama, based on the Isezakicho district in the real world. This town is three times larger than Kamurocho, Tokyo (a district in Tokyo based on Kabukicho). Aside from those cities, players can also explore Sotenbori, Osaka (based on Dotonbori).

Each city has its landmarks and signature buildings with each district recreated digitally as similar as possible. Unlike previous installments, you will spend most of your time in Ijincho rather than in Kamurocho or Sotenbori.

Plenty of New Minigames

A few minigames that have been this series’ staple return to this game for you to enjoy like karaoke (now available in English), billiards, darts, shogi, mahjong, and SEGA’s classic arcade games. Besides, this game also introduces new minigames, they are Trash Collecting, Dragon Kart, and Exam Test. Trash Collecting is a minigame where Ichiban must collect trash scattered on Ijincho streets using a trash wagon. You need to collect them as much as possible before the time runs out while avoiding obstacles in your way.

Dragon Kart is a go-kart race that is very similar to Crash Team Racing, where you can customize your kart before entering the race. On the racing track, aside from collecting points and reaching first place, you can pick up and use various power-ups you pick along the way to increase your kart’s abilities or to attack your opponents. For the Exam Test, Ichiban will participate in an equivalence test, where you must answer all the questions right in the form of multiple choices. Aside from those minigames, you will also find a side story called Ichiban Confections, where Ichiban must take care of a company to stand on its feet again from the verge of bankruptcy.

Verdict

The latest installment in the Yakuza series comes very differently, unlike previous titles. For gamers who love this series but don’t like the new, RPG-style combat system, probably will think twice to play the game, unless you give this game a chance. Maybe after playing this game, you will be interested in playing similar Japanese RPGs like Dragon Quest series, Persona series, or Final Fantasy series.

So that’s the review about Yakuza: Like a Dragon. If you are interested in playing or skip this game, the choice is yours. But still, we suggest you play the game. If you find this article interesting, share it with your friends. Stay tuned at Dunia Games for more articles. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.