Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a masterful entry in the franchise, and only makes me crave even more from the series.

Like a Dragon Gaiden feels like a love letter of a game for Kazuma Kiryu. I was initially disappointed when Sega announced this release because I thought Yakuza 6 was a perfect send off, but Like a Dragon Gaiden proved that the team still has it in them to deliver a compelling story for Kiryu, and still make brawler games that feel great to play. I expected Like a Dragon Gaiden to be an appetizer for Infinite Wealth in January, but it ended up being so much more. Just don’t play it unless you’ve already experienced Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Despite missed potential in terms of its main story, Like a Dragon Gaiden makes up for it with incredible combat and fantastic side content. Hopefully RGG Studio continues to expand on the beat-em-up style instead of going all-in on turn-based combat, because Gaiden offers one of the most fun gameplay experiences of the franchise.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a good entry point for newcomers to experience the essence of the series. It delivers a satisfying dose of classic Yakuza action with some modern twists. However, veterans might find the story and world slightly limited compared to mainline entries.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (PC) – 80 Although its plot should be understandable to newcomers, the most compact Yakuza game is primarily a gift for loyal fans of the series hungry for more of Kiryu’s adventures. You get to beat up hundreds of thugs, fight for honor, help people and enjoy numerous stories – all that with the usual tons of unique charm that’s worth experiencing.

Like a Dragon Gaiden is a game that can make fans of the Yakuza series happy while also attracting new players. A beautiful bridge has been established between the past and future of the series.

Like a Dragon Gaiden might be a short ride but it stands tall among its larger brethren. Bond-like combat refinements, a tight plot, and fun mini-games build on the same old Yakuza heart.

The Man Who Erased His Name will be most enjoyed by seasoned fans of the Like a Dragon series and Kazuma Kiryu. It may not be as lengthy or unpredictable as other installments, but that's not necessarily a drawback. Primarily, it serves as a satisfying prelude to Infinite Wealth.

At only 14 to 15 hours, Gaiden is a fun, comparatively short return to the world of Kiryu "Joryu" Kazuma. By the time credits roll, Gaiden neatly establishes Kiryu's role in the next mainline game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and since that game's out in a few months, the brief taste gave me plenty to be excited for. I wish the story were more interested in exploring who Kiryu is now that he's forced into this double life, but as a thin bridge between games, Gaiden is a neat one. And I'll always appreciate an excuse to hit the streets and the thugs therein with my favorite dummy.

And so there I was, sitting in front of my TV, watching Gaiden's ending, crying like a damn baby over the hardships of a fictional man again--and I know those who've also been on this ride over the years will feel me on this. Gaiden may be a brief excursion that occasionally leaves the full potential of its supporting cast on the table and often relies on remixing ideas from the series' past, but with enough new features to make combat exciting and a buffet of high-quality side content, it's still some of the most fun I've had with an RGG game. More importantly, I was just happy to be in Kiryu's shoes again for another emotional story and to brace myself for what lies ahead for the beloved series.

Even so, with its limitations and "transitional" nature, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a decent episode, especially for fans of the series, and well worth your time until Infinite Wealth.

If there was a succinct way to sum up Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, it’d be a celebration of Kiryu’s legacy. There are subtle callbacks of his past adventures that don’t intrude on the central themes and internal struggles that he faces as the title connects the past to the present. While it may not be his grandest adventure, Like A Dragon Gaiden sets an important milestone for the Dragon of Dojima. We’ll meet him again in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but Gaiden establishes an essential foundation and roadmap in what’s next for this legendary character.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name goes back on much of this forward momentum and seeks to latch onto what fans loved about the previous era of the franchise. While it retains the wonderfully designed mini-games and impressively realized city streets of its fictionalized locales, the need to live in the past holds it back. Kazuma Kiryu’s presence is the most concerning, as the story fails to justify why it needs to keep bringing Kiryu out. Every time Kiryu gets out, will he get pulled back in? Maybe they’ll finally snuff him out for real in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

It may be shorter, but it still packs a punch. Like a Dragon: Gaiden does little new, but its story is fascinating and heartbreaking in equal measure.

The same array of activities that has made past games in the series such a joy to play returns once more, but the effect isn't quite as impressive because the central story hasn't been given enough time to properly develop.

So I'm disappointed - but I still love roaming the streets with Kazuma again. No other game offers this kind of escapism; the opportunity to get to know a city in such a way that you are familiar with every corner instead of just speeding past it in a car. As much as I would like to see new impulses in the mini-games, as well as the outdated presentation, locations and game mechanics, I'm still not fed up Sega's rehashing of the formula year after year.

I wouldn’t recommend this at full retail price. However, it’s on Game Pass for Xbox and PC, which I would recommend if you’re interested and have about 8-10 hours to kill.