- Publisher: Sega
- Release Date: Nov 9, 2023
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
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Nov 6, 2023If 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.
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Nov 6, 2023Like 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.
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Nov 6, 2023It 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.
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Nov 6, 2023The 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.
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Nov 21, 2023So 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 As much as I would like to see new impulses in the mini-games, as well as the outdated presentation, locations and game mechanics, I'm still not fed up Sega's rehashing of the formula year after year.
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Nov 6, 2023I 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.
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Nov 6, 2023Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a return to form for series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu with it’s beat’em up gameplay, but cheapens previous send offs by merit of existing.
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Nov 8, 2023For fans, Gaiden may feel like a speedrun of the full series, the journey of Kiryu condensed into one decadent hurrah — now with drones and superpowers. But for newcomers, I imagine Gaiden will be akin to listening to an iconic band for the first time by opening Spotify and selecting Greatest Hits.
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Nov 9, 2023Ultimately, though, great Colosseum fights, sometimes funny Akame missions, and occasional story wins can't quite make up for Like A Dragon Gaiden feeling like a hurried excuse to resurrect Kiryu. Yes, it ties into his upcoming role in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth and it's lovely to be in his shoes again, but the story pales in comparison to previous offerings. Motoring between endless fights in the game's story doesn't represent what Yakuza stands for, and throughout I couldn't help but wrestle with the idea that it might be erasing not just Kiryu's own name, but the series' wider legacy.