Yakuza: Like a Dragon

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 583 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 460 out of 583
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 583
  3. Negative: 76 out of 583
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  1. chronogaming8
    Feb 14, 2021
    9
    I had my doubts about this Like a Dragon, but I loved it. The combat system lacks some depth but it is quite entertaining; and the story and especially the characters are really good. Kasuga Ichiban is an incredible main character!
  2. Mr_Beanyot
    Nov 21, 2020
    9
    I've only started playing for about 2 hours; but the 2 hours I've been playing has me fully immersed. I haven't played many yakuza games, but when I heard this one would be an turn based RPG, (my favorite game type) I knew I had to grab it. The combat is as basic RPG as you get, but the meat is definitely in the characters and story. I felt for the characters so far and felt happy, sad andI've only started playing for about 2 hours; but the 2 hours I've been playing has me fully immersed. I haven't played many yakuza games, but when I heard this one would be an turn based RPG, (my favorite game type) I knew I had to grab it. The combat is as basic RPG as you get, but the meat is definitely in the characters and story. I felt for the characters so far and felt happy, sad and betrayed along with them. I am also very happy that this Yakuza game has an english dub as sometimes I miss things reading subtitles; a personal gripe for yakuza games, but it never made them bad games. I'm just a guy who likes dub over sub. Regardless of your preference, the English voice acting is top notch, and any fan of the jojo dub will recognize a few voices. I might change my score for better or worse as I continue to play the game but as of this moment this is one ofthe better RPG games I played in a long time… Expand
  3. hassanchop79
    Sep 20, 2021
    9
    What a great game!
    Just get it and play it. It's that simple. Awesome characters and story and great new combat system.
  4. marvsfontanilla
    Mar 31, 2021
    9
    Story: 10
    Graphics: 9
    Sound: 9
    Gameplay: 9
    Game Time: 60 Hours (Main Story + Extra)
  5. Phil998
    Dec 5, 2020
    9
    I've never played a Yakuza game before this, but this is absolutely fantastic.
  6. Valecious
    Nov 17, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story - one of the best yakuza games when it comes to story. I loved that politics were more a bigger part of the story than it was in previous games. I hope the upcoming games will not abandon economical/social/political aspects as well. Characters were really interesting, however, there were some "meh" plot beats towards the end of the game that I think could have been avoided in order to improve the overall story. 9/10

    Gameplay - it was done well and I enjoyed it, however, "beat 'em up" genre is what Yakuza series should stick to. It's not that turn-based gameplay wasn't good, it just don't belong in this game (in my opinion). 8/10

    Sub-stories and mini games - some of them were very deep and interesting. Loved finance-related mini game and hope to see something similar in the future games (maybe stock market?) 9/10

    New City: As we, old-timers, know cities in Yakuza games are characters on their own. It was obvious that Sotenbori and Kamurocho wasn't the main focus of the series, but it was nice that they were included (makes you feel nostalgic). Yokohama was noticeably bigger than any previous city, it had a nice vibe,yet, felt a little bit too empty. Maybe it's because I'm used to smaller cities of the previous games that are packed with various stuff. 8/10

    Overall, I give this game 9/10. It could have been among the best ones (Yakuza 0,2), but new combat system wasn't suitable enough to bring me that experience (-1 for combat system)    … Expand
  7. Tavastian
    Jan 24, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very good old school JRPG with a modern twist. Feels like this game took all the best from old school jrpgs like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Persona etc and blended them together to create this masterful experience.… Expand
  8. Bumpy-peel
    Nov 12, 2020
    9
    Really enjoying this latest addition to the Yakuza franchise the change from beat em up style combat to a turn based jrpg style is handled very well the new hero ichiban kasuga feels very familiar like kiryu honour and friendship comes before all I've really enjoyed looking under vending machines looking for change I was sad to see don Quixote go e :( but
    That hasn't stopped me enjoying the game
  9. edu_110
    Apr 20, 2021
    9
    Muy buen juego ,entretenido y bastante largo ,último es bueno y malo , ya que para mí fue largo de mas ,con tantas cosas que puedes hacer bien puedes llevar 30 horas de juego y apenas ir en el 4to capitulo.
  10. Boehls123
    Jun 5, 2021
    9
    Fun game, the turn based actually works pretty well, also love the characters and their bond they have along with good story
  11. Enlocke
    Nov 13, 2020
    9
    Really good Yakuza, the transition to turn based battle is really well done and the story is really heartfelt. Ichiban is not Kiryu and that's fine, he's different but also more endearing for me, he's a goofball with a lot of humour with a really tragic story. The other characters of the group are pretty good and most of them interact with Ichiban's life in some way. Really can't recommendReally good Yakuza, the transition to turn based battle is really well done and the story is really heartfelt. Ichiban is not Kiryu and that's fine, he's different but also more endearing for me, he's a goofball with a lot of humour with a really tragic story. The other characters of the group are pretty good and most of them interact with Ichiban's life in some way. Really can't recommend enough. For a first jab at turn based and a whole new cast, RGGs has really done a tremendous job and I for one can't wait to see them build upon what they've done here like they did with Yakuza 1 and Kiryu's story back then.… Expand
  12. sinsimmer
    Nov 15, 2020
    9
    i'm a big fan of Yakuza series and this is the new experience for me. My thought on Yakuza 7 beside introducing new characters, also has a bigger map which takes new place that i love to exploring more. RPG style in this game reminds me about Persona 5 and Dragon Quest as well. i really enjoyed throughout the storyline in this game along with the side story mission.
    for the combat is also    i'm a big fan of Yakuza series and this is the new experience for me. My thought on Yakuza 7 beside introducing new characters, also has a bigger map which takes new place that i love to exploring more. RPG style in this game reminds me about Persona 5 and Dragon Quest as well. i really enjoyed throughout the storyline in this game along with the side story mission.
    for the combat is also so impressive which turn based system.

    if you a fan hardcore of Yakuza don't ever skip this one. i consider this game as the best game RPG in this year following Persona 5 Royal.    … Expand
  13. EasternWytch
    Nov 16, 2020
    9
    I would love to rate this a full 10.The problem is the new turn based fighting system is just plain awful and frustrating.This game was never meant to have JRPG elements.Being able to choose between both original style and new would be fair.I do love that Judgement and this game have English voice over.Overall a great game with Japanese humor.
  14. CBowline
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    It’s a dialogue heavy game, but bear with it. This game is extremely fun and giving. I had a big smile on my face most of the time, except from when the dialogue got a little too long. But that doesn’t really take away from the game. Walking around the streets in Japan never felt more fun. The new turn-based rpg fighting system is also fun, and lots of skills and weapons. Great feel-goodIt’s a dialogue heavy game, but bear with it. This game is extremely fun and giving. I had a big smile on my face most of the time, except from when the dialogue got a little too long. But that doesn’t really take away from the game. Walking around the streets in Japan never felt more fun. The new turn-based rpg fighting system is also fun, and lots of skills and weapons. Great feel-good game with mini-games in game that will have you spending lots of time with them. Story is really well written, and really funny at times. I love this game! 9/10… Expand
  15. sotetelme
    Dec 9, 2020
    9
    I finished my first playthrough and got the platinum last night. Honestly it's been such a great journey. I absolutely adored the new cast and found the main story engaging, even if I enjoyed Y0 or Judgment's stories slightly more.
    Yakuza games are always packed with lots of content and Like a Dragon continues that tradition. Most substories are memorable and help you become immersed in    I finished my first playthrough and got the platinum last night. Honestly it's been such a great journey. I absolutely adored the new cast and found the main story engaging, even if I enjoyed Y0 or Judgment's stories slightly more.
    Yakuza games are always packed with lots of content and Like a Dragon continues that tradition. Most substories are memorable and help you become immersed in the city of Yokohama. So do the dozen or so minigames, most of which are really fun and there are some that haven't been in previous titles. Seriously, the amount of content and fun activities this game (and Yakuza in general) has is ridiculous compared to most AAA titles nowadays.
    The game's soundtrack definitely deserves a mention as well. There are some standout boss themes and I enjoyed the different tracks that play under substories too. Karaoke makes a return after being absent from Judgment and it's also great fun. Rocking out to Machine Gun Kiss is a must once in a while.
    The only thing I felt was lacking is the combat. I had no problem with it being turn based since I'm a Persona guy but it was clunky and could definitely use some polish if there's ever a sequel with this mechanic. It didn't feel that grindy, except for doing a certain trophy that's needed for platinum. I feel this could be fixed with a function which speeds up or even completely skips attack animations. But then again, completing the main story does not require excessive grind.

    To conclude, this was the first game I ever preordered and I think I got everything I wanted from it and then some. Thoroughly enjoyed the journey.    … Expand
  16. Sunnyursa
    Dec 14, 2020
    9
    The game was a joy through and through, the protagonist ichiban is well developed character that sticks with his morals and is totally different from kiryu. The music when fighting gives you such energy that you forget your controller and rave.
  17. DaJuSa
    Jan 16, 2021
    9
    Esta opinión es totalmente subjetiva

    Es el primer Yakuza que juego, así que no tenia ninguna referencia anterior, y me ha encantado. Los personajes, la trama, la ciudad y sus actividades y misiones secundarias bien diseñadas, casi todo en este juego me ha parecido buenísimo. No le pongo un 10, por dos razones derivadas del combate, aunque me ha parecido muy divertido también, tengo    Esta opinión es totalmente subjetiva

    Es el primer Yakuza que juego, así que no tenia ninguna referencia anterior, y me ha encantado. Los personajes, la trama, la ciudad y sus actividades y misiones secundarias bien diseñadas, casi todo en este juego me ha parecido buenísimo.

    No le pongo un 10, por dos razones derivadas del combate, aunque me ha parecido muy divertido también, tengo que decir.

    - Al combate le falta profundidad. En términos generales se acaba basando en hacer el movimiento que mas daño hace, y pocas veces se aprovechan bien los estados alterados. Además me ha dado la sensación en ocasiones, de que los bosses estaban programados para hacer X movimiento cuando su salud llegaba a algún porcentaje, y si llegaba y le seguías atacando, esos ataques no le quitaban barra de vida hasta que hacia el movimiento predefinido (esto ultimo es una suposición, pero si es verdad, es un fallo grande)
    - Los trabajos: El juego no te invita a jugar con los trabajos de los personajes, y creo que pecan de falta de profundidad como el combate. Quizá menos trabajos mas diferenciados, habría sido lo ideal.

    Pero en resumen, me ha parecido un juegazo, y espero que con mas experiencia en el combate, el siguiente juego sea un 10.    … Expand
  18. HongTae-TH
    Jan 25, 2021
    9
    a bit too grindy but if you love a turn-base RPG combat, I think it isn't too bad.
    Fantastic Story, likeable new characters
    Even if I'm new to a yakuza game series, turned out it's great.
    Make me want to play other yakuza games.
  19. ScarTzi
    Mar 16, 2021
    9
    For those who doesn't like turn based games probably are not gonna like it however, for those like me who like a long game with good lore it's worth give a shot. The game has pretty good substories and develops the side characters pretty well... I cried at the end xD
  20. PlatinumReviews
    Mar 7, 2022
    9
    Yakuza Like a Dragon is an amazing game to say the least. A JRPG set in a real world setting, Real world elements like taxi's being used for fast travel being just one of the super unique ideas put in this game. With a truly unique story, Highly likeable characters and epic combat what could be wrong with this game. Well for starters with this turning into a turned based JRPG while keepingYakuza Like a Dragon is an amazing game to say the least. A JRPG set in a real world setting, Real world elements like taxi's being used for fast travel being just one of the super unique ideas put in this game. With a truly unique story, Highly likeable characters and epic combat what could be wrong with this game. Well for starters with this turning into a turned based JRPG while keeping true to some Yakuza elements characters can sometimes get stuck on environments when fighting which can cause you to miss attacks. the game does have some bugs as well but overall Like a Dragon is a game I would highly recommend to any JRPG fan.… Expand
  21. Fyxhcl
    Jan 3, 2023
    9
    Great game. It was the first Yakuza game for me, but I'm a JRPGs fan so I knew I should give this a try. I wasn't disappointed at all.

    Graphics are good. Yeah maybe not the absolute best for newer generation of console, but whatever: the setting is realistic and really well done, you'll really feel like you're exploring a japanese city and I believe there aren't two building that are    Great game. It was the first Yakuza game for me, but I'm a JRPGs fan so I knew I should give this a try. I wasn't disappointed at all.

    Graphics are good. Yeah maybe not the absolute best for newer generation of console, but whatever: the setting is realistic and really well done, you'll really feel like you're exploring a japanese city and I believe there aren't two building that are the same, exploring and looking at the details is amazing and fun. Characters animation are good too. The game is really stilysh and full of funny stuff.

    The combat looks super cool and it's pretty quick, although it is very simple and after some time it gets a bit repetitive. Especially the characters customization is not the best, with a lot of useless skills, or skills that are too similar between them. Jobs are interesting but it's difficult and grindy to unlock them all, so I stuck with the best ones for each character and only leveled those.

    The plot is very good. Maybe a bit over the top, but is full of twists and it really drags you towards all the game, because you'll want to know why certain things happened, the ending and the resolution of everything is satisfying. The characters are interesting, maybe not too deep but they are ok and a good company.

    Sub quests are nothing special and not too difficult, mostly you'll need to fetch something or kill some enemy, but what make you want to do them are the silly little stories that they have behind, that are always interesting and fun. The game is full of mini games, and while I didn't play all of them, they're not necessary at all to finish the game, so you can choose to play those that you prefer. Grinding them all to get 100% would be a boring activity but I didn't feel the need to do that.

    I was a bit disappointed by the two additional areas that open up later in the game, they don't add much to the gameplay and are simple containers for a few shops or other minigames (similar to those in the main area) so I was excited to explore them, but didn't find them very interesting in the end.

    Overall, I consider this one of the best JRPGs that I played lately, it has some flaws but does well so much more things, the setting is very original for a JRPG so that's some fresh air for fans of the genre. If you like the genre just get this game and you won't be disappointed.    … Expand
  22. t_bone
    Dec 20, 2021
    9
    This game was great, both as a stand-alone and as a game in the Yakuza series. I love the Yakuza series and was really worried about a game without Kiryu. I also loved Yakuza's unique brand of fighting, so I was pretty worried that the switch to a new main character and a new fighting system at the same time. But it was awesome! I'm not a JRPG guy but I still really enjoyed the combat,This game was great, both as a stand-alone and as a game in the Yakuza series. I love the Yakuza series and was really worried about a game without Kiryu. I also loved Yakuza's unique brand of fighting, so I was pretty worried that the switch to a new main character and a new fighting system at the same time. But it was awesome! I'm not a JRPG guy but I still really enjoyed the combat, party-building dynamics, and fighting animation. I was also happy to see the minigames not only stayed the same, but also had some new ones added (RIP bowling, though, it was awesome). Overall, the game felt both comfortable and wholly new at the same time!

    The story was really, really fantastic. Probably the best in the whole Yakuza franchise, and definitely one of my favorite out of all the non-Yakuza RPGs I've played. It introduces a bunch of new twists and avoids some of the cliches that dominated the stories of Yakuza 2/3/4.

    The only downside is that the game definitely gets a little grind-y at times and has some unnecessary mechanics that don't add much, but do complicate things. There's too many unavoidable, easily winnable street encounters at the end/midgame. And the jobs, forge, and gear mechanics were more annoying than anything, but they basically sort themselves out by the endgame. But these are minor setbacks. The combat is fun, the story is good, there's a lot to do, and the world feels alive. You should get this game!    … Expand
  23. Milo2904
    Feb 16, 2023
    9
    I did enjoy previous Yakuza games, but this one is my favorite. Loved the new combat system!
  24. JossuaVera
    Sep 28, 2022
    9
    Es increíble, de los mejores protagonistas de la historia del videojuego. Es magnífico probar un juego tan bueno y que a la vez sea un homenaje hacia las bases del JRPG y de la cultura japonesa.
  25. Lynrev
    Nov 18, 2022
    9
    The atmosphere, the scenario , the CHARACTERS are all a 10/10 in this game . the side quests are the best like it's a f****** banger . the only things that keep it away from a 10/10 in my heart are the combat system that feels good most of the time but sometimes it's just weird (in not a good way) and the difficulty curve that is just bad like its linear most of the game but 2-3 times itThe atmosphere, the scenario , the CHARACTERS are all a 10/10 in this game . the side quests are the best like it's a f****** banger . the only things that keep it away from a 10/10 in my heart are the combat system that feels good most of the time but sometimes it's just weird (in not a good way) and the difficulty curve that is just bad like its linear most of the game but 2-3 times it just goes bruh ???
    Still it's a very good game ,i recommend it from the bottom of my heart    … Expand
  26. bub156
    Feb 9, 2022
    9
    This was my first Yakuza game and I basically went in blind. The first few chapters of the game really blew my mind and set up lots of intrigue and really made me root for the main protagonist. The characters are fleshed out and likeable, and the game really made me feel like I was in a lived in world, in comparison to some other open world games I've played where the open world feltThis was my first Yakuza game and I basically went in blind. The first few chapters of the game really blew my mind and set up lots of intrigue and really made me root for the main protagonist. The characters are fleshed out and likeable, and the game really made me feel like I was in a lived in world, in comparison to some other open world games I've played where the open world felt pointless. I think the inclusion of tons and tons of completely optional mini games, character dialogue, and real world restaurants and shops really led to this feeling. There's tons of content that you might not notice if you're trying to get through the story as fast as possible (although none of it is actually "missable" content) which encourages the player to take their time and really get sucked into the world of Yokohama. The english voice acting is actually pretty fantastic in my opinion, which is rare in JRPGs. Towards the later half of the game I found the plot to be getting a little convoluted when it came to the political intrigue with all of the various crime families and it became difficult to keep track of who was who. Fortunately this is all relatively neatly tied up towards the end with an ending that felt satisfying and conclusive.

    The JRPG combat mechanics were enjoyable at first, with hits having a satisfying weight to them and ridiculous over the top cutscenes that made me want to try out every possible ability. However difficulty wise the game was a bit too easy for me to the point where I found myself just auto attacking 99% of the time. This is a huge gaping contrast to the optional end game boss which more or less requires your characters to be fully maxed out which ended up being way too much of a ridiculous challenge for me to want to attempt. All in all though, this didn't detract enough to pull me out of the engaging open world and captivating story.    … Expand
  27. Masterofcard198
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excelente por donde se lo mire , la historia es muy buena , y el modo de lucha espectacular.… Expand
  28. Jollyolfun
    Nov 18, 2022
    9
    Perhaps my favorite JRPG of all time. Notable because of its geography and timing based turned based combat. The story is also wonderful.
  29. nfs7379
    Aug 30, 2022
    9
    9/10........................................................................................
  30. MoGee
    Apr 23, 2022
    9
    第三个白金游戏！
    这次变革我觉得挺成功的，除了职业系统与技能不够成熟外，算是找回了曾经第一次玩如龙0的感觉。
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best PS4 Game of 2020
27
#27 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 9, 2021
    85
    Like a Dragon is the eighth installment of Yakuza, but a new protagonist makes it a great opportunity to get acquainted with the franchise. Even though the new turn-based combat system may become tedious at some point and I was disappointed with the lack of thrilling boss battles, it’s one of the best games in the series. Ichiban Kasuga and his friends are a really awesome bunch and I very much enjoyed experiencing Yokohama through their eyes. [01/2021, p.70]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2021
    100
    A great detour from the classic Japanese series, which shows that the Yakuza can work with turn-based battles and a ton of bizarre humor. [Issue#309]
  3. GameCritics
    Feb 27, 2021
    90
    Issues aside, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a masterpiece that might also be of historical note, since I’m hard-pressed to come up with another series that changed genres without losing what made it special in the first place. Players come to Yakuza games expecting fantastic storytelling, a bustling open world, and intense combat. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios have proven they can swap out one leg of that stool without sacrificing its strength, and that’s an accomplishment few can claim.
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