Yakuza: Like a Dragon

 PlayStation 5
Yakuza: Like a Dragon Image
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 179 Ratings

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  • Summary: RISE FROM ROCK BOTTOM - Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn't commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waitingRISE FROM ROCK BOTTOM - Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn't commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waiting for him on the outside, and his clan has been destroyed by the man he respected most.

    Confused and alone, he embarks on a mission to discover the truth behind his family's betrayal and take his life back, becoming an unlikely hero for the city's outcasts on his journey.

    LEVEL UP FROM UNDERDOG TO DRAGON IN DYNAMIC RPG COMBAT

    Experience dynamic RPG combat like none other. Switch between 19 unique Jobs ranging from Bodyguard to Musician, and use the battlefield as your weapon. Take up bats, umbrellas, bikes, street signs, and everything else at your disposal to crack some skulls!

    ENTER THE UNDERWORLD PLAYGROUND

    When you're not busy bashing heads, relax by hitting up the local arcade for some classic SEGA games, compete with locals in a no holds barred go-kart race around Yokohama, complete 50 unique substories, or just take in the scenery of a modern-day Japanese city. There's always something new around the corner.    … Expand
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon - "Heroes Of Tomorrow" English Dub Announcement Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. PSX Extreme
    Dec 21, 2021
    94
    Someone once said that Shenmue crawled so that Yakuza could run. If that’s true, then Like A Dragon is the Usain Bolt of the series. There is so much to love and discover in the game’s 50 to 70-hour main story. Top this off with a new game plus mode, and you have an RPG that I can easily see being played for hundreds of hours.
  2. RPG Fan
    Mar 22, 2021
    93
    I originally intended to wait for the PS5 version of Yakuza: Like a Dragon to start my first playthrough. When the PS4 version came out, however, I found I couldn’t wait, and I impulse bought it. I’m glad I did, since it ended up being my favorite game of 2020 and it gave me a story about love, loyalty, and helping those in need during a really trying time. But I’m also glad I played this game again on PS5. Not only is the experience better thanks to the higher resolution, better frame rate, and faster load times, but it’s just a damn good game that I’m happy to play multiple times. There are definitely a few growing pains in the transition from beat-em-up to RPG, but I have no doubt that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will address these issues in the next Yakuza game. And with the way Yakuza: Like a Dragon ends, I hope they are already working on a sequel. Because I want more!
  3. Gameblog.fr
    Mar 26, 2021
    90
    Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a must-play for both Yakuza and J-RPG fans. The PS5 version is a step-up from the original release and the story is as gripping as ever. We just wish that the PS5 version had made use of the DualSense's features and the Activity cards.
  4. Worth Playing
    Sep 21, 2021
    86
    Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an important entry for a series that's trying to redefine itself without losing what makes it Yakuza. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even though its pacing was inconsistent. A lot of the enjoyment is due to the new protagonist Ichiban, his memorable companions, and their relationships, which are engaging to explore. Most of the adventure is set in the Yokohama region, which is a joy to interact with, and so are its shops and engaging side stories. While the introduction of RPG mechanics was a daring move, it ultimately paid off, and I prefer the full-on RPG approach over the old brawler gameplay. Most of its RPG systems are simplistic to the point of almost being repetitive, but it lays a solid and fun foundation upon which future titles can build.
  5. PlayStation Universe
    Mar 5, 2021
    85
    Yakuza: Like A Dragon on PS5 is still the same great game as it was on PS4. However, as upgrades go, there isn't much here for new players and PS5 feature support is weak or not well implemented. So, the game is just as good as it was, but there isn't much of a reason to come back.
  6. Eurogamer Italy
    Mar 1, 2021
    80
    Quotation forthcoming.
  7. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 6, 2021
    80
    A basic upgrade. The SSD helps load some elements more quickly; the graphics aren’t radically improved. That said, the game is still phenomenal. [Issue#187, p.88]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 59
  3. Negative: 6 out of 59
  1. Essie
    Mar 10, 2021
    10
    So it looked great on ps4 with 1080p 30fps, but looks amazing on ps5 with 1440p and a cool 60fps locked. The game itself has an amazing storySo it looked great on ps4 with 1080p 30fps, but looks amazing on ps5 with 1440p and a cool 60fps locked. The game itself has an amazing story with lovable characters. Devs took a chance with turn base combat but it paid off, even though I loved old yakuza fighting style. (Play judgment if you want a newer yakuza game with fresh graphics, top notch game too), my only complaint is that your ps4 save file won’t carry over so you have to start over. Would’ve given it an 9 because of that but am giving it a 10 to counter losers putting a 0 because of the save carry over thing.… Expand
  2. Seungmin7142
    Mar 1, 2022
    10
    할인할때 샀는데 너무 만족했다. 정가로 주고 사도 후회 안할만큼 컨텐츠도 많고 연출력도 뛰어나다. 그리고 한국 캐릭터랑 배경도 많이 나와서 너무 좋았다. 앞으로 용과같이 시리즈 차기작들은 무조건 예약구매 할 것임.할인할때 샀는데 너무 만족했다. 정가로 주고 사도 후회 안할만큼 컨텐츠도 많고 연출력도 뛰어나다. 그리고 한국 캐릭터랑 배경도 많이 나와서 너무 좋았다. 앞으로 용과같이 시리즈 차기작들은 무조건 예약구매 할 것임.
  4. Andersragnar
    Mar 15, 2023
    10
    I love ,it gives this good old final fantasy 9 and 10 feeling,i love turnbased games ,with a lot of humour
  5. nahobino5_
    Jun 26, 2021
    9
    One of the most charming games ever. This has some personality to it! The perfect first Yakuza game too, if you're new. My only complaint isOne of the most charming games ever. This has some personality to it! The perfect first Yakuza game too, if you're new. My only complaint is that anything UI-related just /feels/ not smooth and not polished enough.… Expand
  6. whakkers
    Sep 26, 2022
    9
    Amazing Game. I've been a fan of the Yakuza series for about as far back as I can remember. I've also been a fan of jrpg's since I had theAmazing Game. I've been a fan of the Yakuza series for about as far back as I can remember. I've also been a fan of jrpg's since I had the original Final Fantasy of the NES, so I was very excited and intrigued to hear the Yakuza the series was going in this direction. I feel this is a wonderful and near perfect attempt at meshing the Yakuza series with a traditional role playing game. The story was captivating, great characters and so e very memorable battles. I enjoyed the real time button pressing events that allowed you to power up hits or block, dodge or lower the effectiveness of opponents as well, it was great for staying focused and a bit of a throwback to classics such as Super Mario RPG. The developers truly had 16 bit rpg blood in their veins as there was constant references to the genre.

    As for the few things I felt the game could do better, I felt the sewer dungeon design was rather bland and boring, I also felt the section in Chapter 12 in which most will encounter a difficulty spike really threw off the pacing of the game. I had done every sibstory and not shows away from any fights you to that point, and still gained twenty levels(started Chapter 12 at level 37and grinded to 57)to move forward in the game. I'd probably put some of the "metal slime" high experience enemies outside of the dungeon and or make the dungeon areas a bit more interesting and I feel that would be a great improvement moving forward. I didn't find the sewer areas interesting at all so it truly felt grindy to grind. That being said, great game, amazing heartfelt story, fun gameplay, wonderful direction and protagonist. The 50 hours I spent was well worth it as was the money I spent.    … Expand
  7. BrianDavid94
    Sep 1, 2022
    8
    Quick background on me the reviewer, I tend to like single player games that is heavy on narrative the most. I also play a lot of racing gamesQuick background on me the reviewer, I tend to like single player games that is heavy on narrative the most. I also play a lot of racing games and use to play multiplayer games in my high school days but now that it's hard for me and my friends to find a good time to link up so now it’s more rare for me to get into a multiplayer game. Up to try any genre of games and sometimes I find something new that I didn't think I'd like. I own a PC (built by me), Xbox One X, Xbox Series X, PS3, PS4, PS5, and a Switch. I prefer Playstation due to their focus on narrative games. For scoring, I’ll be using the Gameinformer review scale and of course influenced by my personal opinions.

    (8) Very Good. Innovated, but perhaps not in the right choice for everyone. This score indicates that there are many good things to be had, but arguable so.

    This was my first Yakuza game. What stands out to me is the amount of side content they have that makes this game feel full and lived in. Characters are fun and the exaggeration of the characters actions are what makes them fun. I didn’t care for the inconsistency of things being voiced or not but I get it. There is a lot of content here to afford voice acting in everything. I like that decision over leaving it out but still takes out from the experience. Graphics could use some updating. The main story was interesting but after 100hrs, felt like it at least, I gave up on playing the game and didn’t finish. Probably let myself get distracted by the side content too much and I got tired of the battle system. Don’t let that stop you from trying the game. I can see why people love the series and maybe its right for you. Go give it a try.    … Expand
  8. benprofessional
    Aug 4, 2022
    0
    Boring game at all, feels like game from 1995 year from sega, not recommend to play even for free

See all 59 User Reviews

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15
#15 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2021
39
#39 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2021

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