Yakuza: Like a Dragon

 PlayStation 5
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 179 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 144 out of 179
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 179
  3. Negative: 18 out of 179
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  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 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 yourSo 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. poko1
    Mar 3, 2021
    9
    To keep it short and sweet, the most fun I've had playing a game in a while. The boosts of the PS5 are relatively subtle but there are clear improvements to graphical fidelity. It is overall, a much smoother, cleaner, and more polished experience with load times reduced significantly from the PS4 version. The story remains one of the wackiest yet one of the most emotional games of the manyTo keep it short and sweet, the most fun I've had playing a game in a while. The boosts of the PS5 are relatively subtle but there are clear improvements to graphical fidelity. It is overall, a much smoother, cleaner, and more polished experience with load times reduced significantly from the PS4 version. The story remains one of the wackiest yet one of the most emotional games of the many PS5 and PS4 games that are around. A must-play for so many reasons. There is a sharp dichotomy between gameplay and the story but this dissonance works so well to make such a memorable experience, as always with Yakuza games. That's the best way to describe Yakuza: like a dragon. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but damn near close to it. I could go into details about its many perfections and imperfections but that's for real reviewers. I'm just excited to see how Ryu Ga Gotoku takes further advantage of the newer hardware for the next games in the series.… Expand
  3. Luahanseng
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    Game Completed : April 4, 2021
    Playing hours : 52 hours
    I remember how much i fell in love with the final fantasy series particularly the classic ones 6 to 10. Each of the entry provides unique, inspiring and invested story. I remember whenever we anticipate how will the next setting be and a present time setting is the least we could anticipate because the integration with its formula    Game Completed : April 4, 2021
    Playing hours : 52 hours

    I remember how much i fell in love with the final fantasy series particularly the classic ones 6 to 10. Each of the entry provides unique, inspiring and invested story. I remember whenever we anticipate how will the next setting be and a present time setting is the least we could anticipate because the integration with its formula seems impossible. Thanks to Yakuza like a dragon, this is exactly how i imagine it to be and it is a MASTERPIECE! i now have a new favorite series well... tied with FF7 Remake. Its quirkiness makes it even more authentic. What i also find in the game such a masterpiece is how the story and narrative tied up together for 40 hours where it never felt stretched. Which is my common complain with triple A story driven game like the Witcher, Assassins Creed where its a 40 to 50 hour game but should only take you less than 10 hours if you intent to get its main story. Yakuza like a dragon on the other hand, serves you a story with an actual 40 hour length where it never felt cut or stretched.

    Story/ Narrative : 10/10
    Graphics - 9.5/10
    Gameplay - 10/10
    Sound - 10/10
    Replay Value - 10/10
    Progression System - 10/10    … Expand
  4. bashimon
    Apr 7, 2021
    10
    This game - I cannot describe how much I love it. I've never played a Yakuza Game before (didn't like the combat system), but this one uses another approach both for combat and story (as far as I can tell). It's so goofy and pretty much every side quest is so ridiculous but in a way that is actually pleasing. It's not like the South Park games (especially the 2nd entry) where it's justThis game - I cannot describe how much I love it. I've never played a Yakuza Game before (didn't like the combat system), but this one uses another approach both for combat and story (as far as I can tell). It's so goofy and pretty much every side quest is so ridiculous but in a way that is actually pleasing. It's not like the South Park games (especially the 2nd entry) where it's just gross, this game knows how to balance seriousness, emotion and goofiness in a way that at least appeals to me. The main story is very well written and sufficiently serious while the side content is just as weird as it gets. I love kart racing, planting flowers, doing some economy simulation while playing an JRPG with dating and bonding with the characters. Graphics are also extremely nice, only the cut scenes seem to be still on PS4 level. Can only recommend.… Expand
  5. MadBert91
    May 11, 2021
    8
    Juegazo hallá donde los haya, historia interesante personaje HIPER ENTRAÑABLE, le bajo un punto por falta de doblaje al castellano, siempre penalizo por lo mismo, pero el juego es muy recomendable.
  6. NaturalLucker
    Apr 7, 2021
    8
    I loved this game during 50-hours main story. Downsides: sudden difficulty spikes and some obscure mechanics (foreman job for example). And absolutely unholy amount of grind to get the platinum (up to 20-30 hours doing the same thing all over again in one tiny dungeon).
  7. ihearthawthats
    Nov 10, 2021
    9
    Hours Played: 109 Hours
    Trophy Completion: 63/63 PLATINUM
    Worth My Time: Yes, main story + extras. Worth My Money: Yes, even at full price. What I Like: Story and characters are over-the-top fun. Gameplay follows suit. Turn-based combat is a welcome change and compliments the large cast. Tons of stuff to do. What I Dislike: I miss Kiryu. Some of the side content are hit-or-miss.    Hours Played: 109 Hours
    Trophy Completion: 63/63 PLATINUM

    Worth My Time: Yes, main story + extras.
    Worth My Money: Yes, even at full price.

    What I Like: Story and characters are over-the-top fun. Gameplay follows suit. Turn-based combat is a welcome change and compliments the large cast. Tons of stuff to do.

    What I Dislike: I miss Kiryu. Some of the side content are hit-or-miss.

    How It Stacks Up: Worthy of the Yakuza name, even if it's a different genre of game with different characters. In terms of JRPGs, it's right up there with the likes of Final Fantasy and Persona in terms of quality, but sets itself apart with the setting and characters. PS5 port is serviceable.    … Expand
  8. Ohman
    May 5, 2021
    8
    a really good jrpg, gameplay is solid , could a wish for a little bit better story!
  9. Lushen1212
    May 10, 2021
    10
    Ichiban eres jesucristo reencarnado. El mejor yakuza en mi opinion y mira que eso es decir.
  10. Daniel0809
    May 17, 2021
    9
    My favorite yakuza yet. Turn base is amazing. Story is silly and fun & old characters return is nice. love it, im at about 230 hours and going for more.
  11. bullshark
    Jun 7, 2021
    9
    I could never have pictured the Yakuza series as a JRPG, but wow, they did a fantastic job (esp. given the culture constraints the West is dealing w/ today). The story, the humor (esp. enemy names), really everything is flipping amazing about this game. That said, I could never picture it below PS5 quality; the smallest details are visible on PS5. I also didn't think Bravely Default III could never have pictured the Yakuza series as a JRPG, but wow, they did a fantastic job (esp. given the culture constraints the West is dealing w/ today). The story, the humor (esp. enemy names), really everything is flipping amazing about this game. That said, I could never picture it below PS5 quality; the smallest details are visible on PS5. I also didn't think Bravely Default II could be matched; this game ranks up there with it as among the best JRPGs of recent years.… Expand
  12. Fhskjd
    Apr 13, 2021
    10
    One of the best JRPG's I have played in a long time. It proves that they are not dead and it is possible to keep the formula fresh and interesting.
  13. kings1985
    Apr 27, 2021
    10
    finally italian subtitles, great game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  14. JLirola
    May 30, 2021
    9
    Una grandisima sorpresa, historia muy trabajada, personajes carismaticos, irreverencia, emocion, giros inesperados y muy recomendable para iniciarse en la saga Yakuza
  15. 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 is that anything UI-related just /feels/ not smooth and not polished enough.
  16. DSouls_guy
    Jul 29, 2023
    9
    Great game! But the combat can get kinda boring after a little bit of playing, I honestly think that a more action rpg formula would suite this type of game more, and make it more fun, but overall a great game.
  17. Watersson
    Sep 17, 2022
    9
    It's definitely worth giving a try. I had never thought that Yakuza would suit the classic J-RPG format but it turns out it can and it does it perfectly! The story is enjoyable almost from the beginning, graphics may not be outstanding, especially compared to PS5 exclusives, but they're more than fine, and the battle system... Well, as a fan of jrpg, I can't complain. If you enjoy classicIt's definitely worth giving a try. I had never thought that Yakuza would suit the classic J-RPG format but it turns out it can and it does it perfectly! The story is enjoyable almost from the beginning, graphics may not be outstanding, especially compared to PS5 exclusives, but they're more than fine, and the battle system... Well, as a fan of jrpg, I can't complain. If you enjoy classic RPG but hate fairy tales full of magic, monsters, etc. then Yakuza is definitely for you!… Expand
  18. Dmxdxl
    Jan 1, 2023
    10
    The story is wild and the characters endearing, the combat is layered and turn based which fits this series like a GLOVE!!..Got the platinum and let me tell you the final true test (you'll know it when you see it) will test your skills to the max and then some, this game is a masterpiece in every respect, and we'll worth your time and money,!!..
  19. 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 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. 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
  20. RodSal
    Mar 1, 2023
    9
    Awsome RPG.

    Turn based rpg with lots of classes (professions) to choose from for each caracter. There are 2 bar levels to increase during the game. One its for the base level (some skills are attached to the caracter). The other xp bar its for your class that you are current using (you can change anytime during the game). Many mini games for XP gain, stats, money, weapons and itens.    Awsome RPG.

    Turn based rpg with lots of classes (professions) to choose from for each caracter. There are 2 bar levels to increase during the game. One its for the base level (some skills are attached to the caracter). The other xp bar its for your class that you are current using (you can change anytime during the game).

    Many mini games for XP gain, stats, money, weapons and itens.

    The story itself is great with many plot twists.    … Expand
  21. frederik1478
    Jun 2, 2022
    9
    This game is the same category as persona 5 one of The few jrpg finish and enjoyed completely this is an amazing game and I would recommend it ,the charisma of the character and especially the main character is so good that you just want to continue paying it. Just to see the story. It's well acted it will compose I would recommend it 100 ÷
  22. Lyon_Heart
    Oct 25, 2022
    8
    A surprising gem, I am new to the franchise and wasn’t expecting much, but the narrative is pretty good and has decent turn based combat; my only criticism would be the limited environments. As my first yakuza experience, this game has pretty much makes sure that I will be checking for the series from here on out.
  23. RichiK
    Sep 10, 2022
    10
    Великолепный сюжет, держащий в напряжении вплоть до самой развязки. К основным действующим лицам привязываешься, как к родным, переживая их невзгоды и радости. Спасибо за русские субтитры
  24. Gyns23
    Sep 6, 2021
    8
    This is my firts play on the Yakuza franchise and I was really surprise. The game is completely crazy, theres a lot to do in the city, minigames, grinding, etc. Very funny cinematics and conversations also, but the story also becomes serious. Nice JRPG.
  25. x3ch0x
    Dec 8, 2022
    9
    I really really enjoyed this game :) This was my first game from yakuza series. Great characters, great side stories, great mini games, enjoyable fighting mechanic, great town to explore.. all in all amazing and really enjoyable game!
  26. 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
  27. RolandOG
    Dec 28, 2022
    10
    So underrated. Well deserved 10/10. The story is extremely detailed and well told. If you ever liked turn based RPGs like Final Fantasy, the combat is fun and grows on you especially as you develop more skills. My only disappointment is that I did not buy the game when it first cane out.
  28. Savarunl
    Jan 20, 2022
    10
    One of the best JRPG's i've ever played, and that says a lot since i'm a diehard JRPG junkie.

    The game is almost flawless from begin to end. From the details in the game to the music choice to the incredibly well paced out story. A gem of a game.
  29. MyOwnOpinion230
    Jul 2, 2023
    9
    One of my favorite games of the year. The story, the side missions, and the dialogue are fantastic. The only thing that stops this game from getting a 10 is the combat can get repetitive near the end of the game, but that's not to take away from it's fantastic overall design. Great game.
  30. Megalovirus
    Nov 15, 2022
    9
    Me parece el juego que espera todo amante de los RPG, es buen en todos los aspectos salvo en el apartado de música donde solo cumple. Sin duda es un video juego que todos deberían jugar. Ichiban al inicio me desespero pero fespues se conbirtio en protagonista con más desarrollo que jamás he visto
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic 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.
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  2. 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.
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  3. 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]
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