As the first mainline Yakuza entry to venture into turn-based JRPG territory, Like A Dragon brings heartfelt homages to iconic franchises like Dragon Quest alongside the series‘ signature blend of hyperdramatic crime drama and hyperkinetic urban chaos.
This bold genre leap doesn’t always stick the landing. An overabundance of repetitive random encounters and lengthy late-game dungeon crawls drag down the pacing. Yet with renewed combat and progression systems, along with an endearing found family narrative, Yakuza’s freshman RPG effort contains plenty of heart to earn a spot amongst the best entries in SEGA’s long-running crime saga.
Tokyo’s Underbelly Awaits
Casting players as idiot savant and ex-yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, Like A Dragon transports gamers back to the bustling city streets of Kamurocho. While series veteran Kiryu serves as an off-screen legend, the focal turf war concerns two rival yakuza families – the Omi Alliance and Tojo Clan. With the stage set, Ichiban rounds up a motley crew of social rejects to help unravel a Shakespearean plot full of backstabbings and gangland machinations.
From disgraced cops to aspiring dominatrices, Ichiban’s squad brims with misfits worthy of starring in their own redemption arcs. While supporting characterization remains somewhat thin, the found family dynamic eventually pays dividends during the climactic final act. And if overarching themes about loyalty, honor, and street justice feel familiar, Like A Dragon leans hard into the Yakuza formula – generally for the better.
A Bold New Battle System
Ditching real-time brawling, Like A Dragon now features a classic turn-based battle framework complete with job classes like Gangster, Musician, and Chef. Each brings unique special abilities to the fray, with distinct playstyles to accommodate. Do you transform former cop Adachi into a bike-wielding thug to maximize damage? Or lean into his natural investigative talents as a Fortuneteller to debilitate groups of foes?
The job system grants plenty of flexibility for experimentation, if not necessarily depth. Many later-game classes feel like derivatives of earlier options with scarcer selections compared to classics like Final Fantasy V. Still, searching for optimal ability combinations across Ichiban‘s seven-person party proves plenty engaging.
And the slower pace allows Like A Dragon’s comedic swagger to shine during combat. Watching enemies get mercilessly pelted with healing items from protagonist Kasuga’sInventory brings joyous laughs. Seeing towering foes topple face-first onto the pavement from Ichiban’s clumsy strikes elicits equal parts empathy and satisfaction.
Peppering standard melee with Items, unique Skills, intermittent Quick Time Events, and tag-team Assists means monotonous grindfests remain rare. Yet during extended late-game dungeons, the endless random battles increasingly feel like speed bumps rather than worthwhile obstacles. An option to toggle or limit enemy encounters would mark a welcome quality of life fix.
Combat Pacing Comparison
| Game | Style | Speed | Visuals | Depth | Learning Curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakuza 0 | Real-time action | Fast | Minimal animations | Moderate weapon/style options | Easy to grasp |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | Turn-based tactical | Slow | Elaborate animations | Class system + partner abilities | Medium complexity |
| Judgment | Real-time action | Fast | Cinematic finishes | Moderate style flexibility | Easy to grasp |
Table: Comparison of the combat pacing, speed, visual flair, depth, and learning curves across recent Yakuza games
An Eye-Popping Virtual Tokyo
Yakuza games live and die by the digital recreation of Tokyo‘s Kabukich? District more affectionately known as Kamurocho. And Like A Dragon’s rendering ranks among the best in the series thanks to environmental details that bring the neon-lit city to life.
The red-light vibrancy of Champion District practically hums while careworn establishments like Survive Bar anchor common beats in Ichiban’s winding quest. Plenty of urban secrets encourage detours down back alleys and into one of 130+ explorable indoor environments. From lively arcades to a cat café brimming with cuddly kitties, ambient sites provide valuable world-building between story missions.
The city almost acts as another character itself, bustling with absurd dilemmas awaiting around each corner. Hours flew by during my unstructured roams down alleyways and into underground gambling dens. In my 40+ hours, I never tired of wandering the familiar, yet ever-surprising streets.
While recent entries adopted the polished Dragon Engine for improved graphical fidelity, Like A Dragon represents a subtle step back in certain areas. Jaggies, texture pop-in, and inconsistent frame pacing rear their heads occasionally despite playing on Xbox Series X.
The performance focused Graphics Mode smooths out frame rate hitches at the cost of environmental detail. Meanwhile, the Resolution Mode enhances textures and artifacts with sharpening effects applied, albeit with more severe slowdown in busy intersections. Neither option fully satisfies, especially given Like A Dragon no longer requires rendering complex real-time physics.
Activities Aplenty
Yet Kamurocho dazzles all the same thanks to quirky characters and urbanites that soldier through the tech troubles. And filling Ichiban’s downtime between hard-boiled plot beats stands Like A Dragon’s real crown jewel – the dizzying array of recreational activities.
Want to belt out drunk karaoke, wield a baseball bat in a local derby, or test your nerd knowledge via trivia? Tire of minigames? Why not help film an amateur zombie flick or become the hero Kamurocho deserves? Or if drinking and debauchery prove more alluring, try mixing cocktails at a hostess club or betting on illegal street races. Suffice to say, Like A Dragon always offers memorable distractions off the beaten path to complement the critical path.
My personal favorite remains helping Majima Construction revitalize the newly named Isezaki Ijincho area via real estate ventures. Investing campaign funds to trigger amusing PR events not only bolsters property values but brings welcome laughs across this multi-step side story. It encapsulates the mix of goofiness and surprising heart that Yakuza games nail so well.
Is This Game For You?
With a sprawling map, extensive combo brawler combat, and 60+ hour critical path, the Yakuza franchise always catered to hardcore players willing to immerse in Eastern crime dramas. Yet Like A Dragon lowers barriers to entry in many respects while retaining series strengths. The slower turn-based battles prove more welcoming to genre newcomers. And enhanced accessibility options like adjustable difficulty reduce punitive elements that previously amplified frustration.
Rest assured that series veterans craving complex combos, gear hunting, and seminal story beats have plenty to enjoy beyond surface tweaks. But also know that the narrative merely offers setup for grander sequels rather than a self-contained arc. Overlong late-game dungeons feel egregious even for patient players. Yet during slower sections, the vibrancy of Kamurocho and strength of characters carry play sessions just the same.
In reinventing itself via fresh mechanics and faces, Yakuza: Like A Dragon brings heartfelt homages to classics like Dragon Quest alongside the captivating chaos quintessential to Japan’s digital underground. Some genre transplants prove less successful than others, but shakeups ultimately keep this DETECTIVE saga feeling fresh 14 installments later.
Score: 8/10
For Yakuza fans yearning for their next beat ‘em up fix or JRPG aficionados seeking an accessible on-ramp, Yakuza: Like A Dragon mostly sticks the landing – provided you set expectations accordingly and wait for a price drop. This gonzo crime fantasy remains an absolute blast, even when it trips over its own ambitious vision.