Reviews from

in the past


eram DOIS bebeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

Wow, I LOVED this game. Ichiban Kasuga is the best videogame protagonist, he and all the party characters are just stellar. The world is so full of things to do. This game manages to feel so niche but so for everyone all at the same time. Definitely playing Infinite Wealth.

Kasuga Ichiban Will Take Them Down!
Justice Will Sometimes Be Ruthless!
Blade In Hand, Facing Pain And Hardship,
He Cuts Through This New Era!

Se me ponen los pelos de punta 😂

Ils ont su avoir un changement avec la même âme, chapeau !


Great game, I thought Ichiban was an excellent new protagonist and as a big RPG fan I really liked the change in gameplay style

Divertidíssimo, charmoso, mas repeitoso, LIKE A DRAGON respeita suas origens e vai além, tenta criar algo pra sí próprio.
Boa entrada pra franquia, e uma carta de amor para todos os jogos que o antecedem, mesmo diferindo em estilos.

one of the most fun experiences you could ever have with a yakuza entry
the story is nice, the characters are absolutely awesome and lovable, the turn-based combat system is designed very well to fit with the setting of the game (i love ichiban's schizophrenia) and the side content is the absolute best it can get; i've grinded this game for quite a lot and i never got bored a single time

"Once you're at rock bottom, the only way forward is up. But the bottom doesn't have to be all dark and gloomy. If you can stand and look up, you'll see the light of hope up there." - Kasuga Ichiban

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play a Persona game with a cast of characters that are all middle-aged misfits and losers who are led by a 42 year-old homeless gamer with undiagnosed schizophrenia and the personality of Luffy from One Piece? Well boy do I have a game for you...

Featuring a whole new cast of characters, a new setting, a new protagonist and even a new battle system replacing the iconic beat-em up gameplay of old for turn-based J-RPG tactics, Like a Dragon truly feels like a fresh new beginning for the Yakuza series, but at the same time a natural evolution of the series formula as well because let's be honest, past Yakuza games were just J-RPGs with beat 'em up combat.

Like a Dragon follows the tale of Kasuga Ichiban, an ex-yakuza who hits rock bottom after a tragic betrayal. Homeless and struggling to survive, Ichiban goes on a personal quest to become the hero he always dreamt he could be and uncover the truth about his betrayal. Ichiban's story is a deep and personal adventure full of incredibly strong emotional moments and easily one of the best stories the Yakuza series has to offer in general.

I really appreciate how the early game does its best to make you feel powerless and homeless to the point of even finding 500 yen under a vending machine feels like a big event that should be celebrated and that gives such a massive sense of progression in the later game when you have millions of yen and the best gear possible. Also something I adore about Like a Dragon's story and something that sets it apart from other RPGs is how it makes even the most mundane things like just getting a job feel exciting and adventurous essentially turning real life itself into an adventure which is very fitting for a character like Ichiban.

Speaking of Ichiban a lot of people will be wondering how he stands up to Kiryu and all I can say is that after being the main protagonist of the series for 7 games Kazuma Kiryu leaves some big shoes to fill and Ichiban doesn't fill them, but that's ok because Kiryu and Ichiban are two completely different characters and the game itself does it's best to get this point across. Ichiban doesn't need to fill Kiryu's shoes or take up his legacy because Ichiban is Ichiban and here's what Ichiban is, a homeless 42 year-old delusional chuunibyou who thinks life is like a video game and has the personality of a teenage anime protagonist. He's hotheaded, overly optimistic to a fault, somewhat naive and would do anything for his friends but all these traits are exactly WHY he's so endearing and what makes him such an easy protagonist to root for, the world would be a better place if we were all a little bit more like Ichiban. Also Kazuhiro Nakaya's absolutely incredible voice acting performance really helps bring Ichiban to life as a character as well.

Yakuza games of the past primarily focused on Kiryu's life and his struggles and while Yakuza 7 does the same for Ichiban it's also an RPG with a full cast of characters that follow Ichiban from beginning to end and the game does everything in its power to flesh out Ichiban's fellow party members and companions just as well as him making the sense of camaraderie they all share feel that much more real and believable. Ichiban can build up bonds with his party members simply by teaming up with them on the battlefield or by spending downtime with them at the party's hideout the Survive Bar. Some of Ichiban's party members include a fellow homeless man, an ex-detective turned alcoholic driving instructor and a barmaid. Every party member has a Persona-like social link storyline called a "Drink Link" that you can experience. These in-depth stories help give tons of depth and flesh out Ichiban's party members a lot, but even doing smaller activities like walking around town or going to eat at a restaurant will trigger party conversations and interactions that remind me of the skits from the Tales Of series and even simple things like characters talking about their favorite foods or favorite movies together really give them tons of personality and make them feel more real and relatable.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this review Like a Dragon is unlike any other Yakuza game before it being entirely turn-based and speaking as someone who has been playing J-RPGs for 20+ years of my life I think Like a Dragon has one of the most engaging and enjoyable turn-based combat systems I've ever experienced and one of the reasons why I say that is due to how dynamic the combat is thanks to the world around you constantly moving and your characters being able to use their surroundings as weapons in combat from picking up a bike they cross paths with as they go to attack an enemy to knocking an enemy into the road and letting traffic do the rest, there's no shortage of ways to handle combat situations. I also have to mention that the game is turn-based simply because that's the way Ichiban views the world when he gets into a fight due to his obsession with Dragon Quest and I think that's just another incredibly endearing aspect of his character and for a series known for its ludonarrative dissonance that's an incredibly clever way to explain the game mechanics and make them harmonize with the world of the game itself.

Naturally it's no surprise that Like a Dragon features an old school job system akin to classic Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest itself since that's Ichiban's favorite game, but what makes the job system of this game stand out is how over-the-top and silly it is. Most normal RPGs would have mages and warriors, but in Like a Dragon we get classes like "Homeless Guy" who can throw beans at enemies to summon pigeons to attack or Chef's who throw silverware or Host's who spray champagne among many other classes. The attack animations are just so over-the-top and silly that they give the game so much charm, but I think where this is most evident is in the Final Fantasy-like summons called "Poundmates" where Ichiban uses his cellphone to order some back up and the summons include a crawfish that can poison your enemies, a soup kitchen worker who can replenish your mana or a giant Yakuza dressed like a baby who's cry defeans your enemies among many others, getting a new summon was always a treat just to witness the wacky hijinks that would happen when activating it.

Yakuza games are known for their mini-games and side activities and Like a Dragon is no exception to this rule. Like a Dragon has series staples like karaoke (Featuring a few new songs which are great btw), Sega arcade games like Virtua Fighter, golf bingo and batting cages, but also new things like a Mario Kart styled racing game, a Pac-Man-like can collecting game and a massive business management simulator that is long enough and has enough depth to it that it could be its own standalone game. Another defining aspect of the Yakuza series has always been the sub-stories and like most games in the series Like a Dragon also features over 50 sub-stories (which act as the side-quests of the game) that help flesh out the world and its inhabitants even more and give extra depth to Ichiban as a character by going through these various stories and helping the people of the city around him.

Speaking of the world-building there's tons of references to past Yakuza games both in sub-stories and just in the main game too, plenty of returning characters as well and that's the one downside to the game because it's hard to recommend to people without them having played the past games as well, but that just comes with the territory of any long-running, interconnected series unfortunately.

From its Persona-like social links to it's Dragon Quest job system, Final Fantasy styled summons and Tales Of character interactions Like a Dragon is a J-RPG that's about J-RPGs. It's a beautiful love letter to my favorite genre of games wrapped up in an inspiring and emotional tale about a man who always chooses to look at the bright side of life no matter how dark things may seem. It has a charming and well written cast of memorable characters, deep and immersive world-building, tons of side content to get lost in for hours and one of the most fun, over-the-top and engaging turn based combat systems I've ever had the joy of experiencing. Simply put, Like a Dragon is nothing short of a genre defining and life changing masterpiece that will stick with me for the rest of my life and if you love J-RPGs as much as me you'd be a fool to miss out on this game.

Finished in 2024

A turning point in the series in both gameplay and cast, but i’m pleasantly surprised by how easy it was for me to get on board with the changes. Ichiban Kasuga is an amazingly fun, kindhearted and spirited loser protagonist who instantly won me over. I’ve got 73 hours into this game and i’ve grown really really attached to Ichiban and his band of misfits.

I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy the turn based combat as much, but I did enjoy the strategy aspect and the cooky skills and jobs. It keeps things fresh and the game is not as “grind-y” as other Yakuza installments (looking at you Ishin….)

Great game for veteran and new players!!

Pretty good transition to turn-based combat for the Yakuza series and I do like the new cast of characters but there's no getting away from the fact that the boss fights are not as good because of the slower battles and Ichiban ain't no Kiryu.

Surprisingly good JRPG. Great cast and story. combat is fast and not too grindy. job system is fun to play with. just a solid game overall. would definitely recommend to someone who's never played yakuza or a JRPG.

La nascita di un gran pg come Ichiban, ma troppo grinding per salire di livello in end game.

i dropped dis cause da rpg elements are a bit much for me and i had to level grind, but it's a really good game with a really good story

also ichiban is <3 <3 <3

im glad they changed the gameplay to turn based,finally a fresh air

ichiban kasuga lives rent free in my mind

LUTE AGORA COMO UM DRAGÃO!!!!!!!!!

[~1hr in]
In the first hour of playing, all I have actually done is watch 52 minutes of (admittedly funny) cutscenes, and spend the other 8 minutes having 4 minor scuffles and a bit of running around the map. Enjoying it so far though - loosely reminds me of Persona 5.

i prefer the classic combat but the turn based combat is good too
ichiban kasuga my beloved

É estranho como alguns te tocam de uma maneira diferente, sempre tive altas expectativas para ele, comecei a jogar a franquia em janeiro desse ano 2024, e espera que o like o Dragon fosse o prato principal nesse franquia de 9 jogos, o que eu não espera era o quanto os outros 7 jogos (0-6) iria me conquistar tanto, a experiência com Kiryu foi tão marcante para mim que sinto que tenho laços com ele e com os outros personagens ao lado dele, então Ichiban tinha um grande desafio pra frente, e ele conseguiu, conseguiu para caramba! Talvez a única coisa que eu realmente não gostei foi a curva de dificuldade do jogo, mas isso nem sequer embaça a qualidade do jogo, que de fato é genial, único e uma pérola, foram 50hs de muita imersão, de criar um carinho enorme pelos novos personagens e confesso que me emocionei um pouquinho com aquela cena final, Te amo Ichi! Um dos melhores rpgs q já joguei

been a yakuza fan since i was fifteen years old and holy fucking shit it still hits the same if not more. even with all the nostalgia and memories this could honestly be my favorite yakuza game ever and that's saying a lot
this game switches from "HOLY SHIT HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE SO COOL" into serious real yakuza shit into the most tragic and perfect writing ever all on a rotation RGG STUDIOS HOW DO YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASYYYY NO ONE DOES IT LIKE YOU
i am on board with EVERYTHING that changed. party and turn based system ? peak and easily better than all the combat systems of its predecessors. the way they turned this into turn based was so fucking genius and way more fun
one of my all time favorite series delivers again i'm so fucking happy i decided to circle around and continue the series 6 years after catching up
in just one game and the start of the "second arc" it shoots up to atleast top2 rgg games THANK YOU RGG
not gonna waste much time im jumping immediately on judgement and lost judgement so i can continue this series

was a bit worried about playing the turn based combat for myself but its so streamlined and fluid and fast it feels so similar to the real-time combat from the previous games its perfect, story is so good i cried 4 million times

Though this game is a huge change for this franchise, Like A Dragon pulls it off very well. Ichiban is quite possibly the best video game protagonist ever written. Stepping into his world feels like being a kid playing in the backyard and imagining adventures set in classic RPGs. I would recommend this game to anyone looking to get a fresh start with the franchise, then to go back and play the previous entries if the world intrigues them.

I took a three year break half way through this game, but I finally returned to it this month and saw the game through!

A major turning point for the series for not only changing the cast, but changing the style of combat from action to turn based. While not every aspect of the new turn based system felt fully realized in how the characters respond to the environment and enemies around them as they move, I’d still take this over the floaty input delay mess that was Yakuza 6 and some of the other Dragon Engine games before Gaiden finally cleaned things up.

While I don’t think the main story landed with me, I really was won over by Ichiban Kasuga. The guy is just such a delusional loser, but I couldn’t help but root for him all the way through.


JOGASSO DA PORRA. tudo nele transborda um charme absurdo. é genuinamente a melhor entrada da franquia em muito do que se propõe a fazer. o combate um pouco falho e o grind basicamente obrigatório em algumas partes são os únicos pontos de que eu reclamaria mas continuei amando o jogo. Whether you like him or dont like him there's nothing you can do about it because hes number 1, Whether you like him... or dont like him there's nothing you can do about it because hes number 1

Toda la vida los videojuegos de la franquicia Yakuza me interesaron mucho, y muchas veces intenté comenzar a jugar a mas de uno y de ellos solamente pude terminar el Yakuza 0 (juegazo btw). Esto es porque el sistema de combate nunca me termino de atrapar, lo sentía repetitivo y con muy poco desafío. Lo que realmente me volvía LOCO eran las historias, los personajes, el mundo, realmente estos juegos son CINE puro.

Cuando en el 2020 me enteré de que el próximo Yakuza iba a ser en estilo de RPG por turnos y encima introduciendo un nuevo personaje a la franquicia, cosa de no sufrir tanto la falta de conocimiento por no jugar los casi 6 juegos anteriores. Parecía que lo habían hecho para mi.

Realmente no puedo explicar lo INCREÍBLE que me pareció este juego, la historia como de costumbre es espectacular, y los temas ultra serios que toca, la manera en la que los resuelve, como las interacciones entre los personajes son super creíbles y podes empatizar muchisimo con cada uno.

Suena super cringe, pero en serio que este juego se plantea resolver los problemas del día a día afrontandolos como si fuera un old-school rpg, y eso me parece fantástico. La historia de superación de un tipo que desperdició toda su vida encerrado en una carcel, viendo como el mundo cambió y lo dejó a él atrás es precioso. (....y super relatable...estamos entrando casi al club de los 30 acá....)

Pongo este juego en mi top RPGs de toda la historia, juntito a FF7, Chrono Trigger y todos los demás. Realmente es así de bueno.

la música es una locura encima, estas peleando y te dan ganas de bailar nana

Ichiban premier game* ja tosi hyvä korvaus kiryul en olis uskonut et ne vois korvaa sen näin hyvin mut nii

Ichiban is the pinnacle of "my bonds give me strength"