Of all the announcements made during the RGG Summit of Fall 2022, Like a Dragon Gaiden was probably the one I didn't really know what to think of. I was of course excited for Like a Dragon: Ishin and Like a Dragon 8 but I had no clue what to expect from Gaiden, even though it had a longer trailer than 8 did. I was initially a little sceptical about all of the new Kiryu-related content we were getting. After the Judgment duology and Yakuza: Like a Dragon proved that the series was more than capable of moving past Kiryu, everything announced at the Summit had something to do with him in some way, even LAD 8 which would co-star Kiryu alongside Ichiban. All we knew though was that Gaiden would bridge the gaps between Yakuza 6 and the upcoming Like a Dragon 8.
However, as time went on and seeing more of the game during Summer of 2023, RGG gave quite a few reasons to look forward to this game. The story trailer released in August was particularly good at showing exactly what they were going for with this game.
Gaiden spun off from what was initially a flashback segment in LAD 8 developed into its own game entirely. Technically, this game is a spin-off but I personally consider it part of the mainline series. Hell, the game is called Like a Dragon 7 Side Story in Japan, so it's more akin to the likes of the Majima Saga from Yakuza Kiwami 2, a smaller story that serves to fill in gaps between games. Where Majima Saga showed events between Yakuzas 1 and 2 and gave some closure on a plot thread from Yakuza 0, Gaiden is set concurrently with the events of Yakuza 7, showing what Kiryu was up to in Sotenbori whilst Ichiban was in Ijincho and there's even a few moments where the two games intersect. Though the game of course does address Kiryu's struggles to make peace with the decision he made at the end of Yakuza 6 and paves the way for his appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
That being said, RGG has advertised this as a viable starting point for Yakuza newcomers and whilst anyone is entitled to begin with any game they please, I would advise not making this game your first as it is very contingent on your knowledge of the rest of the series. With the game being set alongside Yakuza 7, that game's plot drives the direction that Gaiden's does and much of the twists of said plot get dropped on you during exposition dumps. Not only that but the impact of most of the game's emotional beats won't hit quite as hard without the context of the other games plus with this game still being relatively new, you could snag the entire Kiryu saga for the same price as this one game alone so if possible, I'd highly encourage playing Yakuzas 0-7 before this one (and Judgment if you have the time since that is also referenced).
That being said, it's very interesting to see another Kiryu game in a post-Yakuza 7 and Judgment world where I believe RGG has really perfected their craft in terms of storytelling and gameplay. A lot of the quirks that plagued the Kiryu Saga are absent in those games and thankfully, it comes full circle with Gaiden having some of the tightest storytelling and smoothest combat the series has ever seen. The story, being more compact this time around, never feels like it dawdles on too long, even when it makes you do some mandatory side content or dumps a bunch of expository dialogue onto you. It feels very setpiece-to-setpiece and nothing feels like it drags on or doesn't get sufficient screentime. Something the latter half of the Kiryu Saga somewhat fumbled on was having compelling villains with 4 and 5 having a few that felt like asspulls with little justification from the plot for their presence. However, all of the antagonists in Gaiden are fantastic with the final boss in particular feeling very much like Ryuji or Mine - a guy you understand and is ultimately fighting for their own beliefs and to maintain their way of life. The fight itself is genuinely the best in the entire franchise, beating out Judgment's for me. It evokes what Yakuza 5's final boss was going for but with a much stronger motivation behind it and some equally good setpieces. The entire climax in general feels like a culmination of everything the series has been leading up to - where Yakuza 6 marked the end of the familial side of Kiryu's life, Gaiden marks the end of the Yakuza side, with him confronting the very thing he continuously attempted to dissociate from one final time. Although the stakes aren't technically that high, the final battle still feels climactic due to how personal it feels from both ends. The supporting cast is solid too, Hanawa and Akame are standouts not only in this game but the entire series and considering how nearly every important character is entirely new to this game and is given sufficient time to breathe and develop within the parameters of the shorter duration is a testament to how good RGG's writing has become over time. You may have also heard many sing the praises of this game's ending and I will bravely admit to having ugly cried on my first viewing at it, it's genuinely heart-wrenching only made worse by a great voice performance by Kuroda-san and some mindblowing facial animation.
Gameplay-wise, this is definitely the best Kiryu has ever felt in the Dragon Engine, rivalling that of Yakuza Kiwami. Both fighting styles are very smooth and fluid, Agent in particular is insanely fun and unique and one of my favorites in the series, I'd like to see it implemented in a future Judgment game if we ever get one. My only issue with Agent is that it does take a while (and a lot of money) for it to feel truly viable compared to the powerhouse Yakuza style and a lack of New Game Plus does hurt the game's replayability signfiicantly.
In terms of side content, everything you would expect is here and accounted for. The karaoke selection is fantastic, Sayonara Silent Night is the only new song but is a genuine favorite of mine, and notable for being the first Christmas song in the series despite most games being set during then. Sure, 4 of the 6 songs are sad Kiryu songs but they feel appropriate considering what he's going through at the current point of time. Seeing him lament over Nishiki in Tonight, Haruto in Hands and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter in Baka Mitai (again) and that general sense of reflection is something embodied in quite a lot of this game. A few of the substories have Kiryu facing some ghosts of his past like hunting down supposed sightings of Ryuji Goda and helping out someone who idolised Kazama like he did. Even the more lighthearted misadventures such as the one riffing ChatGPT of all things has Kiryu reminiscing about Yumi and Kashiwagi. Yumi in particular gets brought up a number of times and whilst I never cared much for her as a character, I do appreciate them acknowledging her considering her significance to Kiryu, Haruka and the narrative of Yakuza 1 in general.
Pocket Circuit makes its grand return and is as fun as it was back in 0 and Kiwami alongside what I consider to be the best implementation of both the Coliseum and Clan Creator minigames, which I normally do not care much for. Being able to control your clan members in regular combat conditions as well as actually playing as them makes this infinitely better than Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2's Clan Creator minigames and provides some interesting variety that the Coliseum tends to lack. The only minigame I didn't care much for was the Hostess Clubs, the live-action aspect was funny as a gag for the Ichizu Samurai cinematic in Ishin Kiwami but having them be the central gimmick of a minigame is somewhat unsettling. I didn't really invest much time into it, I skipped the cutscenes and looked up the correct responses online (thank you, CyricZ) though that being said, you cannot skip the scenes where you visit their houses, so much for Joryu being on the downlow I guess.
Overall, Gaiden is a fantastic package. It feels a lot bigger than Majima Saga and Kaito Files, having aspects from the bigger campaigns to beef it up but it's still more compact than the 'full games'. I'd say it feels quite close to the Kiwami games in terms of content quantity. It's also the first Yakuza game where I've done essentially everything, I've gotten every achievement on Xbox at the very least. Thankfully, completion is much simpler here both for achievement hunters and those who fulfil the in-game 100% requirements (which I have not done). Whilst not technically essential, Gaiden serves as a good breather between the beefy Yakuza 7, Lost Judgment and the (as of writing) upcoming Infinite Wealth which is set to be the largest game in the franchise. I would highly recommend this title, not so much to a newer fan or someone who's only played a couple of games, but to those who have seen everything the series has to offer as this is by all metrics, a love letter for them. The fact that one of RGG's best titles was made in the span of 6 months alongside a gargantuan mainline JRPG title and the really beefy Lost Judgment which also got story DLC is mindblowing to me. RGG are miracle workers and I have full faith that they will send Kiryu off with the grace he deserves.
However, as time went on and seeing more of the game during Summer of 2023, RGG gave quite a few reasons to look forward to this game. The story trailer released in August was particularly good at showing exactly what they were going for with this game.
Gaiden spun off from what was initially a flashback segment in LAD 8 developed into its own game entirely. Technically, this game is a spin-off but I personally consider it part of the mainline series. Hell, the game is called Like a Dragon 7 Side Story in Japan, so it's more akin to the likes of the Majima Saga from Yakuza Kiwami 2, a smaller story that serves to fill in gaps between games. Where Majima Saga showed events between Yakuzas 1 and 2 and gave some closure on a plot thread from Yakuza 0, Gaiden is set concurrently with the events of Yakuza 7, showing what Kiryu was up to in Sotenbori whilst Ichiban was in Ijincho and there's even a few moments where the two games intersect. Though the game of course does address Kiryu's struggles to make peace with the decision he made at the end of Yakuza 6 and paves the way for his appearance in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
That being said, RGG has advertised this as a viable starting point for Yakuza newcomers and whilst anyone is entitled to begin with any game they please, I would advise not making this game your first as it is very contingent on your knowledge of the rest of the series. With the game being set alongside Yakuza 7, that game's plot drives the direction that Gaiden's does and much of the twists of said plot get dropped on you during exposition dumps. Not only that but the impact of most of the game's emotional beats won't hit quite as hard without the context of the other games plus with this game still being relatively new, you could snag the entire Kiryu saga for the same price as this one game alone so if possible, I'd highly encourage playing Yakuzas 0-7 before this one (and Judgment if you have the time since that is also referenced).
That being said, it's very interesting to see another Kiryu game in a post-Yakuza 7 and Judgment world where I believe RGG has really perfected their craft in terms of storytelling and gameplay. A lot of the quirks that plagued the Kiryu Saga are absent in those games and thankfully, it comes full circle with Gaiden having some of the tightest storytelling and smoothest combat the series has ever seen. The story, being more compact this time around, never feels like it dawdles on too long, even when it makes you do some mandatory side content or dumps a bunch of expository dialogue onto you. It feels very setpiece-to-setpiece and nothing feels like it drags on or doesn't get sufficient screentime. Something the latter half of the Kiryu Saga somewhat fumbled on was having compelling villains with 4 and 5 having a few that felt like asspulls with little justification from the plot for their presence. However, all of the antagonists in Gaiden are fantastic with the final boss in particular feeling very much like Ryuji or Mine - a guy you understand and is ultimately fighting for their own beliefs and to maintain their way of life. The fight itself is genuinely the best in the entire franchise, beating out Judgment's for me. It evokes what Yakuza 5's final boss was going for but with a much stronger motivation behind it and some equally good setpieces. The entire climax in general feels like a culmination of everything the series has been leading up to - where Yakuza 6 marked the end of the familial side of Kiryu's life, Gaiden marks the end of the Yakuza side, with him confronting the very thing he continuously attempted to dissociate from one final time. Although the stakes aren't technically that high, the final battle still feels climactic due to how personal it feels from both ends. The supporting cast is solid too, Hanawa and Akame are standouts not only in this game but the entire series and considering how nearly every important character is entirely new to this game and is given sufficient time to breathe and develop within the parameters of the shorter duration is a testament to how good RGG's writing has become over time. You may have also heard many sing the praises of this game's ending and I will bravely admit to having ugly cried on my first viewing at it, it's genuinely heart-wrenching only made worse by a great voice performance by Kuroda-san and some mindblowing facial animation.
Gameplay-wise, this is definitely the best Kiryu has ever felt in the Dragon Engine, rivalling that of Yakuza Kiwami. Both fighting styles are very smooth and fluid, Agent in particular is insanely fun and unique and one of my favorites in the series, I'd like to see it implemented in a future Judgment game if we ever get one. My only issue with Agent is that it does take a while (and a lot of money) for it to feel truly viable compared to the powerhouse Yakuza style and a lack of New Game Plus does hurt the game's replayability signfiicantly.
In terms of side content, everything you would expect is here and accounted for. The karaoke selection is fantastic, Sayonara Silent Night is the only new song but is a genuine favorite of mine, and notable for being the first Christmas song in the series despite most games being set during then. Sure, 4 of the 6 songs are sad Kiryu songs but they feel appropriate considering what he's going through at the current point of time. Seeing him lament over Nishiki in Tonight, Haruto in Hands and even the Pocket Circuit Fighter in Baka Mitai (again) and that general sense of reflection is something embodied in quite a lot of this game. A few of the substories have Kiryu facing some ghosts of his past like hunting down supposed sightings of Ryuji Goda and helping out someone who idolised Kazama like he did. Even the more lighthearted misadventures such as the one riffing ChatGPT of all things has Kiryu reminiscing about Yumi and Kashiwagi. Yumi in particular gets brought up a number of times and whilst I never cared much for her as a character, I do appreciate them acknowledging her considering her significance to Kiryu, Haruka and the narrative of Yakuza 1 in general.
Pocket Circuit makes its grand return and is as fun as it was back in 0 and Kiwami alongside what I consider to be the best implementation of both the Coliseum and Clan Creator minigames, which I normally do not care much for. Being able to control your clan members in regular combat conditions as well as actually playing as them makes this infinitely better than Yakuza 6 and Yakuza Kiwami 2's Clan Creator minigames and provides some interesting variety that the Coliseum tends to lack. The only minigame I didn't care much for was the Hostess Clubs, the live-action aspect was funny as a gag for the Ichizu Samurai cinematic in Ishin Kiwami but having them be the central gimmick of a minigame is somewhat unsettling. I didn't really invest much time into it, I skipped the cutscenes and looked up the correct responses online (thank you, CyricZ) though that being said, you cannot skip the scenes where you visit their houses, so much for Joryu being on the downlow I guess.
Overall, Gaiden is a fantastic package. It feels a lot bigger than Majima Saga and Kaito Files, having aspects from the bigger campaigns to beef it up but it's still more compact than the 'full games'. I'd say it feels quite close to the Kiwami games in terms of content quantity. It's also the first Yakuza game where I've done essentially everything, I've gotten every achievement on Xbox at the very least. Thankfully, completion is much simpler here both for achievement hunters and those who fulfil the in-game 100% requirements (which I have not done). Whilst not technically essential, Gaiden serves as a good breather between the beefy Yakuza 7, Lost Judgment and the (as of writing) upcoming Infinite Wealth which is set to be the largest game in the franchise. I would highly recommend this title, not so much to a newer fan or someone who's only played a couple of games, but to those who have seen everything the series has to offer as this is by all metrics, a love letter for them. The fact that one of RGG's best titles was made in the span of 6 months alongside a gargantuan mainline JRPG title and the really beefy Lost Judgment which also got story DLC is mindblowing to me. RGG are miracle workers and I have full faith that they will send Kiryu off with the grace he deserves.