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Yakuza: Like a Dragon review
Exceptional
by dookalees

Hardest game in a series. Boss fights are HARD

Other reviews10

Peak Yakuza. Peak RPG.
An amazing party going through a great story, wonderfully implemented combat mechanics and job system and a banger of a soundtrack.
This is for everyone
«Blew my mind»
«That ending!»
Nobody thought they could do it, but this is one of the best turn based RPGs out there. Ichiban best boy
«Blew my mind»
Yakuza: Like a Dragon was a game I didnt want - as a massive fan of Yakuza since the PS2. The reveal of it going turned based made me sad at first - but boy was I glad to be wrong. Very well might be the best JRPG I've ever played - and sits right up there with Yakuza 0 and 5 in terms of the extreme high peaks of the series. Ichiban is just as compelling as Kiryu and all the Yakuza series charm is fully on display. 

Go play this masterpiece - even if you've never touched Yakuza before, it works as a great entry point too
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»
Level block at 12 chapter. gfy to devs
The first few hours was very entertaining and the turn based is well implemented but 20 hours in, the battles become very repetitive and the grind is just too much. Story is decent though but very stretched out. 30 hours in and don't feel like completing the game because of the grind. Will probably come back to it later.
A fresh new take on a series getting repetitive.
Turn-based combat but with active defence prompts and enemies moving on screen making use of aoe abilities a rng event.

PROS:
- Likeable main character
- Companions
- Job/class system
- Combat
- Soundtrack
- Visuals
- Minigames

CONS:
- Story coincidences
- "Yakuza-honor-family"
- Cheap, boring and empty sewer/dungeon
- AI pathing around objects
- Aoe abilities missing do to moving targets
- Lack of verticality makes the city feel flat and repetitive
- Annoying management minigame hiding an optional companion
- Massive spike in difficulty midway through, forcing grind via basic arena spawns
«Sit back and relax»
My personal Game of the Year. 
The franchise completely reinvents itself. Stellar OST, a great new direction, a loveable cast and a great story. A must play
«Blew my mind»
«That ending!»
Aside from Tsushima, this should've been getting some GOTY awards as well. Talk about a sleeper hit, everything about this game is massive for the asking price, much like other games from this studio. Mini-sidebar: I've been homeless before and if you haven't, that's great, I don't wish it on anyone, even the people who streamed this and thought it was one big joke. Remember to read a book every 5 years and cut out toxic people from your life if they're not giving you money or food. With that said, Ichiban's the most lovable protag in any Yakuza game I've played even if hopefully only a few of you can relate as much. Majima so crazy lol the joker baby and Kiryu's a manly man who's out to make you a better man, yes, but they're both so exhausting sometimes. Ichiban wants to be a hero so he sees the world as one big RPG - he's a bro who's always trying to see the best in things and comes off goofy but endearing, the kind of guy you'd follow into battles with the Chinese mafia. However, it takes the "life is one big RPG" thing to a level that feels right at home in the world of Yakuza. This kind of meta-narrative thing probably has been done before in lesser movies and games but you really get the sense that garbage apps like LifeRPG were trying to make the idea of gaming self-improvement this accessible and cool. The story goes in predictably epic scale directions as you should expect but, if that's not your thing, I get that. Just play OutRun and darts for 100 hours instead. RGG games are like the Fast and Furious movies in that kind of way. You don't need to take it seriously at all and no one would blame you if you didn't but man is it more fun when you do.
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«Just one more turn»
«Can’t stop playing»
(Review in Progress)
Step aside Kiryu, Kasuga is my new BFF.

How do you take a tried and true series and make it even better? You flip the script. This game has delivered EVERY SINGLE THING there is to love about the series. The story is serious, the characters are incredibly likeable, the side quests are absurd, the mini games are ever present, RGG has mastered the balance between absurdity and seriousness in this title.

Yes, this radically changed up the combat but it's an incredibly welcome edition to what is almost my favorite series ever, second only to the Dark Souls Games.
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»