Brawling is King in Like a Dragon Gaiden

“Like a Dragon Gaiden is the hidden story after Kiryu’s disappearance from the stage in 2016’s Yakuza 6,” says Sakamoto. “It’s a profound story, filled with the anguish and conflict, bonds and love of a man who has erased his name and lives in the underworld as an agent.” As with every game in the triumphant and long-running series — the first Yakuza game was released almost exactly 18 years ago — Like a Dragon Gaiden keeps the focus on story and character, adding a ton of street brawling spiced up with fun new tricks.

This time players can switch between two distinct combat styles: Yakuza and Agent. Where the familiar Yakuza style is about hitting hard and launching street furniture into the faces of combatants, the new Agent style invites a more agile style of play. As an Agent, you have a bunch of cool toys at your disposal, including a lasso and even rocket shoes — particularly effective in flattening opponents. “We were inspired by many things, including numerous spy movies, which have influenced the action with gadgets,” says Sakamoto.

There are locations in Like a Dragon Gaiden that series fans will recognise, but it’s nonetheless impressive that the team has managed to deliver a second compelling Like a Dragon experience in a year. “The challenge was to develop this title in a fairly short period of time,” acknowledges Sakamoto. “The entire Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio team worked together to complete the project.”

And the Like a Dragon series continues piling on the heat as it gears up for the January 2024 release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the sprawling RPG adventure set in Japan and Hawaii. According to Sakamoto, the story of Like a Dragon Gaiden leads directly into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. “We encourage you to play Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth after you have played Gaiden,” Sakamoto advises.

Don’t be disheartened if you’ve never played a Yakuza or Like a Dragon game before — there’s always room for one more bad-ass on the streets. “The game is not only for previous Yakuza and Like a Dragon fans, but also action-loving players who will enjoy the content,” confirms Sakamoto.

Fans new and seasoned can certainly expect more from the beloved series in the future, but will have to wait a little longer to discover exactly what. “After Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, we of course have many ideas, but we are not ready to disclose them yet,” teases Sakamoto, adding encouragingly: “We promise to continue to create games that will surprise and delight our players.”

Get Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name on Steam