Yakuza: Like a Dragonwas a bittersweet experience. It was the end of an era as we said goodbye to the old guard to make way for the new, action combat was swapped out for turn-based battles, and the narrative we’d followed for decades was finally winding down. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is taking us in a new direction, and as exciting as that future is, it’s still sad to say goodbye.
That was the last I thought we’d see of Kazuma Kiryu as protagonist or otherwise, but the announcement ofLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His NameandLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthprove there is still fight in the old dragon yet. We’re getting an extended goodbye, knowing Kiryu can’t stick around forever. Still, I’m happy for RGG Studio to milk every last bit of Kiryu that it can before Ichiban Kasuga takes the spotlight for good.
I’d come to terms with the good old days of Yakuza being over. This was emphasised by the series changing its name to Like a Dragon to match the Japanese titles. After all, there’s not much ‘yakuza’ in a game where they’re disbanding the yakuza, right? But Like a Dragon Gaiden has given me new hope that the series doesn’t only have to look forward. In fact, it could gain so much by continuing to embrace the past.
For the first time, RGG Studio has created a smaller, digital-only game that goes back to Kiryu and his real-time action combat. Reportedly originally conceived as DLC for Infinite Wealth and only taking six months to develop, the team eventually decided to make it standalone. It’s only five chapters long compared to the usual 12-15 for mainline titles and has less side content and smaller maps. However, its smaller size doesn’t mean it lacks quality.
You can check outour full review of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name here, where we gave it 4/5.
Gaiden patches some narrative gaps, covering Kiryu’s time between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Infinite Wealth, encompassing his cameo in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and smoothing out a few plot wrinkles. One of the things that impressed me the most about Gaiden was that despite retreading old narrative ground, it pushed the plot’s boundaries to implement a new arc with fresh faces and content. It also threw in some brand new ideas like the Boutique and the new agent combat style for good measure. This ensures Gaiden isn’t just filler; it’s an unmissable episode for fans.
The series has hit rewind before, with Yakuza 0 taking us back to Kiryu and Majima’s youth, but Gaiden is a good indicator that we can continue to look to the past as much as the future. Gaiden has proven that this recipe of shorter episodes that revisit old stories and add new flair works. The main series can continue marching forward with Kasuga at the lead, but if these shorter games can be made efficiently in tandem with whatever the next numbered title is, why not double up?
When we look back over the Yakuza series, there are so many opportunities for RGG Studio to do the same again, not just with Kiryu but with other characters, too. There are so many fan favourites we’ve said goodbye to over the years that could get a reprise this way. What about a Ryuji Goda arc? We could revisit Akira Nishikiyama and how he climbed the ranks of the Tojo Clan while Kiryu was in prison. It could even go as far as the spin-offs and give us some new Judgment content. Plus, I’m always up for more Majima, of course.
These shorter episodes could be a great way to see the yakuza at their peak again and to contrast how much some of our favourite areas in the series have grown by throwing us back in the dark ages with phone boxes and no mobile phones. Another big selling point for me is that it could be the perfect way to keep action combat alive for the series. Let the main games be turn-based, and let us run wild in the spin-offs, punching and kicking to our heart’s content.
Gaiden could be a new benchmark for rejuvenating some of the best classic Yakuza stories, allowing us to relive our glory days with our faves from a new perspective. Perhaps I’m just spoiled by having three RGG Studio releases within a year, but I want more, and Gaiden has proven it’s not only possible but that it can be done to a high standard, too.
NEXT:Like A Dragon: Gaiden’s Spider Gadget Is The Best Kind Of Ridiculous
