Feb. 26, 2024
By Esteban Ramirez
Staff Writer
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is an action-adventure game released for PC and consoles on Nov 9, 2023. It is the interquel connecting Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and the next big entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth which was released on Jan. 26.
Gaiden’s story follows the earlier games’ protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, and his life following his faked death in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. The game takes place at the same time as Yakuza: Like a Dragon and connects Kiryu to the new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga.
Following previous games, Kiryu is now an agent for the Daidoji, and with his previous death being faked, he goes by the codename “Joryu.” Yakuza 6: The Song of Life tries to conclude Kiryu’s story and transition into a new protagonist, and this may be one of the last times he gets his own story, although he will return in Infinite Wealth.
Like a Dragon Gaiden features a shorter story, with only five chapters. It can seem unimportant or disconnected from the bigger story established in the previous game, but it makes for a good entry point for new players interested in the upcoming game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. This doesn’t mean longtime fans should ignore this game, as it’s incredibly polished and refined with many new features. If anything, it’s a treat for fans to see Kiryu grow old while staying true to his ideals.
Ignoring side content will bring the story to a close quickly, yet it should not be overlooked because it rewards players with more money and points to invest in new skills.
During his time with the Daidoji, Kiryu learns a new fighting style. Agent is a fast and precise style. Using gadgets like a spider wire, Kiryu can shoot from his watch to wrap enemies and fling them around. He relies less on brute strength, instead focusing on quick and lethal counterattacks.
This doesn’t mean longtime fans should ignore this game, as it’s incredibly polished and refined with many new features. If anything, it’s a treat for fans to see Kiryu grow old while staying true to his ideals.
Kiryu’s previous fighting style is part of this game as well. Yakuza is the classic and effective style, with charged reckless attacks to go right through the enemy. Strong moves from previous entries, such as the tiger drop, remain in Like a Dragon Gaiden.
Both fighting styles can use powerful cinematic attacks from the heat gauge. In Gaiden, heat is charged much slower than in previous entries, especially in the beginning. This makes them seem much stronger and causes the player to save them for more difficult fights and tougher enemies. The slower charge can make the heat mechanic feel less satisfying since it is harder to see variety in the different heat moves.
With a more modern setting, the substories often highlight Kiryu’s age. It’s humorous to watch the 50-year-old interact with modern technology because he is portrayed as both disconnected and wise in the often strange situations in which he is placed.
Players can easily track down and complete substories highlighted on the map. Some substories are simpler, like paying a construction worker’s debt of 1,000,000 yen to hire the construction worker to fight with you, only to find out he’s being extorted by his boss. Another memorable substory has Kiryu film a vlogger in a haunted apartment where strange noises are easily explained by regular events in a cheaper apartment. The substory ends with a surprisingly serious twist, considering the silly and outlandish nature of this scene.
Overall, Gaiden isn’t as lengthy as the other games in the series, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. It’s filled with new features and different ways to change the experience. It keeps what the series has done right for so long with the interesting and engaging combat and prepares for a new age of games from this franchise. I give Like a Dragon Gaiden a 9/10 as I wish it could’ve been longer, but it only makes the time I had with the game sweeter and excites me for what kind of game Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth will turn out to be.
SCREENSHOTS BY ESTEBAN RAMIREZ
