Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
Kazuma Kiryu returns as a secret agent in Osaka.
In 2023, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega released *Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name*, an action-adventure game that serves as a spin-off in the *Like a Dragon* series. The story runs parallel to the events of *Yakuza: Like a Dragon* (2020), following original protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as he takes on a secret agent role in Osaka. The game was designed to fill in Kiryu’s backstory between *Yakuza: Like a Dragon* and its 2024 sequel, *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth*, picking up after *Yakuza 6: The Song of Life* and merging with the *Yakuza: Like a Dragon* storyline. While new characters are introduced, many familiar faces from earlier games and spin-offs appear as side characters, and the narrative includes references to titles like *Yakuza* and *Yakuza 5*.
The game launched on November 9, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and received generally favorable reviews.
**Gameplay** Players control Kazuma Kiryu in segments set in Osaka’s Sotenbori district. The Isezaki Ijincho area of Yokohama, previously seen in *Yakuza: Like a Dragon* and *Lost Judgment*, is partially available in the first chapter. A hub area called the Castle offers side activities. Returning minigames include karaoke, Pocket Circuit racing, cabaret club, and a fighting arena. A new character, Akame, acts as an informant who gives Kiryu sub-missions.
Kiryu uses two fighting styles: Yakuza, which features aggressive brawler movement similar to his classic style, and Agent, described as having absolute speed and precision, relying on high-tech gadgets.
As in *Lost Judgment*, several Master System games are playable, including *Alex Kidd in Miracle World*, *Alien Syndrome*, *Enduro Racer*, *Fantasy Zone*, *Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa*, *Galaxy Force*, *Global Defense*, *Maze Hunter 3-D*, *Penguin Land*, *Quartet*, and *Secret Command*, along with the SG-1000 version of *Flicky*. Arcade titles include *Virtua Fighter 2*, *Sonic the Fighters*, *Motor Raid*, *Daytona USA 2* (renamed *Sega Racing Classic 2* due to licensing), and *Fighting Vipers 2*. This marks the first official Sega game to emulate Sega Model 3 titles.
A special trial version of *Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth* is unlockable after completing the main story of *Gaiden*.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Like a Dragon Gaiden: / The Man Who Erased His Name
- Developer
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher
- Sega
- Director
- Ryosuke Horii
- Producer
- Hiroyuki Sakamoto · Makoto Suzuki
- Designer
- Jun Orihara · Daisuke Takahashi
- Programmer
- Yutaka Ito
- Artist
- Daishi Kanaya · Nobuaki Mitake
- Writer
- Tsuyoshi Furuta · Masayoshi Yokoyama
- Composer
- Chihiro Aoki · Yuri Fukuda · Keitarou Hanada · Saori Yoshida · Hideaki Kobayashi · Shunsuke Minami
- Series
- Like a Dragon
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Windows · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name follows Kazuma Kiryu after he faked his death in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Having signed a pact with the Daidoji faction to become their disciple, Kiryu operates as a secret agent codenamed Joryu, undertaking tasks in exchange for anonymous funding to the Morning Glory Orphanage. The story merges with the storyline of Yakuza: Like a Dragon and serves as a prologue to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. New characters include Kihei Hanawa, a Daidoji handler; Homare Nishitani III, patriarch of the Kijin Clan; Kosei Shishido and Yuki Tsuruno of the Watase Family; and Akame, an informant in Sotenbori. Returning characters include Masaru Watase, Daigo Dojima, Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima, and Ichiban Kasuga.
Reader's Guide
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name received generally positive reviews from critics upon its release in November 2023. The game features two fighting styles: the aggressive Yakuza style, reminiscent of Kiryu's classic brawler combat, and the Agent style, which relies on high-tech gadgets for speed and precision. Minigames such as karaoke, Pocket Circuit racing, cabaret club, and a fighting arena return, alongside a new informant system with Akame providing sub-missions. The game includes several Master System and arcade titles, notably being the first official Sega game to emulate Sega Model 3 games. A special trial version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is unlockable after completing the main story, offering a Story Demo with exclusive scenes and a Hawaii Demo with a limited free-roam map of Honolulu.
Did You Know?
- The game was the first time Sega Model 3 games were emulated in an official Sega title.
- Kiryu operates under the codename 'Joryu' while working for the Daidoji faction.
- The Castle is a secret adult entertainment hub located on a ship outside of Sotenbori.
More in Adventure Games of the 2020s, Part 2 1-24
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