Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Lore & Background

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the eighth mainline installment in the Yakuza series and the first to use the Japanese title worldwide, albeit as a subtitle. It was released in Japan and Asia on January 16, 2020 for the PlayStation 4, with a western release on November 10, 2020 for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S that included new costumes, the returning of English audio track for the first time since the first game, and some previously paid DLC. This version was released in Japan and Asia under the subtitle International on February 25, 2021 for Windows and Xbox platforms. The game was released worldwide for the PlayStation 5 on March 2, 2021, and a version for Amazon Luna launched on December 10, 2021.

Reader's Guide

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is notable as the first game in the series to feature a turn-based RPG combat system, replacing the real-time action beat 'em up mechanics of previous titles. The game introduces a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, after 18 years of imprisonment, who seeks to become a hero and uncover the reason for his betrayal. The setting shifts primarily to the Yokohama district of Isezaki Ijincho, though Kamurocho and Sotenbori also appear. Party members can be customized with Jobs, a form of character classes, and the game includes side-quests and activities such as karaoke and Dragon Kart. The game received positive reviews from players and critics, who praised its narrative, characters, gameplay, unique take on the JRPG sub-genre, and presentation. It was followed by a 2023 spin-off, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and a mainline sequel, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, in 2024.

Did You Know?

• Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the first main series game not to have Kazuma Kiryu as its protagonist, though he appears in a supporting capacity.
• A new game plus mode with additional difficulty settings was released as paid DLC for the Japanese version but included at no additional cost in the Western release.
• The game was followed by a spin-off in 2023 and a mainline sequel in 2024.

The Turn-Based Revolution

Yakuza: Like a Dragon marked a seismic shift in the franchise's combat identity. Where earlier entries relied on real-time brawling, this eighth mainline installment replaced that with a turn-based RPG system supporting up to four party members. During encounters, players can still hurl nearby objects—like bicycles—into enemies or kick environmental items along a path toward a target, a tactile nod to the series' brawling roots. Beyond basic attacks, the system layers in party assists, special abilities that buff the group or deal heavy damage, with new assists unlocked through story milestones or sidequest completion. Character customization is handled through a Jobs system, functioning much like class selection in traditional JRPGs; each job carries its own stat profile, equipment slots, and unique abilities, and every companion holds at least one exclusive job. Two additional jobs were gated behind paid DLC in Japan but bundled free in the Western edition. The game also introduced Dragon Kart, a kart-racing side activity, and retained beloved staples like karaoke and sub-stories. New Game Plus with exclusive difficulty tiers arrived as paid content in Japan but was included at no extra cost for Western players.

A New Face for the Yakuza

For the first time in the mainline series, the spotlight moved off Kazuma Kiryu. Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking member of the Arakawa Family under the Tojo Clan, who spends eighteen years in prison only to be betrayed by his former boss upon release. His story is a personal odyssey to become a hero and uncover the truth behind that betrayal. He is joined by a colorful roster of mandatory companions: Yu Nanba, a homeless ex-nurse; Koichi Adachi, a former cop; Saeko Mukoda, a hostess-bar manager; Joongi Han, a Geomijul operative who served as body double for the Jingweon Mafia leader in Yakuza 6; and Tianyou Zhao, the Liumang's leader. A fictionalized version of Japanese actress Eri Kamataki appears as CEO of Ichiban Confections, recruiting Kasuga into a business-management minigame and becoming an optional party member after the first milestone. Kiryu still appears in a supporting role, but the narrative center of gravity has undeniably shifted.

A New City, New Factions

Set in 2019, three years after Yakuza 6, the game breaks from the series' long association with Tokyo's Kamurochō. The primary stage is Ijincho, a fictionalized recreation of Yokohama's real Isezakichō district, though Kamurochō and Osaka's Sotenbori (modeled on Dōtonbori) still feature. Yokohama's criminal landscape is defined by the Ijin Three: the Chinese-Japanese Yokohama Liumang, the Korean-Japanese Geomijul mafia (an offshoot of the Jingweon Mafia), and the local Seiryu Clan. The political backdrop adds another layer—Masato Arakawa, son of the Arakawa patriarch, has falsified his identity to become Ryo Aoki, the upstart Governor of Tokyo, backed by Sota Kume, a fanatical member of Bleach Japan, a movement aimed at eradicating the country's grey zones including prostitution, illegal immigration, and organized crime. Other key figures include Ryuhei Hoshino of the Seiryu Clan, Akira Mabuchi of the Liumang, and Osaka's Omi Alliance, represented by lieutenant Reiji Ishioda and opportunistic ex-boxer Yosuke Tendo.

A Staggered Global Rollout

The game's release timeline reveals a carefully staged global strategy. It debuted in Japan and Asia on January 16, 2020, for PlayStation 4. The Western launch followed on November 10, 2020, expanding to Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and bundled previously paid DLC, new costumes, and—after a long absence since the first game—the English voice track. That Western build was later ported back to Japan and Asia under the International subtitle for Windows and Xbox on February 25, 2021. A PlayStation 5 version arrived worldwide on March 2, 2021, and an Amazon Luna streaming version launched on December 10, 2021. The title also made a notable branding shift: it was the first mainline entry to use its Japanese name globally, though as a subtitle. The franchise continued with the 2023 spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and the 2024 mainline sequel Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, cementing the new direction.