The new Yakuza is a perfect entry point, for better and worse

07.11.2023 - 14:35 / polygon.com / Kazuma Kiryu

Like a Dragon Gaiden, the new entry in the Sega series formerly known as Yakuza, has no chill.

In the first brawl, longtime hero Kazuma Kiryu gains Spider-Man web-slinging powers that hurl goons across the crowded streets of Osaka. Within hours, he has the power to call in drone swarms and toss explosive cigarettes that have the oomph of IEDs. Before the first act wraps, Kiryu will have joined an underground network of criminal informants, visited a floating pleasure-palace-slash-coliseum, and tried to charm at least one hostess — experienced by the player in first person via full-motion video starring a real actress.

The zaniness (and light perviness) of this video game won’t sound unusual to Yakuza fans, but that pace will. 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon took at minimum 45 hours to complete, and for completionists, that number could double or even triple. Fans typically pitch Yakuza 0, widely regarded as the most welcoming entry in the series, with a caveat: You will need to get through hours of cutscenes and tutorials before the game gets good.

And so, paradoxically, despite feeling like the end of an era (the series’ action combat has been replaced by turn-based encounters in new mainline entries), Like a Dragon Gaiden may be the new “best starting point” for one of gaming’s longest, densest, and most underappreciated franchises.

But what about all the backstory, you might ask? Gaiden bridges the gap between years of Kiryu-focused games and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which is currently slated for a January 2024 release date. But to enjoy the story, you’ll need, at most, a quick YouTube recap. The premise of the game is that Kiryu has faked his death, and now is doing right by the locals of Sotenbori while unspooling yet another bureaucratic mystery involving swole dudes with excellent tattoos.

Because Kiryu now goes by Joryu (the game’s official title is Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name), you’ll often be engaging with people who know nothing about his bloodspattered backstory. And when a character does know Kiryu’s drama, our guy prefers to chat with his fists.

Mainline Yakuza games have an abundance of cutscenes and fully voiced side missions; Gaiden has far less, its world instead filled with novelties, distractions, and fetch quests. Now, if you’re a Yakuza fan, take a few deep breaths — that last sentence could cause hyperventilation. But honestly, I’ve enjoyed this “Ubisoft open world” approach to Yakuza. Gaiden is the equivalent of eating your child’s entire bucket of Halloween candy because you got a little too stoned watching Charlie Brown. It isn’t good for you, let alone nourishing, and it is, at times, deeply embarrassing. But now and then, it feels great to gorge