Big things seem to be coming to theLike a Dragonseries, formerly theYakuzaseries. Aside from the change in name to match the series' name in Japan, threeLike a Dragongames are slated to release over the next few years:Like a Dragon: Ishin!, Like a Dragon 8, andLike a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. While all of these titles are exciting for fans of the series,Like a Dragon Gaidenis of particular note as it has the potential to be the most important game in the franchise to date. After taking a backseat inYakuza: Like a Dragon, longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu will once again be the focus of aLike a Dragongame.
According to developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio,Like a Dragon Gaidenwill bridge the gap betweenYakuza 6: The Song of LifeandYakuza: Like a Dragon.With Kiryu absent from the previous entry in the series, fans will finally get to see what became of the beloved protagonist following the bittersweet ending ofYakuza 6. TheimplicationsLike a Dragon Gaidenhasfor the future of the series should get fans excited about this unexpected entry. From the teasers shown for bothLike a Dragon GaidenandLike a Dragon 8, it appears as though this game marks the dramatic return of the Dragon of Dojima.
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Kiryu’s Story Didn’t End with Yakuza 6
Yakuza 6billed itself as the end of Kazuma Kiryu’s story and the ending of the game supported that claim. After defeating the Yomei Alliance while protecting his surrogate daughter Haruka and grandson Haruto from their pursuit, Kiryu fakes his own death in an attempt to disappear, hoping to protect his loved ones from his enemies. Although this isn’t the first time Kiryu has tried to shed the yakuza lifestyle for the sake of his loved ones, it felt much more definitive this time. WhenYakuza: Like a Dragonrevealed anew protagonist called Ichiban Kasuga, it seemed as though Kiryu’s story really had come to an end and the series was moving on with a new arc.
Like a Dragon Gaidencompletely changes this notion and reveals that there still might be more toKazuma Kiryu’s talethan originally thought. The trailer for the game opens with Kiryu meditating in a temple before being approached by a shady man that refers to Kiryu by the name “Joryu,” implying Kiryu has indeed shed all traces of his previous life and taken on a new identity. It seems as Kiryu’s work is not finished as the man discusses a job that needs to be done and Kiryu is the one to do it.
Kiryu appears in the teaser forLike a Dragon 8alongside Ichiban Kasuga, so it’s clear that whatever job needs doing will inevitably draw Kiryu back into the yakuza underworld. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed the two will act as dual protagonists,likely emulating the style ofYakuza 0. This may be the chance for Kiryu to truly pass the torch to Kasuga, giving the aging protagonist the ending he deserves.
Fans of the Traditional Yakuza Gameplay Get the Best of Both Worlds
Yakuza: Like a Dragonchanged a lot more about the series than just adopting a new protagonist. Gameplay was completely changed for this entry from the traditional third-person, beat-em-up style of the previous games toturn-based JRPG gameplay. While many fans welcomed this new change, others lamented the loss of the classic style they had grown accustomed to. WithLike a Dragon Gaiden, it seems fans of both styles will be satisfied.
RGG Studio announced alongside these new trailers thatLike a Dragon 8will retain the turn-basedcombat ofYakuza: Like a Dragon. However,Like a Dragon Gaidenwill return to the classic action gameplay. Moving forward, RGG Studio says it will adopt whatever gameplay style fits the particular game. This impliesLike a Dragon Gaidenmight not just be a one-off in the classic style and future games could adopt the style if it suits the needs of the game.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namewill release in 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:How RGG is Balancing Classic and RPG Combat in Future Like a Dragon Games
