The Ultimate Vanishing Act: A Glimpse into the Enigmatic World of 'Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name'

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is an incredibly thrilling addition to the franchise that fans have been eagerly anticipating. While the focus is on Like a Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth moving the story forward, fans also yearn for answers about Kiryu's whereabouts between Yakuza 6 and Like a Dragon 7. With Like a Dragon Gaiden filling in that gap, fans can expect some new revelations leading up to Kiryu's role in Like a Dragon 8.

Moreover, although the turn-based RPG format of Like a Dragon 7 has been well-received, there is something truly unique about the original Yakuza games' action-oriented gameplay. Like a Dragon Gaiden embraces that same style and captures its essence flawlessly. Recently, during the Sega Summer Showcase in NYC, Game Rant had the opportunity to attend and explore a brief demo of the game. The demo transported us to The Castle, an adult-themed "amusement park" operated by the Yakuza along the coast of Japan.

Upon arriving at The Castle, our primary objective was to participate in a combat tournament, a perfect fit for Joryu (essentially Kiryu with glasses, much like Clark Kent and Superman). However, before diving into the tournament, there were a few additional activities available to us, such as a gambling hall, a boutique, a Cabaret Club, and more. Nevertheless, as soon as we began, we were immediately thrown into a combat tutorial to familiarize ourselves with Kiryu's two fighting styles in Like a Dragon Gaiden: the Tech-focused Agent style and the iconic Yakuza style. The latter represents Kiryu's pure street fight mode, incorporating moves from various fighting styles he has mastered throughout his journey. It embodies the action-packed combat that the Yakuza franchise is renowned for. On the other hand, the Agent style introduces an entirely innovative approach.

In Like a Dragon Gaiden, the Agent style allows Kiryu to utilize various tools, triggered by holding down specific buttons, thereby adding a new layer of complexity to combat. For instance, Kiryu can employ a whip-like wire to grab and toss multiple enemies aside, effectively dispersing what would otherwise be an overwhelmingly large mob. Another tool at his disposal is a drone that assists him in battle, while yet another enables him to charge forward like a jetpack, striking multiple opponents simultaneously. In general, the Agent style appears to be more focused on area-of-effect attacks and group-oriented strategies, while the Yakuza style remains more versatile and direct. Engaging in both styles, however, provides an immense amount of enjoyment.