The Vanishing Identity: A Review of Like a Dragon Gaiden

The Yakuza franchise is back with a spin-off title called Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. This game continues the story of the beloved protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, who has been faking his death under the name "Joryu" to protect his loved ones. Despite its relatively short 12-hour runtime, the game manages to pack a lot of emotional weight thanks to its strong core gameplay, combat mechanics, and an engaging narrative. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the franchise, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a must-play. Kiryu/Joryu finds himself at the center of a critical situation that could potentially throw Japan into chaos. Following orders, he navigates the Sotenbori District of Osaka, forming alliances and dismantling those who pose a threat. Throughout his journey, Kiryu reflects on his past regrets and ponders whether "Joryu" can bring about positive change in Japan.

In Like a Dragon Gaiden, Kiryu embarks on jobs for Akame, an information broker seeking to expand her network of informants through acts of kindness. While Akame's main focus is helping Sotenbori's homeless population, Kiryu's efforts to grow the Akame Network play a crucial role in players' journey. Each good deed performed in Sotenbori earns Kiryu Akame Points, which can be used to purchase unique items or enhance gameplay abilities at Akame's headquarters. As players invest in Kiryu's abilities, unlocking new skills and improving stats, Akame points become essential for upgrading.

The Akame Network serves a vital purpose in Like a Dragon Gaiden by offering a variety of side missions known as substories. These substories delve into different storylines derived from Kiryu's past experiences. While the main narrative is already emotionally impactful, these substories provide some of Kiryu's most memorable moments. Many of them require him to confront the consequences of his actions as a renowned Yakuza and utilize his acquired skills for the greater good. By completing substories, players can swiftly earn significant amounts of money and Akame points, making the time invested in fulfilling these requests doubly rewarding.

Like a Dragon Gaiden showcases stunning visuals and animations in the streets of Sotenbori, bringing the setting to life. Especially at night, the vibrant lights and signs of Osaka's entertainment district create an energetic atmosphere. The additional locations, including The Castle ship, also feature visually captivating elements that define their unique identities. However, the portrayal of characters in the game is inconsistent, as major players possess next-gen aesthetics while some minor characters appear outdated. This contrast can be jarring but does not significantly detract from the overall beauty of the game.

Exploration in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name primarily takes place in the bustling district of Sotenbori. Although the map is relatively small, it is teeming with numerous individuals and establishments for Kiryu to engage with. The district offers a plethora of dining options, merchants, and hidden locations, introducing players to a diverse range of characters. While moving between locations, players may encounter groups of enemies consisting of four to approximately 15 individuals who will initiate attacks upon sight. While it is possible to evade these confrontations, engaging with them can yield a steady income as Kiryu can keep any money dropped by defeated foes and improve drop rates as the story progresses.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduced turn-based combat, but Like a Dragon Gaiden brings the Yakuza franchise back to its beat-em-up origins. With Kiryu's new techniques learned from the Daidoji faction, players can seamlessly switch between two fighting styles in combat - the Yakuza style and the Agent style. The Yakuza style is most effective in close-quarters combat, allowing Kiryu to unleash aggressive moves on a single enemy. On the other hand, the Agent style is better suited against groups of enemies, utilizing speed and high-tech gadgets like the electrified wire called the SPIDER Gadget to bind and throw enemies or seize their weapons. As Kiryu progresses in Like a Dragon Gaiden, he unlocks additional gadgets that enhance his strategic approaches to taking down groups of enemies.

By landing blows in either fighting style, Kiryu builds up a characteristic called Heat, which enables him to perform powerful Heat Actions. These powerful moves can be used at various points on the Heat gauge, but reaching a certain threshold unlocks Extreme Heat Mode. This mode not only reduces the chance of Kiryu being defeated but also provides unique benefits for each fighting style. In the Agent style, new gadgets are unlocked and existing ones are enhanced. In the Yakuza style, attacks become stronger and multiple Heat Actions can be performed in succession.

The combat in Like a Dragon Gaiden remains engaging, and the crowded streets of Sotenbori provide Kiryu with plenty of objects to use against his opponents. These objects add a touch of humor to the otherwise dark and serious narrative. Kiryu can wield a wide variety of seemingly innocent objects, such as a desk ruler or a parked motorcycle, to repeatedly strike his enemies. Under certain conditions, he can even perform unique weapon finishers that deliver a brutally cinematic and often amusing final blow.

However, there is one issue that arises in Like a Dragon Gaiden's combat. Occasionally, Kiryu is required to fight alongside his allies in large group encounters, where everyone can use environmental objects as weapons. During these segments, Kiryu can be interrupted mid-combo or become vulnerable to devastating attacks as allies attempt to strike the same enemy or nearby foes. While this situation typically occurs when there are only a few enemies remaining, the late-game of Like a Dragon Gaiden introduces instances where Kiryu must protect and support his allies in combat. Unfortunately, due to the strength of the enemies, friendly fire can result in characters being stunned, knocked down, or even killed, caused by an NPC ally repeatedly swinging a large object.

In addition to its missions and battles, Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name provides numerous hours of optional activities for fans to relish. While exploring Sontebori, Kiryu can engage in a plethora of daytime and nighttime leisure pursuits, including the following:

- Shogi

Cabaret

Koi Koi

Mahjong

Karaoke

Billiards

Club SEGA Arcade

Pocket Circuit

Darts

SEGA Master System

In addition to enjoying these activities with friends, Club SEGA and the SEGA Master System provide an exclusive respite for fans of the company. Club SEGA offers the pleasure of playing classic SEGA arcade games, including the debut of SEGA RACING CLASSIC 2 on gaming consoles. The SEGA Master System delivers a comparable experience, allowing fans to relive some of the developer's most cherished home classics. While Kiryu prefers playing the SEGA Master System alone, certain cartridges enable multiple players to join in on the action, as they feature two-player gameplay.

The Castle's Coliseum is the standout feature in Like a Dragon Gaiden. Initially introduced in the main storyline, the Coliseum allows players to compete against fighters and strive for the title of "World's Strongest". They can participate in solo and team-based tournaments, enlisting various NPCs as allies. Kiryu must dedicate time to the Coliseum since certain ranks unlock important locations in the main story. However, those who continue participating will be generously rewarded with cash prizes, unlockable items, and the chance to face the Coliseum's Four Kings in one of Gaiden's top substories.

Although Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name is of great quality overall, it does have a few drawbacks. The game concentrates most of its action in a small map, frequently reusing the same few key locations in both the main and side narratives. As a result, certain parts of Gaiden may feel like unnecessary back-and-forth, depending on how players approach the main objectives. This issue is further amplified when the main storyline necessitates Kiryu to accumulate a specific amount of Akame points or achieve the next Coliseum rank. As a result, players may find themselves wandering around Sotenbori, assisting residents, resolving conflicts, or completing lengthy substories to progress the story.

Developed in just six months, Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name was originally intended as DLC for the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. However, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has expanded the concept into a captivating reintroduction to Kazuma Kiryu, balancing the Yakuza franchise's renowned depth and zaniness. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name stands on its own as a robust addition to the Like a Dragon series, offering an immersive experience that both loyal fans and new players can enjoy. This title not only sets the stage for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth but also intertwines the fates of Kazuma Kiryu and Like a Dragon's Ichiban Kasuga during the Dragon of Dojima's final days. Completing Gaiden grants fans an exclusive sneak peek at Infinite Wealth, unlocking a Special Trial Version of the game. Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name marks the beginning of the end for Kazuma Kiryu, and if its impressive quality is any indication, the Like a Dragon series has a bright and promising future ahead.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a spin-off game that centers around Kazuma Kiryu's activities following the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Unlike the main games' transition to turn-based combat, Like a Dragon Gaiden brings back the franchise's traditional beat 'em up combat style. One of its highlights is the stunning and visually appealing environments.

Brutal and satisfying combat

Emotional story

Cons Map is a bit small

Editor's P/S

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a fantastic addition to the Yakuza franchise. The story is engaging, the combat is exhilarating, and the characters are memorable. The game's biggest flaw is its short length, but it's still a must-play for fans of the series.

The story picks up where Yakuza 6 left off, with Kiryu faking his death and living under the name "Joryu" to protect his loved ones. However, he is soon drawn back into the world of the Yakuza when he is asked to help Akame, an information broker who is seeking to expand her network of informants through acts of kindness. As Kiryu helps Akame, he begins to reflect on his past regrets and ponders whether "Joryu" can bring about positive change in Japan. The story is full of twists and turns, and it's incredibly satisfying to see Kiryu come to terms with his past and find a new purpose in life.