Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a role-playing game developed and published by Sega. Released in 2020, it is the eighth main entry in the Yakuza series. The game introduces a new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, and departs from the traditional action combat system, instead featuring turn-based combat with a party of characters. Set in the fictional city of Yokohama, the game follows Kasuga's quest for revenge and his journey through Japan's criminal underworld.
What it feels like
Beneath the humor, story-rich drama genuinely commits to character development and emotional beats in Kasuga's arc. Steam tags and series reputation indicate comedy and absurdist humor that punctures the serious yakuza drama throughout. Yakuza series trademark: heightened emotional storytelling with operatic betrayal, loyalty, and dramatic confrontations.
What it's about
Set in Japan's yakuza underworld, the criminal organization and underworld culture form the narrative and setting backbone. Kasuga's quest for vengeance against the man who betrayed him drives the primary narrative arc. The party's bonds and Kasuga's relationships with allies form emotional narrative threads alongside the revenge plot.
How it plays
The game fundamentally departs from the series' action combat to introduce turn-based RPG combat as its defining mechanical pillar. Combat centers on assembling and directing a party of distinct characters in turn-based formation, mirroring JRPG party dynamics. RPG progression allows stat, skill, and ability customization across party members to enable different combat approaches.
How it looks and sounds
Exploration and cutscenes follow the protagonist from behind-shoulder third-person perspective standard to the series.
How it's structured
A solo campaign experience with no multiplayer component, as emphasized by the single-player feature. A bounded, authored story arc following Kasuga's journey through the underworld with a definite narrative conclusion. Yokohama and other Japanese locations are explorable urban spaces entered discretely rather than one seamless world.
Kindred games
Shares Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Third-Person, Earnest.
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Both lean into Turn-Based Combat, Campaign, Single-Player, Party Management.
Shares Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Character Builds, Earnest.
Both lean into Turn-Based Combat, Single-Player, Party Management, Campaign.
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Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Turn-Based Combat, Party Management, Earnest, Character Builds. 98% positive across 4,325 Steam reviews.
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Both lean into Single-Player, Campaign, Turn-Based Combat, Earnest.