"Yakuza: Like a Dragon is technically the seventh entry in the longrunning crime series, but for all intents it was a fresh start - and the best place to jump in outside of the very first Yakuza. Admittedly, the Yakuza series is a bit hard to explain or define in a succinct way - if you've ever talked to someone who loves these games you've likely heard about its bizarre mix of crime melodrama and utterly off-the-wall weirdness and humor."
"And that truly is the core of what makes Yakuza so special, the way these games can effortlessly seesaw between emotional scenes that'll make you cry like a baby, and unorthodox humor that'll leave your mouth agape. One second you're hearing about the surprisingly realistic plight of the homeless encampment in Yokohama, and how authorities let the problem fester. Then the next you're literally fighting a construction digger driven by a Chimpanzee named Clara. And it all, miraculously, works."
Many RPGs center on coming-of-age narratives, focusing on young characters finding purpose while confronting threats. Yakuza: Like a Dragon centers on adults who hit rock bottom and receive a second chance, emphasizing that life continues beyond the thirties and reinvention is possible. The game serves as a fresh starting point in the long-running crime series and ranks among the best turn-based RPGs. The series blends crime melodrama with off-the-wall weirdness and humor. The games effortlessly shift between deeply emotional scenes—such as the plight of a homeless encampment in Yokohama—and surreal combat moments like fighting a construction digger driven by a chimpanzee. Like a Dragon follows low-level Yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, who spent a decade in prison.
Read at Inverse
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