Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Last updated
Like a Dragon Gaiden:
The Man Who Erased His Name
Like a Dragon Gaiden Cover Art.jpg
Developer(s) Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Ryosuke Horii
Producer(s) Makoto Suzuki
Designer(s)
  • Jun Orihara
  • Daisuke Takahashi
Programmer(s) Yutaka Ito
Artist(s)
  • Daishi Kanaya
  • Nobuaki Mitake
Writer(s)
Composer(s)
  • Chihiro Aoki
  • Keitaro Hanada
  • Shunsuke Minami
  • Saori Yoshida
  • Hideaki Kobayashi
Series Like a Dragon
Platform(s)
ReleaseNovember 9, 2023
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name [lower-alpha 1] is a 2023 action-adventure video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is a spin-off of the Like a Dragon series. Taking place during the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020), Like a Dragon Gaiden focuses on the series' original protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, as he embarks on a new adventure in Osaka under the guise of a secret agent. [1]

Contents

Like a Dragon Gaiden was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 9, 2023 and received generally positive reviews from critics.

Gameplay

In Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, players control Kazuma Kiryu as they explore the Sotenbori district of Osaka. The Isezaki Ijincho district of Yokohama, a location prominently featured in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Lost Judgment , is also partially available during the first chapter of the story. A third location, known as the Castle, is a hub area where players can participate in side activities. Minigames such as karaoke, Pocket Circuit racing, cabaret club, and fighting arena also return. A new character named Akame acts as an informant, providing Kiryu with sub-missions. [1]

Kiryu has access to two fighting styles, Yakuza and Agent. The Yakuza style features aggressive brawler combat movement similar to Kiryu's classic fighting style from previous games, while the Agent style is described as having "absolute speed and precision", relying on high-tech gadgets. [1]

Similar to Lost Judgment, Like a Dragon Gaiden features several Master System games which Kiryu can play: Alex Kidd in Miracle World , Alien Syndrome , Enduro Racer , Fantasy Zone , Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa , Galaxy Force , Global Defense , Maze Hunter 3-D, Penguin Land , Quartet and Secret Command , as well the SG-1000 version of Flicky , [2] among other arcade titles, such as Virtua Fighter 2 , Sonic the Fighters , Motor Raid , Daytona USA 2 (also known as Sega Racing Classic 2, due to licensing issues) and Fighting Vipers 2. Like a Dragon Gaiden was the first time Sega Model 3 games have been emulated in an official Sega game. [3]

Like a Dragon Gaiden features a special trial version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth , which is unlockable after beating Gaiden's main story for the first time. The trial includes two demos: a "Story Demo", which continues from the end of Gaiden and features exclusive scenes not included in Infinite Wealth; and a "Hawaii Demo", which features a limited free-roam map of a fictionalized version of Honolulu, Hawaii for the players to explore and engage in side activities. [2]

Plot

Characters and settings

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name takes place after Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and before, during, and after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon leading into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth . Following the ending of Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu (Takaya Kuroda/Yong Yea) has faked his death and gone into hiding, in order to protect his foster children. Having signed a pact with the Daidoji faction to become their disciple, Kiryu now operates as one of their secret agents, codenamed "Joryu". However, after one of his missions go awry, Kiryu would soon be drawn into a new conflict as he is forced out of hiding by a mysterious figure. [1]

New characters introduced in Like a Dragon Gaiden include: Kihei Hanawa (Hiroki Tōchi/Jake Eberle), a handler of the Daidoji faction; Homare Nishitani III (Kim Jae-wook/Tyler Yamabe), patriarch of the Kijin Clan, a subsidiary of the Osaka-based yakuza organization Omi Alliance; [lower-alpha 2] Kosei Shishido (Yasukaze Motomiya/Matt Bushell) and Yuki Tsuruno (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi/Eugene Nomura), respectively lieutenant and captain of the Omi Alliance's Watase Family; Akame (First Summer Uika/Holly Chou), an informant residing in Sotenbori; [4] Yoshimura (Mitsuaki Kanuka/Alain Uy), a ruthless Daidoji faction manager who has contempt for Kiryu; the head priest of the Daidoji Temple (Ikkyu Juku/Kirk Thornton), one of the few people Kiryu confides in within the Daidoji faction; and the Boss (Hiroshi Naka/SungWon Cho), a mysterious high-ranking Daidoji officer operating the faction from the shadow. [5]

Several characters from previous Like a Dragon titles return in Like a Dragon Gaiden, including: Masaru Watase (Rintarō Nishi/James C. Burns), patriarch of the Watase Family and captain of the Omi Alliance; Daigo Dojima (Satoshi Tokushige/Tim Friedlander), sixth chairman of the Tojo Clan; Goro Majima (Hidenari Ugaki/Matthew Mercer) and Taiga Saejima (Rikiya Koyama/Ron Yuan), senior Tojo Clan members who accompany Daigo; Ichiban Kasuga (Kazuhiro Nakaya/Kaiji Tang), a former Tojo Clan yakuza who would eventually become acquainted with Kiryu; [2] and Haruka Sawamura (Rie Kugimiya/Xanthe Huynh), Taichi (Shunzo Miyasaka/Caleb Yen), and Ayako (Yumi Sudo/Cassandra Lee Morris), Kiryu's adopted children. Like a Dragon Gaiden also features minor appearances of characters from the spin-off title Judgment and its sequel Lost Judgment : Masaharu Kaito (Shinshū Fuji/Crispin Freeman), Toru Higashi (Yoshihisa Kawahara/Steve Blum), and Fumiya Sugiura (Junta Terashima/Mark Whitten).

Synopsis

After faking his death in late 2016, [lower-alpha 3] Kazuma Kiryu continues to live in secrecy, operating as an agent for the Daidoji faction under the codename "Joryu". He undertakes various tasks for the Daidoji via orders from his handler Kihei Hanawa, in exchange for anonymous funding to the Morning Glory Orphanage. Outside of his job, he spends time meditating in a Buddhist temple with the help of its head priest, it being a Daidoji front.

In 2019, Kiryu is tasked with providing security for a smuggling operation in Yokohama. The operation turns out to be a trap, as an unidentified yakuza group ambushes the agents and attempts to kidnap Hanawa. Kiryu manages to drive the yakuza away, though one of them recognizes him. The next day, Kiryu investigates the local Seiryu Clan in Isezaki Ijincho, but soon discovers that it was the Omi Alliance's Watase Family who ambushed the Daidoji agents. A group of Watase Family members, led by their captain Yuki Tsuruno, corners Kiryu and persuades him to help them. With the help of Watase Family lieutenant Kosei Shishido, Tsuruno kidnaps Hanawa and demands Kiryu to meet with him later. Kiryu is reprimanded by Daidoji manager Yoshimura, who suggests that they abandon Hanawa to maintain the Daidoji's secrecy. Kiryu refuses, and with the help of the head priest, he escapes after defeating Yoshimura and the other agents.

Kiryu meets with Tsuruno in a bar in Ijincho, where the latter reveals that his patriarch, Masaru Watase, has requested his men to investigate Kiryu's supposed death since 2016, believing it to be fabricated. Tsuruno asks Kiryu to cooperate with the Watase Family in exchange for freeing him from the Daidoji and allowing him to re-fake his death and reunite with his foster children in Okinawa. Kiryu, however, rejects the proposal when Tsuruno reveals part of the deal was to kill Hanawa. Tsuruno relents, and tells Kiryu to go to Sotenbori, Osaka, and find Akame, a jack-of-all-trades fixer. After helping Akame with a few of her jobs, she takes Kiryu to the Castle, a secret adult entertainment hub located on a ship outside of Sotenbori governed by the Omi Alliance's Kijin Clan. At the Castle, Kiryu signs up to fight in the Coliseum arena to prove his worth to Shishido, who then reveals Hanawa's location to Kiryu. Kiryu returns to Sotenbori, confronts Tsuruno and other Watase Family members, and frees Hanawa after defeating them.

Tsuruno reveals Watase's true intentions for requesting Kiryu's help: to oversee the dissolution of the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan, alongside the Tojo's Sixth Chairman Daigo Dojima. [lower-alpha 4] Regardless, Kiryu refuses to help them and leaves Tsuruno to the Daidoji. Kiryu later visits a Daidoji hideout in Sotenbori, where he is ordered by the Boss, a high-ranking Daidoji officer, to kill Tsuruno, Watase, and the rest of the Watase Family to maintain his cover. Kiryu holds Hanawa at gunpoint, allowing Tsuruno to escape. Hanawa threatens to harm the children at Okinawa, forcing Kiryu to surrender. Three days later, after a lengthy test to see if Kiryu and Hanawa have truly bonded beyond an agent-handler relationship, the Boss lets go of Kiryu, with Tsuruno revealing to have made a deal with the Daidoji to lend Kiryu's services to the Watase Family.

Tsuruno later calls Kiryu to come to the Castle, where he reveals his intention: to lure out the Kijin Clan Patriarch, Homare Nishitani III, from the Castle and kill him in time before Watase is released from prison, to ensure no high-ranking officers of the Omi Alliance rally the members to rebel against the dissolution. Kiryu, rejecting the proposal, strikes a deal to incapacitate him instead. Nishitani, having an interest in Kiryu, puts the Castle on lockdown, forcing Kiryu to punch Tsuruno to maintain the latter's cover and escape, knocking down Nishitani in the process. Later, Nishitani sends the Kijin Clan to find Kiryu in Sotenbori. At Kiryu's behest, Tsuruno obtains 30 million yen to be used to lure Nishitani out by throwing lavish parties and debauchery spending throughout Sotenbori. Under Hanawa's advice, Kiryu and Tsuruno then mobilize the Watase Family to take over the Castle by force and leak its existence to the media. Having angered Nishitani enough, the two agree to a showdown in Nishitani's hideout on a shipyard outside Sotenbori. Kiryu and Shishido battle Nishitani and his goons while Tsuruno sets the hideout on fire. Nishitani is incapacitated, but Shishido, under orders from Tsuruno, stabs Nishitani to death before they can escape the building.

Several days later, Kiryu and the Watase Family arrive at a construction site outside Sotenbori to greet the recently released Watase. Shishido betrays the crew, having planned all along to stop the dissolution and take over the Omi Alliance. He rallies the Watase Family against Kiryu, Tsuruno, and Watase, and reveals that he faked Nishitani's stabbing. The three manage to fend off the attack, albeit Tsuruno and Watase are injured in the process. Hanawa, having been tipped off by Akame about Nishitani's survival, runs over Nishitani with a limo, leaving him unconscious. Hanawa escorts Kiryu, Tsuruno, and Watase to the meeting at the Omi Alliance HQ, where the latter announces the joint dissolution of the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan. A riot breaks out in the process, and Tsuruno and Kiryu team up with Ichiban Kasuga and his friends to protect Watase and Daigo. [lower-alpha 4] As Watase is escorted outside, Shishido, having survived the earlier battle, arrives, rallying up the remaining Omi Alliance members. Daigo, alongside Goro Majima and Taiga Saejima, fend off against the last of the Omi Alliance, while Kiryu confronts Shishido alone and defeats him. The latter is ultimately subdued by Yoshimura, who decides to keep him alive as a potential Daidoji agent, alongside Nishitani.

In 2020, Hanawa reveals that the Daidoji wants to reward Kiryu for his efforts in helping Watase, as well as aiding Kasuga in stopping the Tokyo Governor Ryo Aoki. [lower-alpha 4] The former shares a recording of a hidden camera overlooking Kiryu's grave, where two of his adopted children, Taichi and Ayako, update Kiryu on everyone at the Morning Glory Orphanage. Hanawa also shows a picture of a drawing by Haruka Sawamura's son, Haruto, causing Kiryu to break down in tears. Kiryu is then told by the head priest that he's allowed to go on a vacation, provided he maintains his cover. Hanawa informs Kiryu of his new alias, Taichi Suzuki, revealing that Hanawa had encountered him years ago in Fukuoka using said name. [lower-alpha 5] The two bid farewell as Kiryu sets off.

In a post-credits scene, three years later, Kiryu enters Nanala Hill Church in Honolulu, Hawaii, and leaves a ring on the altar as a parting gift to his former lover, Yumi Sawamura, who died several years ago. [lower-alpha 6]

Development and promotion

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was originally conceived during the development of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth . Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama suggested to the development team to expand further on Kazuma Kiryu's backstory in between the events of the prior titles, rather than restricting to an interlude for Infinite Wealth. It was discussed that the project be done in downloadable content format, before eventually evolving into a full game. The game was developed in parallel with Infinite Wealth and Like a Dragon: Ishin! , and was finished within six months. [6]

Like a Dragon Gaiden was announced in September 2022 during RGG Studio's Summit livestream, alongside a debut cinematic trailer. [7] Yokoyama explained that the game would be shorter in length compared to usual mainline entries. Gaiden's playtime was roughly estimated to be 10–20 hours, while Yokoyama promised that there would be an ample amount of activities for players to do. [8]

In early 2023, RGG Studio hosted a Cabaret Club Grand Prix competition, in which five models were chosen to appear as live-action hostesses in the cabaret club minigame in Like a Dragon Gaiden, while the Grand Prix winner is given an in-game role in Infinite Wealth. Among the five finalists, the livestreamer and VTuber Kson ultimately won the Grand Prix. [9]

The first story trailer premiered at Summer Game Fest 2023, showcasing new characters as well as gameplay footage of the new Agent fighting style, in addition to confirming the release date. [1] Additional gameplay was shown at RGG Summit Summer 2023, alongside an introduction of the main cast members. [4] In June 2023, RGG Studio revealed that Yong Yea would voice Kiryu in the English dub, replacing Darryl Kurylo who previously voiced Kiryu in Yakuza (2005) and Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020). [10]

The second story trailer premiered in August 2023, showcasing more characters in the story, including returning characters from previous Like a Dragon titles, in addition to a first-look at the various minigames. [2] In September 2023, RGG Studio revealed the main theme song for the game, "Katatoki", performed by singer Yojiro Noda and rapper JID. [11] It was also announced that characters from the Judgment spinoff series would appear in the game as part of its side content. [12]

Professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) held a "Like a Dragon Gaiden Street Fight" to promote the game on the November 15, 2023, episode of Dynamite , between the Golden Dragons of Dojima (The Golden Jets (Kenny Omega and "The Ocho" Chris Jericho), "The Golden Star" Kota Ibushi and "No More BS" Paul Wright), and the Don Callis Family (Mogul Embassy's "The Machine" Brian Cage, Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher and Powerhouse Hobbs). Omega would win the match for his team by pinning Cage after he and Jericho taped up Hobbs to the ropes, allowing Ibushi to join AEW following the match. The game was advertised on the ring apron for that episode of Dynamite and the week beforehand. [13]

Release

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was released worldwide for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 9, 2023. [1] The game also launched on Xbox Game Pass for cloud, console, and PC. [14] A pre-order bonus downloadable content pack included recurring Like a Dragon characters Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima, and Daigo Dojima as additional characters for the Arena minigame. [1] Like a Dragon Gaiden released digitally, with only a limited physical edition available in select Asian territories. [15] Unlike recent releases, Gaiden's English dub was not included at launch, and instead was added via an update on December 14, 2023. [16]

Reception

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [31]

VG247 gave praise to the improvement in narrative approach, the shorter but more focused story, as well as the introduction of the Agent combat style that shakes up the gameplay formula. [30] In a mixed review, Digital Trends praised the character writing but criticized the use of repetitive plot points. They also criticized the tedious nature of the game's side mission system, compared to previous Like a Dragon titles. [21]

Sales

The PlayStation 5 version of Like a Dragon Gaiden sold 63,319 physical units within its first week of release in Japan, making it the second best-selling retail game of the week in the country. The PlayStation 4 version sold 60,134 physical units in Japan throughout the same week, making it the country's third best-selling retail game of the week. [32]

Notes

  1. Known in Japan as Ryū ga Gotoku 7 Gaiden: Na wo Keshita Otoko (Japanese: 龍が如く7外伝 名を消した男, lit. "Like a Dragon 7 Side Story: The Man Who Erased His Name")
  2. Nishitani's name is a title, inherited from the first Kijin Clan patriarch, who previously appeared in Yakuza 0 .
  3. As depicted in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life .
  4. 1 2 3 As depicted in Yakuza: Like a Dragon .
  5. As depicted in Yakuza 5 .
  6. As depicted in Yakuza and Yakuza Kiwami .

Related Research Articles

<i>Yakuza</i> (video game) 2005 video game

Yakuza is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 2. It was released in 2005 in Japan and in September 2006 internationally. The story follows Kazuma Kiryu, a yakuza who spent ten years in prison for a crime he did not commit. After being released, he learns that the criminal underworld is searching for 10 billion yen that has been stolen from the Tojo clan. He comes across an orphan named Haruka who is being targeted by the clan. She is believed to have the key to their lost money and Kiryu resolves to protect her. The game takes place in Kamurocho, a realistic recreation of Tokyo's Kabukicho district.

<i>Yakuza 2</i> 2006 video game

Yakuza 2 is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 2. The second installment of the Like a Dragon series and the sequel to Yakuza, it was released on December 7, 2006, in Japan and in September 2008 in North America and Europe. The game focuses on the former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu who receives a request for help from his former group, the Tojo Clan yakuza of eastern Japan, to stabilize relationships with the Omi Alliance group of western Japan. Across Kiryu's journey, he learns of a Korean mafia group linked with both the Omi and his own past, and becomes the rival of the Omi's "Dragon of Kansai", Ryuji Goda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazuma Kiryu</span> Fictional character in the Yakuza video game series

Kazuma Kiryu is a fictional character and the initial main protagonist of Sega's action-adventure beat 'em up Japanese role-playing game series Yakuza / Like a Dragon. He is popularly known as "the Dragon of Dojima" due to the tattoo of a dragon on his back and him originally being a fearsome member of the yakuza group known as the Dojima Family, a subsidiary of the Tojo Clan. He was introduced in the series' 2005 debut game, where he took the blame for his boss's death to protect his sworn-brother Akira Nishikiyama, resulting in his expulsion from the clan and a ten-year stay in prison. After leaving prison, he fights against the new threats in his life, during which he meets Haruka Sawamura, to whom he eventually becomes an adoptive father. He is voiced by Takaya Kuroda in Japanese and by Darryl Kurylo and Yong Yea (2023-present) in the series’ English-dubbed releases. Besides the main series, Kiryu has also appeared in two “Like a Dragon” live-action films, as well as other video games including Project X Zone 2 and as downloadable content in the spin-off game, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise.

<i>Yakuza 3</i> 2009 video game by Sega

Yakuza 3 is the third main entry in the Like a Dragon series, released for the PlayStation 3 in 2009. It was developed and published by Sega. It was released in Japan and South East Asia on February 26, 2009, and in North America and Europe on March 9, 2010, and March 12, 2010. A remaster containing all cut content was released in Japan on August 9, 2018, and worldwide on August 20, 2019, for the PlayStation 4, and on January 28, 2021, for Windows and Xbox One. A sequel, Yakuza 4, was released on March 18, 2010, in Japan.

<i>Like a Dragon</i> (film) 2007 film by Takashi Miike

Yakuza: Like a Dragon, is a 2007 Japanese crime film directed by Takashi Miike, based on the 2005 PlayStation 2 video game Yakuza. The film stars Kazuki Kitamura, Goro Kishitani, Show Aikawa, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Kenichi Endō and Tomorowo Taguchi.

<i>Yakuza 4</i> 2010 video game

Yakuza 4 is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. It is the fourth main entry in the Like a Dragon series. The game was formally announced on July 24, 2009. A promotional video was presented at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show. The sequel to Yakuza 3, it was released on March 18, 2010 in Japan, after a playable demo was released on the Japanese PlayStation Store on March 5. Yakuza 4 was released in Europe and North America in March 2011. A sequel, Yakuza 5, was released in 2012.

Haruka Sawamura is a fictional character in Sega's action-adventure game series Like a Dragon. She is introduced in the first Yakuza game as a young child searching for her missing mother, while being mysteriously pursued by multiple yakuza clans, including the Tojo Clan. Kazuma Kiryu, the main playable character throughout most of the series, protects and assists her during her search for her mother and Haruka is later adopted by him at the end of the first game. Over the course of the series, Haruka grows up alongside her adoptive father, debuting as a playable character in Yakuza 5 working as an idol and eventually starting a family of her own in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Haruka is voiced by Rie Kugimiya in Japanese, by Debi Derryberry in the English version of the first game, and by Xanthe Huynh in English releases from Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name onward.

Goro Majima is a major recurring character in Sega's Like a Dragon video game series, previously known as Yakuza outside of Japan. He is one of the main playable protagonists of Yakuza 0 and Yakuza: Dead Souls, as well as the Majima Saga of Yakuza Kiwami 2. Introduced as a member of the Tojo Clan and patriarch of its subsidiary group, the Majima Family as well as second-in-command of the Shimano Family, nicknamed "Mad Dog of Shimano", he develops a sadomasochistic obsession with the protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. He continually seeks to fight him, seeing him as the perfect rival, but eventually bonds with him across the franchise and becomes an important ally of his. He is also the sworn brother of Taiga Saejima who is one of the protagonists of Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5. Majima's character is explored in more detail during the prequel Yakuza 0, in which he is a 24-year-old former Yakuza and a playable protagonist along with Kiryu. In this game, Majima has a much calmer and serious demeanor that develops into his standard sadomasochistic one during a war between a number of families in a fight for a patch of land known as the Empty Lot. Majima also appears in the spin-off Dead Souls as well as the crossover Project X Zone 2.

Akira Nishikiyama, often shortened to Nishiki, is a fictional character from Sega's action-adventure game series Like a Dragon, previously titled Yakuza outside of Japan. He is the sworn brother and childhood best friend of series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, who insists on taking the blame for Nishiki after he murdered their boss, which resulted in Kiryu's expulsion from the Tojo Clan, the dominant yakuza organization in Tokyo, and his imprisonment for ten years. Nishiki establishes the Nishikiyama Family as a "subsidiary" of the Tojo Clan, and later triggers an internal power struggle for the clan's leadership shortly after Kiryu's release, leading to the two men becoming mortal enemies. Nishiki also appears as a supporting character in the prequel installment, Yakuza 0, which follows Kiryu's early years as a low-ranking member of the Tojo Clan. For Yakuza Kiwami, the remake of the original Yakuza, Nishiki's role in the narrative is expanded, with his motivations being more clearly explained.

<i>Yakuza</i> (franchise) Video game series

Yakuza, known in Japan as Ryū ga Gotoku and also known as Like a Dragon in recent series entries to align with its Japanese name, is a video game franchise created, owned and published by Sega. It incorporates elements of the action-adventure, beat 'em up, and role-playing genres.

<i>Yakuza: Dead Souls</i> 2011 video game by Sega

Yakuza: Dead Souls is an action-adventure survival horror video game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. The game is a spin-off of the Like a Dragon series. The game was originally scheduled for release in Japan on March 17, 2011 two days after the release of Yakuza 4 in North America; however, after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the release was indefinitely delayed. A new release date, setting the game's release for June 9, was announced on April 7. The game was also released in North America and Europe by Sega in March 2012. The gameplay and themes is based on another Sega horror-themed rail gun called The House of the Dead series.

<i>Yakuza 5</i> 2012 video game

Yakuza 5 is an action-adventure video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. The game is the fifth main entry in the Like a Dragon series. The game was released in December 2012 in Japan, and localized for North America, Europe and Australia as a PlayStation Network download in December 2015. A remaster with improved resolution and frame rate was released for the PlayStation 4 on June 20, 2019 in Japan, and worldwide on February 11, 2020 as part of The Yakuza Remastered Collection. Versions for Windows and Xbox One were released in January 2021.

<i>Yakuza: Like a Dragon</i> 2020 video game by Sega

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a role-playing video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. The first mainline title in the Yakuza franchise developed as a turn-based RPG, it was released in Japan and Asia for PlayStation 4 on January 16, 2020. The western release of the game for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 10, 2020 included new costumes, the English audio track and some previously paid DLC. This version was then released in Asia under the subtitle International on February 25, 2021 for Windows and Xbox platforms. The game was released worldwide for PlayStation 5 on March 2, 2021, and a version for Amazon Luna launched on December 10, 2021.

<i>Yakuza 0</i> 2015 video game

Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is the sixth main entry in the Yakuza series and a prequel to the original game. It was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, and in North America and Europe for PlayStation 4 in January 2017. It was released on Windows on 1 August 2018 and on Xbox One on 26 February 2020. A free accompanying game application for PlayStation Vita, titled Yakuza 0: Free to Play Application for PlayStation Vita, was released in Japan in February 2015. Set in late 1988 during Japan's bubble era, and seventeen years before the events of the first game, the story follows Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they get embroiled in a conflict between various Yakuza factions for control of a patch of land known as the "Empty Lot".

<i>Yakuza 6: The Song of Life</i> 2016 video game

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is an action-adventure video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega for PlayStation 4. The game is the seventh main entry in the Like a Dragon series and the final main game to feature Kazuma Kiryu as the primary protagonist, and was released in Japan in December 2016. The English version was released in Southeast Asia in March 2018, and worldwide the following month. Versions for Windows and Xbox One were released in March 2021. The game was followed up by Yakuza Kiwami 2, a remake of the second game, and by Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the next chronological installment, released in 2020.

<i>Yakuza Kiwami 2</i> 2017 video game

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is an action-adventure video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is a remake of the 2006 video game Yakuza 2 for the PlayStation 2, and is the Like a Dragon series' second remake title following 2016's Yakuza Kiwami. It was developed using the Dragon game engine from Yakuza 6. The game was released for PlayStation 4 on December 7, 2017 in Japan, and worldwide on August 28, 2018. It was released for Windows worldwide on Steam on May 9, 2019 and released for Xbox One on July 30, 2020. A version for cloud-based platform Amazon Luna was released on January 19, 2023.

Characters of the <i>Yakuza</i> series

Japanese video game developer Sega's Yakuza media franchise, known as Ryū ga Gotoku in its native Japan and other Asian territories, features an extensive cast of characters. This article describes notable characters who appear in the Yakuza main series video games and associated remasters or remakes, with characters sorted by organizations or groups according to the original works. The English-language adaptation equivalents are mentioned when available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryuji Goda</span> Fictional character from the Yakuza series

Ryuji Goda, is a fictional character from Sega's action-adventure game Like a Dragon series, previously known as Yakuza outside of Japan, first appearing in 2006's Yakuza 2. Goda also appears as one of the main characters in a spin-off title of the series, Yakuza: Dead Souls, which does not follow the series' canon and is set in an alternate timeline where Goda survives his wounds at the end of Yakuza 2. Goda is voiced by Masami Iwasaki in all media.

Ichiban Kasuga, also nicknamed Ichi (一), is a character from Sega's Ryu ga Gotoku media franchise, formerly known internationally as Yakuza. Ichiban is first introduced in the 2018 mobile game Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE, a freemium collectible card game spin-off which is exclusively released in Japan. Ichiban is the lead character in the 2020 video game Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the first main series Yakuza title which does not feature recurring series lead Kazuma Kiryu as a playable character. Ichiban is voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya in Japanese, and by Kaiji Tang in English.

<i>Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth</i> 2024 video game

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a role-playing video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. The game is the ninth mainline entry of the Like a Dragon series, and a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) and the spin-off title Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Romano, Sal (June 8, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches November 9". Gematsu. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ramsey, Robert (August 18, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden Looks Awesome, Includes Trial Version of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth". Push Square . Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  3. Croft, Liam (8 September 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden Reveals Its Mini Games, from the Fights to the Kinky". Push Square. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  4. 1 2 Ochoa, Raul (June 15, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Reveals Japanese Voice Cast". FinalWeapon.net. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  5. "Characters | Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Official Website | SEGA". ryu-ga-gotoku.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  6. Takenaka, Kosuke (October 30, 2023). "The Like a Dragon series producers talk about the "Don't change anything" policy they upkeep and fandom behavior that has surprised them". automaton-media.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  7. LeBlanc, Wesley (September 14, 2022). "Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Announced, Follows Kiryu's Life After Yakuza 6". Game Informer . Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  8. Tu, Trumann (September 18, 2022). "Like a Dragon Gaiden Will Be A Smaller Scale Game Than Other Yakuza Games". Game Rant . Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  9. Lada, Jenni (May 28, 2023). "VShojo's Kson Wins Yakuza Grand Prix To Be in 2 Like a Dragon Games". Siliconera . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  10. RGG Studio [@RGGStudio] (June 21, 2023). "Yong Yea (@YongYea), voice actor, popular YouTuber and NEW English voice of Kiryu in Like a Dragon Gaiden is the last panelist at our Dragons of Japan panel at Anime Expo!" (Tweet). Retrieved June 21, 2023 via Twitter.
  11. Kratiuk, Anton (September 20, 2023). "An introductory trailer for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, the next Yakuza spin-off, has been unveiled". gagadget.com. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  12. Tu, Trumann (September 29, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden Has a Surprising Connection With Judgment Spin-Offs". Game Rant. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  13. Lambert, Jeremy (8 November 2023). "AEW Promotes 'Yakuza Like A Dragon' SEGA Game In Crossover Ad For 11/15 Street Fight". Fightful. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  14. Spurr, Megan (2023-10-31). "Coming Soon to Game Pass: Like A Dragon Gaiden, Wild Hearts, Football Manager 2024, and More". Xbox Wire. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  15. Damian, Arthur (August 17, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden to Get Physical Release Through Playasia". The Escapist . Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  16. Tai, Anita (October 17, 2023). "Like A Dragon Gaiden Game Won't Have English Dub at Launch". Animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  17. "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  18. "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  19. "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  20. Van Allen, Eric (November 6, 2023). "Review: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name". Destructoid . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  21. 1 2 Franzese, Tomas (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name review: playing the hits". Digital Trends . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  22. Hester, Blake (November 6, 2023). "Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Review". Game Informer . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  23. Higham, Michael (November 6, 2023). "Like A Dragon Gaiden Review - The Man Who Can't Escape The Yakuza". GameSpot . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  24. Hashimoto, Kazuma (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name review: "Yet another swansong for Kiryu"". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  25. Ogilvie, Tristan (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Review". IGN . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  26. Savage, Phil (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden review". PC Gamer . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  27. Ramsey, Robert (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Review (PS5)". Push Square . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  28. Logan, Jonathan (November 6, 2023). "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name". RPG Fan. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  29. Luddy, Lexi (November 6, 2023). "Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name review: The man behind the myth". Shacknews . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  30. 1 2 Broadwell, Josh (November 6, 2023). "Like A Dragon Gaiden review: The shortest Yakuza game is also one of the best". VG247 . Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  31. "Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name". Metacritic . Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  32. Romano, Sal (November 16, 2023). "Famitsu Sales: 11/6/23 – 11/12/23 [Update]". Gematsu. Retrieved December 14, 2023.