YakuzaI mean, Like a Dragonis back with another launch in 2023 with The Man Who Erased His Name. As this is a sequel to a series that is extremely dependent on its history, there may be spoilers from previous games, but not the new one, okay?
Joryu, Special Agent
Like a Dragon Gaiden begins some time after the end of the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. Unlike the last major release in the series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon (okay, I understand that there's been some name confusion with this series in the West), we're back in control of Kazuma Kiryu, the iconic main character of the series since the Playstation 2 era.
Kiryu, now called Joryu due to his agreement with the Daidoji faction (a kind of political-military-spy group) to have him presumed dead at the end of the character's last game, spends his days meditating in a temple and is occasionally summoned to serve as an agent on dangerous missions.
Trying to protect himself with anonymity, always aiming to protect those he loves, Joryu doesn't take off his disguise, which is a bit like Superman: only dark glasses and a typical special agent's suit. However, on one of these dangerous missions, his whereabouts and true identity are revealed to members of the Yakuza.
Is it a spin-off?
The story of Like a Dragon Gaiden is exactly what you'd expect from a game in the series, but much more restrained and with fewer characters and twists. This is certainly an aspect of the game's short production time (it was said to have been made in six months) and also of the game's fillersince the main objective is to situate Kiryu in the plot of the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. In the next game, Infinite Wealth, he will be co-protagonist with Ichiban.
Despite the short journey and a story that's less daring and novelistic than usual for the series, the events are still very well written, the dialog is still top-notch and there are a few twists and turns (some expected, others not) that keep the player wanting to know what's going to happen next. What's more, regaining control of the Dragon of Dojima, Kiryu, is reason enough to play the game Gaiden.
Little Sotenbori
For almost the entire game, Kiryu (or Joryu, depending on how familiar you are with the character) will be walking, running, eating, having fun, drinking and kicking ass around Sotenbori, a region of Kansai already familiar to old fans of the series.
Repeating the pattern of the franchise, the city is full of restaurants, bars and activities. The player is encouraged to wander around the city and get to know it as much as possible during the main and side missions.
This characteristic of Like a Dragon is very important, because it brings an immersion that makes a simple brawler in a role-playing and simulation game. Make no mistake: Yakuza (Like a Dragon) it's not a sandbox series, it's not GTA in Japan, and it's not just a game about fighting.
The minigames are the famous ones from the series, such as golf, autorama, arcades, claw machines (those that catch stuffed animals) and others, as well as the classic restaurants from the series. This makes experienced players feel comfortable, as Sotenbori is still Sotenbori, with no major changes between games. Others may find it repetitive, but Gaiden still has one more important area.
The boat adrift
In addition to Sotenbori, players will get to experience a new region, the casino in the middle of the sea called Castle. There, as well as betting big on poker, in games of Mahjong (good luck understanding how to play) and buy costumes in the boutique, players will also have fun (and get rich) in the Arena, where the strongest fighters recruited by the clans will be waiting for you.
The fights have a timer and various rules to win more and more. It's a very good source of money, after all, everything in Gaiden costs a lot of money. There are solo and group fights. Unlike the group fights in previous games, they don't adopt a tactical format, but rather the player controls one character and the others assist in the fight with their characteristics.
Castle is a place of pleasure, lust, corruption... A place of yakuzas and those who can afford it. The inspiration is clearly Las Vegas. Inside the Castle you can see people dazzled by the show of lights and colors, as well as others being enslaved and sunk into debt there. As always, Kiryu and the player manage to get very broad insights into Japanese society through the games.
The Dragon Engine in the battles of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
One of the things I disliked most about the previous games in the Dragon Engine (Yakuza 6 e Yakuza Kiwami 2) was the fact that the combat, despite being very stylish and beautiful, was very simple compared to what was done in the engine old, especially in Yakuza 0 e Yakuza KiwamiYou could switch between different fighting styles, giving the battles a lot of depth.
Gaiden comes to change that perception, adding the weight of the battles from the old games to the look of the new one, as well as giving it its own unique touch. An important part of the games in the series, the brutal combat of Like a Dragon is extremely important for the players.
Kiryu, now an agent, can use the Yakuza's own battle style, with strong, sharp blows, hooks, kicks and grabs at his enemies. He also has the battle style of Daidoji agents, who are much faster and have their own gadgets, such as drones, exploding cigarettes, foot jets and a wire to grab enemies. At this point, the game often makes Kiryu seem like a superhero, and that's great. After all, anyone who knows the series knows that's what he is.
This possibility of switching between styles adds a good deal of depth to the game, as well as a good deal of variety. And with the Dragon Engine, everything is very fluid, beautiful, full of life and sparkle.
The Akame Network
Older fans are used to finding question marks on the series' maps and then starting a Substory, i.e. a side mission. In GaidenKiryu obtains these missions through an underworld network controlled by the character Akame. This is a welcome change for a series where few female characters are key to progress.
There's everything: from finding food and giving it to someone who wants it, finding hidden items, taking photos of specific locations or longer missions that involve hitting someone and then waiting to see what happens. Gaiden follows the line of the previous ones, but it is very clear that the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio to realize these stories better. The dialog is good, there's a lot of funny stuff, there are moral lessons and everything else, but there's a feeling that something was missing to make it as good as what the series usually delivers.
In addition to the main missions, the player needs to complete several of the Akame Network's quests, as they yield great rewards, both in money and Akame Points, which are needed to obtain new skills and buy some things in the network's special store. By the way, this upgrade system, via money and Akame points, is much better than just experience points, as was the case previously, or the fruit salad that was in Yakuza 6. Point for Gaiden, who has found a very balanced way to deal with a crucial system in the franchise.
A man can erase his name, but never his history
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is an excellent game, especially considering that it's merely a filler for what's to come. It's not a spin-off, but a story intended to fill a hole. The game is open to new and old fans alike, but the latter will be able to enjoy and understand all the references much more than the former.
With all the texts translated into Portuguese, an excellent soundtrack and incredible visuals, Gaiden is a must-have game for anyone who likes the series, anyone who is curious about it and anyone who likes Japanese culture.
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