Yakuza: Like a Dragon

The gameplay, and particularly, combat mechanics have been a remarkable weakness in the “Yakuza” series, with close to no change since the third chapter. It might sound even more worrying that now the combat has been replaced with turn-based RPG, taking the series even further into the past. However, the fact that the combat is been presented like this to reflect the protagonist’s obsession with RPGs makes the choice extremely coherent, something like “Dancer in the Dark” with musicals. And the combination of a modern urban setting with RPG tropes is exhilarating to say the least, with the employment service center giving you “jobs” (classes) and absurd skills linked to each one of them. Even the enemies are presented as extremized versions of some of people actually populating Japanese society and subcultures.

That aside, the combat doesn’t feel any slower than the action-based system of the previous games, although grinding can be a little too demanding within an experience that is already remarkably time-consuming. There are two boss fights in the last few chapters that will force you to farm experience, side-quests being not so helpful in the process.

The plot marks the first time legendary protagonist Kazuma Kiryu is not directly involved, and while the new characters can turn remarkably likable over time, the first phases of the game didn’t exactly trigger my motivation to continue. The acting and direction are still top-notch for a Japanese videogame, making again Yakuza mostly worth playing for the narrative rather than the gameplay itself, if you can accept its trademark melodramatic touch. Although the absurd comedy is still relevant, the narrative sometimes takes a darker route than before, even pointing the finger at some aspects of Japanese society that are rarely encountered in Japanese mainstream entertainment, like homelessness, prostitution, etc.

This game is really good, I won't sugarcoat it doe, it has its flaws.

I think the best way to describe it is a fresh breath of air. The game innovates in a lot of Different Aspects, being the Job Mechanic or the fusing of Yakuza (a Beat em Up with JRPG elements), etc. and they did make it good.

I like the New Characters, the Whole new Cast is Super cool. Do I feel like they act like they know each other for like 10+ years even do they only know themselves for a month or something, yes HAHA

The Story is quite good, it's not as good as Yakuza 0 but it's up there with the more Enjoyable Stories of Yakuza, I do think that by the time u Arrive in Ijincho, the story gets Very boring IMO I think it's chapter 3 and 4 are long with long cutscenes that are not even needed, Doe I have to say the story also had super Good Highs, Being the Invade of the Omi HQ or the Millenium Tower Etc, Otherwise, it also had its share of Plottwists that weren't predictable. The end was a bit weird IMO and forced, but I think it's alright. Sometimes it's also Weird how the Characters in the Story act like it's Only ichiban doing things even doe im a 4+ Member party doing everything, they acknowledge that, but sometimes they don't and just act as if Ichiban is fighting alone or is standing alone.

Gameplay is super fun, im Usually not a fan of JRPGs like Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest Etc, I am more of a Pokemon guy, but they did quite well, I had to Grind Like 2 Times, being Majima and Saejima Boss Fight, and the Tendo Boss Fight. I love the Job Mechanic it's super cool and makes the gameplay even more fun. I have to say the Tendo boss fight was Trash, it was a fitting end boss but the one-shot attack was busted he Killed ichiban 2times for me, I already needed to grind 5+ Hours for it, after my First try, But the one-shot Move was just Unnecessary, after googling I found out I had to use one of Ichiban's abilities to Live Through one time Death, and the Try I learned that he didn't even attack Ichiban with it -_-. The mechanic that I have to pay Ingame Money to Retry a fight, or I have to reload a save, is also pretty bad, I had to go through the Whole Millenium tower which is like a 30Min FIght again just to try Tendo again. Losing half the Money after dying to Random Encounters that are 20 levels above me also didn't help.

Music even doe I'm Not a Dubstep fan, I enjoyed it the Track in the Mabuchi Fight or the Millenium Tower, BANGERS lmao.

I also Really liked the Business Management Minigame, which gave me some nice Yakuza 0 vibes and a Whole New Crew Member (which is Fye), it was a bit Complicated at first but Really fun as soon as you understand how it goes. I saw myself playing through it, in one session 5hrs +.

Didn't play any Side missions Yet or other Optional things Except the Management minigame, but imma do that sometime later.

My love for the Yakuza franchise started from the judgement games. After finishing those games I wanted to take my chances with this game. For the most part a lot of fun and has a lot of the things I liked from the other games I’ve played. However, I had a lot of trouble getting used to combat system here. Im not used to turn based combat and I got frustrated several times while playing this. It’s severely limiting and not as quick as I want it. The ending of this game tug at my heart strings and I’m totally captivated by the new protagonist and his story. I really like this storyline and can’t wait for Like A Dragon 8!

The problem with turn-based RPG games that borrow heavily from Pokémon, such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon, is when it comes to the balance between gameplay and farming. The gameplay here is atrocious, and some of the worst turn-based combat I have ever played in a game, hands-down. Whether it be the amount of stuns, the boring gameplay loop, or the completely RNG interruptions (such as an enemy hitting you as you walk to a different enemy), this game does everything wrong about turn-based combat.

Farming is also immensely unfun. One of the objectives for the MAIN STORY of the game is to obtain 3 million Yen, which is an insanely boring and uncreative objective to have in any game. This game loves to tack on unnecessary grind, and it also loves not respecting your time. What a waste. If the gameplay loop is mediocre, then by default the farming will also be mediocre.

Gameplay Loop: atrocious.
Farming: Tedious
Story: Good/Okay.
Atmosphere/Music/Graphics: Typical Yakuza game aka very good.
Overall: A good game completely demolished and let down by its turn-based Pokémon-esque gameplay.


Also as a side note, this game's minigames are nowhere near as good or fun as Yakuza 0's or 2's.

2/5

Yakuza 7 is a departure for the series, trading in the series' trademark beat 'em up combat for turn-based combat. I did not enjoy the game's take on turn-based combat. Playing Persona 5 Royal directly after this game highlighted the fact that, even among its peers, Yakuza 7's combat is lacking. The game's saving grace, I suppose, is that it's mercifully easy, apart from one late-game difficulty spike (to the point where it felt like a battle I was supposed to lose).
Yakuza 7 has a great cast that carries the middling narrative. It's just wasted on a poor game. The genre switch did not land, as the new combat is a bit below mediocre. I slogged through the combat to play all the side content, and finished the game only because I felt like I should, not because I actually wanted to play it.

I've adapted everything after this paragraph from a Twitter thread I wrote - it doesn't feel as slick as I often try (and fail) to make my normal reviews, but it adequately reflects my feelings when returning to Y7 after going back and playing every other mainline Yakuza game before it. I want to say that I can recognize the amount of effort and care that went into making a game that brightened up such a shitty year for so many people. I'm just not sure what I'm missing. Commence thread:

I've finally beat Yakuza 6 and I'm convinced I'll never be able to return to Like A Dragon/Y7 after this. Not as some kind of protest for them writing Kiryu out of the series, but because I really don't understand the allure of it at this point. The cast of Y7 is so huge and I'm like 60% of the way to caring about any of them as characters, but Ichiban permanently feels like a jester even in serious moments and the most endearing members of the cast are barely given room to breathe. The combat is decent enough but right as it starts wearing out its welcome there is a massive difficulty spike that forces you to just sit there and grind these fights that you've already been choking down for 20 hours.

I don't know man. This series has routinely been clumsy, but I made it through some of those clumsy moments because they had built up my attachment to a couple cities, characters, and showed me that they were capable of creating new attachment to characters when I least expected it. Y7 has just been an exercise in patience, fighting through some dull moments and my rewards are either interactions with a few new charisma vacuums, or trying to make my monkey brain light up by coldly bringing out a character I recognize from a previous game.

The answer to this is "you don't have to play games you don't like" and unfortunately I might just have to accept that outcome at this point. I spent a long while convincing myself I was having fun because the game was polished and I didn't actively hate the combat, but in retrospect I was just biding my time in the hopes that a Yakuza game would turn itself around and hook me as it has so many times before, only to let me down this time. It took a return to the Kiryu saga before I could put my finger on it, but seeing Kiryu's interactions with the new characters in Onomichi and being pleasantly surprised by how much I cared about them, how charming they were and how real their emotions (and their bond) felt, it highlighted how lacking Y7 is in comparison. At this point, I've given this game 50 hours of my time and completed 12 full chapters and it's just worn out its welcome. I wanted so badly to like this game, and knowing that other people see something great here and I'm just missing it leaves me feeling so tired, man.