As a huge fan of the series (it's my favourite game series of all time) i'm so glad Like A Dragon Ishin has seen a release in the UK), it's so cool seeing Hideo Nakano, Hitoshi Ozawa and Riki Takeuchi's likeness' and voice still being used here too, lastly i just hope this leads to a Like A Dragon Kenzan remake too :)
It's a small thing, but I like the skill tree design from Yakuza 0 coming back. If I were to recommend the series, I say don't skip 3, 4, and 5. 3 Is a novel adventure with a lot of heart. 4 has a great story, introduces Taiga and has the most awkward moment in the whole series, and 5 is just a beast of a game with the most playable characters. In short, play them all!
@@boneflayer3954 I recently finished 3 and honestly, I enjoyed the game a lot, this game kinda taught me to stop spamming attacks with big enemies or bosses and dodge more attacks, also I managed to get every Revelations moves and finished 43 substories before the final mission, I had a good time (except with Joji, the man was abusing that parry stance) A solid 8/10 imo
I really like how you go through newcomer aspect. A long running series can sometimes be daunting for newcomers to jump in and that aspect alone might turn them away! Great job!
I was like that before, what made me started to play the Yakuza series was Judgment. After playing Judgment and Lost Judgment, it got me curious to play Yakuza series as it is somehow connected. And the rest is history, played every Yakuza starting from 0 to 7 like a dragon. I hope they still continue the modern series although I get that maybe this is just something new and fresh for fans.
Finally a reviewer that get's what the Yakuza series is about. There's too much confusion or people don't understanding the series or trying to compare with other games.
I played my first Yakuza game about two months ago. It was Yakuza 6 and immediately i fell in love with the characters and the writing. It made me realize how starved I was for a fun character driven story rather than hollow spectacle. I might have to get this now.
Played every single yakuza to completion even the 2 judgements, this is the only game I’ve been looking forward to besides starfield, jake ballidino you have brought a tear to my eye, I’m in a fucked up position in life rn and who would’ve thought a game and a review nonetheless would’ve been a light for me. Thank you brother! Can’t wait to play it
@@oxycoded7947 prayer my brotha, watch more positive things online. Stay away from social media, eat healthier, get out of the house more, even for a walk (sun light does wonders) and pray man.
I know exactly what you mean, and I hope you get better, we can never lose hope no matter what, try to surround yourself with people that love you and also try focusing on the positive experiences in life, eliminate the negative ones as much as you can, nothing good comes from them, it's the good experiences, just seeing people doing good deeds to one another, they give me happiness and rejuvenation, and because of that I haven't yet lost faith completely in humanity, there is too much negativity, a little light of hope goes a long way, and I hope that everyone here enjoys this cool game
Jake, I love you dude. Been watching you since PMI in 2010-2011. You, Eric, and Mike. I found you guys when you three were talking about The Amazing Spider-Man swinging footage that leaked online. Like 11-12 years ago now. I’ve been around ever since. Thanks for the years of entertainment. Feel like I’ve grown up with you guys.
This game is great from the little I’ve played so far, but the one thing I hope gets an update is the photo mode. This game is beautiful, and I really hope they add more features to photo editing, such as filter intensity, focal point adjustments, and lighting. It’s just a minor gripe I have, but if it doesn’t get updated I’m fine because this game is really fun.
0 is a great starting point. I started on it 4 months ago and I'm on Yakuza 3 remastered now. Fully intending to go all the way. They have made me a lifelong fan with how charming, goofy, and fun the games can be. Highly recommend if you don't mind the occasional jank.
This might be the review that gets me into the Yakuza series as a whole. It looks good, what you describe doesn't have any downsides that really bother me much, and the game sounds awesome.
I don't wanna be a hater buf if you played, a Yakuza, you've played all Yakuza (Except Y:LAD) A lot of mechanics and activities are repeated along all games, hell, even some subquests are repeated. Don't get me wrong, they are good games, but at least for me, not exceptional.
@@facundoclapier and? Yakuza is one of the rare few that is insanely good despite reused assets even y4 and y5 which I think are lowest points of series are awesome when I focused on story
I was so stoked to hear that they were bringing this game to the west! After getting into the Yakuza series, I wanted to play everyone there was to offer (can't say I liked 3 that much though). As far as a starting point go, Yakuza 0 is definitely my go to. This is a great spin-off/palette cleanser but, if you're looking to get into the mainline story, definitely start there.
I own all of them but I just finished 3 and I had played some of 4 on ps streaming service but never finished it so I have to start over now from the beginning.
I don't know about the main storyline but I feel as if it would be a drag to continue something as Kiryu, he is probably old right now and all aspect from his story line has been explored. Ichiban's story seems like a one and done. What I feel that can have continuation is the judgment series. So I will not be surprise if this becomes the new basis and direction for the series and not just a spin-off. The origins of Yakuza started around the Edo period or the Tokugawa period after the sengoku war and these guys were samurai before becoming gangsters, so they might be starting from that.
probably one of the most underrated / underheralded game series out there. For those who are looking to start, I actually recommend starting with Kiwami 1 and working your way through 6 then back to 0. Playing 0 (one of the best) last wraps up this beautiful series where you finally understand how the whole plot comes together and the sheer epic adventures the characters at the end will have together. I would do it this way if only for the final epic scene in 0 once you've played your way through the first 6 games. 7 should be last as the epicness of some of the characters will be lost upon you if you haven't played the rest of the series. With this method, you won't play one of the best games in the series until the end but it does give you something to look forward to (saving one of the best for last).
Yakuza 0 have the best Story and experience. i start with Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1, kiwami 2, yakuza 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and cant wait for Yakuza "Like a dragon Gaiden".
@@Lukemasonmedia you're doing the right thing, not only Kiwami 1 isn't as good of a game as others, it drops you right in the middle of everything, playing 0 first and having some context and backstory from the world/characters and being invested in the series is really what that makes you make it pass through K1, personally I most likely would've dropped the game/series if I hadn't started with 0 but now I'm a big fan
The Yakuza series as a whole is incredible! Got into the series around the time Yakuza 0 released and never looked back, own every Yakuza game that has been released in the west ever since 🔥If you’ve never played any of the series do yourself a favour and play, just wacky fun video games, not enough out there 👌
Been trying to get back in but I got confused about the party combat addition and now I see there are 2 Like a Dragon games on the ps store header where everything else used to be COD or Fortnite
Just finished Yakuza Like a Dragon 65 hours on steam deck and ran perfectly at around 45 fps. Definitely going to get Ishin Like a Dragon and should run even better on the deck since it's a remake of an older game. Something to consider for people who might think the graphics aren't amazing
I bought the game last night and i had a lot of fun with it. For my first time playing a game in the series. The wild dancer style i would say is the most fun
@@damiancrowley569 ha why do people want to be broke? Like it isn’t that good of a game. Me honestly I’m tired of paying 70 dollars a game even tho I just did again for dead island 2
I look forward to giving it a proper try. Got an hour in and since then life has been in the way of me continuing. Can't wait to sit down to an all day play.
I just started playing Yakuza 0. IT'S SO GOOOOOD! This is such a breath of fresh air in my backlog. I'ma get Ishin when I can, then slowly go through the series.
I pre-ordered this game at Gamestop, I can't wait for the official release. You're videos always help me decide which are some good games I would enjoy, and this video made me even more excited for the "official" release. I always recommend people start at 0 and play through them in order. I started with 7 and regret it, since I knew some things I felt I shouldn't of. But I'm also glad I started with 7 because it got me into the series, love these games so much!
@@ErikArsenal 1.) stop being addicts to buying every game before release 2.) you guys the reason games declining now buy buying these boring repetitive games that keep coming out( not saying Isshin a bad game)
I legit lost two hours just playing Koi Koi in the gambling den, then another hour chicken racing, and then bummed around the homestead, cooking some new meals and tweaking my farming set up. I'm delving into all the side content I can find, and in most games that would leave you over leveled and without much else to do as you proceed. Not in Like A Dragon though!
I bought the digital deluxe edition and played 8 hours and still on Chapter 4 out of 14 chapters. There's a lot of content in this game compared to something like Dead Space remake or Resident evil 4 remake
I started with Kiwami (then K2, 3-5, Zero and 6) and I feel like the rest of the games added more to Zero then the other way around. There's a lot of stuff that will fly right over your head in the substories, and frankly, starting of with the peak of the series means you can only go down.
Thanks to you guys and your videos, I don't have any problems in choosing the games to buy and checking out the comments in steam anymore. thank you thank you thank you.
RGG Studio is the most reliable studio I've ever seen. Everything they make is fantastic, Yakuza or otherwise. Even shit like Fist of the North Star is so damn cool.
@JakeBaldino after years and years of watching I wanted to share this: When I was younger and in energy-drink fueled video game era I really appreciated your opinion and thought your videos were honest and fair. If you have a bias, like Kojima, you always acknowledged it early. As a gamer who doesn't have the time to play due to life, I still really value your videos for honest takes at games now that i have to be more selective with what I spend my free time on. Thank you!!
I love the whole Bakumatsu, Shinsengumi and Edo settings of Japan from games like Hakuouki and the Rurouni Kenshin movies, so this game looks awesome. I have not played a Yakuza game, but still want to get this.
I don't buy many games on release but I pre-ordered the deluxe edition of Ishin just because of how much I love the RGG games and they absolutely nailed it, I have no regrets and i'd do it again (looking forward to Like a Dragon Gaiden and then later next year for Like a Dragon 8)
Awesome work team! I've said it before and I'll say it again! I can always rely on quality especially with the Before you Buys. Hats off gentlemen. Long Live Gameranx!!!
I'm a massive fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon games and I did have the pleasure of playing the original Like a Dragon ishin when it was a Japanese exclusive. it's nice to see it getting the love it deserves Ryu ga gotoku studios is my favourite singleplayer game dev team. But enough about my complimenting and on to facts personally I think the best place to start The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is no doubt Yakuza Kiwami and then Yakzua 0 because so many people who play Yakuza 0 first miss out on all the call backs to kiwami and the rest of the yakuzas
I played Yakuza 7 and that was my first Yakuza game. It wasn't a bad game to start off with but i really wished that I played 0 before so I would know how important some of the side characters are and some of the MCs but that didn't ruin the game for me it was really fun and probably one of the first big JRPGS I've ever played through/finished and it's probably one of my favorite games of all time
Truth be told, I don't know much about this series or any Japanese game but this kind of looks interesting. The homestead and the cooking elements is what sold it to me, the same reason to why I like Assassin's Creed III so much.
I have been waiting for this game and never thought I’d play it and yet it happened. I love this game so far, I just love how much of a breath of fresh air this title is, the setting its in, familiarity yet all new. Definitely recommend this game. Also Judgement (my favorite) is another good introduction to Yakuza universe. It was my first game and its a little more milder with the weird zany stuff compared to other Yakuza games but it definitely still has its crazy goofy moments. The first Judgement is isolated with zero references and mentions to Yakuza that I am aware of, but the sequel to Judgement (lost judgement) has some ties with Yakuza 7.
I would say that on top of this one and 0, the judge eyes series may also be a good entry point. Less about the character, but more of a general feel of the entire series, the gameplay, the side quests and the minigames
Yeah I played 0, Kiwami 1 & 2 a few years ago when they were added to gamepass, but didnt pick up another RGG game until Judgment on the ps5. As someone who wasn’t completely invested to the whole Yakuza series yet, it was definitely a great point to return to the series. The Judgment games on ps5 also feel very good performance wise, so I think they are the easiest to get into for people new to the series.
It helps a lot to appreciate the story and setting of this game if you know and undersand that bit of Japanese history which is one of the two most well-known among Japanese people (along with Sengoku Jidai). In Westerm term, imagine a GTA 5 spinoff setting in Roman period. Instead of Los Santos, you have Rome, and Michael and Trevor become Brutus and Caesar.
It's 100% an entry point for me. Played a bit of 0 but this is the first one I've given dedicated hours into it and it's a bit of a learning curve with the combat bit I'm enjoying it a lot.
Thanks for the info on the good, the bad & the poorly rendered. I am working my way through the Yakuza games & i recommend people start with zero, but perhaps this new game that has no ties to the other titles based on the byb is a good place to start. I will pick the game up in about 5 years when i get closer to working my way through the series.
As a Yakuza junkie, cant wait to play it. But in general I think it is better start with 0 and then move on Kiwami 1, 2 etc. This is spinoff after all and nice bonus if you already know the characters. It is like a cameo on every corner. But for newcomers it can be hard to understand the Yakuza mainline, since the characters will confuse them imo.
I played through 0-3 a while ago and needed a break, started 4 maybe a month ago but got a little too obsessed with the mahjong and only made it through akiyama and saejima's parts before feeling the burnout a bit again. so i decided I'd give this one a try as a bit of a break from kamurocho, and so far I am thoroughly into it. I also think it's making me kinda excited to get back to 4 and the main series in general when I'm done here, I guess I just really needed a change of pace and a bit of the zero/kiwami-style gameplay loop again
These reviews have actually helped me to make a decision on whether to buy a game or not in the past. Love this formula and I hope that more developers give you more early review copies! Also will you be doing an Atomic Heart BYB?
I played the old ishin (gifted to me as a birthday present), and i have this on pre order and it has been delivered early! if its anything like the original, everybody is in for a treat.
I got into the series with Yakuza 0. I spent way too much time managing the hostesses! None of the other minor games have come close for me. I’m looking forward to playing this one, it will be great to see familiar faces again.
That’s my favorite in the series too, and it’s done even better in Kiwami 2 IMO. Freaking love it. I’d even love a mobile version of the hostess minigame just to be able to play it during my breaks at work lol
Probably still the best mini game yet because it was so detailed. I also did enjoy the Judgment mini games that they offered. I forgot what series was the one you had to buy real estate and had to employee staff members to make it better, but that one was also fun.
The mini games are what made this series memorable for me. I agree with the hostess being the best one so far, I also like those other mini games. On the top of my head, the real estate in 7, the majima construction, the fight arena underground before it was a construction business, the detective side quest from judgment, boxing, robot engineering, and skating game in lost judgment. Lost judgment has probably the best mini games story wise, its a pain going through all of them but it was worth it.
Already preorderd like 4 weeks ago. And I still watched this good to see its getting some good vibes ign gave this a 7 crazy it deserves much higher score. I love the yakuza games I have played all of them except this on can't wait to play
@jw2862 because I played the demo and all yakuza games before and I now that this franchise deserves more it is under rated I'm not saying it's a 10 but it dose deserve more look at all the stuff u can do in these games not many games are like this but I do understand if it's not for everyone
@@jadevanzyl8369 same here. The yakuza games are solid and I feel that this game will be too, but it’s hard to say what a game deserves without having played it fully for yourself. Anyway I hope you enjoy the game. I plan to pick it up soon too.
@jw2862 thanks yeah u do have to play it and see for yourself if u like it I'm just going on passed yakuza games that I played and I've really enjoyed these games. I hope u get the game and also enjoye it. It's so much fun
The Yakuza series is a great series for those that like open world games but don't have time to play games. The world's are just big enough being more like your local county rather then some huge barren landscape so you get attached to the characters and story around you
I can’t wait to play this. I’m a huge fan of the franchise and of RGG, in general. In my opinion, they also did Turn-Based combat really well, but my favorite remains the beat-em-up RPG style which is extremely unique to the series. Loved Lost Judgement too and looking forward to how the new engine works in this one.
7:25 PM local time, Feb 20th.. waiting for Ishin to complete release on Steam and looking forward to when it does. Thank you for the review, and I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into another RGG game.
I really like the idea of using other main character assets as "Actors" to cast them in another new games other studios should really do this too ngl, Just imagine Dante or Snake or even Cloud casting in different games which is out of their own main genre. That would be interesting as fk
Lol. That only works with generic characters, or nonchalant, blasé, characters. The only one you listed that'd work is Dante. But even then, it would just cheapen his character and the DMC world to do so.
I agree with you, would love to see more of that! There are already a few example of the characters you mentionned being used in games very different from the ones they originate from. From the top of my head: Dante has appeared as a recruitable guest character in the 2003 JRPG Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne (tho it was DMC 2's version of Dante which I kinda hate compared to his other depictions in the series) // he is a playable character in the 1st Viewtiful Joe game (man how I'd love for Capcom to make a new VJ game or at least a solid remake/remaster of the first game!) as well as the spin-off Viewtiful Joe Red Hot Rumble // he is also playable (in his DMC3 depiction, the best one IMO) in Marvel VS Capcom 3, which remains one of my favorite fighting games ever to this day. The game also lets you fight as Trish from DMC, and the updated edition Ultimate MVC 3 added Vergil (DMC3) to the roster too! // Playstation Battle Royale featured the pretty unpopular alternate universe Dante from the 2013 'DmC' reboot as a playable character I know a lot less about possible cross-overs/apparitions from Snake and Cloud Strife, but one notable example is the Dissidia: Final Fantasy spin-off arena fighting games, featuring Cloud and a large roster of Final Fantasy heroes & villains from the entire series. Dissidia Duodecim (PSP) is the best game in the series, it saddens me how the most recent one on PS4 was so inferior to the 2011 PSP game. I really wanted to like the 2015 version but it just doesn't feel right compared to Duodecim, a damn shame really
Man you'd love From Software. Not all of their characters get reused, but there are definitely recurring characters across different settings, such as Crestfallen Warrior, Patches, and Ostrava.
Seems like a quality game. Not my kind of game, but love that they make a demo, so you can try it out. If you are into it, you buy the game and enjoy it. If you are not into it, you let it be and you dont have the feeling of getting cheated. Good strategy 👍
I literally got some money for the PlayStation store for my birthday next week from my wife. Since I'm a mature gamer who will be turning 40 I don't like to make purchases because I think a game looks cool. I saw this game almost being released and immediately went to RUclips to see if you had a before you can buy. Thanks for helping us OG gamers spend our money on quality games instead of trash
I have literally waited 15 years for this game to get a translation. The modded rom game translations never sat right with me. What really annoys me however is it's coming at the same time as Wu-Long from Team Ninja. Another must play.
@@Tyler_Wildman yeah since the first Yakuza game I said if they did it in an Edo or Oda/Sengoku period I would play the crap out of it. Then they made the Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan game but only released it in Japanese. So I couldn't understand it. I then waited for the emulated rom version to get a custom modded translation but it was incomplete and I wasn't sure if it was accurate so I stopped playing to not ruin the experience. Then I heard they were making the PC version and I yipped like a little dog :D
The two series that have some of the best world building and sense of place, and extremely fleshed out setting are the Trails series(Trails in the Sky/Zero/Azure/Cold Steel/Reverie-all the Trails games by Falcom) and of course Like A Dragon(including ALL the spin-offs). Those two series are master classes in Setting/World Building and Character writing and some of the best in the whole industry. Can’t recommend Like A Dragon, as well as the Trails series, enough. Just a pro-tip, always start from the beginning in order of release. It makes these kinds of games with an abundance of world building just 1000’s of times better.
I’m simple. A new RGG game comes out, I buy it. This is easily one of the most consistently good series out there! I only started going through them with Kiwami a couple years ago but they quickly shot up to being one of my favorites of all time. Never thought we’d get Ishin over in the west, but here we are! Hopefully we get Kenzan soon too!
It's 50% off on steam right now, looks good but it's still a 2014 release even if it's technically a remake and I think I'll wait for a 70% + sale for this one. I think I'll go with the Yakuza bundle which features Yakuza Kiwami 1, 2 and Yakuza 0 for 30$ Canadian. That's about 22$ American 🎉🎉🎉. I just bought Yakuza like a dragon 80% off and that's going to be my first Yakuza game but I am a long time JRPG fan.
Bang for your buck is much better though than 99% of single player games Simply because it's very easy to get into and put in 100-200 hours discovering everyone's bond stories, cooking dungeons etc. This game is massive.
This looks to be another great game. I really want to get into the Yakuza games. Can anyone give me a chronological order of games? I know LAD and LAD Isshin are separate stories. Thanks!
Yakuza 0 Yakuza Kiwami (Yakuza 1 remake) Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Yakuza 2 remake) Yakuza 3-5 (i recommend the bundle) Yakuza 6: The song of life Yakuza 7: like a dragon
Great review as always, Jake! Regarding the recommendation for people new to the series that you've asked for at the end: I'm what you've called a die hard fan since I've played all of the games at least once and some for few times. I would definitely recommed to start with 0, this one seems like a joy for fans, since they may encounter a lot of characters that they've met along the way in different parts of the series. However, if someone is like a classic samurai-period Japan fan, this might also be a good entry point, just to fall in love with the serious-goofy vibe of the game.
Regarding entry points, I would say Zero, 7, or Judgement as they are the starting points for different protagonists. While it helps to have played 0-6 to get some of the context of what's happening in 7, it's not essential.
I think the best entry point for ryu ga gotoku is the Judgement series. Yakuza/Like a Dragon is a bit quirky in nature so u gotta appreciate Japanese culture a bit more to fully enjoy them. Judgement/Lost Judgement has great combat and great story execution while making the player feel invested in the private detective life. Nonetheless can't wait to play this. Just powering thru Hogwarts so I have enough time to experience it
Honestly both Judgment games turned into slogs for me by the end, something about the stories just went on and on and on seemingly more than Yakuza usually does and I had to grind to finish.
Played this on PS4 in 2014 Japanese import copy. Good story no clue back then on the dialogue and no subtitles back then. Now this is nice would like to try this again on PS5.
Been playing for almost a year from 0 to 6, and I can't wait to jump into Like A Dragon. There's also the Judgement spin-off I am willing to try next. I was hoping to finish all those before this one pops up. I might wait for a sale on PS Store while I finish 6, Like a Dragon and the first Judgement.
I will say that like a dragon ended up being one of my favorites! But that was the first one I played of the series. After that I was hooked tho and found out they had a shit ton of yakuza games lol next came zero and sadly the rest didn’t live up to the first two lol but this one looks like it may be a contender for the best in the series.
Good review and the Kiwami remastered games were fantastic. Though Jake, can you do a comparison of the original Ishin and the new version, I am curious to know what things got censored and or removed, as with the Kiwami games, some things and jokes were altered and some side quests such as host clubs were removed from the Kiwami games, some hostess actress were also replaced too, good to know the differences.
Ishin is a amazing game, has a little curve of learning and peaple quit before actualy learn how to play. The game isnt a beat and up, its a hack and slash , what made a lot of sense. I see many peaple talking its to grindly, its not, anyone who ever played a rpg knows any yakuza is grindly, by far distance.
Really enjoying the game. Happy to be back to non turn based. So much fun. I love this series. Last one wasn't as fun but Judgement is amazing. I still have my ps2 yakuza game. My favorite because the feel, sounds and soundtrack but the series and remakes have been so good.
Yakuza 7 is the one I started with and the one I highly recommend. It's the perfect entre point. Plus I just love Jrpgs so I played the crap out of that one. I also recommend Yakuza 0, or even 1 since they all use the new engine. Even starting with Judgement wouldn't be that bad. I need to finish the other games in this series they're great. Although if you're like me and started with 7 you have no idea who half the characters were lol
As a guy who has beaten Yaka's a 0 through 6. This right here is a no brainer for me I can't wait to play it. I love this Is old Japanese typed town and style going on I love it.
@@Spartan-sz7km I was really looking forward to playing 7 but when I heard it was turn based that kinda turned me off to it. Because I'm not a big turn base type of guy. But maybe if it goes on a deep cell for light maybe $10 or 15. I might just pick it up and play it and beat it and just so it can be part of my collection of the yakuza the games.
@@Spartan-sz7km OK bro I might just take your advice. But one thing that drew me into these games is the very fact that combat just looks so fun when I saw it yakuza kawami and it just let me down in the rabbit hole ever since then. But not gonna lie the stories I know with the 1st, and the 2nd game in the 6th. Had me and tears on how good the story was.
@@JustinSmith-ux1th yeah I definitely prefer beat em ups over jrpgs. But man Yakuza game's story had me tear up before, the tachibana scene and nishiki in 0, some moments here and there across Yakuza games had me watery eyed. But man y7 had me laughing throughout and I cried at one part. Ichiban is a worthy successor
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Y’all are the most reliable, consistent, and prolific game channel out here. Thank y’all for being dope.
Thanks for your support
I concur 👍🏻
I like gameranx but with every video theres at least 5 top comments getting on their knees for this channel lol
This channel and ACG are all I watch game content on these days.
@@gameranxTV I have used your reviews so many times
As a huge fan of the series (it's my favourite game series of all time) i'm so glad Like A Dragon Ishin has seen a release in the UK), it's so cool seeing Hideo Nakano, Hitoshi Ozawa and Riki Takeuchi's likeness' and voice still being used here too, lastly i just hope this leads to a Like A Dragon Kenzan remake too :)
👌👍🏼
RGG already confirmed that if Ishin sell well (and I really hope it does), Kenzan will be next!!
@@loristhomas1629 yeah i heard that too and i don't need it. i definitely don't need it, i don't need it, I NEED IT!
And even tho the west can still play Yakuza dead souls, I still want it on PS4 or 5
Yeah yakuza games are awesome. Can't wait for this.
It's a small thing, but I like the skill tree design from Yakuza 0 coming back.
If I were to recommend the series, I say don't skip 3, 4, and 5. 3 Is a novel adventure with a lot of heart. 4 has a great story, introduces Taiga and has the most awkward moment in the whole series, and 5 is just a beast of a game with the most playable characters.
In short, play them all!
Just play them on easy to get through the story faster. 3 has especially spongy enemies.
@@boneflayer3954 I recently finished 3 and honestly, I enjoyed the game a lot, this game kinda taught me to stop spamming attacks with big enemies or bosses and dodge more attacks, also I managed to get every Revelations moves and finished 43 substories before the final mission, I had a good time (except with Joji, the man was abusing that parry stance) A solid 8/10 imo
@@SpiiderVK fr
I really like how you go through newcomer aspect. A long running series can sometimes be daunting for newcomers to jump in and that aspect alone might turn them away! Great job!
I was like that before, what made me started to play the Yakuza series was Judgment. After playing Judgment and Lost Judgment, it got me curious to play Yakuza series as it is somehow connected. And the rest is history, played every Yakuza starting from 0 to 7 like a dragon. I hope they still continue the modern series although I get that maybe this is just something new and fresh for fans.
Finally a reviewer that get's what the Yakuza series is about. There's too much confusion or people don't understanding the series or trying to compare with other games.
"Japanese GTA" grinds my gears so hard.
Yeah the guy IGN has fucking hates the series and I don’t know why they keep making him do the reviews
I played my first Yakuza game about two months ago. It was Yakuza 6 and immediately i fell in love with the characters and the writing. It made me realize how starved I was for a fun character driven story rather than hollow spectacle. I might have to get this now.
zero is really good
Oh man, 6 is probably the hardest to enjoy on its own, if you enjoyed that then you're going to LOVE 0 and Ishin
You havent seen the best yakuza has to offer yet. imo the peak yakuza games are 0, 7, Lost judgment. The other ones are great too.
0 is best in the series
How could u enjoy when u skipped a lot of games
You guys are the reason I started playing the RGG games. They’ve now become, probably, my favorite game series. So, THANK YOU!
Played every single yakuza to completion even the 2 judgements, this is the only game I’ve been looking forward to besides starfield, jake ballidino you have brought a tear to my eye, I’m in a fucked up position in life rn and who would’ve thought a game and a review nonetheless would’ve been a light for me. Thank you brother! Can’t wait to play it
Stay strong 💪
@@gameranxTV yes sir😁💪🏽
@@oxycoded7947 prayer my brotha, watch more positive things online. Stay away from social media, eat healthier, get out of the house more, even for a walk (sun light does wonders) and pray man.
Stay strong homie. It always gets better
I know exactly what you mean, and I hope you get better, we can never lose hope no matter what, try to surround yourself with people that love you and also try focusing on the positive experiences in life, eliminate the negative ones as much as you can, nothing good comes from them, it's the good experiences, just seeing people doing good deeds to one another, they give me happiness and rejuvenation, and because of that I haven't yet lost faith completely in humanity, there is too much negativity, a little light of hope goes a long way, and I hope that everyone here enjoys this cool game
Jake, I love you dude. Been watching you since PMI in 2010-2011. You, Eric, and Mike. I found you guys when you three were talking about The Amazing Spider-Man swinging footage that leaked online. Like 11-12 years ago now. I’ve been around ever since. Thanks for the years of entertainment. Feel like I’ve grown up with you guys.
I won’t even buy a game anymore until I watch the “before you buy” you guys are so accurate and consistent we all appreciate you❤️
🤝
This game is great from the little I’ve played so far, but the one thing I hope gets an update is the photo mode. This game is beautiful, and I really hope they add more features to photo editing, such as filter intensity, focal point adjustments, and lighting. It’s just a minor gripe I have, but if it doesn’t get updated I’m fine because this game is really fun.
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Liar were u get it
@@mrwhocares3931 preordered deluxe.
Who in the world cares about that? Tf
Yeah, I wish ny samurai could pull out his smartphone to take a selfie.
Kudos to Jake … dude puts so much efforts in this narratives and game videos 👌💯
🤝
@@gameranxTV 💯
@@Japuckle It's not
@@cyrnoz1803 you really have the time to reply him.. just ignore … lol
@@tokunboayodele1599 It's 2am, and I can't sleep.
0 is a great starting point. I started on it 4 months ago and I'm on Yakuza 3 remastered now. Fully intending to go all the way. They have made me a lifelong fan with how charming, goofy, and fun the games can be. Highly recommend if you don't mind the occasional jank.
Have fun. It's a good journey. When you start the judgement games it will be😮
This might be the review that gets me into the Yakuza series as a whole. It looks good, what you describe doesn't have any downsides that really bother me much, and the game sounds awesome.
Judgement is also a good entry since its more like a detective game in the setting...
Please start with Yakuza 0
Yakuza is a great franchise man. The newest game Lost Judgment was game of the year IMO
I don't wanna be a hater buf if you played, a Yakuza, you've played all Yakuza (Except Y:LAD)
A lot of mechanics and activities are repeated along all games, hell, even some subquests are repeated. Don't get me wrong, they are good games, but at least for me, not exceptional.
@@facundoclapier and? Yakuza is one of the rare few that is insanely good despite reused assets even y4 and y5 which I think are lowest points of series are awesome when I focused on story
I was so stoked to hear that they were bringing this game to the west! After getting into the Yakuza series, I wanted to play everyone there was to offer (can't say I liked 3 that much though). As far as a starting point go, Yakuza 0 is definitely my go to. This is a great spin-off/palette cleanser but, if you're looking to get into the mainline story, definitely start there.
I own all of them but I just finished 3 and I had played some of 4 on ps streaming service but never finished it so I have to start over now from the beginning.
I don't know about the main storyline but I feel as if it would be a drag to continue something as Kiryu, he is probably old right now and all aspect from his story line has been explored. Ichiban's story seems like a one and done. What I feel that can have continuation is the judgment series. So I will not be surprise if this becomes the new basis and direction for the series and not just a spin-off. The origins of Yakuza started around the Edo period or the Tokugawa period after the sengoku war and these guys were samurai before becoming gangsters, so they might be starting from that.
10 hours in so far. and this game is just so damn good. dont hesitate. just buy it 10/10
probably one of the most underrated / underheralded game series out there. For those who are looking to start, I actually recommend starting with Kiwami 1 and working your way through 6 then back to 0. Playing 0 (one of the best) last wraps up this beautiful series where you finally understand how the whole plot comes together and the sheer epic adventures the characters at the end will have together. I would do it this way if only for the final epic scene in 0 once you've played your way through the first 6 games. 7 should be last as the epicness of some of the characters will be lost upon you if you haven't played the rest of the series. With this method, you won't play one of the best games in the series until the end but it does give you something to look forward to (saving one of the best for last).
0 is one of the best game experience I've ever had. The story, the character, perfection.
Yakuza 0 have the best Story and experience. i start with Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1, kiwami 2, yakuza 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and cant wait for Yakuza "Like a dragon Gaiden".
Welp I’m starting on 0 so
@@Lukemasonmedia you're doing the right thing, not only Kiwami 1 isn't as good of a game as others, it drops you right in the middle of everything, playing 0 first and having some context and backstory from the world/characters and being invested in the series is really what that makes you make it pass through K1, personally I most likely would've dropped the game/series if I hadn't started with 0 but now I'm a big fan
Dude you have the right idea that's how I pretty much did it and it made 0 way more gratifying
You guys have always been helpful to me I always watch a review on your channel before I buy a game
W channel
🤝
"Majima is still Majima" That's all I needed to hear
The Yakuza series as a whole is incredible! Got into the series around the time Yakuza 0 released and never looked back, own every Yakuza game that has been released in the west ever since 🔥If you’ve never played any of the series do yourself a favour and play, just wacky fun video games, not enough out there 👌
Been trying to get back in but I got confused about the party combat addition and now I see there are 2 Like a Dragon games on the ps store header where everything else used to be COD or Fortnite
Just finished Yakuza Like a Dragon 65 hours on steam deck and ran perfectly at around 45 fps. Definitely going to get Ishin Like a Dragon and should run even better on the deck since it's a remake of an older game. Something to consider for people who might think the graphics aren't amazing
@klikwizard Obviously not was just making an observation about how it may run on steam deck
I bought the game last night and i had a lot of fun with it. For my first time playing a game in the series. The wild dancer style i would say is the most fun
Before you buy ishin BUY ISHIN😎
That’s the right answer sadly they didn’t mention it in the video
Yes, they need to take all my money and hundreds of my hours
I want to get a PS4 and PS5 copy of Iszin!
@@damiancrowley569 ha why do people want to be broke? Like it isn’t that good of a game. Me honestly I’m tired of paying 70 dollars a game even tho I just did again for dead island 2
@@austinmonty5536don't be disrespectful to Ishin 😢
I look forward to giving it a proper try. Got an hour in and since then life has been in the way of me continuing. Can't wait to sit down to an all day play.
I just started playing Yakuza 0. IT'S SO GOOOOOD! This is such a breath of fresh air in my backlog. I'ma get Ishin when I can, then slowly go through the series.
It’s awesome
@@DJCLock-hw2qb it so freaking is!
I just got Xbox game pass on pc… I’m glad I get to get play these games before I buy!
I pre-ordered this game at Gamestop, I can't wait for the official release. You're videos always help me decide which are some good games I would enjoy, and this video made me even more excited for the "official" release.
I always recommend people start at 0 and play through them in order. I started with 7 and regret it, since I knew some things I felt I shouldn't of. But I'm also glad I started with 7 because it got me into the series, love these games so much!
1. Don’t pre order games it’s pointless.
2. GameStop?
Bad choices
@@swampssa 1 let him live his life
2 stop caring about other ppls lives so much
@@ErikArsenal 1.) stop being addicts to buying every game before release
2.) you guys the reason games declining now buy buying these boring repetitive games that keep coming out( not saying Isshin a bad game)
I legit lost two hours just playing Koi Koi in the gambling den, then another hour chicken racing, and then bummed around the homestead, cooking some new meals and tweaking my farming set up.
I'm delving into all the side content I can find, and in most games that would leave you over leveled and without much else to do as you proceed. Not in Like A Dragon though!
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I bought the digital deluxe edition and played 8 hours and still on Chapter 4 out of 14 chapters. There's a lot of content in this game compared to something like Dead Space remake or Resident evil 4 remake
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I started with Kiwami (then K2, 3-5, Zero and 6) and I feel like the rest of the games added more to Zero then the other way around. There's a lot of stuff that will fly right over your head in the substories, and frankly, starting of with the peak of the series means you can only go down.
Thanks to you guys and your videos, I don't have any problems in choosing the games to buy and checking out the comments in steam anymore. thank you thank you thank you.
RGG Studio is the most reliable studio I've ever seen. Everything they make is fantastic, Yakuza or otherwise. Even shit like Fist of the North Star is so damn cool.
@JakeBaldino after years and years of watching I wanted to share this: When I was younger and in energy-drink fueled video game era I really appreciated your opinion and thought your videos were honest and fair. If you have a bias, like Kojima, you always acknowledged it early. As a gamer who doesn't have the time to play due to life, I still really value your videos for honest takes at games now that i have to be more selective with what I spend my free time on. Thank you!!
This is easily the #1 game review channel on RUclips by far.
Despite myself, I love this game. Just had to get past its cliched opener and lack of English voice acting. Glad I stuck with it
No dub?
I love the whole Bakumatsu, Shinsengumi and Edo settings of Japan from games like Hakuouki and the Rurouni Kenshin movies, so this game looks awesome. I have not played a Yakuza game, but still want to get this.
Yoooo, this game went completely under my radar…what a fantastic surprise, I can’t wait to play this. Love the Yakuza games
Just pre-ordered this on Steam, can't wait to play it right after finishing up Xenoblade 2, such a massive fan of Yakuza/Like a dragon games : D
I don't buy many games on release but I pre-ordered the deluxe edition of Ishin just because of how much I love the RGG games and they absolutely nailed it, I have no regrets and i'd do it again (looking forward to Like a Dragon Gaiden and then later next year for Like a Dragon 8)
Awesome work team! I've said it before and I'll say it again! I can always rely on quality especially with the Before you Buys. Hats off gentlemen. Long Live Gameranx!!!
🤝
I'm a massive fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon games and I did have the pleasure of playing the original Like a Dragon ishin when it was a Japanese exclusive. it's nice to see it getting the love it deserves
Ryu ga gotoku studios is my favourite singleplayer game dev team. But enough about my complimenting and on to facts personally I think the best place to start The Yakuza/Like a Dragon series is no doubt Yakuza Kiwami and then Yakzua 0 because so many people who play Yakuza 0 first miss out on all the call backs to kiwami and the rest of the yakuzas
Was waiting for this. Thank yall for the hard work!
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I was absolutely addicted to the RC car mini game and the one with majima where you owned a club. Those made the games for me. Plus side quests
I played Yakuza 7 and that was my first Yakuza game. It wasn't a bad game to start off with but i really wished that I played 0 before so I would know how important some of the side characters are and some of the MCs but that didn't ruin the game for me it was really fun and probably one of the first big JRPGS I've ever played through/finished and it's probably one of my favorite games of all time
Truth be told, I don't know much about this series or any Japanese game but this kind of looks interesting. The homestead and the cooking elements is what sold it to me, the same reason to why I like Assassin's Creed III so much.
I have been waiting for this game and never thought I’d play it and yet it happened. I love this game so far, I just love how much of a breath of fresh air this title is, the setting its in, familiarity yet all new.
Definitely recommend this game. Also Judgement (my favorite) is another good introduction to Yakuza universe. It was my first game and its a little more milder with the weird zany stuff compared to other Yakuza games but it definitely still has its crazy goofy moments. The first Judgement is isolated with zero references and mentions to Yakuza that I am aware of, but the sequel to Judgement (lost judgement) has some ties with Yakuza 7.
I would say that on top of this one and 0, the judge eyes series may also be a good entry point. Less about the character, but more of a general feel of the entire series, the gameplay, the side quests and the minigames
Yeah I played 0, Kiwami 1 & 2 a few years ago when they were added to gamepass, but didnt pick up another RGG game until Judgment on the ps5. As someone who wasn’t completely invested to the whole Yakuza series yet, it was definitely a great point to return to the series. The Judgment games on ps5 also feel very good performance wise, so I think they are the easiest to get into for people new to the series.
It helps a lot to appreciate the story and setting of this game if you know and undersand that bit of Japanese history which is one of the two most well-known among Japanese people (along with Sengoku Jidai).
In Westerm term, imagine a GTA 5 spinoff setting in Roman period. Instead of Los Santos, you have Rome, and Michael and Trevor become Brutus and Caesar.
It's 100% an entry point for me. Played a bit of 0 but this is the first one I've given dedicated hours into it and it's a bit of a learning curve with the combat bit I'm enjoying it a lot.
We need more samurai games
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Ghost of Tsushima is awesome
@@UltimateCarDrawer567 ya but i only like to play with keyboard and mouse
@@YourAverageGuyLight ghost of Tsushima might get a PC port
@@UltimateCarDrawer567 hopefully
Thanks for the info on the good, the bad & the poorly rendered. I am working my way through the Yakuza games & i recommend people start with zero, but perhaps this new game that has no ties to the other titles based on the byb is a good place to start. I will pick the game up in about 5 years when i get closer to working my way through the series.
This really brings me memories of Way Of The Samurai series. I'm excited for this!
As a Yakuza junkie, cant wait to play it. But in general I think it is better start with 0 and then move on Kiwami 1, 2 etc. This is spinoff after all and nice bonus if you already know the characters. It is like a cameo on every corner. But for newcomers it can be hard to understand the Yakuza mainline, since the characters will confuse them imo.
Nah
As new Player games like Yakuza 0, Yakuza Like A Dragon and now Like a Dragon Ishin are specifically designed that you can play them as new entry
Honestly I like the non turn based combat yakuza games. So I’m going to pick this one up
@@cactusmalone and lets add rpg elements to a brawler/hack and slash!
Nah. Turn based is way better.
I played through 0-3 a while ago and needed a break, started 4 maybe a month ago but got a little too obsessed with the mahjong and only made it through akiyama and saejima's parts before feeling the burnout a bit again. so i decided I'd give this one a try as a bit of a break from kamurocho, and so far I am thoroughly into it. I also think it's making me kinda excited to get back to 4 and the main series in general when I'm done here, I guess I just really needed a change of pace and a bit of the zero/kiwami-style gameplay loop again
It's also based on real history and the character you play as actually played a crucial role during that period
That’s cool!
Not really. It's not based on real history, just real setting. Don't want to spoil the twist.
Just listening to the sword fighting sound effects made me nostalgic for the "Way of the Samurai" games.
These reviews have actually helped me to make a decision on whether to buy a game or not in the past. Love this formula and I hope that more developers give you more early review copies! Also will you be doing an Atomic Heart BYB?
I played the old ishin (gifted to me as a birthday present), and i have this on pre order and it has been delivered early! if its anything like the original, everybody is in for a treat.
I got into the series with Yakuza 0. I spent way too much time managing the hostesses! None of the other minor games have come close for me.
I’m looking forward to playing this one, it will be great to see familiar faces again.
That Hostess club Mini game is far and away the best one. Spent more time playing it than the main quest line
That’s my favorite in the series too, and it’s done even better in Kiwami 2 IMO. Freaking love it. I’d even love a mobile version of the hostess minigame just to be able to play it during my breaks at work lol
Probably still the best mini game yet because it was so detailed. I also did enjoy the Judgment mini games that they offered. I forgot what series was the one you had to buy real estate and had to employee staff members to make it better, but that one was also fun.
0 is the last game I sank a shit load of time into got over 150 hours into it easily
The mini games are what made this series memorable for me. I agree with the hostess being the best one so far, I also like those other mini games. On the top of my head, the real estate in 7, the majima construction, the fight arena underground before it was a construction business, the detective side quest from judgment, boxing, robot engineering, and skating game in lost judgment. Lost judgment has probably the best mini games story wise, its a pain going through all of them but it was worth it.
Gamerranx might not be perfect but they are great and accurate more often than not. I appreciate the honest reviews. Keep up the great work
Will do. Thanks
Already preorderd like 4 weeks ago. And I still watched this good to see its getting some good vibes ign gave this a 7 crazy it deserves much higher score. I love the yakuza games I have played all of them except this on can't wait to play
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if you haven't played it how do you know that it deserves more than a 7 lmao
@jw2862 because I played the demo and all yakuza games before and I now that this franchise deserves more it is under rated I'm not saying it's a 10 but it dose deserve more look at all the stuff u can do in these games not many games are like this but I do understand if it's not for everyone
@@jadevanzyl8369 same here. The yakuza games are solid and I feel that this game will be too, but it’s hard to say what a game deserves without having played it fully for yourself. Anyway I hope you enjoy the game. I plan to pick it up soon too.
@jw2862 thanks yeah u do have to play it and see for yourself if u like it I'm just going on passed yakuza games that I played and I've really enjoyed these games. I hope u get the game and also enjoye it. It's so much fun
I just LOVE how your videos are PURE, unadulterated GAMEPLAY - bravo!
The Yakuza series is a great series for those that like open world games but don't have time to play games. The world's are just big enough being more like your local county rather then some huge barren landscape so you get attached to the characters and story around you
I can’t wait to play this. I’m a huge fan of the franchise and of RGG, in general. In my opinion, they also did Turn-Based combat really well, but my favorite remains the beat-em-up RPG style which is extremely unique to the series. Loved Lost Judgement too and looking forward to how the new engine works in this one.
Love you Guys!! Love watching these videos even if i won’t buy 99% of these games😅
😅🤝
Really Good Game ,, hope Kenzan is coming too
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7:25 PM local time, Feb 20th.. waiting for Ishin to complete release on Steam and looking forward to when it does. Thank you for the review, and I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into another RGG game.
I really like the idea of using other main character assets as "Actors" to cast them in another new games
other studios should really do this too ngl, Just imagine Dante or Snake or even Cloud casting in different games which is out of their own main genre.
That would be interesting as fk
Lol. That only works with generic characters, or nonchalant, blasé, characters.
The only one you listed that'd work is Dante. But even then, it would just cheapen his character and the DMC world to do so.
I agree with you, would love to see more of that! There are already a few example of the characters you mentionned being used in games very different from the ones they originate from. From the top of my head:
Dante has appeared as a recruitable guest character in the 2003 JRPG Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne (tho it was DMC 2's version of Dante which I kinda hate compared to his other depictions in the series) // he is a playable character in the 1st Viewtiful Joe game (man how I'd love for Capcom to make a new VJ game or at least a solid remake/remaster of the first game!) as well as the spin-off Viewtiful Joe Red Hot Rumble // he is also playable (in his DMC3 depiction, the best one IMO) in Marvel VS Capcom 3, which remains one of my favorite fighting games ever to this day. The game also lets you fight as Trish from DMC, and the updated edition Ultimate MVC 3 added Vergil (DMC3) to the roster too! // Playstation Battle Royale featured the pretty unpopular alternate universe Dante from the 2013 'DmC' reboot as a playable character
I know a lot less about possible cross-overs/apparitions from Snake and Cloud Strife, but one notable example is the Dissidia: Final Fantasy spin-off arena fighting games, featuring Cloud and a large roster of Final Fantasy heroes & villains from the entire series. Dissidia Duodecim (PSP) is the best game in the series, it saddens me how the most recent one on PS4 was so inferior to the 2011 PSP game. I really wanted to like the 2015 version but it just doesn't feel right compared to Duodecim, a damn shame really
@SomeShittyCoreBand you haven't played enough Metal gear. Sometimes that series doesn't take itself seriously
Man you'd love From Software. Not all of their characters get reused, but there are definitely recurring characters across different settings, such as Crestfallen Warrior, Patches, and Ostrava.
@@spiceforspice3461 Yeah i actually played the entirety of SoulsBorne Series, It's good specially Patches being a spider in BloodBorne lmao
Seems like a quality game. Not my kind of game, but love that they make a demo, so you can try it out.
If you are into it, you buy the game and enjoy it. If you are not into it, you let it be and you dont have the feeling of getting cheated.
Good strategy 👍
Once I found out this was going back to a brawler vs a turn based rpg, I instantly knew I was going to get this.
These games have literally no challenge extremely easy
@@mrwhocares3931 read your name.
Once I knew this was going back to a brawler vs a turn-based RPG, I instantly knew I wasn't going to get this.
I literally got some money for the PlayStation store for my birthday next week from my wife. Since I'm a mature gamer who will be turning 40 I don't like to make purchases because I think a game looks cool. I saw this game almost being released and immediately went to RUclips to see if you had a before you can buy. Thanks for helping us OG gamers spend our money on quality games instead of trash
I have literally waited 15 years for this game to get a translation. The modded rom game translations never sat right with me. What really annoys me however is it's coming at the same time as Wu-Long from Team Ninja. Another must play.
15 years?
@@Tyler_Wildman yeah since the first Yakuza game I said if they did it in an Edo or Oda/Sengoku period I would play the crap out of it. Then they made the Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan game but only released it in Japanese. So I couldn't understand it. I then waited for the emulated rom version to get a custom modded translation but it was incomplete and I wasn't sure if it was accurate so I stopped playing to not ruin the experience. Then I heard they were making the PC version and I yipped like a little dog :D
The two series that have some of the best world building and sense of place, and extremely fleshed out setting are the Trails series(Trails in the Sky/Zero/Azure/Cold Steel/Reverie-all the Trails games by Falcom) and of course Like A Dragon(including ALL the spin-offs). Those two series are master classes in Setting/World Building and Character writing and some of the best in the whole industry.
Can’t recommend Like A Dragon, as well as the Trails series, enough. Just a pro-tip, always start from the beginning in order of release. It makes these kinds of games with an abundance of world building just 1000’s of times better.
I’m simple. A new RGG game comes out, I buy it. This is easily one of the most consistently good series out there! I only started going through them with Kiwami a couple years ago but they quickly shot up to being one of my favorites of all time. Never thought we’d get Ishin over in the west, but here we are! Hopefully we get Kenzan soon too!
It's 50% off on steam right now, looks good but it's still a 2014 release even if it's technically a remake and I think I'll wait for a 70% + sale for this one. I think I'll go with the Yakuza bundle which features Yakuza Kiwami 1, 2 and Yakuza 0 for 30$ Canadian. That's about 22$ American 🎉🎉🎉. I just bought Yakuza like a dragon 80% off and that's going to be my first Yakuza game but I am a long time JRPG fan.
Bang for your buck is much better though than 99% of single player games
Simply because it's very easy to get into and put in 100-200 hours discovering everyone's bond stories, cooking dungeons etc.
This game is massive.
Also it's like dirt cheap on cdkeys
This looks to be another great game. I really want to get into the Yakuza games. Can anyone give me a chronological order of games? I know LAD and LAD Isshin are separate stories. Thanks!
Yakuza 0
Yakuza Kiwami (Yakuza 1 remake)
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Yakuza 2 remake)
Yakuza 3-5 (i recommend the bundle)
Yakuza 6: The song of life
Yakuza 7: like a dragon
Great review as always, Jake!
Regarding the recommendation for people new to the series that you've asked for at the end: I'm what you've called a die hard fan since I've played all of the games at least once and some for few times. I would definitely recommed to start with 0, this one seems like a joy for fans, since they may encounter a lot of characters that they've met along the way in different parts of the series. However, if someone is like a classic samurai-period Japan fan, this might also be a good entry point, just to fall in love with the serious-goofy vibe of the game.
OK so guys why is Majima so god damn hot😰😰
And Yakuza is top 10 seriese of all time
Him and saejima look good to me.
Regarding entry points, I would say Zero, 7, or Judgement as they are the starting points for different protagonists. While it helps to have played 0-6 to get some of the context of what's happening in 7, it's not essential.
I think the best entry point for ryu ga gotoku is the Judgement series. Yakuza/Like a Dragon is a bit quirky in nature so u gotta appreciate Japanese culture a bit more to fully enjoy them. Judgement/Lost Judgement has great combat and great story execution while making the player feel invested in the private detective life.
Nonetheless can't wait to play this. Just powering thru Hogwarts so I have enough time to experience it
Honestly both Judgment games turned into slogs for me by the end, something about the stories just went on and on and on seemingly more than Yakuza usually does and I had to grind to finish.
can't wait to try this! I LOVED the Yakuza games, as well as the Judgement/Lost Judgement series made by, i believe, the same developers. Great stuff
Yippee , i love dragons
Update: no dragons, still cool though
Played this on PS4 in 2014 Japanese import copy. Good story no clue back then on the dialogue and no subtitles back then. Now this is nice would like to try this again on PS5.
Been playing for almost a year from 0 to 6, and I can't wait to jump into Like A Dragon. There's also the Judgement spin-off I am willing to try next. I was hoping to finish all those before this one pops up. I might wait for a sale on PS Store while I finish 6, Like a Dragon and the first Judgement.
I will say that like a dragon ended up being one of my favorites! But that was the first one I played of the series. After that I was hooked tho and found out they had a shit ton of yakuza games lol next came zero and sadly the rest didn’t live up to the first two lol but this one looks like it may be a contender for the best in the series.
Good review and the Kiwami remastered games were fantastic. Though Jake, can you do a comparison of the original Ishin and the new version, I am curious to know what things got censored and or removed, as with the Kiwami games, some things and jokes were altered and some side quests such as host clubs were removed from the Kiwami games, some hostess actress were also replaced too, good to know the differences.
This game is awesome
Ishin is a amazing game, has a little curve of learning and peaple quit before actualy learn how to play. The game isnt a beat and up, its a hack and slash , what made a lot of sense. I see many peaple talking its to grindly, its not, anyone who ever played a rpg knows any yakuza is grindly, by far distance.
Trueee
This game rules and has the most fun and interesting plot/substories/bonds
"yakuza is a serious crime drama"
I literally refuse to watch a game review unless it's yours, your just the best out there 👊
🤝
why do all these ps5 games look like a ps3 game?
I'm glad you guys reviewed this... I thought you were gonna skip it out since it wasn't included in your videos of most anticipated games for 2023.
The combat in this looks absolutely horrible.
Fun fact: James real name is James Falcone Baldino, hence Falcon
😂
Im so glad I bought this game and it IS my favorite entry in this series.
Really enjoying the game. Happy to be back to non turn based. So much fun.
I love this series. Last one wasn't as fun but Judgement is amazing. I still have my ps2 yakuza game. My favorite because the feel, sounds and soundtrack but the series and remakes have been so good.
Thank you for the good review as always. Would you be doing one for Octopath Travelers 2?
You had me at mini games
Yakuza 7 is the one I started with and the one I highly recommend. It's the perfect entre point. Plus I just love Jrpgs so I played the crap out of that one. I also recommend Yakuza 0, or even 1 since they all use the new engine. Even starting with Judgement wouldn't be that bad. I need to finish the other games in this series they're great.
Although if you're like me and started with 7 you have no idea who half the characters were lol
As a guy who has beaten Yaka's a 0 through 6. This right here is a no brainer for me I can't wait to play it. I love this Is old Japanese typed town and style going on I love it.
Kinda interesting how they splashed some elements from Yakuza 7 into ishin
@@Spartan-sz7km I was really looking forward to playing 7 but when I heard it was turn based that kinda turned me off to it. Because I'm not a big turn base type of guy. But maybe if it goes on a deep cell for light maybe $10 or 15. I might just pick it up and play it and beat it and just so it can be part of my collection of the yakuza the games.
@@JustinSmith-ux1th I'd say the JRPG is alright. But tbh I'd say the side characters + story is good enough that I tolerated the JRPG elements.
@@Spartan-sz7km OK bro I might just take your advice. But one thing that drew me into these games is the very fact that combat just looks so fun when I saw it yakuza kawami and it just let me down in the rabbit hole ever since then. But not gonna lie the stories I know with the 1st, and the 2nd game in the 6th. Had me and tears on how good the story was.
@@JustinSmith-ux1th yeah I definitely prefer beat em ups over jrpgs. But man Yakuza game's story had me tear up before, the tachibana scene and nishiki in 0, some moments here and there across Yakuza games had me watery eyed.
But man y7 had me laughing throughout and I cried at one part. Ichiban is a worthy successor