The long-awaited sequel to one of the most celebrated crime sagas in gaming, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has finally arrived on current-gen and next-gen gaming consoles. With its PlayStation 5 port not due to release until March 2021, it's also the closest thing that the Xbox Series X/S has to a next-gen exclusive — despite it being available on the PS4.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon isn't just a reboot of the franchise; it's moved on from its action-RPG roots into full-blown JRPG territory. As a result, getting to grips with the game's new mechanics can be a little tricky, but with some preparation, the game will be a lot easier.
10 Familiarize Yourself With The Jobs
In true JRPG fashion, Yakuza: Like a Dragon allows the player to select what job classes their party members fall into. A job determines how the party members perform and behave when a battle has been initiated.
For example, a Hitman is capable of exploiting enemy weaknesses, uses poisons, and can shoot at long range. The Enforcer is the prototypical tank class, the Idol functions as the party’s healer, the Musician is like the Bard, and more. Players will also be able to switch up their job roles when you have access to Hello Work and more jobs will become available as the team levels up.
9 Explore The City
As with any other RPG or open-world game it always pays off to explore the surroundings and that’s no different in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The city may be smaller than other open-world games like Grand Theft Auto V but it’s arguably more densely packed with things to do.
The city is full of weird and wonderful characters and things to do and it’s seemingly packed with tons of stores, shops, and side-quests. Just like previous entries in the series it always pays off to run around the city streets.
8 Tackle The Substories
As one is exploring the city as Ichiban you will eventually encounter the game’s many weird, wacky, and often heartwarming substories/side quests. These substories do an amazing job of creating a balance between the dark and emotional overtones of the main story and the downright craziness of the game’s substories.
As well as being fun to do, these substories are rewarding and are vital giving Ichiban more abilities, bonds, cash, other useful rewards to access as the story progresses.
7 Summoning Your Gang
As the game progresses players will eventually gain access to the Poundmates feature. These Poundmates function as allies in combat and will allow Ichiban to call for backup when the going gets tough or faced with a particularly tough boss.
In many ways, these Poundmates will perform in a similar manner to the Summons in the Final Fantasy series. These summoned allies can land significant attack damage, debuff enemies, and even heal the party.
6 The Environment Is A Weapon
One of the most entertaining features of the past Yakuza games is the ability to grab random items from around the environment and using them against Ichiban's enemies like the Streets of Rage series. One would also think that with the combat system making the switch to a turn-based one that this mechanic would have been abandoned but that’s not so.
In fact, all the items from previous games like chairs, stop signs, beer crates, and more can be used if players strategically position their characters so that the objects or violence are situated between them and their enemies. They’ll deal massive damage
5 Always Have A Healer In The Party
A healer in a party with any RPG is always vital when it comes to being successful in combat and defeating some of the tougher fights in the game and Yakuza: Like a Dragon is no different in this regard.
In this game, the healers are called Idols which are based on the Japanese pop stars and are one of the most useful party members in the game.
4 Get Your Hands On Gear ASAP
From chapter 4 onwards, the protagonist Ichiban will have access to armor and weapon shops. This is the perfect time to grab some of the basic items that are on offer to tackle some of the tougher enemies in the game.
Of course, there are some more expensive and exotic weapons and armor but there’s no point in wasting time and money trying to obtain these this early in the game. Stick with the most basic hardware as it will be more than sufficient until much later on in the game.
3 Upgrade The Gear
Once players have become acquainted with the weaponry and armory from chapter 4, chapter 5 will introduce the method of gear upgrades. This is the most financially viable option for Ichiban as money will remain pretty scarce at this point in the game.
To gain access to the game’s crafting features one will need to make your way to the Romance Workshops. These upgraded weapon types will see your character through for a number of chapters long before you'll need to spend lots of Yen on the bigger items.
2 Open The Benton Pawnshop
Chapter 4 doesn’t just provide the characters with more gear and exploration opportunities but more ways to make extra cash and get rid of unwanted items for cash. To gain access to the shop you will need to complete a small sub-quest called “One Man’s Trash”.
Once completed, one can sell all kinds of loot, gear, and valuable items to gain quick access to some extra Yen. This is particularly useful in the early stages of the game but will become invaluable as more rare loot and valuables become available.
1 Take On The Arena
Yakuza: Like a Dragon can be a pretty challenging game throughout but the difficulty will really spike in Chapter 12. While this is a tip that’s suited for much later in the game it’s still good to be prepared for the challenge in any way possible.
In chapter 12, the Arena will become available for participation. This mode is a gauntlet of challenges that will send waves of enemies against Ichiban's team. This mode is the perfect way to level up your party and gain some excellent rewards for your troubles which will help with the challenges ahead.