Yakuza: Like a Dragon, what to know before starting

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is now coming, here are a couple of tips on things to know before starting to play this new chapter

On November 10, Yakuza: Like a Dragon will arrive on western shelves, after the Japanese release which took place several months ago. If you are one of the historical fans of the saga you have probably been waiting for it for a long time and you already know everything, but this chapter it could also be interesting for those who have never been close to Yakuza. This small guide is mainly dedicated to the latter; there all you need to know before starting Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

A new beginning

In recent years the saga has expanded its notoriety among the Western public. One of the most frequently asked questions is "Where can I start the saga?". Certainly Yakuza 0, also available in the Game Pass, is a great suggestion. However, it is a saga that now consists of many chapters. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is instead a new, perfect, starting point of the series: new characters, a new setting and a new story unrelated to previous titles.

The main character is Ichiban Kasuga, which due to some vicissitudes will find himself embroiled in the shady business of the Yokohama Yakuza. It is right in a district of the city, Isezaki Ijincho, that the game takes place. It will not be necessary to know the background of the chapters starring Kazuma Kiryu to enjoy the story. But let's move on to one of the most important things to know before playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon, or the gameplay revolution.

We move on to the role-playing game - Yakuza: Like a Dragon, what to know before starting

Probably the biggest news of this chapter is the sudden change of combat system. SEGA has abandoned the path of action to devote himself to role playing with turn-based combat. In short, a choice that brings us back to the classic canons of the JRPG, but which has recently returned to the fore thanks to titles such as Persona 5 to name one above all. The protagonist is joined by three companions to form a party. Each character, depending on the chosen job, has several really crazy special techniques.

There will also be the constant interaction with the surrounding environment and the use of combined moves, while ensuring a certain degree of dynamism to the gameplay despite the turn-based structure. There will also be all the other typical features of the genre such as equipment, statistics and everything else. There will even be some sort of Yakuza-style invocations called Pestamic.

The statistics system - Yakuza: Like a Dragon, what to know before starting

Before starting to play it is useful to know how the statistics work in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Ichiban Kasuga's personality is described by six parameters, which have influence on secondary statuses:

• Ardor: less likely to be affected by the seal of techniques
• Charisma: less likely to be suffering from sleep
• Self-esteem: less likely to be affected by fear
• Goodness: less likely to be suffering from anger
• Acumen: less likely to be brainwashed
• Style: less likely to be affected by the enchantment

To increase the stats up to level 10, or the maximum possible, it will be necessary to play minigames, or relax in the nigi-nigi service or make the right choices in the secondary missions.

Take Your Time Exploring - Yakuza: Like a Dragon, What to Know Before You Begin

Like any Yakuza title, the game offers one huge amount of secondary content. Whether it's side missions or simple mini-games, try to take your time by exploring this kind of content as well. You manage the pace of progression yourself and decide when to move on with the plot or spend hours trying to understand how mahjong works.

Among the most interesting minigames of Yakuza: Like a Dragon we find racing on karting, cinema or darts. Not to mention the inevitable karaoke, which for the first time ever, will contain the English versions of some of the most loved songs by fans (“Baka Mitai” one above all). Let yourself be carried away by the context and savor through the game an aspect of Japan that is rarely seen in other products.

You are ready to leave for Yokohama

Now you know all that is needed to begin Ichiban Kasuga's adventure. We remind you that Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the first chapter of the series to be translated into the texts, while English or Japanese dubbing will be available. Through this simple preliminary information you will have no problem starting the game without any doubt.

These were the things to know before starting to play Yakuza: Like a Dragon. As mentioned at the beginning, the game will be available on 10 novembre 2020 su PC, PS4, PS5 (in retrocompatibilità), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S. For the upgrade of the PS5 version with improved graphics it will be necessary to wait until March 2, 2021. Be careful because the bailouts between PS4 and PS5 they are not compatible with each other. That said, we just have to advise you to follow us on Holygamerz to stay up to date on all the news from the world of video games and more!