Yakuza: Like A Dragonreceived a new trailer today that showed off many of its new, over-the-top gameplay elements and provided fans with a release date. The next game in the melee-focused RPG series will be releasing on November 13th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with next gen versions of the game planned as well. Those versions of the game will not come at the same time, however, asLike A Dragonis a timed exclusivefor Xbox Series X.
TheYakuzaseries, for as dramatic and serious as its story can be, has almost always been lighthearted on the combat side of things. Absurd combos and stage interactions are a staple of the crime series, and the new trailer shows that they will not be going anywhere in the next game. With the new Jobs system, players will adopt the skills of everything from break dancers and chefs, offering a bit more variety than the 4 styles from the previous games. Perhaps these jobs can explain thestrange bondage attack mentioned in the ESRB ratingforYakuza: Like A Dragon.
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The game will also feature turn-based sections of gameplay, which is new to the series and only possible thanks toLike A Dragon’sprotagonist. Ichiban Kazuga will be making his debut as the new main character of theYakuzaseries, with the excellent story of Kiryu coming to an end inYakuza 6. Fans should not worry too much about this change, though, asKiryu is set to appear inLike A Dragon.
Ichiban’s story mirrors Kiryu’s early days, as he is framed for a crime he did not commit and forced to serve a lengthy prison sentence before being released and seeing his clan in shambles. Kasuga does differ a good bit, though, as his goofy imagination allows him to imagine himself as an RPG character. This is not just some good fun and a neat character quirk, however, as it also allows for some logic behind the game’s new turn-based encounters.
With a soft reboot and a new protagonist,Yakuza: Like A Dragonis the perfect chance for players unfamiliar withYakuzato give the series a go.English voice acting forLike A Dragonmay help the game sell better with Western audiences as well, as previous entries in the series were spoken entirely in Japanese with only English subtitles as an option. Hopefully, without the barriers to entry previous games had, more players will get to experience the excellent combat and deep stories theYakuzaseries has to offer.
As mentioned above,Yakuza: Like A Dragonwill see next-gen releases, with the Xbox Series X version of the game coming on launch day and the PS5 release coming later. The Xbox early release isn’t too surprising with theYakuza: Kiwamiremasters recently coming to the platform, and its a smart move on Sega’s part to expand the game’s audience. It would be nice to see this next entry succeed, asYakuzaremains one of the more under-appreciated franchises in gaming.
Yakuza: Like A Dragonwill release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One November 13th. Xbox Series X and PS5 versions are planned.
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