The most fun I've ever had in Yakuza/Like A Dragon game. And Yakuza 0/Kiwami were already excellent.

The story is exceptional, especially around the end. While using the usual gang plot to drive the narrative forward, nothing too crazy, it puts a lot of emphasis on the main character's feelings and his relationships with his yakuza family relatives and his party members. Location-wise, you start in Kamurocho, the usual setting of the previous games, butmost of the action is set in the new district of Isezaki Ijincho, in Yokohama, and it's so large it's divided in subdistricts, with some of them having their own identities. There are some extra areas to visit as well, and all the environments are just as loyal to their real world counterparts as always. While the game's japanese name is Like a Dragon 7, the game does not follow on the previous games' story and is instead some kind of a soft reboot for the franchise, changing its name in our countries on that occasion for "Like A Dragon", the japanese name, and distancing itself from the strictly related to yakuza plotting matters (that was boring in Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 honestly). You can play it even if you did not play the previous games, although there might be some references here and there you will miss but usually the game tends to explain most of the important stuff from the past you may not know.

This game is all about Ichiban Kasuga, and he definitely deserves it. He is IMO the best Yakuza protagonist so far, being just as determined and moved by justice as Kiryu, but actually empathetic, full of energy, funny and friendly to the people he comes across during this adventure, forming his new party and family. There is a real sense of character growth, he will not be the same person at the beginning and at the end. His large variety of emotions, despite the catastrophic events that happen to him makes us want to support him and stick with him all the way to the finish line, hoping to get the happy ending he deserves (but it's a Yakuza game so it's not that easy of course). Personally he is my favorite Yakuza protagonist, in front of Kiryu and Majima (and the other ones).

The combat system is completely different: it's not longer a beat'em all where you'll quickstep + X X X X Y Y or B Y if blocked, instead it's a traditional turn-based RPG in the veins of Dragon Quest with many references to that game and the other popular casual RPG series that is Pokémon. I enjoyed it a lot, all characters have a class called a job that will define the majority of their attacks, special attacks and equipments. There are lots of special attacks (that replace Heat actions since Heat is somewhat gone, still here visually for some enemies) that involve many party members, some straight up ridiculous and a special feature that allow you to call for some very interesting backups with lots of references to the previous games. So far there are very very few difficulty spikes and grinding is not necessary unless you play to restart the game in legendary, but if grind is needed, usually the game will subtlely suggest you to spend some time to strengthen your party to face the challenges to come (and you should follow that advice, for real).

Side content wise, multiple activities come back within their respective areas while Yokohama is filled with new minigames. You still have substories and while most are super funny, you have some that are really weird or straigh up creepy. Kasuga also as a side business that, while not as addictive as Majima and Kiryu's Cabaret Club stuff, is also pretty interesting. I found myself spending a lot of time completing it, and it's a really great and fun source of income.

It's one of these games with Metal Gear Solid V and GTA IV that made me enjoy video-games again after years of multiplayer games grind and I am eagerly looking forward to playing its sequel, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, next year.

The most fun I've ever had in Yakuza/Like A Dragon game. And Yakuza 0/Kiwami were already excellent. The story is exceptional, especially around the end. While using the usual gang plot to drive the narrative forward, nothing too crazy, it puts a lot of emphasis on the main character's feelings and his relationships with his yakuza family relatives and his party members. Location-wise, you start in Kamurocho, the usual setting of the previous games, butmost of the action is set in the new district of Isezaki Ijincho, in Yokohama, and it's so large it's divided in subdistricts, with some of them having their own identities. There are some extra areas to visit as well, and all the environments are just as loyal to their real world counterparts as always. While the game's japanese name is Like a Dragon 7, the game does not follow on the previous games' story and is instead some kind of a soft reboot for the franchise, changing its name in our countries on that occasion for "Like A Dragon", the japanese name, and distancing itself from the strictly related to yakuza plotting matters (that was boring in Yakuza 3, 4 and 5 honestly). You can play it even if you did not play the previous games, although there might be some references here and there you will miss but usually the game tends to explain most of the important stuff from the past you may not know. This game is all about Ichiban Kasuga, and he definitely deserves it. He is IMO the best Yakuza protagonist so far, being just as determined and moved by justice as Kiryu, but actually empathetic, full of energy, funny and friendly to the people he comes across during this adventure, forming his new party and family. There is a real sense of character growth, he will not be the same person at the beginning and at the end. His large variety of emotions, despite the catastrophic events that happen to him makes us want to support him and stick with him all the way to the finish line, hoping to get the happy ending he deserves (but it's a Yakuza game so it's not that easy of course). Personally he is my favorite Yakuza protagonist, in front of Kiryu and Majima (and the other ones). The combat system is completely different: it's not longer a beat'em all where you'll quickstep + X X X X Y Y or B Y if blocked, instead it's a traditional turn-based RPG in the veins of Dragon Quest with many references to that game and the other popular casual RPG series that is Pokémon. I enjoyed it a lot, all characters have a class called a job that will define the majority of their attacks, special attacks and equipments. There are lots of special attacks (that replace Heat actions since Heat is somewhat gone, still here visually for some enemies) that involve many party members, some straight up ridiculous and a special feature that allow you to call for some very interesting backups with lots of references to the previous games. So far there are very very few difficulty spikes and grinding is not necessary unless you play to restart the game in legendary, but if grind is needed, usually the game will subtlely suggest you to spend some time to strengthen your party to face the challenges to come (and you should follow that advice, for real). Side content wise, multiple activities come back within their respective areas while Yokohama is filled with new minigames. You still have substories and while most are super funny, you have some that are really weird or straigh up creepy. Kasuga also as a side business that, while not as addictive as Majima and Kiryu's Cabaret Club stuff, is also pretty interesting. I found myself spending a lot of time completing it, and it's a really great and fun source of income. It's one of these games with Metal Gear Solid V and GTA IV that made me enjoy video-games again after years of multiplayer games grind and I am eagerly looking forward to playing its sequel, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, next year.