Ichiban Kasuga isn’t your typical Yakuza protagonist. He’s loud. He’s a dork. He’s obsessed with Dragon Quest. When Sega decided to pivot the entire franchise from a real-time brawler to a turn-based RPG, people lost their minds. Some loved it; some hated the grind. But if you’re looking for a Yakuza Like a Dragon walkthrough, you’ve probably realized that this game doesn't play fair once you hit the double-digit chapters. It’s a massive, sprawling odyssey through the rain-slicked streets of Yokohama, and honestly, if you don't have a plan, the bosses will absolutely wreck you.
I remember the first time I hit Chapter 12. I thought I was hot stuff. Then I met those two legendary characters—you know the ones—and they wiped the floor with my entire party in two turns. That’s the thing about this game. It looks like a goofy comedy until it suddenly demands you understand deep-tier RPG mechanics.
Survival in Yokohama Starts with the Soshite Job System
Forget everything you know about Kiryu’s style switching. Here, it’s all about the Hello Work office. Most players stick to the default jobs because they feel "right" for the characters. That is a massive mistake. Adachi as a Detective is fine, sure, but Adachi as a Foreman or a Shieldman? That’s where the real tanking happens.
You need to swap jobs early and often. Why? Because of Permanent Stats. When you level up a job, you gain small buffs to HP, MP, or Attack that stay with that character forever, regardless of what job they are currently holding. If you spend some time grinding Saeko as an Idol but then switch her to a Dealer, she keeps that massive healing pool. It’s basically the only way to survive the late-game power spikes.
Don't ignore the "Bond" levels either. Go to Survive Bar. Drink with your friends. If you don't max out those bonds, your back-benchers won't gain full XP, and you’ll find yourself with a lopsided team that dies the second a boss uses an AOE attack. It’s kinda tedious, but the cutscenes are actually some of the best writing in the series.
The Infamous Chapter 12 Wall
Let’s talk about the Sotenbori Battle Arena. Any real Yakuza Like a Dragon walkthrough has to emphasize this: do not skip this tower. Around Chapter 12, the game stops being a fun romp and turns into a brutal math problem. The boss fight at the end of this chapter is legendary for being a "noob killer."
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The arena is 30 floors of pain. It’s also the only place to get the high-end materials like Gold Insects and Silver Spiders needed for the best weapons at Romance Workshop. If you enter that boss fight under level 50, you are going to see the game over screen. A lot. I spent probably four hours just looping the arena, but the payoff was worth it because the gear you get there carries you through the finale.
One weird trick? Use Peerless Resolve. It’s a skill Ichiban gets in his Hero job. It lets him survive a fatal blow with 1 HP. Since the game ends instantly if Ichiban falls—even if your other three teammates are perfectly healthy—this skill is literally a life-saver.
Managing the Ichiban Confections Empire
You might think the business management minigame is optional. It isn't. Not really. Well, okay, you can finish the game without it, but you'll be broke. Everything in this game costs a fortune. Want the best armor? Millions of yen. Want to upgrade the Peerless Pole? Millions more.
Basically, you want to get Eri Kamataki as a party member as fast as possible. You get her by reaching Rank 100 in the management sim. She is arguably the best physical damage dealer in the game because of her "Twin Dart" and "Telephone Club" skills. Plus, once you hit Rank 1 in the business, you unlock the "Orbital Laser" essence. It’s an expensive move, but it clears entire rooms of enemies in seconds. It’s absurd. It’s flashy. It’s peak Yakuza.
Essential Gear and Where to Find It
Stop buying weapons from the shops in the park. It’s a waste of cash. Instead, focus on the "base" weapons that can be upgraded at Romance Workshop. For Ichiban, that’s the Self-Proclaimed Hero’s Bat. For Nanba, it’s the Rugged Cane. These weapons eventually turn into "Ex" versions that have elemental properties and insane scaling.
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Here is a quick rundown of what you actually need to keep an eye on:
- Cyber Armor: Can be found in the later dungeons; essential for magic defense.
- Quixotic Armor: Great for physical tanks like Adachi.
- **Mr. Rock: ** A summon (Poundmates) you get early on. Use him. His defense buff is crucial for boss fights where you’re under-leveled.
The dungeons in this game—specifically the Yokohama Underground—are where you find the "Invested Vagabond." These guys are the "Metal Slimes" of Like a Dragon. They take 1 damage per hit, so use multi-hit moves like Han Joon-gi’s Rapid Shot to take them down quickly. They give massive amounts of XP. If you see one, drop everything and kill it before it runs away.
Addressing the Difficulty Spike Myths
A lot of people claim the game is "broken" or "unfair" because of the sudden jump in enemy levels. Honestly, it’s just the game’s way of telling you to engage with the side content. If you only play the main story, you will be level 35 facing level 50 enemies. That’s not a design flaw; it’s an invitation to go play Dragon Kart or hit the batting cages.
The nuanced truth is that Like a Dragon is a game about the power of friendship—mechanically and narratively. If you don't treat your party like a cohesive unit with specialized roles (Healer, Buffer, Tank, DPS), you’re going to struggle.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently staring at a boss that just one-shotted your team, here is exactly what you should do next.
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First, head straight to the Sotenbori Battle Arena. Clear all 30 floors. Don't just do it once; do it until Ichiban is at least level 52. While you're there, make sure you complete the additional objectives on each floor to get the rare crafting materials.
Second, go back to Yokohama and visit the Romance Workshop. Pour all that arena cash into upgrading your primary weapons to at least Tier 2 or 3 of their "Ex" forms.
Third, check your Job ranks. If Saeko or Eri aren't at least Rank 15 in the Idol job, go grind that out. You need the "Magical Song" skill to heal the whole party at once.
Finally, stock up on Tauriner and Staminan from the drugstores. You’ll burn through MP (Mental Points) fast in the final chapters, and running out of juice in the middle of a long dungeon is a nightmare. Make sure you have at least 10 of each in your inventory before heading into the Millennium Tower for the final showdown.