Kazuma Kiryu was supposed to be dead. After the tear-jerking, rooftop finale of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, the Dragon of Dojima effectively vanished into the smoke of Kamurocho. But fans knew better. You can't just kill a legend, especially one who still has so much heavy lifting to do for a franchise in transition. That brings us to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, a game that started as a small project and ballooned into something much more vital.
Honestly, it's a weird one.
Originally pitched as a piece of downloadable content to bridge the gap between Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) realized they had too much story to tell. They needed to explain where Kiryu was while Ichiban Kasuga was busy getting hit by bats in Yokohama. What we got is a lean, mean, and surprisingly emotional brawler that reminds us why we fell in love with this stoque series in the first place. It’s shorter than your average Yakuza epic, sure, but it hits harder than a motorcycle to the face.
The Identity Crisis of Joryu
The premise is simple but heavy. Kiryu has traded his name for the protection of his foster children at the Morning Glory Orphanage. He’s now "Joryu," a secret agent for the Daidoji Faction. He spends his days meditating in temples and performing "tasks" that usually involve breaking bones. He’s a ghost. Or he’s trying to be.
But you've played these games. You know Kiryu’s "peace" never lasts more than five minutes.
The conflict in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name stems from the fact that everyone—from the Omi Alliance to mysterious figures in the underworld—knows exactly who this legendary guy in the gray suit is, regardless of his new sunglasses. It’s a tragic setup. Kiryu is a man living a lie that nobody believes, yet he’s forced to uphold it to protect the people he loves. It creates a tension that wasn't really present in previous titles. He’s not fighting for honor or a girl this time; he’s fighting to remain a non-person.
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A Return to Real-Time Violence
If you weren't a fan of the turn-based shift in Ichiban's games, this is your homecoming. The combat here is a refined evolution of the classic brawler style. It’s fast. It’s crunchy.
You’ve got two primary styles. First, the Yakuza style. This is classic Kiryu. It’s heavy blows, grab-and-smash tactics, and the sheer brutality we’ve seen since the PS2 era. Then there’s the Agent style. This is where things get wacky in the best way possible. As an agent of the Daidoji, Kiryu uses high-tech gadgets. We’re talking about "Spider" wires that bind enemies like Peter Parker on a bad day, "Hornet" drones that swarm targets, and even rocket-boosted shoes.
It sounds like it shouldn't work. Seeing the stoic Dragon of Dojima use jet boots feels like a fever dream. Yet, in the flow of combat, switching between the brute force of a street legend and the gadgetry of a spy feels incredibly fluid. It bridges the gap between the gritty realism of the early games and the over-the-top absurdity that the series has embraced lately.
The Coliseum: Where Time Disappears
Let's talk about the Castle. It’s a massive tanker ship converted into a neon-soaked den of iniquity, hidden in plain sight. This is where the game’s meat lives. The Coliseum isn't just a side mission; it’s a full-blown addiction. You can recruit characters—some familiar faces, some new weirdos—to join your "Joryu Clan" and engage in massive team battles.
Managing your roster feels like a mini-RPG inside an action game. You’ll find yourself grinding matches just to level up a guy wearing a chicken mask because his stats are too good to ignore. It’s pure RGG charm.
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Why the Length Actually Works
People complained when they heard Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name could be finished in about 12 to 15 hours. Most Yakuza games are 50-hour marathons. But here’s the thing: the pacing is actually better for it. There’s almost no filler. No "go buy me a soda three times" missions that drag the narrative to a halt.
Every chapter feels essential.
The side content is still there, obviously. You can still play pocket circuit, hit the batting cages, or spend way too much money at the cabaret club. But the main path is a bullet. It’s a focused character study of a man who has lost everything but his sense of duty. By the time the credits roll, you realize that a 60-hour version of this story would have diluted the emotional impact of the ending.
And that ending? It’s a top-three moment in the entire franchise. If you’ve followed Kiryu’s journey since 2005, have tissues ready. It’s a raw, rare moment of vulnerability for a character who usually keeps his emotions locked behind a wall of granite.
Sotenbori: A Familiar Playground
Most of the game takes place in Sotenbori (Osaka). We’ve seen this map a dozen times. Some might call it lazy. I call it comfortable. RGG knows how to dress up these streets to make them feel alive again. The neon lights, the sound of the river, the specific way the NPCs talk—it’s immersive.
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The density is what matters. Every alleyway in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name feels like it has a secret or a weird guy waiting to give you a quest. It’s not about the square footage; it’s about the soul. The addition of the "Akame Network" helps tie the world together. Akame, a local information broker, acts as your hub for side quests, and leveling up your relationship with her rewards you with some of the best gear in the game. It’s a smart way to make the side content feel integrated into the story rather than just a list of chores.
The Technical Side of the Dragon
Running on the Dragon Engine, the game looks spectacular. The facial animations, especially for Kiryu, convey so much unspoken weight. You can see the fatigue in his eyes.
Performance-wise, it’s rock solid. On modern consoles and PC, the 60fps target is hit consistently, which is crucial for a game built on split-second parries and dodges. The transition from exploration to combat is nearly seamless now. No more awkward loading pauses while the hooligans finish their dialogue—you just start swinging.
Is it a perfect game? No. Some of the gadget upgrades feel a bit grindy, and if you aren't invested in Kiryu’s history, some of the emotional beats might land a bit flat. But for the initiated? It’s a masterpiece of fanservice and tight game design.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re sitting on the fence about picking this up, stop. Whether you're a series veteran or someone who hopped on with the turn-based games, this is a vital piece of the puzzle. Here is how to get the most out of your time with Joryu:
- Don't Rush the Story: Even though it's shorter, the magic is in the Akame Network requests. Some of the funniest writing in the game is hidden in these small "find my cat" style missions.
- Invest in the Coliseum Early: The money you earn there will fund your ability upgrades, making the later boss fights much more manageable (and stylish).
- Watch the Recap: If it’s been a while since you played Yakuza 6, watch a quick summary on YouTube. The emotional payoff of Gaiden relies heavily on knowing exactly what Kiryu gave up.
- Play Infinite Wealth After: This game is the perfect primer for Kiryu’s role in the following title. The transition is seamless and makes the narrative stakes feel much higher.
Basically, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a love letter. It’s a reminder that even when a series changes its identity, its heart remains the same. Kiryu might have erased his name, but his legacy is clearly going nowhere.